Souled American
Encyclopedia
Souled American is an American
alternative country
band from Chicago
, that was active mostly in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The band has its origins in Normal
, a college town in central Illinois
and revolves around vocalists Chris Grigoroff (also guitar) and Joe Adducci (also bass) who previously played in a band called The Uptown Rulers. Souled American recorded four albums for Rough Trade Records
, which initially stirred a modicum of critical and popular attention both in North America
and Europe
. In 1991 drummer Jamey Barnard left the band, and in 1992 the band released its fourth album (and last for Rough Trade),"Sonny," eight of the ten songs on which are cover tunes. After four albums, a tour with Camper Van Beethoven
, and a wealth of critical acclaim (though very little commercial success — one Rough Trade employee later claimed, "The band sold less and less records with each consecutive release") Rough Trade folded and Souled American seemingly disappeared. The band re-emerged in 1994 with "Frozen" and 1997's "Notes Campfire", both released on the obscure German label Moll Tonträger. Sometime after 1996 guitarist Scott Tuma
also left the band leaving the duo of Adducci and Grigoroff still intact. The remaining two members have since made sporadic appearances in their hometown and brief tours including shows in New York City, Chicago, and Ohio but new studio material has been sparse. A re-release of their first four albums on Tumult Records in 1999 brought some belated attention. In 1997, New York
artist Camden Joy created a poster project called "Fifty Posters About Souled American" (the ultimate number exceeded the originally planned 50), consisting of typewritten comments and stories by various artists and musicians on the mostly forgotten band. Joy then distributed the posters around Greenwich Village
.
The band's sound evolved rapidly from the release of their first records, becoming more introspective and avant-garde. The one constant is Adducci and Grigoroff's passionate and twangy singing and Adducci's bass playing on a Fender Bass VI
, a rarely used six-string bass. While Fe was a fairly straightforward rock album, their second album Flubber hints at where the band would end up on Notes Campfire.
Since his departure, Scott Tuma released three solo albums: Hard Again (Atavistic
), The River 1 2 3 4 (Truckstop Records), and Not For Nobody (Digitalis). He also recorded a CD under the name Good Stuff House in 2006 with members of the Chicago band Zelienople and occasionally performs and records with Chicago's Boxhead Ensemble.
The only studio material available since 1997 is a cover of Kris Kristofferson
's "Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends" on a 2002 tribute album and "Ringside Suite", a brand new song (as well as an interview) found on a compilation CD in issue #4 of Yeti
magazine. It is the band's only available original recording in almost a decade and the only recording to feature the current duo line-up of Adducci and Grigoroff.
In the May 2006 the band resurfaced for a show at The DuKum Upp in Kirksville, Missouri
. In the summer of 2007 they played two shows in Colorado and Wyoming and announced that they are working on material for a new album in their home near Charleston, Illinois
. The new album would be their first in over a decade.
On Moll Tonträger
On tUMULt Records
Compilation appearances
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
alternative country
Alternative country
Alternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
band from Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, that was active mostly in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The band has its origins in Normal
Normal, Illinois
Normal is an incorporated town in McLean County, Illinois, United States. It had a population of 52,497 as of the 2010 census. Normal is the smaller of two principal municipalities of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area...
, a college town in central Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
and revolves around vocalists Chris Grigoroff (also guitar) and Joe Adducci (also bass) who previously played in a band called The Uptown Rulers. Souled American recorded four albums for Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
, which initially stirred a modicum of critical and popular attention both in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. In 1991 drummer Jamey Barnard left the band, and in 1992 the band released its fourth album (and last for Rough Trade),"Sonny," eight of the ten songs on which are cover tunes. After four albums, a tour with Camper Van Beethoven
Camper Van Beethoven
Camper Van Beethoven is an American alternative rock group formed in Redlands, California in 1983.An eclectic band, Camper Van Beethoven mixes elements of pop, ska, punk rock, folk and alternative country, as well as various types of world music. Their aggressive musical pluralism created a...
, and a wealth of critical acclaim (though very little commercial success — one Rough Trade employee later claimed, "The band sold less and less records with each consecutive release") Rough Trade folded and Souled American seemingly disappeared. The band re-emerged in 1994 with "Frozen" and 1997's "Notes Campfire", both released on the obscure German label Moll Tonträger. Sometime after 1996 guitarist Scott Tuma
Scott Tuma
Scott Tuma is a musician from Chicago who is best known for having played guitar in the pioneering alt-country band Souled American. Since his departure from Souled American in the late 1990s Tuma has released three solo albums, performed and recorded with Chicago's Boxhead Ensemble, and...
also left the band leaving the duo of Adducci and Grigoroff still intact. The remaining two members have since made sporadic appearances in their hometown and brief tours including shows in New York City, Chicago, and Ohio but new studio material has been sparse. A re-release of their first four albums on Tumult Records in 1999 brought some belated attention. In 1997, New York
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...
artist Camden Joy created a poster project called "Fifty Posters About Souled American" (the ultimate number exceeded the originally planned 50), consisting of typewritten comments and stories by various artists and musicians on the mostly forgotten band. Joy then distributed the posters around Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
.
