This band emerged from Iowa
City in the late 1980's and early 1990's. Discovered and signed by REM manager Jefferson
Holt, the group produced the album Days Between Stations (Dog Gone Records) in
1990. Although its title was obviously derived from the Steve Erickson novel of the same
name, this release also contained the all important Pynchon-inspired song Maxwell's Demon
Box. The group is said to have always invoked Pynchon by name whenever the song was played
live. Led by Iowa City native Doug
Roberson (Guitars, Vocals), the group also included Devin Hill (Vocals, Guitars), Scott
Stecklein (Bass) and Mark Bruggerman (Drums). After the departure of Devin Hill, the group
released Transparent Blue Illusion (1991, Zero Hour) out of Australia. This CD
featured even more of Roberson's pop wanderings, led by the gritty Headhunter and the
ringing tribute to Shane. The group eventually faded into other projects of Devin and Doug
and left behind isolated tracks on Iowa Compilations (South East records) and tribute CDs
to Big Star and Plimsouls.
CDs
Days Between Stations Track Listing
1. When Time Runs Out (2:18)
2. Maxwell's Demon Box (3:14)
3. Masquerade (2:42)
4. Sitting on the Doorstep (2:18)
5. Talk about Love (2:30)
6. Nehru (2:18)
7. Days on the Roof (1:19)
8. Jack Knife (2:10)
9. Freudian Slip (2:44)
10. Reasons Why (2:16)
11. Half Your Age (2:30)
12. Someone New (1:56)
13. Legerdemain (2:22)
Anderson,
Laurie.
Famous New York performance artist Laurie Anderson
dedicated a song to Pynchon on her Mister
Heartbreak album.
Benatar,
Pat.
Believe it or not, she named a final album Gravity's
Rainbow.
Benny
Profane.
English hard rockers from Liverpool, they took
their name from a character in V.
Blowtorch,
Eric
Reggae influenced artist putting Pynchon's lyrics
to music.
Cassiber.
An avant garde German group used Gravity's
Rainbow to tell a different tale.
Corey,
Prof. Irwin.
The man who was the infamous stand-in
for Thomas Ruggles Pynchon.
Dangtrippers.
They recorded Maxwell's Demon Box on
their album, Days Between Stations.
Einhorn,
Richard.
Another rendition of music devoted to the
Demon, and much more.
Fariña,
Richard.
An long-time friend of Pynchon, this folkie named
an instrumental work after a Pynchon novel.
Favorite
Color, The.
A New Jersey band sets a selection from V.
to music on their album Color Out of Space
(1996).
Fool,
The.
Surely not Slothrop's band, this was a short lived
group which did, in fact, have a harmonica player.
Forked
Yew.
Independent, highly experimental rockers and Pynchon
fans from the American South.
Frith
& Kaiser.
An instrumental pair with a piece called The Kirghiz
Light.
Hall,
Ed.
An early 90's band influenced by Pynchon, they
named a song Roger Mexico.
Insect
Trust.
This jazzy, psychedelic group mined V.
for lyrics to The Eyes of a New York Woman.
Jazz
Butcher.
AKA Pat Fish, who named a track Looking for
Lot 49 on his Fishcoteque album.
Jones,
Spike.
Pynchon himself wrote the liner notes for Spiked!
Knopfler,
Mark. The Sultan of Swing sails to Philadelphia!
Koron,
Barry.
Weilding the Sjambok never felt so good!
Lot
49 (Ontario).
This now retired hardcore outfit hailed from the
hometown of Spermatikos Logos' own Laurence
Daw.
Lot
49 (NYC).
Indie NYC rockers named after Pynchon's second
novel.
Lotion.
A New York group whose liner notes were penned
by the Man himself.
Maas.
A visit to San Narciso.
Nirvana.
Wasthe famous tune Smells Like Teen
Spirit acutally inspired by a song from Gravity's
Rainbow?
Nova
Mob.
A "Rock Opera" filled with references
to Gravity's Rainbow.
Ocker,
David.
Musical meditations on Eight Facts About
Thomas Pynchon.
Okasek,
Ric.
Ride The Rocket with the former frontman
of The Cars.
Pere
Ubu.
David Thomas' legendary, seminal band shows some
Pynchon influences.
PopCanon.
These literate Indies hail from Flordia, and have
a song about Wanda Tinasky which is highly recomm-ended!
Poster
Children.
This group from Champaign, Illinois, covers a
lot of Pynchon ground!
Radiohead.
English art-rockers who incorporate many Pynchon
motifs into their work.
Rapoon.
An offshoot of Zoviet France, Robin Storey's
group named Rapoon released an album
called The Kirghiz Light.
Sauter
& Dietrich, Moore.
More liner notes written by Pynchon !!
Six
Finger Satellite.
Indie electro-rock futurists Six Finger Satellite
make a reference to Gravity's Rainbow.
Soft
Machine.
Seminal "proggies," they recorded a
full-scale work called Esther's Nose Job
in 1969.
Spock's
Beard.
In memory of "the evil Spock," they
do homage to V.
Time
in Malta.
A California metal group with a name taken from
V.
Ware,
Tim.
Pynchon scholar, Web master, and MIDI Musician.
Whole
Sick Crew, The.
Purveyors of pirate folk-punk, truly a gang like
their Pynchon namesakes.
XXX
Atomic Toejam.
F. Thorendal, from praised thrash-heroes Meshuggah,
gets one in for the Vikings.
Yo
La Tengo.
Making music indebted to The Crying of Lot
49.
Yoyodyne.
Related to New York's Lot 49, ths Florida
group also takes their name from Pynchon's work.
Zevon,
Warren.
He recently released an album containing work
inspired by Pynchon.