"There was a review of [ERQ's second album] It's All Good News in the Short Cutz paper that described [their] sound as, 'Imagine Jonathan Richman & They Might Be Giants hanging out together at the Newport Folk Festival.'" [Robert Hubbard, from an interview with the band.]
In 1990, I interned at a music cataloging place. They'd get new albums all the time; occasionally they'd put on an album that caught their eye. One day, my coworkers were gathered together, giggling hysterically. I went over to get a better listen. They played "Bob".
I then spent two years trying to hunt down a store which had that album. I had only heard the song once, but I still was able to quote it in something I wrote a year later. Finally, after all that searching, I just special ordered the damn album. It came; it was worth the wait.
At their best, Ed's Redeeming Qualities mix humor and quirky charm with an underlying sense of terror and truth. We may laugh that someone wants to have more bad times to share with us, but we also become aware that it's the bad times that are in fact remembered in the end.
OK, here's the thing: much as I love this band, especially their first album, I don't know a whole heck of a lot about them as real people. Since starting this page, I've learned quite a bit, mostly thanks to an interview Robert Hubbard did with them in the Fall of 1993. They're based in San Francisco. They're featured in the movie Ed's Next Move. The band is made up of (above, from left to right) Carrie Bradley (who has played violin with the Breeders), Dan Leone (brother of Dom Leone, who died in 1989 and who wrote many of the band's songs), and Neno Perrotta (who is no longer in the band, and isn't on the most recent album). On the two most recent albums, they've been joined by Jonah Winter. They have the following albums out.
(1990, Flying Fish Records) The playing is a bit raw and unpolished, but that's ok by me: this is an amazing collection of songs.
Camouflage; Spoken Word; Bob; Sad; The Boy I Work With; Buck Tempo; Cheese Grater; Too Pretty; A Little Thing; New Distributor Cap; Things that Scare Me; Virginia; Lawn Dart; Mrs Price; I'm Not Eating, I'm Not Anything; Poem; More Bad Times.
(1991, Flying Fish Records) Admittedly, this is my least favorite Ed's album, but that's mostly a testament to how good the other albums. There are a few gems in here: Lighthouse, Caucasian Spiritual, and several others.
She Ate the Fly; Blood Bank Man; King of Calypso; Falls Church, Virginia; Someone Else in the Room; I'm Not Drinking, Hm Hm; Fortune Teller; Lighthouse; Forget; Think; Random; Caucasian Spiritual; The Curse; Bad Supper; Bad Coffee; The Letter; Lawyers & Truckers; Christmas in Vermont.
(1995, Slow River Records) This is a live double-album. Well, it's one CD, but it's long and seems to have four "sides". Drivin' on 9 was covered by the Breeders on their album The Last Splash.
The Princess & a Horseman of the Apocalypse Have Lunch; How Come No One's Dancin'?; Met a Man; Paper Hat; Scofflaw; Guess Who This Is; Green Glass; Knockin' Down Chickens; I Will Wait; Drivin' on 9; Intentions; Rib Garden; Another Song in Celebration of Chickens; Song Nancy Hates; Bad Memories; All Messed Up; Spanish Champagne; Swiss Chard; Light & Fire & Smoke & Blood & Stuff; Calypso on the Beach; New Jersey.
(1996, Slow River Records) This is the new one. I'm very pleased with this one -- the production values alone are stunning for an Ed's album, and Jonah's talents really shine on tracks like Closed Mondays. Scrambled Eggs, of course, was the original title of the Beatles's Yesterday.
Vavaccava; Big Black Bag; Sweater; Overcast; Scrambled Eggs; Wolf; Mom; Legs To Go; Frosty; Closed Mondays; My Friend Bob; Spider; Mexican Mama; Coriander Eyes.
(1989, 7" EP) This is one of the smaller, less widely circulated albums which I don't have a copy of. (If anyone wants to rectify this...) This came with a short story by Dan Leone. (BTW, all versions of the songs on these smaller albums are apparently different from the versions on the "real" albums listed above.)
My Apartment; The Boy I Work With; Walk Again; Lawn Dart.
(1989, but released in 1993 or 1994, 7" EP) According to Ray Buetens, who gave me most of the info on these albums: "This appears to be the only official release to have vocals by the late Dom Leone (Dan's [cousin], and the one who's done most of the cover artwork, and his lyrics continue to be used)."
Coriander Eyes; Minor League Pain; Lawyers & Truckers; Balloon.
(1993, cassette only) This was released while they were between labels. Don't know much else about it. Jamaica Farewell is the only cover song they've recorded.
Intentions; Scofflaw; I Met A Man; How Come No One's Dancin; New Jersey; Scrambled Eggs; Paper Hat; All Messed Up; Song Nancy Hates; Jamaica Farewell.
Hey, did I mention the interview yet? Read it, it's chock full of great info.
We've also now got a picture taken by Ray Buetens.
Rounder Records put out the first two albums; the website has Camouflage and She Ate the Fly up for sample.
They're in Ed's Next Move, which I haven't seen yet. The soundtrack contains new version of Spoken Word, Buck Tempo, and More Bad Times performed with someone from the movie, and the IABN version of She Ate the Fly. This page has a picture of the band and a sample of their song Buck Tempo. I finally got a copy of this; the new versions of the songs aren't well recorded and lack a bit of energy; I'd say this is only for the serious collector. But if you're interested, this album was put out by Milan Records.
Golden Gater Online has a review.
Dan Leone writes a food column for the Bay Guardian called "Cheap Eats".
Carrie Bradley has played violin for The Breeders. She's now in a band called The Buckets.
Paddlefoot plays along on Coriander Eyes.
Although ERQ broke up some time ago, there was a reunion concert in San Francisco -- hopefully not the last one! Anyway, I'm still waiting for info on a setlist or possible bootlegged recordings.
Many more links and other info (including info on a mailing list) can be found on Dave Mattingly's page. He updates his page a bit more often than I do...
Clearly this page needs more info. If you know anything, or have anything to say about Ed's, please mail me. Thanks. Thanks also to those of you who've already written me, including Chris "not Tracy Eldin" for the Bay Guardian pointer, Ray Buetens for the info on the little albums and the scans of the covers, oh, and the picture too, Robert Hubbard for the interview etc., and JohnSalad@aol.com for his gift.