SOME MUSICIANS AND/OR FRIENDS THAT YOU MIGHT FIND ON STAGE WITH SUPERELVIS, OR ON A SUPERELVIS RECORD 

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Well, we were once shy to play with other musicians (you know, they might find out we could not play at all) but time cures everything (or so they say). Here's a list of some people who keep reminding us that we cannot play.

Mark Cunningham

Visit his webpage!

Born in New Jersey in 1952, he is the first musician to have played with Superelvis without actually being a member of the band. He has been a close collaborator since the day he laid that incredible trumpet on "Different Moments" (WRONG SONGS). He is also featured on NECESSARY LIES, HAPPINESS IS STUPID and HAVING FUN ON STAGE. His first live appearance with the band was at the ACTUAL festival, in Logroño (Spain), on january 16th, 1993.

He formed his first band as soon as 1966 ("The Alleycats"), but his recording career did not begin until 1977, playing bass for the seminal No Wave band Mars, along with Summer Crane and China Burg. That's the band that made him a legend.

1977: 3E bw/ 11.000 Volts (7", Rebel /12", ZE)
1978: No New York (LP produced by Brian Eno, featuring Mars, DNA, Teenage Jesus & The Jerks, James Chance & The Contortions)
1979: Mars EP (EP, Lust/Unlust)

In the nineties, a couple more Mars items have surfaced:

1993: Mars Live (CD, D.S.A.), live recordings, 1977-78
1996: Mars 78 (CD, Atavistic), studio and live recordings, 1977-78

In the 80's, he took part in various projects, among which can be traced the following recordings:

1980: John Gavanti (LP, Hyrax). No Wave opera, inspired by Mozart's "Don Giovanni" and the works of Mississippi bluesman Bukka White.
1983:Don King (K7, Hyrax). Don King was formed by Mark Cunningham with ex-Mars China Burg (aka Lucy Hamilton) and Duncan Lindsay. The band went through several transformations including at times Arto Lindsay, Toni Nogueira, Toni Maimone and William Perry.
1985:Don King: "One-Two Punch" (LP, Doublevision/Rough Trade). One side 45 rpm, the other side 33 rpm, featuring Arto Lindsay. A collector's item.
1986:Don King: On The Mediterranian (K7, 4 Sellos)
1989:Fist Of Facts (EP, Helvete Underground). Featuring Sal Principato, Ken Medeira and Scott Hartley.

Around 1989, he settled down in Barcelona, where he formed Raèo along with Gat and Anton Ignorant. He also joined Pascal Comelade's Bel Canto Orchestra, formed Catch 22 with Jakob Draminsky and has even started a solo career.

1992: Raeo: Daddy Legba bw/ Mambo Maya (7", G33G)
1994: Raeo: Adiós Jupiter (CD, G33G)
1997: Raeo: Words Are Worms bw/ Most Na Savi (7", Amanita)
1997: Mark Cunningham: Blood River Dusk (CD, Por Caridad)
1999: Raeo: Body Loops (CD, G33G)

Mark Cunningham has also collaborated on various performances and recordings with J.G. Thirlwell (Phoetus), Lydia Lunch, Rudolph Grey, Christian Marclay, Mark Miller, Blixa Bargeld, Nana Vasconcelos, Lizzy Mercier Descloux and Spanish acts such as Oriol Perucho, Macromassa and Telefilme.

Jakob Draminsky Højmark

Visit his webpage!

Born in Danmark, plays bass clarinet and sopranino sax on NECESSARY LIES and HAPPINESS IS STUPID. His first live appearance with Superelvis was on July 1st, 1994 (that night the band was opening for a trio composed of Chris Cutler, Tim Hodgkinson and Hiroshi Kobayashi -R.I.O. flavour!) Nevertheless, he will never forgive himself for being too busy to make it to the HAVING FUN ON STAGE recording session.

But, then again, he had some reasons to be busy! Not only he is a member of the groups Tzarina Q Cut (with Jorgen Teller), Pascal Comelade's Bel Canto Orchestra, Catch 22 (with Mark Cunningham) and an interesting unchristened project with Alfredo Costa Monteiro, but he has aldo been doing some composition. Have a look at his C.V!

