Talk:Tupelo Chain Sex

PROD removal

Rationale for PROD was: No indication that references to this band in stated sources are more than trivial.

No question this is a minor musical group, nonetheless, they are a small and significant footnote in the West Coast musical scene of the post-punk 1980's. The major problem with referencing this group is primarily due to the time period (20 years ago) that they were active, as well as the fact that they were part of a music scene that was getting no publicity from the mainstream sources of the time (unlike Abba, Donna Summer, and Marie Osmond). Citable sources don't tend to be on the Internet. Searches within LEXIS-NEXIS Academic turn up a handful of mentions of their activity, but I didn't consider those relevant to the article - I might revisit that.

Am willing to see this go through the AfD process with no rancor if that is deemed appropriate.

However, consider that this is a group that was together for more than 6 years, put out a handful of albums, some of which can still be purchased on eBay as significant collectibles, and had at least one member (Don "Sugarcane" Harris) who played with Frank Zappa.

Minor group of obscure note? Check. Unknown? Hardly. Though the cites aren't extensive, I would posit that being compared to Sonic Youth, Hüsker Dü, Butthole Surfers and the Cramps in a mainstream publication (book) on the history of grunge isn't trivial. --Quartermaster (talk) 08:56, 17 February 2010 (UTC)

Notability Notes

The Washington Post, June 3, 1985, page C7; "Tupelo Chain Sex" by Joe Sasfy

Composed of four young punks and a saxophonist and violinist both over 50 years old, Los Angeles' Tupelo Chain Sex was one of the oddest-looking bands ever to take the stage of the 9:30 club. Their eccentric appearance was more than matched, however, by the wild fusion of funk, punk and jazz they offered a spellbound audience Saturday night.

With lead singer Limey Dave gurgling and chuckling like Boris Karloff, the band opened its set with a mock horror piece called "The Addams Family" that suggested that perhaps they were a novelty act. Although the band proved outlandishly comic, its often startling musical synthesis was delivered with the visceral force of a punk group, as well as with the tricky tempos and superb solos of a jazz combo.

It was the imaginative solo work of saxophonist Bill Nugent and violinist Don "Sugarcane" Harris that granted the band its colorful touches of reggae, blues and Latin music. Every time the soloist took off or there was a rhythm change, the whole group seemed to explode into a leaping, dancing, shrieking mass of musical anarchy.

--Quartermaster (talk) 09:14, 17 February 2010 (UTC)

The Globe and Mail (Canada), September 27, 1986, pg. E5; CBC's Night Lines: a renaissance for rock radio by Liam Lacey

The idea is to ride on the fringe of the familiar, enough to keep the audience reasonably secure. Relatively obscure cuts from Tupelo Chain Sex or Everything But The Girl, might be followed by a selection from more familiar territory, such as Sting's Bring On The Night import album.

Billboard, Dec. 6, 1997 ; Byline: Chris Morris

Altruda, who has been playing in L.A. since the '80s as leader of such bands as Tupelo Chain Sex and the ska-oriented Jump With Joey, says of his current lounge-scene profile and the music that fuels it, "Something finally came around that paid off to me, and I don't think it's going to go away.

--Quartermaster (talk) 09:21, 17 February 2010 (UTC)

Tupelo Chain Sex: It's heart belongs to Dada by Craig Lee Los Angeles Times Feb 24, 1985, page 74 Date: Feb 24, 1985

ABSTRACT: Chain Sex leader Limey (Dave Steinhart) won't win any vocal honors, but this character's raspy, over-the-edge ranting is balanced by a series of inventive, cinematic sound collages. The record starts off with a psychotic updated story of '40s pothead icon Willie the Weeper, set to a huarache-stompin' pseudo-rhumba. There's the cool reggae sway of "The Revolution Will Be Televised," the punkified, Fear-like reworking of "America" from "West Side Story," the gentle jazz shuffle of "Our Lady of Hollywood," and veteran violinist Sugarcane Harris' nasty, drug-ridden rocker, "Dr. Nightcall." As bitingly satirical and musically inventive as vintage Frank Zappa, more relevant than Malcolm McLaren's trendy cultural pirating, Tupelo Chain Sex's musical provocations show its heart belongs to Dada.

