Tomata du Plenty
Encyclopedia
David Xavier Harrigan, aka Tomata du Plenty (May 28, 1948 – August 21, 2000) the singer of the late 1970s Los Angeles synthpunk
band The Screamers
. He was also founder of Seattle's counterculture troupe Ze Whiz Kidz. During the latter part of his life he focused on painting.
, of Irish immigrant parents. His family moved to Montebello, California
, when he was 9 years old, and Tomata ran away to Hollywood at the age of 15 to discover the wild life.
In 1968 he hitch-hiked to San Francisco where he met members of the Cockettes, including Hibiscus
.
From 1972–74 Tomata joined friends Gorilla Rose and Fayette Hauser in New York City to bring guerrilla comedy to CBGB's and other East Village clubs, working with then-unknown bands like the Ramones. "I used to do Pat Suzuki between their sets", he said. In 1972 and 1973 Tomata and company staged two Palm Casino Revues at the Bowery Lane Theater. In between shows, he found time to write an advice column for an adult newspaper and operate a thrift store.
Returning to Seattle in 1975, Tomata formed a band called The Tupperwares with Melba Toast (later Tommy Gear). The band re-formed in Los Angeles in 1976, picking up drummer K. K. Barrett
and keyboardist David Brown, and a new name, The Screamers. Brown was later replaced by Paul Roessler
. As much theater as rock band, The Screamers eschewed guitars and featured two keyboards, one drummer and assaultive lyrics mostly written and sung by Tomata. Their sound anticipated the techno rock of the early '80s. Their look—foot-high hair and ripped clothes—was achieved with the help of hair sprays, gels and a full-time stylist (Chloe Pappas).
, produced and directed by Dutch filmmaker Rene Daalder
and featuring a cast of L.A. musicians and scene-makers, including a preschool Beck Hansen. Population: 1
was screened in 1986 at the Cannes and Seattle film festivals. In 1987 it was screened at the Chicago Film Festival and was later released in Europe and Japan. In October 2008, Population: 1 was released on DVD in the United States and Canada.
Tomata was a prolific stage producer, playwright and lyricist who wrote scores of songs, plays, sketches, and musicales. He was fond of quoting an old review by Rex Reed
, "No talent is not enough," but hundreds of avid fans disagreed. In 1985 he wrote and performed The Weird Live Show, a series of unconventional shows at the Anti-Club and LACE Gallery in Los Angeles.
In the late 1980s he directed a series of short films with Los Angeles filmmaker Kevin Kierer, including Mr. Baby, featuring Styles Caldwell, and Pick Up on Olivera Street, featuring Juan Garza. He coaxed 50s TV horror-movie hostess Vampira out of retirement, and featured her in several performances and films.
Tomata began his art career in 1983 with a one-man exhibit of watercolor portraits at the Zero One Gallery
in Hollywood. Three years later his first paintings on canvas were exhibited at L.A.'s Cheap Racist Gallery at a show called "Whores, Sluts and Tramps" (at the opening party, guests appeared dressed as their favorite low-life heroes). In 1987, he won the L.A. Weekly's Best Set Design Award for his work on John Fleck's one-man stage show, I Got the He-Be She-Be's. He directed the Compulsive Players in a performance at L.A.'s MOCA that same year and exhibited at the Bye Bye Gallery with artist Diane Gamboa. An exhibit called "Knock Out!," featuring portraits of boxers, appeared in 1988 at the Zero One Gallery
in Los Angeles. That same year he was the regular art critic on the cable television series, What's Bubbling Underground, and he guest lectured at the Fashion Institute of Los Angeles. In one of his last stage performances he appeared in The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe with Gronk, Fayette Hauser, Janis Segal and Styles Caldwell at L.A.'s Casa Confetti.
Tomata continued his painting career after moving to Miami's South Beach in 1989. His exhibits—in bars, restaurants and small galleries around the country—were often arranged around a single theme, saluting his favorite poets, TV stars, country/western singers and boxers. Tomata painted people he admired, from historical figures to friends from the punk world, in a style that was emotional, provocative and accessible. He was proud of his status as an outsider artist; he once observed he would rather sell 100 pictures for $25 than one picture for $2,500. In the mid-1990s he moved his studio to New Orleans. Several times a year he would hit the road for exhibits in California, New York and Florida. In January 1999 he appeared in a CNN interview, along with series of paintings featuring Lucille Ball, Elvis Presley and other pop-culture icons.