Since 1977 active as musician and composer. From 86 involved in European improvised music as wood wind instrumentalist (bass clarinet and sopranino saxophone). Residencies in London,West Berlin and Barcelona. Composition and instrumental studies with Pierre Drge, Wolfgang Fuchs and Gabriel Brncic. Participation in electroacoustic work-shops at DIEM (DK), IRCAM(F) and PHONOS (Sp). Has received commissions for works for instrumental groups and theatres, and grants from various danish art foundations.

Recent collaborations with : Tzarina Q Cut, Pascal Comelade, Raeo, Superelvis, Kamikaze, Undergrunden(Theatre group) and Peter Laugesen (writer)

Main compositions :

STJERNEHAM I STADIER (p, cel, b/es-cl with poetry) 90.
First performed by LIN-ENSEMBLET and Poul Borum (poetry).
Commissioned by The National Danish Radio-P2.
Released on the CD "At The Gallery" 95.

DARVING FOR GOOD-WOOD (Big Band) 91.
First performed by New Music Orchestra.
Comissioned by the Copenhagen Jazzfestival.

LA ESQUINA DEL SUSPIRO (cl and soundobject) 91.
First performed by Morten Carlsen. (SKRAEP).
Released on the CD "At The Gallery" 95

TRAVESIAS (Wood-wind Quintet) 91.
First performed by Den skandinaviske Blaeserkvintet. (SKRAEP).
Released on the CD "At The Gallery" 95

CANEFLOAT, (Saxophone Quartet) 92.
First performed by Den ny danske saxofonkvartet.
Comissioned by The National Danish Foundation of Arts.
Released on the CD "At The Gallery" 95

TURANDOT, (Opera. 8 voices, chorus and 6 musicians) 93.
Libretto by Peter Laugesen. First performed at the RIALTO Theatre, Copenhagen.
Directed by Emil Hansen. Commissioned by KAMIKAZE.

EN LANDSOLDATS DAGBOG, Electroacustic pocket opera for baritone singer and MIDI live performance. Barcelona, November 95.
Directed by Niels Pihl. Comissioned by Teatre Malic (Spain).

MEMORY, (chamber opera for 12 singers, piano and harmonium)96.
First performed at Den Anden Opera, Copenhagen.. Libretto by Peter Laugesen.
Directed by Emil Hansen. Comissioned by KAMIKAZE.

Composer at following projects:

The CAR-HORN CONCERT, sound/dance event, Copenhagen 87.
Performed by 80 cars and drivers,10 saxophone players and 25 dancers in the port.Choreography by Jorge Holkin.

STAIRWAYS, dance-event, Copenhagen ,88.
Performed by Fred Frith,Tom Cora, Pippen Barnet, Wolfgang Fuchs,Alex von Schlippenbach, Sv. Ake Johanson and TYTE-dancegroup. Choreography by Jorgen Teller.

MUeNCHHAUSEN, multiart-event, Arhus(DK),89.
Performed by Den jydske Messingkvintet,6 street workers with machines, 8 divers, 5 dancers and Tzarina Q Cut.
Comissioned by The National Danish Foundation of Arts..

KRANKHEIT DER JUGEND, theatre(sound-track), 92
Performed at CafeTeateret,Copenhagen. Directed by Emil Hansen Comissioned by Teaterforeningen KAMIKAZE.

PORT BORT, artvideo from Jeanette Schou.
Produced by Watt Video and Danish film institute workshop.

SAVAGE IN LIMBO, theatre(sound-track), 94.
Performed at Fiol Teateret,Copenhagen. Directed by Emil Hansen.
Comissioned by Teaterforeningen KAMIKAZE.

"101 SOUND EVENTS" a promenade concert-event for street- and construction machines.
Roskilde, Denmark august 96. Comissioned by Margrethe Fjorden.

"SLIP N' SLIDE" chamber sonata for five musicians and medium size construction equipment.
Performed at Nikolai; Copenhagen centre of contemporary art. September 96.
Comissioned by Nikolai and The National Danish Foundation of Arts.

