Tuxedomoon
1977年頃、サンフランシスコ市立大学で、エレクトロニクス音楽理論を学んでいたBlaine L. ReiningerとSteve Brownとの出会いが、Tuxedomoonの出発であった。特にコロラドの片田舎から出てきたBlaine L. Reiningerは、何かおもしろい音楽を演りたくて、バンド結成に積極的だったようだ。そして、パフォーマンスを一人で演じていたWinston Tong、あるいはPaul Zahl、Michael Belferといった人達を加えTuxedomoonは、活動を始めた。この当時の演奏は「No Tears」(1979)や「Scream With A View」(1979)といった作品で残されているが、それらを聞くと、彼らは当時から、エレクトロニクス類、ヴァイオリン、サックスなどを用い、ほかのアンダーグラウンド・パンク系のバンドとはかなり異なったユニークな実験性を伴ったバンドであったことがわかる。特に初期の傑作である「Scream With A View」での世紀末的な匂いのするアングラ映画のサントラ的な音作りには、彼らの個性が強く表れている。1980年には、Peter Principle、Blaine L. Reininger、Steve Brownの三人組で、最初のアルバム「Half Mute」他をラルフレコードより発表しその音楽性もヨーロッパ・モダニズムへの志向性を強めていくことになる。(宝島WAVE Indies 1986年1月25日発行)
Tuxedomoon is an experimental, post-punk, new wave band from San Francisco, California, United States. The band formed in the late 1970s at the beginning of the punk rock movement. Pulling influence from punk and electronic music, the group, originally consisting of Steven Brown and Blaine L. Reininger, used electronic violins, guitars, screaming vocals and synthesizers to develop a unique “cabaret no-wave” sound. Bassist Peter Principle joined the band and in 1979 they released the single “No Tears”, which remains a post-punk cult classic. That year they signed to Ralph Records and released their first album, Half-Mute. Eventually Reininger left the group and Tuxedomoon relocated to Europe, signing to Crammed Discs and releasing Holy Wars in 1985. The band separated in the early 1990s, only to reunite later that decade. They have remained together since releasing the album Cabin in the Sky in 2004.
In 1977, Tuxedomoon formed out of Angels of Light, an artist collective and commune, a group in which Steve Brown was involved. He met Blaine L. Reininger in an electronic music class at San Francisco City College. Brown worked with Tommy Tadlock, of the Angels of Light, to create the final project of the class. Tadlock would go on to be Tuxedomoon’s manager. Reininger and Brown started playing music together at Tadlock’s house. Reininger played electronic violin and guitar. Tadlock assisted with the sound and audio. He also created tools for the band, including a “Treatment Mountain”, which was a pyramid made of plywood which held all of Reininger’s effects pedals.
They started playing music together in the mid-1970s, when punk rock became popular in the underground music scene. “The only rule was the tacit understanding that anything that sounded like anyone else was taboo”, stated Brown on the band aiming the create music that sounded unlike anything else before. The vocals were screaming and inspired by punk rock, and the band used any instruments they had around, including saxophones and a polymoog synthesizer. The band had no drummer. Bassist Peter Principle, performance artist Winston Tong and Bruce Geduldig, a filmmaker, joined the band during concerts. The band created new performances for each concert, creating theatrical performances and being described as “theatrical electronic cabaret”. The band performed frequently with Pere Ubu, The Residents, Devo, and Cabaret Voltaire.
In 1979 they released the EP No Tears with the single “No Tears”. The title-track is described as “one of the best electro-punk hymns of all times”. That year they also signed to Ralph Records and released their debut album, Half-Mute, in 1980.
In 1980 the band released their first album, Half-Mute, on Ralph Records. The band toured Europe in 1980 and moved to New York City. While in New York, they performed in, and were featured on the soundtrack for the film Downtown 81. They gained popularity in the Netherlands and Belgium. They eventually relocated to Brussels. after spending some months in Rotterdam, playing in Arena, Hal 4 and returned in 1988 to Lantaren/Venster, where they contributed to the Bob Visser movie Plan Delta, which was an astonishing performance. Trumpet player Luc van Lieshout joined the band. In 1987, the band performed on the soundtrack for the Wim Wenders film Wings of Desire. Tuxedomoon played in Athens, Greece, for the first time on December 1987, selling out the Pallas Theatre twice in one night.