--Quartermaster (talk) 14:22, 17 February 2010 (UTC)

When Psychobilly meets drum corps by Craig Lee Los Angeles Times Feb 16, 1983, p. G3

Abstract: Club Lingerie has established a reputation for presenting some unusual shows, but Saturday night it outdid itself. Headliner Tupelo Chain Sex is bizarre enough, an avant-garde rockabilly combo featuring washboard, harmonica and a singer named Limey Dave who sports a Mohawk, shouts dislocated epics like Elvis Presley Meets E.T." and alters his vocals through an echo device.

-Quartermaster (talk) 14:22, 17 February 2010 (UTC)

Questioning removal from Category:psychobilly groups

I'm questioning the logic of removing the categorization of this band from Category:psychobilly groups and Category:American psychobilly groups under the rationale this band is not restricted enough to call them psychobilly. I wasn't aware that a musical group must be restricted to a single style in order to be considered part of a category. Given that the psychobilly classification of this group is derived from an article cited from The Miami News in a direct quote classifying the group as "psychobilly" (as well as other genres), I posit that "third party reputable source" trumps "personal opinion." Will wait for response before reverting. --Quartermaster (talk) 17:52, 28 October 2010 (UTC)

- Psychobilly is a rather small, shortlived scene, even with a recognizable/specific dress code. I do not see that this band is part of (definitely not) or worshipped (?) in that scene. And: you definitely can't merge influences of 'psychedelic music' and influences of 'rockabilly' to a Psychobilly band. I fear that this conclusion has been made. Psychobilly is considered a Rockabilly subgenre with punk influences, but I wouldn't even call this band a rockabilly band either, rockabilly is a white boy version of black music. Plus: As reference to psychobilly there is *one single* magazine article cited, that is rather weak.

So listing this broad minded group as psychobilly is an *insult* in my opinion, especially if you do not list all the other 10 genres covered by this band. It could be they offer psychobilly to some ears (no big deal, they offer a lot) but they ARE not. list clear psychobilly bands as psychobilly : i.e. The Meteors (E-Kartoffel (talk) 18:42, 28 October 2010 (UTC))

Bear with me. I'm still not sure where you coming from, especially in relation to creating and editing an encyclopedia article. I have no problem deferring to the expertise of others who may understand a musical genre better than I (primary reason for engaging in a dialogue rather than just reverting). If you are indeed expert in the genre of psychobilly music, I think you can advance your arguments more effectively by citing supporting sources rather than claiming insult. Though it may be only tenuous support to cite the Miami News, I still posit that that even small external support for the categorization is more relevant than any of our personal opinions. I also agree that this musical group should/could also be categorized within the other genres (that it hasn't been done is more an oversight than a defense for removing the group from any other categories). I've always been mystified at those who think there are absolute concrete walls, rules, and definitions for musical groups and genres (something I personally find unfulfilling in my personal musical pursuits). I also find that by being an absolutist, one risks coming across as a snob (not something I am calling you, I am making a point). I call this the "punker than thou" phenomenon. Anyway, I'll likely leave the categorization as it is since it is such a minor issue. --Quartermaster (talk) 19:14, 28 October 2010 (UTC)

Addendum. Just because I like to add documentation in the talk pages for possible future reference: Jane Grigg's 1992 article in Straight No Chaser Magazine states "The dude duo joined forces in 1982 in the raucous psychobilly outfit Tupelo Sex Chain which released four albums and thrashed around the US and Canada, gradually taking on jazz and ska tinges." This is a second source to the Miami News citation which was also written contemporaneously, that refers to Tupelo Chain Sex in the psychobilly genre. --Quartermaster (talk) 19:24, 28 October 2010 (UTC)

