Tripping Daisy
Encyclopedia
Tripping Daisy was a neo psychedelic pop rock band that was formed in Dallas, Texas
, USA by lead singer/guitarist Tim DeLaughter
in 1990 along with Jeff Bouck (drums), Wes Berggren
(guitar) and Mark Pirro
(bass).
" such as hand made slide shows with multi layered 16 mm projections along with oil and water. This visual attention was present in the very first show and was the beginning of many multi media attractions to come. In 1992 Bryan Wakeland replaced Jeff Bouck. Bryan remained drummer through the touring of "Bill" and the recording of "I'm an Elastic Firecracker" Mitch Marine replaced Bryan after two years of touring of said record. Phil Karnats was added to the band as an extra guitarist. Mitch toured and recorded one song ("My Way") as drummer. Ben Curtis became the final contributing drummer for the bulk of the bands recordings "Jesus Hits Like The Atom Bomb" and self title "Tripping Daisy" The band disbanded in 1999 after friend and member Wes Berggren
died. Tim DeLaughter, along with bandmates Mark Pirro and Bryan Wakeland along with Jeff Bouck on percussion, went on to form the 24-piece symphonic choral chamber pop rock group The Polyphonic Spree
. Ben Curtis went on to join brother Brandon Curtis in the progressive space rock
trio called The Secret Machines
and later, the dream pop
trio School of Seven Bells
.
sound.
The band released a live album in 1994 titled Get It On. The album closes with a cover of the Bad Religion
song "We're Only Gonna Die
".
, the band recorded their first major-label release, I Am an Elastic Firecracker
. The music video
for the song "I Got a Girl
" received extended airplay on MTV
.
, was a mix of both creativity and experimentalism. DeLaughter has been quoted as saying that the album "is the band at their best". The album has a fragmented style: from one vignette to another.
was found dead of a drug overdose
in his apartment on October 27, 1999. The Dallas County Medical Examiner's office found traces of cocaine, propoxyphene, and benzodiazepine in his body. With Berggren's death, the band cancelled its upcoming tour dates and finished some minor recording sessions for the final album. The self-titled album was released posthumously, with Berggren's father Don playing a Fender Rhodes electric piano on the unfinished song "Soothing Jubilee". The album included a re-recording of "One Through Four", a song originally featured on Bill.
Tripping Daisy officially disbanded on December 14, 1999.
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
, USA by lead singer/guitarist Tim DeLaughter
Tim DeLaughter
Tim DeLaughter , is a singer and songwriter. He has gained attention as a very energetic and engaging frontman for both Tripping Daisy and his current band, The Polyphonic Spree....
in 1990 along with Jeff Bouck (drums), Wes Berggren
Wes Berggren
Wes Berggren was an American musician and former guitarist for the rock band Tripping Daisy.Berggren was found dead of a drug overdose in his apartment on October 27, 1999. The Dallas County Medical Examiner's office found traces of cocaine, propoxyphene, and benzodiazepine in his body...
(guitar) and Mark Pirro
Mark Pirro
Mark Pirro is a Dallas-based musician, bass player in The Polyphonic Spree, and former member of Tripping Daisy. He is also the inventor and manufacturer of the copperphone microphone. He runs Placid Audio studio in Dallas....
(bass).
History
The band incorporated a light show similar to the "Fillmore DaysThe Joshua Light Show
The Joshua Light Show, created by Joshua White, was one of the trailblazing liquid light shows renowned for its psychedelic art lighting a backdrop behind many live band performances at the Fillmore East in the East Village area of New York City, USA, during the late sixties and early seventies.-...
" such as hand made slide shows with multi layered 16 mm projections along with oil and water. This visual attention was present in the very first show and was the beginning of many multi media attractions to come. In 1992 Bryan Wakeland replaced Jeff Bouck. Bryan remained drummer through the touring of "Bill" and the recording of "I'm an Elastic Firecracker" Mitch Marine replaced Bryan after two years of touring of said record. Phil Karnats was added to the band as an extra guitarist. Mitch toured and recorded one song ("My Way") as drummer. Ben Curtis became the final contributing drummer for the bulk of the bands recordings "Jesus Hits Like The Atom Bomb" and self title "Tripping Daisy" The band disbanded in 1999 after friend and member Wes Berggren
Wes Berggren
Wes Berggren was an American musician and former guitarist for the rock band Tripping Daisy.Berggren was found dead of a drug overdose in his apartment on October 27, 1999. The Dallas County Medical Examiner's office found traces of cocaine, propoxyphene, and benzodiazepine in his body...
