CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN BIOGRAPHY

Camper Van Beethoven formed in the trendy seaside college community of Santa Cruz, California in 1983. Founded by vocalist David Lowery -- formerly of the Estonian Gauchos -- and guitarist Chris Molla of the local band Box O'Laffs. They soon added Victor Krummenacher on bass, Greg Lisher on guitar and Anthony Guess on drums. It was the addition of Jonathan Segel on violins, keyboards and mandolin that gave this band its unique sound.

This "non-standard" instrumentation, combined with Lowery's "valley-boy" vocals made them far more adventurous sounding than many of their contemporaries or predescessors (such as The Dickies, Minutemen or Meat Puppets). It also gave them free license to aptly describe themselves as "surrealist absurdist folk."

Camper Van Beethoven.

Their debut album, Telephone Free Landslide Victory made the Top 10 in many critic's polls in 1986. Not surprisingly, so did their next two LPs, the confusingly titled II & III and only slightly less confusingly titled Camper Van Beethoven. If the band is remembered for anything, it will probably be their punk ballad, "Take The Skinheads Bowling" off thier debut album (released on their own Pitch-A-Tent label).

In 1988 Camper Van Beethoven signed a major label contract with Virgin Records who were expanding their presence in the US (Virgin releases were previously licensed to US labels for release, such as Orchestral Manouevres In The Dark to A&M). As happened with many bands in the 80s, the critical acclaim and the "big record deal" started taking its toll on the band. Members started to leave the fold, starting with Molla in 1987 and Segel in 1988. Other members started a side project called Monks Of Doom. After only two original LPs for Virgin, and while touring in Europe, Camper Van Beethoven called it quits in 1990. Virgin then had no interest in re-releasing the band's three earlier LPs. But IRS, knowing the value of the cult favorites, licensed and released the first three LPs on CD and Cassette as well a a fourth LP, Camper Vantiquities, comprised of demos, B-Sides, unreleased items and rare mixes.

While there has never been a formal reunion of Camper Van Beethoven, many of the band members have performed and recorded together in various combinations since the break up. Frontman David Lowery formed alternative rock band Cracker and Jonathan Segel did three records in the 90s as Heironymous Firebrain. Other members have played with the likes of Counting Crows and Natalie Merchant, while others continued performing in groups, many of which come close to sounding like Camper Van Beethoven or at least as unusual.

In 2002, a long rumored new album is expected, featuring a cover version of Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk" (which is the only Mac tune webmeister Mr Bill can tolerate). See the link for Pitch-A-Tent Records below...

CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN I.R.S. DISCOGRAPHY

Albums & EPs

Produced by Camper Van Beethoven
Engineered by Dave Gill
Photography by Dave Allen

Musicians:
David Lowery lead vocals, guitar and drums
Chris Molla vocals, guitar and drums
Greg Lisher guitar
Victor Krummenacher bass and vocals
Jonathan Segal mandolin, violin, keyboards, vocals and noise
Anthony Guess drums

Track Listing:

1. Border Ska 2:46
2. The Day That Lassie Went to the Moon 3:12
3. Wasted 1:57
4. Yanqui Go Home 2:38
5. Oh No 1:50
6. 9 of Disks 2:35
7. Payed Vacation: Greece 1:48
8. Where the Hell Is Bill? 2:02
9. Vladivostock 2:20
10. Skinhead Stomp 1:43
11. Tina 1:34
12. Take the Skinheads Bowling 2:28
13. Mao Reminisces About His Days in Southern China 1:55
14. I Don't See You 2:22
15. Balalaika Gap 2:08
16. Opi Rides Again-Club Med Sucks 3:51
17. Ambiguity Song 2:28

Review Coming Soon!

Produced by Camper Van Beethoven
Other Production Credits Coming Soon!

Musicians:
David Lowery lead vocals
Chris Molla guitar & pedal steel
Greg Lisher guitar
Victor Krummenacher bass and vocals
Jonathan Segal violin
Chris Pederson drums

Track Listing:

1. Abundance
2. Cowboys From Hollywood
3. Sad Lovers Waltz
4. Turtlehead
5. I Love Her All the Time
6. No Flies on Us
7. Down and Out
8. No Krugerrands for David
9. (Don't You Go) Goleta
10. 4 Year Plan
11. (We're A) Bad Trip
12. Circles
13. Dust Pan
14. Sometimes
15. Chain of Circumstance
16. ZZ Top Goes to Egypt
17. Cattle [Reversed]
18. Form Another Stone
19. No More Bullshit

Review Coming Soon!

Production Credits Coming Soon!

Musicians:
David Lowery lead vocals
Chris Molla guitar & pedal steel
Greg Lisher guitar
Victor Krummenacher bass and vocals
Jonathan Segal violin
Chris Pederson drums

Track Listing:

1. Good Guys & Bad Guys
2. Joe Stalin's Cadillac
3. Five Sticks
4. Lulu Land
5. Une Fois
6. We Saw Jerry's Daughter
7. Surprise Truck
8. Stairway to Heavan (sic)
9. The History of Utah
10. Still Wishing to Course
11. We Love You
12. Hoe Yourself Down
13. Peace & Love
14. Folly
15. Interstellar Overdrive
16. Shut Us Down

Review Coming Soon!!!

Production Credits Coming Soon!

Musicians:
David Lowery lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Chris Molla guitar, mandolin & pedal steel
Greg Lisher guitar
Victor Krummenacher bass and vocals
Jonathan Segal violin, guitar, keyboards and vocals
Chris Pederson drums, guitar, violin, keyboards and vocals Anthony Guess drums

Track Listing:

1. Heart
2. Never Go Back
3. Seven Languages
4. Axe Murderer Song
5. SP37597
6. Crossing Over
7. Guardian Angels
8. I'm Not Like Everybody Else
9. A.C. Cover
10. Porpoise Mouth
11. (We Workers Do Not Understand) Modern Art
12. We Eat Your Children
13. Six More Miles To The Graveyard
14. Ice Cream Everyday
15. Processional
16. Photograph
17. Om Eye

Review coming Soon!

CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN LINKS & OTHER COOL STUFF

There are a number of websites devoted to CAMPER VAN BEETHOVEN...

The Official Camper Van Beethoven website has complete lyrics to CVB tunes as well as side projects like Monks Of Doom.
Their own label, Pitch-A-Tent has a website.
Pitch-A-Tent's Camper Van Beethoven page.
A pretty slick CVB fan page.
David Lowery's new band Cracker's Official Homepage.
A rather interesting Fan Devotional Site.
Since the IRS Corner reviews are not up, read reviews of CVB and Monks here.
Read CVB lyrics here.
Get all the latest CVB, Monks and Cracker news at Cracker Web!!!
This truly weird page gives you a live "orbiting" view of artists displaying similarities to CVB and, therefore, the likelyhood to which you may like their music.