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The Best of Bean Church

Bean Church

Folk, World, & Country Jazz Non-Music Pop Rock Share

 

The Best of Bean Church by Bean Church

Artists

Bean Church

Album Info

Release Date: 1985

Label: Breakfast Without Meat

All songs copyright 1984 by BEAN CHURCH except ** (Track B5) copyright 1985 by BEAN CHURCH and * (Track B3)

The first time I saw BEAN CHURCH was also their first show ever, at San Francisco's infamous Club Foot. Stumbling in from the cold, I was drawn by the BEAN CHURCH magnet. Cowskin Grux played his oversized bass, as if he were an elephant, his dead bird collection stapled to his back. Anonymous skinheads shared the drumset while colorful singer Dolph Zimmer sang the cryptic lyrics to "Taj Mahal is Toothpicks".

Within 2 months, Angel Trumpet tapes in Los Angeles had picked up on "BEAN CHURCH Fever '' and released "Men's Suits", a cassette-lp. Although the BEAN CHURCH had added a member to their lineup, the song remained the same.

Despite the tape's success, BEAN CHURCH, ever the iconoclasts, silently disbanded. Ex-BEAN CHURCH members went on to other things, Cowskin Grux devoting all his time to seminal SF band CAROLINER RAINBOW NOEL TRUCKS, while Dolphin went on to sing with popular rock band HELLO KITTY ON ICE until he quit early in 1985. The anonymous saxaphonist of the band ended up in the POP-O-PIES playing the guitar. Meanwhile, "The Light That Failed" was burning up SF's airwaves.

Because BEAN CHURCH's light of legend is still shining, I have collaborated with Breakfast tapes in releasing "The Best of BEAN CHURCH”. It includes "Le Sache Painting Lines", their response to Iron Butterfly; a well-chosen Fred Neil cover song; and and the previously unreleased "Gobo's Song", a live collaboration between members of BEAN CHURCH and HELLO KITTY ON ICE. While Cowskin Grux is absent from this recording (a rare and welcome delight to BEAN CHURCH fanatics), his presence is felt during the chorus.

There are rumors of a BEAN CHURCH reunion (with Stella Artois rounding out the lineup) but BEAN CHURCH neither confirms or denies these rumors. Meanwhile, BEAN CHURCH fanatics are eagerly buying up Angel Trumpet's upcoming "Ugly S.F.” compilation, which features 2 rare BEAN CHURCH outtakes, including the controversial "Falcon Lee Incident". Until then, keep your fingers crossed!!!

Pat Smart
March 3, 1985