died. Tim DeLaughter, along with bandmates Mark Pirro and Bryan Wakeland along with Jeff Bouck on percussion, went on to form the 24-piece symphonic choral chamber pop rock group The Polyphonic Spree
The Polyphonic Spree
The Polyphonic Spree is a choral symphonic pop rock band from Dallas, Texas that was formed in 2000 by Tim DeLaughter. The band's sound relies on a variety of vocal and instrumental color by featuring a choir, flute, trumpet, trombone, violin, viola, cello, percussion, piano, guitars, bass, drums,...
. Ben Curtis went on to join brother Brandon Curtis in the progressive space rock
Space rock
Space rock is a subgenre of rock music; the term originally referred to a group of early, mostly British, 1970s progressive and psychedelic rock bands such as Hawkwind and Pink Floyd, characterised by slow, lengthy instrumental passages dominated by electric organs, synthesizers, experimental...
trio called The Secret Machines
The Secret Machines
The Secret Machines are a three-piece American alternative rock band. Originally from Dallas, Texas before moving to New York City, they describe their band as space rock. The original lineup consisted of two brothers, Brandon and Benjamin Curtis, and Josh Garza...
and later, the dream pop
Dream pop
Dream pop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid-1980s, when bands like The Passions, Dif Juz, Lowlife and A.R. Kane began fusing post-punk and ethereal experiments with bittersweet pop melodies into dreamy, sensual soundscapes. The term was almost...
trio School of Seven Bells
School of Seven Bells
School of Seven Bells is a band formed by Benjamin Curtis of Secret Machines, together with identical twins Alejandra and Claudia Deheza, formerly of On!Air!Library!. The band is named after the School of the Seven Bells, a mythical South American pickpocket training academy.-History:Curtis and...
.
First album
After playing local gigs, the band released their first single, "Lost and Found", which received moderate airplay on local radio station KDGE. The band soon began recording what would become their first full length album, Bill, released on the independent label Dragon Street Records. The album was a favorite on Dallas radio. The sound on Bill is characterized by the heavy use of vocal effects and unconventional riffs, both of which lend to a neo-psychedelicNeo-psychedelia
Neo-psychedelia is music that emulates or is heavily influenced by the psychedelic music of the 1960s. It began to be revived among British post-punk bands of the later 1970s and early 1980s and was taken up by groups including bands of the Paisley Underground and Madchester scenes, as well as...
sound.
The band released a live album in 1994 titled Get It On. The album closes with a cover of the Bad Religion
Bad Religion
Bad Religion is a punk rock band that formed in Los Angeles in 1979. Their current line-up consists of Greg Graffin , Brett Gurewitz , Jay Bentley , Greg Hetson , Brian Baker and Brooks Wackerman . Gurewitz is also the founder of the label Epitaph Records, which has released almost all of the...
song "We're Only Gonna Die
We're Only Gonna Die
"We're Only Gonna Die" is a song penned by frontman Greg Graffin for Bad Religion's debut album How Could Hell Be Any Worse?, which was released in 1981. It is the album's opening track, as well as the now-out of print 80-85 compilation, which was released in 1991.The song is often referred to only...
".
Commercial breakthrough
After signing a deal with Island RecordsIsland Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
, the band recorded their first major-label release, I Am an Elastic Firecracker
I Am an Elastic Firecracker
I Am an Elastic Firecracker is the second album by Tripping Daisy, released in 1995. It was produced by Ted Nicely, best known for his work with Fugazi. It featured the band's biggest hit, "I Got a Girl", whose video received a good amount on airplay on MTV...
. The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song "I Got a Girl
I Got a Girl (Tripping Daisy song)
"I Got a Girl" is the first single by alternative rock group Tripping Daisy from their second studio album, I Am an Elastic Firecracker. The song reached number six on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, and was the band's biggest hit of their career.-Charts:...
" received extended airplay on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
.
Later albums
The band's third album, Jesus Hits Like the Atom BombJesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb
Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb is the third studio album released by Tripping Daisy in 1998. The album was produced by Eric Drew Feldman and Tripping Daisy. Songs on this album included radio hit "Sonic Bloom". Artwork was created by Tim DeLaughter...