In 2000, while in San Francisco, Tomata died of cancer
at the age of 52.
Synthpunk
Synthpunk is a music genre combining elements of electronic music and punk rock. The term was coined by Damian Ramsey in 1999 as an attempt to retroactively identify a small sub-genre of punk music from 1977 to 1984 that involved musicians playing synthesizers in place of electric...
band The Screamers
The Screamers
The Screamers were a punk rock group active in the Los Angeles, California area in the late 1970s. The Screamers were pioneers of a genre now known as "synthpunk," and can also be classified as art punk....
. He was also founder of Seattle's counterculture troupe Ze Whiz Kidz. During the latter part of his life he focused on painting.
Early life
Tomata du Plenty (his stage name was a play on "DePonty", specifically DePonty, friend and fellow founding member of Ze Whiz Kids) was born in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, of Irish immigrant parents. His family moved to Montebello, California
Montebello, California
Montebello is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, in the southwestern part of the San Gabriel Valley. It is located on of land just east of downtown Los Angeles. It is considered part of the Gateway Cities, and the city is a member of the Gateway Cities Council of...
, when he was 9 years old, and Tomata ran away to Hollywood at the age of 15 to discover the wild life.
In 1968 he hitch-hiked to San Francisco where he met members of the Cockettes, including Hibiscus
Hibiscus (entertainer)
Hibiscus was one of the leaders of the psychedelic gay liberation theatre collective group known as the Cockettes in early 1970s San Francisco; in today's theatrical parlance he would be considered to be a "Creative Director".-Early life:Harris was born in Bronxville, New York in 1949 to George...
.
Early career
Tomata led Ze Whiz Kids, a Seattle troupe that blended counterculture comedy with drag theater from 1969–1972. The group staged nearly a hundred musical revues with a cast that featured performers like Satin Sheets, Co Co Ritz, Daily Flo, Benny Whiplash, Michael Hautepants (costume designer Michael Murphy), Leah Vigeah and real females Valerie Allthetime DePonty (Valerie DePonty), Louise Lovely (Di Linge) and Cha Cha Samoa (Cha Davis, now a painter).From 1972–74 Tomata joined friends Gorilla Rose and Fayette Hauser in New York City to bring guerrilla comedy to CBGB's and other East Village clubs, working with then-unknown bands like the Ramones. "I used to do Pat Suzuki between their sets", he said. In 1972 and 1973 Tomata and company staged two Palm Casino Revues at the Bowery Lane Theater. In between shows, he found time to write an advice column for an adult newspaper and operate a thrift store.
Returning to Seattle in 1975, Tomata formed a band called The Tupperwares with Melba Toast (later Tommy Gear). The band re-formed in Los Angeles in 1976, picking up drummer K. K. Barrett
K. K. Barrett
Keith "K. K." Barrett is a production designer known for his work on feature films by Spike Jonze and Sofia Coppola. Barrett also played drums for the 1970s punk rock band, The Screamers...
and keyboardist David Brown, and a new name, The Screamers. Brown was later replaced by Paul Roessler
Paul Roessler
Paul Roessler was a prominent member of the L.A. punk scene during the late 1970s and '80s. He played keyboards in bands such as The Screamers, Twisted Roots, 45 Grave, Nervous Gender, SAUPG, Geza X and the Mommymen, Mike Watt and the Secondmen, Nina Hagen and The Deadbeats...
. As much theater as rock band, The Screamers eschewed guitars and featured two keyboards, one drummer and assaultive lyrics mostly written and sung by Tomata. Their sound anticipated the techno rock of the early '80s. Their look—foot-high hair and ripped clothes—was achieved with the help of hair sprays, gels and a full-time stylist (Chloe Pappas).
Late career
From 1977-81 The Screamers were L.A.'s leading punk band, and one of the city's leading club draws. They played consecutive sold-out performances at L.A.'s top music venues, including the Whisky, the Starwood and the Roxy, but despite several offers never signed a record deal. The band's last performance, without keyboardist Gear, was at the Whisky-A-Go Go in 1981. Two years before MTV, it incorporated music video with live performances by Tomata, K.K., Paul Ambrose, Shari Penquin and the Fabulous Sheela. Much of the film was later used in a full-length feature, Population: 1Population: 1
Population: 1 is a 1986 punk rock musical film written and directed by Rene Daalder.The film stars Tomata du Plenty of the Screamers as a defense contractor who somehow becomes the sole survivor of a nuclear holocaust. In his solitude, he traces the history of U.S...