Discography :

1987: Solo (K7, Multisounds)
1990: Dream Jingles (CD, Multisounds)
1995: At The Gallery (CD, Multisounds/G33G)
1997: Memory (CD, Multisounds/G33G)
1997: En landsoldats dagbog - et ar af hans liv (CD, Multisounds)

Tzarina Q Cut : "Bees On HALI" (Lp,91), "On Waste Ave-nude" (Maxi,90), "Homage al Spoot Magic"(K7,89), "On Wave" (K7,88), "Klima"( Compilation Lp 90), "Just a Love-song" (Compilation Lp 89).

Moment Movers: "La secuencia del perezoso y la gacela" (Lp,91) Barcelona Bienale 91.

Somesax: "Flapper" (Lp,90), "As she weeps" (Sort Sol) (single,89)

Markuss Breuss

Swiss trumpet player and excellent cook, invited us for dinner the night before we recorded HAVING FUN ON STAGE and got invited to the session in exchange. Had never played with us before (partly because he lives in Madrid), but has become a member of out western Spain tour unit since then.

The first time most of us heard of him was in Clónicos, one of the first avantgarde bands to appear in Spain.

1985: Clónicos: Aspetti Diversi (LP)
1987: Clónicos: Figuras Españolas (LP)
1990: Clónicos: Copa De Veneno (CD, Ed. Cúbicas)
1995: Clónicos: Esquizodelia (CD, Triquinoise)

He has recently released a CD with Scorecrackers, a duo with improvisation theoricist Pedro López.

1997: Scorecrackers: Eating Flowers (CD, Por Caridad)

Anton Ignorant

Visit his webpage!

Born in Murcia in 1957, plays guitar on Superelvis' live album HAVING FUN ON STAGE. Although he is probably the most talented (and sharp) avantgarde musician in many miles around, the turns of his career have not always been well understood by his contemporaries. Over the years he has been a member of Avant Dernières Pensées, Macromassa, Audiopeste and Raèo. Also remarkable is his work as a poet and performance artist.

1985: Avant Dernieres Pensées: 4 grupos de Barcelona (LP, Esplendor Geométrico). Sampler CD featuring four Barcelona avantgarde bands.
1986: Avant dernieres Pensées: Radiante Porvenir (LP, Esplendor Geométrico)
1986: Avant dernieres Pensées/Comando Bruno: Muestras Sin Valor (LP, Esplendor Geométrico). Collaborative work.
1986: Anton Ignorant: C1 (K7, Grand Mal)
1986: Anton Ignorant: La Hora Feliz (K7, Grand Mal)
1987: Macromassa: Macromissa (LP, Esplendor Geométrico)
1987: Anton Ignorant/Victor Nubla: Delirio De Dioses (LP, Fenici).
1989: Macromassa: Espejo Rapidísimo Qinqen (LP, Esplendor Geométrico)
1989: Ignorant Buildings: XVIII La Luna (7", G33G). One-sided 7" recorded live.
1992: Audiopeste: Ñaka (K7, Grand Mal)
1992: Audiopeste: D:I:E:C1 (K7, Grand Mal)
1992: Raeo: Daddy Legba bw/ Mambo Maya (7", G33G)
1993: Macromassa: Los Hechos Pérez (LP/CD, G33G)
1993: Audiopeste: El Arte De Cojear Con La Guitarra (LP, Por Caridad)
1994: Raeo: Adiós Jupiter (CD, G33G)
1997: Raeo: Words Are Worms bw/ Most Na Savi (7", Amanita)

More on him

Juan Crek

Plays baritone sax on "Different Moments", on the HAPPINESS IS STUPID CD. His career spans over 20 years, as a member of Macromassa (Spanish most important -or, at least, lasting- avant-garde band) or as a solo act.

