While initially invited to perform at the Jazz Open Stuttgart in Liederhalle, Stuttgart, Germany on July 1st, 1994, Band From Utopia also had one other gig two days after Stuttgart at Cologne’s Tanzbrunnen on July 3rd, 1994. Watch these recently posted videos of Band From Utopia’s Cologne (courtesy of TheCaveStudioFilms) performances of “Tink / 13” (above) and “Village of the Sun / Echidna’s Arf (of You) / Don’t You Ever Wash That Thing?” (below):
Band From Utopia, 1994:
Ike Willis – Guitar, Lead Vocals
Arthur Barrow – Guitar, Bass, Vocals
Robert Martin – Keyboards, Tenor Sax, Vocals
Tommy Mars – Keyboards, Vocals
Ed Mann – Vibes, Percussion
Bruce Fowler – Trombone, Vocals
Tom Fowler – Bass, Violin, Vocals
Kurt McGettrick – Baritone Sax, Soprano Sax, Contrabass Clarinet
Jai Dittamo – Drums, Percussion
Note: one year after the two gigs in Germany, the band reformed and renamed itself Banned From Utopia, the name under which they released the CD, So Yuh Don’t Like Modern Art, with Steve Vai’s Favored Nations label.
I remember in ’94 I saw the Grandmothers here in Hungary (well, they were not 100% to me), but knew nothing about this band above (it was before the internet-times). How much was their existence well known worldwide? How much were they appriciated – by the press, by fans?
Tven the lineup is unique: a kind of a next step from the 88 band, with some flavour from the Roxy lineup, with musical meetings of Barrow and Tom Fowler, playing special songs – like Tink, above.
They should have released more albums, more special arrangements – maybe live ones. Were they appreciated enough? – and as I see they were touring till (at least) 2000, but their presence (it seems) was/is not very well known – not enough. Or am I wrong?