, produced and directed by Dutch filmmaker Rene Daalder
Rene Daalder
Rene Daalder is a Dutch writer and director. He lives in Los Angeles...
and featuring a cast of L.A. musicians and scene-makers, including a preschool Beck Hansen. Population: 1
Population: 1
Population: 1 is a 1986 punk rock musical film written and directed by Rene Daalder.The film stars Tomata du Plenty of the Screamers as a defense contractor who somehow becomes the sole survivor of a nuclear holocaust. In his solitude, he traces the history of U.S...
was screened in 1986 at the Cannes and Seattle film festivals. In 1987 it was screened at the Chicago Film Festival and was later released in Europe and Japan. In October 2008, Population: 1 was released on DVD in the United States and Canada.
Tomata was a prolific stage producer, playwright and lyricist who wrote scores of songs, plays, sketches, and musicales. He was fond of quoting an old review by Rex Reed
Rex Reed
Rex Taylor Reed is an American film critic and former co-host of the syndicated television show At the Movies. He currently writes the column "On the Town with Rex Reed" for The New York Observer.-Life and career:...
, "No talent is not enough," but hundreds of avid fans disagreed. In 1985 he wrote and performed The Weird Live Show, a series of unconventional shows at the Anti-Club and LACE Gallery in Los Angeles.
In the late 1980s he directed a series of short films with Los Angeles filmmaker Kevin Kierer, including Mr. Baby, featuring Styles Caldwell, and Pick Up on Olivera Street, featuring Juan Garza. He coaxed 50s TV horror-movie hostess Vampira out of retirement, and featured her in several performances and films.
Tomata began his art career in 1983 with a one-man exhibit of watercolor portraits at the Zero One Gallery
01 gallery
01 Gallery is a contemporary art gallery located in downtown Los Angeles, California, U.S., founded by art dealer and curator John Pochna. The gallery is known for its contributions to the lowbrow art movement, as it frequently exhibits pieces with heavy graffiti and street art influences...
in Hollywood. Three years later his first paintings on canvas were exhibited at L.A.'s Cheap Racist Gallery at a show called "Whores, Sluts and Tramps" (at the opening party, guests appeared dressed as their favorite low-life heroes). In 1987, he won the L.A. Weekly's Best Set Design Award for his work on John Fleck's one-man stage show, I Got the He-Be She-Be's. He directed the Compulsive Players in a performance at L.A.'s MOCA that same year and exhibited at the Bye Bye Gallery with artist Diane Gamboa. An exhibit called "Knock Out!," featuring portraits of boxers, appeared in 1988 at the Zero One Gallery
01 gallery
01 Gallery is a contemporary art gallery located in downtown Los Angeles, California, U.S., founded by art dealer and curator John Pochna. The gallery is known for its contributions to the lowbrow art movement, as it frequently exhibits pieces with heavy graffiti and street art influences...
in Los Angeles. That same year he was the regular art critic on the cable television series, What's Bubbling Underground, and he guest lectured at the Fashion Institute of Los Angeles. In one of his last stage performances he appeared in The Loves of Edgar Allan Poe with Gronk, Fayette Hauser, Janis Segal and Styles Caldwell at L.A.'s Casa Confetti.
Tomata continued his painting career after moving to Miami's South Beach in 1989. His exhibits—in bars, restaurants and small galleries around the country—were often arranged around a single theme, saluting his favorite poets, TV stars, country/western singers and boxers. Tomata painted people he admired, from historical figures to friends from the punk world, in a style that was emotional, provocative and accessible. He was proud of his status as an outsider artist; he once observed he would rather sell 100 pictures for $25 than one picture for $2,500. In the mid-1990s he moved his studio to New Orleans. Several times a year he would hit the road for exhibits in California, New York and Florida. In January 1999 he appeared in a CNN interview, along with series of paintings featuring Lucille Ball, Elvis Presley and other pop-culture icons.
In 2000, while in San Francisco, Tomata died of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
at the age of 52.