Little Blue Crunchy Things

Little Blue Crunchy Things was an American rock/jazz group from the Milwaukee, WI area. During their decade-long performance career (from the late 1980s to about 2000), LBCT were a hit among audiences and the local press due to their unique mix of jazz, rock, blues, funk, and hip hop music.

LBCT formed in the late 1980s, but began gaining popularity with the arrival of vocalist Noah Tabakin in 1991. Tabakin, who quickly became a fan favorite and the de facto band leader, demonstrated even in the band's earliest work the breadth of his performance ability, as the vocalist singing, rapping, and beatboxing, but in addition playing the saxophone and increasingly in later work, DJing. Featured prominently in shows was Tabakin's freestyling, often drawing lyrical content from audience participation and other events of the concert.

The band's first album, "Rhetoric", was released in 1994. The lineup at this time was Bill Backes on drums, Cara Davis on percussion/vocals, Rick Eells on bass, Douglas Haynes on saxophone, Brandon Mason on trumpet/trombone, Noah Tabakin on lead vocals/saxophone, and Michael Wengler on guitar. Independently produced, this first album's recording quality was mediocre, and the band would release new recorded versions of a few of these songs on later albums.

Between the first and second albums, Eels, Mason, and Haynes left the band. Eels was replaced by Ken Fitzsimmons, and Haynes by Bryan Elliot, but LBCT was left without a trumpet/trombone player. The result was a temporary shift away from blues to a focus on funk guitar rhythms and increasing influence from hardcore. The second album, "Owner's Manual", is a recording of a live show at Shank Hall in Milwaukee in 1996, and features some audience favorites, notably the partly tongue-in-cheek love ballad, "Florence", and the fast-paced "Freak On The Floor", featuring some interesting improvizations by Tabakin. Davis, who was featured as a vocalist on only one song ("Brown Bear"), left the band shortly after "Owner's Manual". Percussionist Jamie Ryan, and childhood friend of Ken Fitzsimmons, joined the group around this time.

The blues influence would return in full force on the band's third album, "Swarm". Compared to their first studio album, the recording and production of "Swarm" were of higher quality, and sales catapulted forward. The band gained national recognition with appearances on the nationally syndicated "Jenny Jones Show". In 1999, they released their fourth album, "Babies", a largely experimental work. "Babies" notably included as a secret track an alternative version of "Florence", jokingly referred to by fans as "Florence Goes to Hell", that the band had been performing at Halloween night shows for the past few years.

In early 2000, the band announced that they would be breaking up, and performed what was reportedly their last show that spring. However, the band got together for what was billed as a reunion tour a few months later. This tour included Shank Hall and a performance at Summerfest. A show at the Barrymore Theater in Madison, WI (April 15, 2000) was recorded and released as their final album, "In Loving Memory Of...".

Since the breakup, the members have gone on to work on their own projects. Noah Tabakin's first group after LBCT was the short lived All Fours. He currently fronts "TABAKIN" a funk, soul, hip-hop conglomeration and plays Bari sax in the 23 piece circus punk marching band "Mucca Pazza". All of Noah's new groups are located in Chicago, IL.,his home since 2000. Ken Fitzimmons currently fronts the Irish Rock band The Kissers (of which Jamie Ryan, Bryan Elliot, and Bill Backes are also a former members). Michael Wengler is currently living in NYC and playing with his band Cobalt. Bryan Elliot lives in Madison and was most recently playing in the Latin band Prole, and has also played in The Bradachs and Smokin' With Superman (again on sax). Bill Backes currently lives in Milwaukee and was most recently with the band The Cocksmiths after a long stint with the Milwaukee rock group, "The Lovelies". Jamie Ryan currently lives in Madison is playing with many bands including El Clan Destino and the Tim Whalen Nonet.

Once again the band reunited in January 2007 playing 2 shows.

Members

*Bill Backes - Drums
*Bryan Elliott - Saxophone
*Ken Fitzsimmons - Bass guitar
*Jamie Ryan - percussion
*Noah Tabakin - vocals/saxophone
*Michael Wengler - Guitar
*Cara Davis - Sweetheartpercussion/vocals
* Andrew Lien - Vocals

Discography

*"Rhetoric" (1994)
*"Owner's Manual" (1996)
*"Swarm" (1997)
*"Babies" (1999)
*"In Loving Memory Of... (album)" (2000)