, was a mix of both creativity and experimentalism. DeLaughter has been quoted as saying that the album "is the band at their best". The album has a fragmented style: from one vignette to another.
Death of Wes Berggren
Wes BerggrenWes Berggren
Wes Berggren was an American musician and former guitarist for the rock band Tripping Daisy.Berggren was found dead of a drug overdose in his apartment on October 27, 1999. The Dallas County Medical Examiner's office found traces of cocaine, propoxyphene, and benzodiazepine in his body...
was found dead of a drug overdose
Drug overdose
The term drug overdose describes the ingestion or application of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than are recommended or generally practiced...
in his apartment on October 27, 1999. The Dallas County Medical Examiner's office found traces of cocaine, propoxyphene, and benzodiazepine in his body. With Berggren's death, the band cancelled its upcoming tour dates and finished some minor recording sessions for the final album. The self-titled album was released posthumously, with Berggren's father Don playing a Fender Rhodes electric piano on the unfinished song "Soothing Jubilee". The album included a re-recording of "One Through Four", a song originally featured on Bill.
Tripping Daisy officially disbanded on December 14, 1999.
Personnel
- Tim DeLaughterTim DeLaughterTim DeLaughter , is a singer and songwriter. He has gained attention as a very energetic and engaging frontman for both Tripping Daisy and his current band, The Polyphonic Spree....
- Lead vocals/guitars/dulcimerAppalachian dulcimerThe Appalachian dulcimer is a fretted string instrument of the zither family, typically with three or four strings. It is native to the Appalachian region of the United States...
/Califone/keyboards ) (1990–1999) - Wes BerggrenWes BerggrenWes Berggren was an American musician and former guitarist for the rock band Tripping Daisy.Berggren was found dead of a drug overdose in his apartment on October 27, 1999. The Dallas County Medical Examiner's office found traces of cocaine, propoxyphene, and benzodiazepine in his body...
- Lead guitars/MellotronMellotronThe Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
/Ace ToneAce ToneAce Electronic Industries Inc., or Ace Tone was a manufacturer of musical instruments, including electronic organs and analogue drum machines, and effects pedals. Founded in 1960 by Ikutaro Kakehashi with an investment by Sakata Shokai, Ace Tone can be considered an early incarnation of the Roland...
/celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
/keyboards (1991–1999) - Mark PirroMark PirroMark Pirro is a Dallas-based musician, bass player in The Polyphonic Spree, and former member of Tripping Daisy. He is also the inventor and manufacturer of the copperphone microphone. He runs Placid Audio studio in Dallas....
- Bass guitars/percussion (1991–1999) - Philip Karnats - Guitars/trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
/banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
(1997–1999) - Bryan Wakeland - Drums (1991–1995)
- Jeff Bouck - Drums (1990)
- Mitch Marine - Drums (1995–1997)
- Ben CurtisBenjamin Curtis (musician)Benjamin Curtis is an American guitarist. He is a member of School of Seven Bells, in which he sings and plays instruments in addition to guitar. Benjamin was the guitarist and backing vocalist for the rock band The Secret Machines until March 2007, when, according to the band's website, he left to...
- Drums (1997–1999) - Robert Hubbard (fill only) - Drums (1997–1999)
Albums
- Bill (1992)
- I Am an Elastic FirecrackerI Am an Elastic FirecrackerI Am an Elastic Firecracker is the second album by Tripping Daisy, released in 1995. It was produced by Ted Nicely, best known for his work with Fugazi. It featured the band's biggest hit, "I Got a Girl", whose video received a good amount on airplay on MTV...
(1995) - Jesus Hits Like the Atom BombJesus Hits Like the Atom BombJesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb is the third studio album released by Tripping Daisy in 1998. The album was produced by Eric Drew Feldman and Tripping Daisy. Songs on this album included radio hit "Sonic Bloom". Artwork was created by Tim DeLaughter...
(1998) - Tripping DaisyTripping Daisy (album)Tripping Daisy is the final studio album by Tripping Daisy, released a few months after the band disbanded following the death of guitarist Wes Berggren. The album was released on the independent label Sugar Fix Records following the band's release from their contract with Island Records and is now...
(2000)
EPs
- Get It On - Live (1994)
- Time Capsule (1997)
- The Tops Off Our Head (1999)