Red Krayola

Red Krayola
Red Krayola at Somerset house in London, July 2008
Red Krayola at Somerset house in London, July 2008
Background information
Also known asThe Red Crayola
OriginHouston, Texas, United States
Genres
Years active1966–present
Labels
Members
Past members

Red Krayola (originally Red Crayola) is an American avant rock band from Houston, Texas formed in 1966 by the trio of singer/guitarist Mayo Thompson, drummer Frederick Barthelme, and bassist Steve Cunningham.[2]

The group were part of the 1960s Texas psychedelic music scene and were signed to independent record label International Artists, subsequently becoming labelmates with the 13th Floor Elevators.[3][1] Their confrontational, experimental approach employed noise and free improvisation.[1] The group disbanded in the late 1960s, but were resurrected in the late 1970s when Thompson moved to England and found favor in the post-punk scene.[1]

Thompson has continued using the name, in its legally altered spelling for performances or releases in the US, for his musical projects since. The group has released recordings on European labels such as Rough Trade and Recommended.[1] In the mid-1990s, Thompson returned to the United States, signing with Drag City and releasing further albums.[1] The Red Krayola have influenced a number of seminal alternative rock artists such as MGMT,[4] Osees,[5] Ty Segall,[6] Primal Scream,[7] and Animal Collective.[8] Galaxie 500, Spacemen 3 and the Cramps covered their songs.[9]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Unterberger, Richie. "The Red Krayola". AllMusic. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  2. ^ Colin Larkin, ed. (1997). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Popular Music (Concise ed.). Virgin Books. p. 1000. ISBN 1-85227-745-9.
  3. ^ Reynolds, Simon (2005). Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984. Penguin Group. p. 192. ISBN 0-14-303672-6.
  4. ^ "100 cult albums to hear before you die, chosen by your favourite rockstars". NME. August 30, 2018.
  5. ^ "Terminal Boredom - You Will See This Dog Before You Die". Terminal-boredom.com.
  6. ^ "Ty Segall's Corrected View of California". Interview Magazine. June 16, 2011. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
  7. ^ Petridis, Alexis (October 15, 2021). "Tenement Kid by Bobby Gillespie – piquantly preposterous". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  8. ^ Klingman, Jeff (February 8, 2016). "Another First Impression: Talking with Animal Collective about Their New Album". Brooklyn Magazine. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  9. ^ Miller, Eric T. (June 2, 2006). "The Red Krayola: Outside The Lines". Magnet Magazine. Retrieved April 21, 2023.