Comateens
Encyclopedia
The Comateens were originally a New Wave
duo formed in 1978 in New York City
by bassist/vocalist Nic North and guitarist Ramona Jan. Soon after, Lyn Byrd joined on vocals and synthesiser, and the duo became a trio. When Jan departed in 1980, North's brother Oliver joined on guitar, completing the final lineup.
The band was one of the first in the world to record solely with a drum machine, joining the ranks of the burgeoning electropop avant-garde along with bands such as Suicide
, Kraftwerk
and Soft Cell
, although later they would tour and perform live with top session drummers such as Ben Margulies
, Chuck Sabo and Zachary Alford.
They contributed two tracks to the influential Marty Thau Presents 2x5 compilation and their debut album, the self-titled Comateens, (1980) featured the band's bizarrely original compositions alongside covers of "Summer in the City" (The Lovin' Spoonful
), "TVC 15
" (David Bowie
), and the theme song from TV's The Munsters
. Pictures on a String, their first album for Virgin Records
, followed in 1983 yielding the dance club hit "Get Off My Case". In 1984 the band released their final album, Deal with It, which featured live drums played by Chuck Sabo. The band also rode the New Wave by appearing on the then new and innovative MTV in several videos, and in interviews with pioneer VJs Mark Goodman
and Martha Quinn
.
The band split up in 1985. Oliver North died in 1987 of asthma
-related heart failure due to a heroin overdose. In 1988 Nic North (now Nicholas West) and Lyn Byrd recorded an album, West & Byrd, together. In 1990 the duo, again under the name Comateens, recorded the song "A Place For Me" which became a European hit. Virgin Records released a retrospective compilation of their music in 1991 called "One By One: Best Of Comateens" which has become a rare and much sought-after record among collectors of New Wave music. In 1995, their video for "The Late Mistake" was mocked in a season five episode of Beavis and Butt-head
called "Top O'The Mountain".
On October 28, 2010, a three-person version of the Comateens featuring Nick West and Lyn Byrd with guitarist Mitro Valsamis performed a short set of songs at the 30th anniversary Mudd Club
reunion at New York's Delancey Lounge nightclub.
Ramona Jan went on to become an artist, designer and reality-show celebrity appearing on ABC's "Wife Swap" and HGTV's "Design Star". She is the founder of Act-Up Teen Theater, a radio play theater group based in New York State. Act-Up Teen Theater is the winner of the 2009 New York Counsel on the Arts Grant. Nicholas West is a gold and platinum award winning songwriter. Lyn Byrd is a graphic designer.
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
duo formed in 1978 in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
by bassist/vocalist Nic North and guitarist Ramona Jan. Soon after, Lyn Byrd joined on vocals and synthesiser, and the duo became a trio. When Jan departed in 1980, North's brother Oliver joined on guitar, completing the final lineup.
The band was one of the first in the world to record solely with a drum machine, joining the ranks of the burgeoning electropop avant-garde along with bands such as Suicide
Suicide (band)
Suicide is an American electronic protopunk musical duo, intermittently active since 1970 and composed of vocalist Alan Vega and Martin Rev on synthesizers and drum machines. They are an early synthesizer/vocal musical duo....
, Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk
Kraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
and Soft Cell
Soft Cell
Soft Cell are an English synthpop duo who came to prominence in the early 1980s. They consist of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball. The duo is most widely known for their 1981 worldwide hit version of "Tainted Love" and platinum debut Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret...
, although later they would tour and perform live with top session drummers such as Ben Margulies
Ben Margulies
Ben Margulies is a songwriter and record producer. Together, he and Mariah Carey lobbied record companies with their 5 song demo tape with songs they had co-written and co-produced until Mariah got signed to Sony in 1988....
, Chuck Sabo and Zachary Alford.
They contributed two tracks to the influential Marty Thau Presents 2x5 compilation and their debut album, the self-titled Comateens, (1980) featured the band's bizarrely original compositions alongside covers of "Summer in the City" (The Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful
The Lovin' Spoonful is an American pop rock band of the 1960s, named to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. When asked about his band, leader John Sebastian said it sounded like a combination of "Mississippi John Hurt and Chuck Berry," prompting his friend, Fritz Richmond, to suggest the name...
), "TVC 15
TVC 15
"TVC 15" is a song written and recorded by David Bowie and released in 1976.The track was inspired by an episode in which Iggy Pop, during a drug-fuelled period at Bowie’s LA home, hallucinated and believed the television set was swallowing his girlfriend. Bowie developed a story of a holographic...
" (David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
), and the theme song from TV's The Munsters
The Munsters
The Munsters is a 1960s American family television sitcom depicting the home life of a family of monsters. It starred Fred Gwynne as Herman Munster and Yvonne De Carlo as his wife, Lily Munster. The series was a satire of both traditional monster movies and popular family entertainment of the era,...
. Pictures on a String, their first album for Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
, followed in 1983 yielding the dance club hit "Get Off My Case". In 1984 the band released their final album, Deal with It, which featured live drums played by Chuck Sabo. The band also rode the New Wave by appearing on the then new and innovative MTV in several videos, and in interviews with pioneer VJs Mark Goodman
Mark Goodman
Mark Goodman is a radio DJ, TV personality, and actor. He is best known as one of the original five VJs on MTV, from 1981-1987. He was supposed to be the first of the five to be broadcast at MTV's premier on August 1, 1981...
and Martha Quinn
Martha Quinn
Martha Quinn is best known as one of the original video jockeys on MTV .-Early life:...
.
The band split up in 1985. Oliver North died in 1987 of asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
-related heart failure due to a heroin overdose. In 1988 Nic North (now Nicholas West) and Lyn Byrd recorded an album, West & Byrd, together. In 1990 the duo, again under the name Comateens, recorded the song "A Place For Me" which became a European hit. Virgin Records released a retrospective compilation of their music in 1991 called "One By One: Best Of Comateens" which has become a rare and much sought-after record among collectors of New Wave music. In 1995, their video for "The Late Mistake" was mocked in a season five episode of Beavis and Butt-head
Beavis and Butt-Head
Beavis and Butt-head is an American animated television series created by Mike Judge. The series originated from Frog Baseball, a 1992 short film by Judge. After seeing the short, MTV signed Judge to develop the concept. Beavis and Butt-head originally aired from March 8, 1993 to November 28, 1997...
called "Top O'The Mountain".
On October 28, 2010, a three-person version of the Comateens featuring Nick West and Lyn Byrd with guitarist Mitro Valsamis performed a short set of songs at the 30th anniversary Mudd Club
Mudd Club
The Mudd Club was a TriBeCa nightclub that was opened in October 1978 by Steve Mass, art curator Diego Cortez and Anya Phillips, a figure in the downtown punk scene...
reunion at New York's Delancey Lounge nightclub.
Ramona Jan went on to become an artist, designer and reality-show celebrity appearing on ABC's "Wife Swap" and HGTV's "Design Star". She is the founder of Act-Up Teen Theater, a radio play theater group based in New York State. Act-Up Teen Theater is the winner of the 2009 New York Counsel on the Arts Grant. Nicholas West is a gold and platinum award winning songwriter. Lyn Byrd is a graphic designer.
Albums
- Comateens (1981)
- Pictures on a String (1983)
- Deal with It (1984)
- Comateens (limited collectors edition) (2007)