Mª José Peña

Background vocals on the last track of the HAPPINESS IS STUPID CD. She is best known for her work in Claustrofobia, with whom she released the following albums:

1986: EL SILENCIO (Justine)
1987: REPULSION (Justine). This album featured ROBERT WYATT on one track and was awarded "Best Spanish Record Of The Year" by magazine ROCK DE LUX.
1989: UN CHIEN ANDALUZ (Nuevos Medios)
1992: ENCADENADOS (Nuevos Medios)

nuara

Visit her webpage!

It's her cristal voice that you can hear doing the lead female parts on "Different Moments" and "Happiness Is Stupid", both on the HAPPINESS IS STUPID CD. She has also recorded with Destroy Mercedes and Claustrofobia. When she was 9 years old (!), she had already been sampled for an Avant Dernieres Pensées album. Other sides of her work include an active position in Spain's mail art scene.

 

Javier Piñango

Born in Madrid, he did the drum programming on "Hope" (HAPPINESS IS STUPID) and added some live electronic drumming (along with Raimon Aymerich). We first met him as one of the partners at TRIQUINOISE (the label which released KISS ME WHEN YOU DANCE). In 1992, he left to start POR CARIDAD and took us with him. As a musician, he had an irregular project CERDOS in the early nineties. He is charged with all the drum programming in MIL DOLORES PEQUEÑOS. In 1996 he has started a collaborative project with Jaime Munárriz, DESTROY MERCEDES. He is one of the founder members (with Anki Toner and Manolo Férnandez) of the multiple-identity improvisational project THE ALL TODOS.

CERDOS: Cerdos (Triquinoise, 1990)
MIL DOLORES PEQUEÑOS: Lady Lazarus (Por Caridad, 1992)
MIL DOLORES PEQUEÑOS: Soul Shack (Por Caridad, 1994)
MIL DOLORES PEQUEÑOS: Madrid Capone (Por Caridad, 1996)
DESTROY MERCEDES: Volumen Uno (Por Caridad, 1996)
DESTROY MERCEDES: Volumen Dos (Por Caridad, 1997)

Javier Colis

Born in Logroño, plays the noisy guitar part on "Hurt Forever" (HAPPINESS IS STUPID). He is one or our favorite Spanish musicians, and a legend in the Spanish alternative rock scene. He has been the leader and/or main composer of seminal bands like DEMONIOS TUS OJOS and VAMOS A MORIR. At the present he leads MIL DOLORES PEQUEÑOS and has released a solo album.

DEMONIOS TUS OJOS: Demonios Tus Ojos (Gasa, 1989)
VAMOS A MORIR: Vamos A Morir (Triquinoise, 1990)
VAMOS A MORIR:Vamos A Morir II (Por Caridad, 1992)
MIL DOLORES PEQUEÑOS: Lady Lazarus (Por Caridad, 1992)
MIL DOLORES PEQUEÑOS: Soul Shack (Por Caridad, 1994)
MIL DOLORES PEQUEÑOS: Madrid Capone (Por Caridad, 1996)
JAVIER COLIS: Luna De Agosto (Por Caridad, 1997)
MIÑ DOLORES PEQUEÑOS: Opio (Por Caridad, 1999)

Pascal Comelade

Played a beautiful "grandmother's electrorgan" part on the last track of the HAPPINESS IS STUPID CD. By the way, it was Anki Toner's grandmother's electrorgan, not Pascal's.

 The man's a writer & a rock critic, too. Click here to read what he wrote about us. (Only for those who can read french well).

And since you can read french, here's what Henri Isaac wrote about him:

Discographie exhaustive Pascal Comelade (né en 1955) :

1) de 1979 à 1984 :
- 3 albums auto-produits (Fluence / Paralelo / Sentimientos)
- 3 Ep "Séquences païennes", "Ready Made", "La dialectique peut-elle casse des briques ? "
- 9 cassettes dont je ne connais que les suivantes : "Irregular organs", "Slow musics", "Logique du sens", "Pécis de décomposition bruitiste"
- plusieurs contribution à des compilations internationales (Espagne, Japon, Portugal).

