- Jeff Hart and the Ruins
Jeff Hart and the Ruins is a five-piece Americana and alt.country-styled
power pop band composed ofJeff Hart (musician) , Bryan Yamamoto, Eric Midkiff, Symen Blumenfeld and Brian Sodemann.Career
Jeff Hart and the Ruins was formed in January 1990 by Jeff Hart, along with
bassist Chip Robinson anddrummer John Flowers. As with musical predecessorsThe Byrds ,Tom Petty , andThe Kinks (Muswell Hillbillies era) and contemporaries likePaul Westerberg andThe Jayhawks , the music of the band strays into both the "alt.country" and power pop styles ofrock and roll .Jeff Hart: The Singles 1960-1990
Their debut
CD was released in November 1990 and entitled "Jeff Hart: The Singles 1960-1990" (Bombay Records ABR-001). Though Jeff Hart and the Ruins played live in support of the CD, the recordings were essentially a solo anthology of studio material that Hart wrote and sang from his previous bands. This consisted of selections from theNorth Carolina alt.country pioneersThe Hanks , The Ragdads and some acoustic sessions at Duck Kee Studio with Jerry Kee, Ron Bartholomew, Chip Robinson, Danny Moses andSteve Howell .Glances From a Nervous Groom
Following the departure of Robinson and Flowers in 1991, numerous members (notably
Dave Bartholomew ofTres Chicas and Danny Kurtz ofWhiskeytown andThe Backsliders ) filled their roles in the short term. Beginning in 1994, a core lineup of Brian Yamamoto on guitar and vocals, Glenn Jones on bass and vocals and Bryan Sodemann on drums and vocals held steady until 1996.The next CD, "Glances From a Nervous Groom" (Bombay Records ABR-002), was released in December 1995 and recorded with this new lineup. It was the first (and to date only) CD credited to Jeff Hart and the Ruins.
Eric Midkiff replaced Glenn Jones in the band in 1996 and played guitar while Hart moved to bass. After Midkiff's departure in 1996, Steve Hisada replaced him on guitar and occasional bass while Hart split bass and guitar duties with Hisada. Jeff Hart and the Ruins disbanded in July 1998.
Reunion
After a five-year hiatus, Midkiff rejoined the band for their reunion in April 2003 with Symen Blumenfeld on bass along with previous members Hart, Yamamoto and Sodemann. They continue to be active up to the present time.
"You and Your Kind", a song Hart wrote while with
The Hanks , but played for the better part of a decade with The Ruins, was featured in the "Betty and Veronica" episode in the first season of theWB Network show "Veronica Mars ". The recording used was from a 2003 live CD by TheBrown Mountain Lights , "Late Show at the Cave" (ABR-003).Jeff Hart's songs "Love In Return" and "So Old" have also been covered live by
Chris Stamey andChip Robinson in the Vibekillers respectively.ee also
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List of power pop musicians ources
* [http://www.nodepression.net/issues/nd01/tc.html No Depression issue]
* [http://www.nodepression.net/issues/nd08/index.html Another No Depression issue]
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:ps17gj4r36in Allmusic.com]
* [http://www.paisleypop.com/catalog-5.htm Paisleypop.com]
* [http://indyweek.com/durham/2005-01-05/cover2.html Indyweek.com 5 January 2005]
* [http://www.indyweek.com/durham/2003-02-12/music2.html Indyweek.com 12 February 2003]
* [http://indyweek.com/durham/2002-02-13/volume2.html Indyweek.com 13 February 2002]
* [http://www.drivemagazine.net/terfe40.html Drivemagazine.net]
* [http://www.indyweek.com/durham/2002-01-16/musicspot.html Indyweek.com 16 January 2002]
* [http://veronicamusic.blogspot.com/2005/03/episode-1-16-betty-and-veronica.html Veronica Music]
* [http://www.tv.com/veronica-mars/betty-and-veronica/episode/396670/summary.html TV.com Veronica Mars]
* [http://www.upn.com/shows/veronica_mars/shows/season1/ep16/?ep=3 UPN.com Veronica Mars]
* [http://www.smirkingchimp.com/print.php?sid=13722 SmirkingChimp.com]
* [http://home.mebtel.net/~duckkee/studio.htm Mebtel.net (Studio)]
* [http://home.mebtel.net/~duckkee/far.htm Mebtel.net]
* [http://www.ipass.net/jhart/jh02press.htm iPass.net]
*Compilation of print-only reviews from 1995 - 2006 from "No Depression", Jem (Japan),Big Takeover (NYC), Circus (Britain), Midwestern Skies (Sweden),Not Lame (Denver, Co.), Paisley Pop (Portland, OR),News and Observer (Raleigh, NC),The Independent (Durham , NC).
* Jeff Hart, TheBrown Mountain Lights , The Frosted Sugar Bombs,Chris Stamey ,Arrogance ,Veronica Mars .
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