Chris Thomas, James Kavoussi, Dave Abel, Eric Marc Cohen.
FA alumni: Glenn Luttman, John Beekman, Mike Anzalone, Eric Thomas
Influences
The Fall, Swell Maps, Sniveling Shits, Thinking Fellers Union Local 282, Faust, Don Martin
Sounds Like
We call it problem rock; Trouser Press says: "warped noodle fuzz." CMJ says: "upbeat noise-pop, cracked psychedelia, winsome singalongs, surf bop, left-field hookiness and difficult sound collages."
Part of an extended family that includes Uncle Wiggly, pHoaming Edison, Power Structure, SPOOG, Autobody, Dymaxion, Badwind.
Fly ashtray was formed in 1983 in the Bronx by Chris Thomas, James Kavoussi, Eric Thomas, John Beekman and Mike Anzalone. See the discography for nitpicky details about recordings. At some point, Eric Thomas and Mike Anzalone left the band which put John Beekman from lead vocalist to bassist/guitarist and then James Kavoussi switched from keyboard to guitar. Oh, and the mighty Glen Luttman came aboard on drums. Here might be a good time to mention Spoog, the side project that resulted from impromptu gigs when one or another member of FA was out of town. Also should mention that Mike Anzalone and James Kavoussi also played in Uncle Wiggly with Wm Berger, although chances are if you've gotten this far you know that. And if you know that you also know that James also makes records as pHoaming Edison. Enough digressions. The line-up of Thomas/Kavoussi/Beekman/Luttman was stable for a good long stretch until Beekman's duties were taken over in 1998 by yours truly, Dave Abel, aka laziest webmaster ever.
In 2003, Glenn Luttman requested a leave of absence from Fly Ashtray, and in the same year Eric Marc Cohen took over drum duties. Filling the shoes of the mighty Luttman is no easy task, so if you see Eric and he looks tired, it is because he stays up to all hours of the night thinking about Fly Ashtray's intricate time signatures and rolly-polly beats.
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LAUGHING AT KEYS
MINDPANTS
POST IGNELLS
*************************rocks off!!!!!! live!!!!!
strange and randon. so 2 yrs ago in detroit me and mine were on shrooms and out of nowhere i hear"big 1-2-3-4" and i look over and it's this gangster rap homie playing my fly ashtray cd. long stary short. he fell in love with it and i ended up giving it to him to spread the love and that's what happened to my wonder men cd. ta dah
We are recording a LIVE ALBUM next week at The Trash Bar with 16 bands! Be There!
On June 14th DJ Mojo & BREAKTHRURADIO. COM present the first in an ongoing series of live shows intended to epitomize the podcast station's mandate to bring to the public the best,most innovative and exciting music being made today. The bands below will give the audience an experience of good music, great fun and fantastic entertainment!
june 14 - $8 +++++++ BELL HOLLOW-10 CRUEL BLACK DOVE-11 APPOMATTOX-12 DESIRE LINES-9 LUDLOW LIONS-8
AND *DJ MOJO'S BIRTHDAY BASH - July 2 featuring Gary Lucas' Gods and Monsters* Gary Lucas (Captain Beefheart) Billy Ficca (Television) Ernie Brooks (Jonathan Richmond & The Modern Lovers) Jason Candler (Hungry March Band) Joe Hendel (The Latest Show on Earth)
JOCK-8 WILD YAKS-11 TELENOVELA STAR-10 GARY LUCAS' GODS AND MONSTERS-12 RENMINBI-9
Hi Chris and Mike. I'm happy to find you here. I appreciated you letting me play all your fall, gong and eno records back on Belmont in that $210 per month apartment. I remember ashing many cigarettes in both your Flys.
Cleaning out boxes in storage in my sister's basement - I now have in my possession a cassette of the first-ever FA demo, from Oct. '86 Digitized versions of Save the Cool Few and Vibrant Life to come soon!
