The Taoist Cowboys
The Taoist Cowboys /ˈdaʊistkaʊbɔɪs/ were an indie rock band active in Knoxville, Tennessee, from 1988 to 1992. Bob McCluskey was lead vocalist, guitarist, and principle songwriter. Scott Carpenter was guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. Brad Deaton was bassist and songwriter. Jeff Bills played drums.[1] [2]
The band was part of a coherent 1980s-90s Fort Sanders (Knoxville neighborhood) music scene, which included Smokin' Dave and the Premo Dopes, the Swamis, the Judybats, and others. The band lived at 2306 Laurel Avenue, where Sea 7 States bassist Kevin Crothers recorded tracks for their first album Cholo, self-released on cassette in 1990. They played local venues in Fort Sanders and on Cumberland Avenue, including China King, Gryphon's, and the Long Branch; and in the Old City, including Planet Earth and Manhattan's.[3][1]
The band recorded its second and final album in Southern Sound Studios in Knoxville; it was released on cassette in the summer of 1992 and named Punt as a reference to the fact that the band had broken up by then (amicably).[4] [1][5]
Bob McCluskey played in a band called the Estradas and in 1994 recorded and released one solo album, Emergency Lunch Box; some time afterward, he underwent surgery for an aneurysm that stalled his writing and performing.[2] [6] The other members played in subsequent bands, Jeff Bills most notably the V-Roys.[1]
In 2000, Lynn Point Records re-released the Taoist Cowboys' Punt and Bob McCluskey's Emergency Lunch Box, both on CD.[6] [7] In 2015, a number of early tracks, including most cuts from Cholo, were remastered by Bryan Lay and made available by for free on Bandcamp. [8][9]
The Taoist Cowboys' music has generally been reviewed favorably, especially upon occasions of its re-release. In 2000, a panel of reviewers for local arts periodical Metro Pulse ranked Punt and Emergency Lunch Box among "The Greatest Knoxville Records of All Time."[2]
Discography[edit]
Cholo, 1990, cassette, self-released
Tracklist[10]
Side A
1. Summer Alone In NYC
2. Not Even Johnny
3. Spending My Time With You
4. Truth In Vision
5. Baby Pool
6. City Lights
7. I Didn't Know You
Side B
1. Laugh At Will
2. Purple
3. Jealous Of Harley
4. Charlie
5. School Girl
6. Boots
7. 70's Girl
Punt, 1992, cassette; Re-relessed 2000, CD, Lynn Point Records
Tracklist (CD)[5]
1. Back with You
2. Mind Chime
3. Sweeping the Building
4. Longing for You
5. Shit on You
6. Marigold
7. Falling Up
8. Roaming Girl
9. Restless
10. Body and Soul
11. Dancing Bear
12. Wildcat Whistle
13. Liquid Plumr
City Lights: The Early Years, 2015, remastered, digital files
Tracklist[11]
1. Summer Alone in NYC
2. City Lights
3. The Color Purple
4. Not Even Johnny
5. Jealous of Harley
6. One as Two
7. Laugh at Will
8. Truth in Vision
9. Charlie
10. I Didn't Know
11. Hello World
12. Spending My Time with You
13. Baby Pool
14. Another Million Besides
15. Happy Heart
16. There is a Light
17. Hank Aaron was the King of Home Runs (Live)
Singles
- There is a Light (Live), 2016, digital file, Bandcamp[12]
- Savior for My Brain, 2016, digital file, Bandcamp[13]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 McNutt, Scott (2003). "The Tao of Cow: A Late '80s Philosophy of Fun". In Rentfro, Jack. Cumberland Avenue Revisited: Four Decades of Music in Knoxville, Tennessee. Cardinal Publishing. pp. 143–144. ISBN 978-0-9664329-6-1. Search this book on
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Dotson, Mike; et al. (2000). "The Greatest Knoxville Records of All Time: The 1980s". Metro Pulse Online. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
- ↑ Coury Turczyn (July 29, 2015). "The Taoist Cowboys' Original '90s Recordings Get a Makeover and a New Release". Knoxville Mercury. Retrieved September 10, 2018.
- ↑ Turczyn, Cory (2003). "This Town Will Be Killed By Apathy: In Search of the Short-Lived 'Knoxville Sound'". In Rentfro, Jack. Cumberland Avenue Revisited: Four Decades of Music in Knoxville, Tennessee. Cardinal Publishing. p. 147. ISBN 978-0-9664329-6-1. Search this book on
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Taoist Cowboys: Punt". Lynn Point Records (cached on The Wayback Machine). January 5, 2012. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 McDuff, Zippy (June 22, 2000). "Local CD Review: Taoist Cowboys, Punt". Metro Pulse Online. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
- ↑ CK (April 3, 2008). "Music: Emergency Lunchbox [sic]". The Sunsphere is Not a Wig Shop. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedTurczyn - ↑ "Taoist Cowboys: City Lights: Early Recordings". Bandcamp. 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
- ↑ "Taoist Cowboys: Cholo". Discogs. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
- ↑ "Taoist Cowboys: City Lights: Early Recordings". Bandcamp. 2015. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
- ↑ "Taoist Cowboys: There is a Light (Life)". Bandcamp. 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
- ↑ "Taoist Cowboys: Savior for my Brain". Bandcamp. 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2018.
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