Camper Van Beethoven

Camper Van Beethoven formed in 1983 in Redlands CA a hot and dusty southern California town 80 miles east of Los Angeles. Founded by vocalist David Lowery, guitarist Chris Molla, and bassist Victor Krummenacher, they later moved to the seaside college community of Santa Cruz, CA in 1983, a town that at one point bore the unfortunate title of "the murder capital of America". CVB soon added drummer Anthony Guess (real name!) guitarist Greg Lisher and Jonathan Segel. The addition of Segel on violins, keyboards and mandolin gave the band their unique sound. Drawing together elements of ska, country, tex-mex, 60’s psychedelia and folk, the band aptly described themselves as "surrealist absurdist folk’, and quickly gained a reputation for their bizarre folk versions of hardcore songs.

In June 1985, their debut album Telephone Free Landslide Victory was released though Independent Project Music/Rough Trade. Featuring the classic "Take The Skinheads Bowling" and a cover of Black Flag’s "Wasted"...the album become a college radio staple and also made the Top 10 in many critic’s polls.

II & III and Camper Van Beethoven, were released the following year. II & III saw the band producing a proto indie rock sound, with touches of country as evidenced in "Sad Lovers Waltz" and their cover of Sonic Youth’s "I Love Her All The Time". Camper Van Beethoven continued this vein and featured outstanding tracks, such as "Joe Stalin’s Cadillac", and a reverent version of Pink Floyd’s ‘Interstellar Overdrive". The band also released an EP Vampire Can Mating Oven, a bizarre (and intended to be not-so-nice) local nickname for the band. Around this time Chris Molla (for the previous year an on-again-off again member) left in the middle of a tour and was never invited back to perform or record with the band. Chris Pedersen was now the permanent CVB drummer.

Following the third album’s critical acclaim, and national tours with bands such as R.E.M. and 10,000 Maniacs, Camper Van Beethoven signed to Virgin Records and released their major label debut, Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart (1988) and their final release Key Lime Pie (1989). Jonathan Segal, had by this point, left the band and Krummenacher, Pedersen and Lisher left during a 1990 European tour, effectively dissolving the band.

In the years following, many of the band members have performed and recorded together in various combinations since CVB’s demise. Frontman David Lowery went on to form Cracker. Victor Krummenacher, Greg Lisher Chris Pedersen made 3 records as the Monks of Doom, as well as releasing solo records. Jonathan Segel released three records during the 1990’s as Heironymous Firebrain, and various solo records. Other members have gone on to perform with the likes of Counting Crows, Sparklehorse , Jane’s Addiction and Natalie Merchant.

The name Camper Van Beethoven came back on the scene in 2000 when the band released a rarities album entitled Camper Van Beethoven Is Dead...Long Live Camper Van Beethoven on Pitch-A-Tent, followed by the release of the band's full-album cover of Fleetwood Mac's Tusk. This led to a string of Camper tour dates, culminating in the spinART release of Cigarettes and Carrot Juice: the Santa Cruz Years, a 5-disc box set including the bands' first three albums, the rarities album Camper Vantiquities, and a disc of never before released live tracks.

On April 27th, 2004, spinART is re-releasing the band's four out-of-print albums with previously unreleased bonus tracks! "Telephone Free Landslide Victory", "II&III", "Camper Van Beethoven", and "Camper Vantiquities" feature bonus tracks including all of the songs from rare Take The Skinheads Bowling EP, and original versions of "Pictures of Matchstick Men", "All Her Favorite Fruit", "Flowers", "Cowboys From Hollywood", "We're a Bad Trip", and more!