The band's sound evolved rapidly from the release of their first records, becoming more introspective and avant-garde. The one constant is Adducci and Grigoroff's passionate and twangy singing and Adducci's bass playing on a Fender Bass VI
Fender Bass VI
The Fender Bass VI, originally known as the Fender VI, is a six-string electric bass or Scale Baritone Guitar by Fender.The Fender VI was released in 1961, and followed the concept of the Danelectro 6-string bass released in 1956, having six strings tuned E-E, an octave below the Spanish guitar...
, a rarely used six-string bass. While Fe was a fairly straightforward rock album, their second album Flubber hints at where the band would end up on Notes Campfire.
Since his departure, Scott Tuma released three solo albums: Hard Again (Atavistic
Atavistic Records
Atavistic Records is an American rock and jazz record label based in Chicago, Illinois, known particularly for its No Wave and free jazz recordings. It has released albums by Glenn Branca, Nels Cline, Lydia Lunch, Peter Brötzmann, various Ken Vandermark projects, Pinetop Seven, Swans, Elliott...
), The River 1 2 3 4 (Truckstop Records), and Not For Nobody (Digitalis). He also recorded a CD under the name Good Stuff House in 2006 with members of the Chicago band Zelienople and occasionally performs and records with Chicago's Boxhead Ensemble.
The only studio material available since 1997 is a cover of Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
's "Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends" on a 2002 tribute album and "Ringside Suite", a brand new song (as well as an interview) found on a compilation CD in issue #4 of Yeti
Yeti (magazine)
YETI magazine is a journal focused on art, music and literature, based in Portland, Oregon, United States. It is published by YETI publishing...
magazine. It is the band's only available original recording in almost a decade and the only recording to feature the current duo line-up of Adducci and Grigoroff.
In the May 2006 the band resurfaced for a show at The DuKum Upp in Kirksville, Missouri
Kirksville, Missouri
Kirksville is the county seat of Adair County, Missouri, United States. It is located in Benton Township. The population was 17,505 at the 2010 census. Kirksville also anchors a micropolitan area that comprises Adair and Schuyler counties. The city is perhaps best known as the location of Truman...
. In the summer of 2007 they played two shows in Colorado and Wyoming and announced that they are working on material for a new album in their home near Charleston, Illinois
Charleston, Illinois
Charleston is a city in and the county seat of Coles County, Illinois, United States. The population was 21,838 as of the 2010 census. The city is home to Eastern Illinois University and has close ties with its neighbor Mattoon, Illinois...
. The new album would be their first in over a decade.
Line-up
- Joe Adducci, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Chris Grigoroff, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals - Scott TumaScott TumaScott Tuma is a musician from Chicago who is best known for having played guitar in the pioneering alt-country band Souled American. Since his departure from Souled American in the late 1990s Tuma has released three solo albums, performed and recorded with Chicago's Boxhead Ensemble, and...
, guitar (left the band sometime after 1996) - Jamey Barnard, drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s (left the band in 1991)
Discography
On Rough Trade Records- 1988: Fe
- 1989: FlubberFlubber (album)Flubber is the second album by Chicago-based alternative country band Souled American. It was released in 1989 by Rough Trade Records, and re-released, as part of the Framed box set, by tUMULt Records in 1999.-Track listing:...
- 1990: Around the HornAround the Horn (album)Around the Horn is the third album by Chicago-based alternative country band Souled American. It was released in 1990 by Rough Trade Records, and re-released, as part of the Framed box set, by tUMULt Records in 1999...
- 1992: SonnySonny (album)Sonny is the fourth album by Chicago-based alternative country band Souled American and the first to be released after the departure of drummer Jamey Barnard. Like their first three albums, tt was released in 1992 by Rough Trade Records, though Sonny was only released in the UK after Rough Trade's...
On Moll Tonträger
- 1994: Frozen
- 1997: Notes Campfire
On tUMULt Records
- 1999: Framed – 4-CD re-issue of the first four albums
Compilation appearances
- 2002: "Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends" on "Nothing Left to Lose: A Tribute to Kris KristoffersonKris KristoffersonKristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
" - 2006: "Ringside Suite" on the Yeti Magazine #4 compilation