Addendum 2. I also just noted that the article is already referencing a cite from the LA Times: "When Psychobilly meets drum corps" by Craig Lee, Feb 16, 1983. So we've got two cites from 1983 (LA Times), and from 1986 (Miami News), and one unused reference (above) from 1992 (Straight No Chaser Magazine) which all reference Tupelo Chain Sex in the category "psychobilly." --Quartermaster (talk) 21:10, 28 October 2010 (UTC)

Missing Bandmember: Steve Gaeta

According to http://www.hazelwood.de/koolade/index.php, bassist Steve Gaeta was a member of Tupelo Chain Sex. However, he does not appear in this article. As he later played together with Paul Lines in Universal Congress Of, I guess he was probably a member of the band at the end of the 80s. Does anybody know more? --88.74.94.99 (talk) 19:47, 22 December 2010 (UTC)

In general, the listing of past members is kind of loose and not thoroughly cited, so thanks for at least informally bringing up this additional name. I only have two copies of Spot the Difference (LPs) and will check on them to see which group members are supported or Gaeta is on there. If anyone could check their copies of anything by the group that lists musicians and put it here, we could start cleaning up the names of the members of the group over time and use the information on the albums themselves as the citing authority. --Quartermaster (talk) 15:37, 23 December 2010 (UTC)

I think a thorough listing of the group members might be difficult. I have to admit that I don't have any TCS records, as they are very rare in Europe. However, I thank everyone who can bring some light into this matter. --188.102.177.133 (talk) 19:22, 2 January 2011 (UTC)

It's at least of use to bring these things up on the talk page. A lot of issues I personally have dealt with are fans who blindly put stuff up without support. Assuming good faith is a nice start. I, also, thank everyone who can honestly bring light here. Another strength of Wikipedia is to accumulate scattered expertise. --Quartermaster (talk) 21:01, 2 January 2011 (UTC)

Tupelo Chain Sex - Founders

–Hi Quartermaster, Thanks for creating the TCS page. Do we know one another perhaps? The reason why I write is because there is a major discrepancy. TCS wasn't founded by Willie McNeil. It was founded by Dave Dahlson aka "Limey Dave", J.J. Poskin, Sim Cass, and myself. Willie McNeil joined the group about a year after it's inception. Willie also did not create Jump With Joey. I created JWJ solely myself and spent a month preparing the repertoire before actually bringing the members together. I had hired Willie as the drummer, and he helped my find a good sax and trombone player. Later on, Willie assumed a larger role in the band, singing occasionally and co-fronting it with me. I'm not sure where you got your info from, but if you are interested, I would gladly provided you with other items for the TCS wiki. Best,

Joey Altruda (----) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Joey Altruda (talk • contribs) 18:54, 11 December 2015 (UTC)

Hey, Joey ("Mr. Altruda" ;) )! Thanks for the heads up. I wish I had know you all then, I was just a local college student at UCLA when you were in your heyday. I am going to copy your comment and this reply to the talk page for TCS. I was originally working from other people's sources and I'm not surprised there might be errors. Wikipedia likes to cite external sources like newspaper and magazine articles and as dumb as it sounds, even a principal in an article isn't considered an authority unless they're being cited in an article. By putting this in the talk page we can at least start the process of documenting corrections and preserve your comments. If you know of any newspaper or magazine articles where the mentions about founders of TCS and JWJ it makes things more airtight. I may go in and just edit the article anyway with your information. I had to originally fight off an attempt to delete the TCS article as some folks said y'all weren't famous enough. By finding newspaper articles and reviews I was able to convince them that TCS was notable enough to have a wikipedia article.

And may I say, musically you guys are still one of my all time favorite jazz/rockabilly/punk/reggae/whatever groups. Time to fire up another round of "Spot the Difference." --Quartermaster (talk) 13:23, 15 December 2015 (UTC)

Went ahead and made the changes per your comment. --Quartermaster (talk) 13:37, 15 December 2015 (UTC)