Edie Brickell & New Bohemians

Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Also known as	New Bohemians The Slip
Origin	Texas, United States
Genres	Alternative rock, folk rock, jangle pop, neo-psychedelia, jam rock, blues rock
Years active	1985–present
Labels	Geffen
Associated acts	Edie Brickell, The Heavy Circles
Members
Brandon Aly Brad Houser Edie Brickell Kenny Withrow John Bush
Past members
Eric Presswood Wes Burt-Martin Matt Chamberlain Carter Albrecht

Edie Brickell & New Bohemians is an alternative rock jam band that originated in Texas in the mid-1980s. The band is best known for their 1988 hit "What I Am" from the album Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars. Their music contains elements of rock, folk, blues, and jazz. Following the release of their 1990 second album Ghost of a Dog, lead singer Edie Brickell married singer-songwriter Paul Simon after leaving the band. In 2006 they launched a new web site and released a new album Stranger Things.

History

The New Bohemians started as a 3 piece ska-style band in the early 1980s, gaining experience in the new Deep Ellum neighborhood of downtown Dallas. The original line-up featured Brad Houser on bass, Eric Presswood on guitar, and Brandon Aly on drums.

Drummer Aly, guitarist Kenny Withrow, and percussionist John Bush went to the same arts magnet high school in Dallas, Texas, Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Singer Edie Brickell also went to this school. However, the others didn't know her until later. According to Houser, Edie was there for art.^[1] Houser attended Hillcrest High School and lived in the same neighborhood as the others. He played in various neighborhood bands like The Knobs which included Kenny, and was also in the Munch Puppies.

The additional core members joined in 1985. Edie became the singer after being encouraged to join the band onstage during a show. It was soon after that first show that a local agent who was booking bands at Rick's Casablanca was brought to hear the band. The band signed a six month management contract which brought with it better paying gigs at Rick's. When the six months ended, they started regular gigging in Deep Ellum.^[2] Presswood left and Kenny Withrow joined as guitarist, playing his first show in July 1985 at the Starck Club in Dallas. John Bush joined on percussion in September of that year. His first show with the band was September 12, 1985 at Poor David's Pub in Dallas, when the band was backing Bo Diddley.

The "New Bos" were always a local favorite, packing in the fans at now famous Deep Ellum venues such as Theater Gallery, 500 Cafe, and Club Dada. The Bohemians were also regular performers at the annual Fry Street Fair on the University of North Texas campus in Denton, Texas. During this period of the band's history, Edie's name was not used in the band's name. That was a strategy used by Geffen Records.

In recent years, the New Bohemians have released compilations and a live album and have recorded new material. In the mid-1990s Brickell, Bush and Withrow reunited as The Slip.^[3] In 2006 the current members reunited to record and tour with the release of Stranger Things.

Carter Albrecht died September 2007.

The band's song "Circle" appeared on an episode of Cold Case and Ugly Betty.

Members

Current members

• Brandon Aly – drums
• Edie Arlisa Brickell – vocals
• John Walter Bush – percussion
• John Bradley Houser – bass, woodwinds
• Kenneth Neil Withrow – guitar

Previous members

• Carter Albrecht – keyboards, electric guitar, harmonica, vocals
• Wes Burt-Martin – guitar
• Matt Chamberlain – drums
• Eric Presswood – guitar
• Chris Wheatley – keyboards
• Chris Whitten – drums
• Paul "Wix" Wickens – keyboards

Discography

Albums

• Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars (1988) US #4
• Ghost of a Dog (1990) US #32
• The Live Montauk Sessions (1999)
• Stranger Things (2006)

Singles

Year	Title	Chart positions				Album
		U.S. Hot 100	U.S. Modern Rock	U.S. Mainstream Rock	UK Singles Chart[4]
1988	"What I Am"	#7	#4	#9	#31	Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars
1988	"Circle"	#48	-	#32	#74	Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars
1989	"Little Miss S."	-	#14	#38	-	Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars
1990	"A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall"	-	#21	#28	-	Born on the Fourth of July [Soundtrack]
1990	"Mama Help Me"	-	#17	#26	-	Ghost of a Dog

References

1. ^ Spin magazine, March 1989, Vol 4, Number 12
2. ^ D Magazine January 1989
3. ^ What It Is Edie Brickell Andy Langer, June 2, 2000, The Austin Chronicle, Retrieved February 8, 2008
4. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 78. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 

External links

• New Bohemians' official website
• New Bohemians Live Music Archive at archive.org
• Brandon Aly's official website
• John Bush's official website
• What They Were - Article from Dallas Observer, 1998
• History of Deep Ellum - Dallas Observer, 1999
• Woyaho Fansite