2 ) En 1982 forme "Fall of saigon" avec Thierry Den et Florence Berthon un seul disque : Maxi 6 titres chez Atem Records

3 ) En 1983 fonde le "BEL CANTO ORCHESTRA" (avec notamment Cathy Claret, Pierre Bastien) qui regroupe musiciens et non-musiciens (de 5 à 20 membres). Début de l'utilisation des instruments-jouets (guitares et saxophones en plastique, toy-pianos).

4 ) En 1984, signature au "Disque du Soleil et de l'Acier" (Nancy), G. Nguyen (Directeur) et producteur de tous les albums de Pascal Comelade à partir de cette date.

5 ) 1985 : "Détail Monochrome (Labyrintes 1)" DSA 54002
1986 : "Bel Canto" DSA 54006
1988 : "El primitivismo" DSA 54011
1989 : "Rock del veneno" DSA 54012
1989 : "Impressionismes" Wave (Japon) Compilation
1990 : "33 Bars" DSA 54014 (le laser arrive !!)
1992 : "Haïkus de pianos" DSA 54020 (existe aussi en import japonais Wave avec porchette digipack)
1993 : "Traffic d'abstraction" DSA / Delabel-Virgin
1993 : "Danses et chants de Syldavie" DSA / Delabel-Virgin
1995 : "El Cabaret Galactic" DSA / Delabel-Virgin
1995 : "Tango del Rossello" DSA (Hors commerce)
1996 : "Musiques pour films, Vol. 2" DSA / Delabel-Virgin
1996 : "Un Samedi sur la Terre" DSA / Delabel-Virgin

Voilà pour la discographie.
Maintenant, quelques commentaires pour découvrir cette oeuvre entre Satie et Robert Wyatt. Le meilleur album est sans conteste "Traffic d'abstraction", véritable chef d'oeuvre. Avec ce disque, tous ce que Pascal Comelade avait tenté auparavant, trouve ici une harmonie particulière. "El Cabaret Galactic", lui ressemble beaucoup. Ces deux albums sont conçus comme tels, et possèdent une unité que certains autres albums n'ont pas.
Ensuite, il faut prêter une oreille attentive à "Haïkus de painos" qui comporte beaucoup de reprises génialissimes (Enio Morricone, Deep Purple, Johnattant Richman, etc...)
"Danses et chants de Syldavie" compile utilement toutes ces reprises, dont une de "Lété indien" encore mieux que qui vous savez...
"Musiques de film, Vol. 2" est très bien également.
Par contre le dernier en date est limite arnaque: il est évident qu'il s'agit d'un disque pour terminer un contrat chez Delabel. La plupart de morceaux sont disponibles sur les autres albums, quelques ré-orchestrations, mais pas de nouveaux morceaux très intéressants. Aujourd'hui P. Comelade repasse dans le maquis : l'autoproduction !

Ya basta !! Si certains d'entre vous connaissent d'autres albums de P. Comelade me faire signe de toute urgence !! (je suis preneur de tout ce qui se présentera et que je n'aurais pas, même les pressages japonais (Wave)).

Henri ISAAC : isaac@dauphine.fr

Cristina Vilallonga

Warm beautiful voice on some tracks of the NECESSARY LIES CD. Cristina is a talented musician and composer (a charming woman, too). The last we have heard from her is a score for a dance piece, Música para Nats Nus (CD, Alternativa, 1995)

Al Banal

Mystery voice on some tracks of the NECESSARY LIES CD

Pere Boada

Owner of R. S. Estudio, where Superelvis recorded their first albums, plays bass on one track of WRONG SONGS.

Oriol Perucho

One of the best drummers around, he lent us his set of drums for the Wrong Songs sessions and honoured us with his playing on one track. He is one of the very few people we know that can hear more to music than we do. Has been in countless bands since the mid-seventies, including the original, seminal, mythical PERUCHO'S.

He has released two CDs under his own name:

1992: Insultó, le multaron y dejó de comer (G3G)
1995: Zapping CD (G3G)

Tres

Singer, musician, visual artist and collector of silences, sings on some tracks of the "Wrong Songs" CD. He has never released a solo album but has been in bands as KLAMM, LA T, ZUSH-TRES...