Bad Livers

Bad Livers
The Bad Livers on stage at Old Settlers' Park, Round Rock, Texas, October 7, 1994. Left to right: Mark Rubin, Ralph White, Danny Barnes.
The Bad Livers on stage at Old Settlers' Park, Round Rock, Texas, October 7, 1994. Left to right: Mark Rubin, Ralph White, Danny Barnes.
Background information
OriginAustin, Texas, United States
GenresOld-time, Country, Bluegrass, Folk, Blues, Gospel, Polka, folk punk
Years active1990–2000
LabelsQuarterstick, Sugar Hill

The Bad Livers were an American band from Austin, Texas, United States, whose inventive musical style defied attempts to categorize them according to existing genres.[1][2][3] Their influences included bluegrass, folk, punk, and other musical styles. The original lineup, formed in 1990, included Danny Barnes on banjo, guitar and resonator guitar, Mark Rubin on upright bass and tuba, and Ralph White III on fiddle and accordion. Barnes composed the majority of the group's original songs.[4] When White left the group at the end of 1996, he was briefly replaced by Bob Grant on mandolin and guitar. Barnes and Rubin then continued to perform and record as a duo until unofficially dissolving the band in 2000. The band has neither toured nor recorded since then, but Barnes and Rubin have played a few live shows with Grant in 2008, 2009, and 2014.[5][6]

The Bad Livers' music has often been cited for its influence on other groups,[7][8][9][10] creating what The Austin Chronicle described as "an impressive legacy".[11] The Stranger credited them with "revitalizing roots music",[12] and, according to the San Francisco Chronicle, "The Bad Livers helped open the way for old-time and bluegrass bands of today".[13]

  1. ^ McLeese, Don. "Musical Mayhem: Bill Monroe, Metallica inspire Bad Livers' High-Speed Style" The Austin American-Statesman March 7, 1991.
  2. ^ Alden, Grant. "Bad Livers: Deconstruction of the Labels" Archived April 19, 2016, at the Wayback Machine No Depression #8. March–April 1997. Retrieved December 21, 2012
  3. ^ Lupton, John. "Bad Livers: Dust on the Bible" (Review). Sing Out! The Folk Song Magazine Volume 43 #4. Summer 1999. p. 125
  4. ^ Nitchie, Donald. "Interview with Danny Barnes". Banjo Newsletter. August 1995. 6-11.
  5. ^ Bad Livers collection on the Internet Archive's live music archive Retrieved January 1, 2013.
  6. ^ Richard, Terry. "Mt. Hood Meadows' season ender on tap, featuring Austin-legend Bad Livers". The Oregonian May 12, 2014. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  7. ^ Staff. "Phantom Power & Spiritual Benefits: The Return of the Bad Livers". The Austin Chronicle February 14, 1997. Retrieved December 21, 2012
  8. ^ Kale, Wendy. "Club Notes: Juno What?!, Danny Barnes and Edward Sharpe at Boulder Theater" Colorado Daily November 25, 2009
  9. ^ KUT Music Archive. "Folktronics with Danny Barnes: January 29, 2010" Archived April 15, 2013, at archive.today Retrieved December 23, 2012
  10. ^ Krings, Mike. "Come together: Split Lip Rayfield, Bad Livers members see no limits to new project". Lawrence.com. June 6, 2012. Retrieved December 27, 2012.
  11. ^ Hess, Christopher. "Bad Livers: The Ridgetop Sessions (Review)". The Austin Chronicle June 30, 2000. Retrieved December 31, 2012.
  12. ^ Reighley, Kurt B. "Border Radio: Roots & Americana". The Stranger September 15–21, 2005. Retrieved January 1, 2013.
  13. ^ DuShane, Tony. "The Bad Livers: Old-time hip, not hippie". San Francisco Chronicle. March 19, 2009. Retrieved January 1, 2013.