Tuxedomoon: Holy Wars 1985

 

Tuxedomoon is an avant-garde, electronic-oriented collective whose music ranges from new wave pop

to jazz fusion to more experimental synthesizer soundscapes (usually including saxophone and violin), which were frequently married in concert to performance-art shows. Tuxedomoon was formed in San Francisco in 1977 by two electronic music students at San Francisco City College, Blaine L. Reininger (keyboards, violin) and Steven Brown (keyboards, other instruments).
                                

Brown's local theater connections supplied equipment and occasional vocalists in Gregory Cruikshank

and Victoria Lowe, plus more frequent contributions from singer and performance artist Winston Tong. Punk and new wave were opening up the San Francisco music scene at the time, and Tuxedomoon landed an opening slot for Devo in 1978 at around the same time they cut their first single, "Pinheads on the Move." Lowe quit the band before their first EP, No Tears, which featured off-and-on members Michael Belfer (guitar) and Paul Zahl (drums).
                                

Tong and Belfer departed temporarily, and Peter Principle (b. Peter Dachert) joined as a full-time member. Tuxedomoon signed to the Residents' Ralph Records in 1979, which eventually got them

overseas exposure. Feeling that their ideas were more in tune with the European electronic music scene, the band toured Europe after 1980's Half Mute, for which Tong returned with filmmaker and visual artist Bruce Geduldig. After 1981's Desire, the band relocated in an artist's commune in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Within a year though they were forced to leave and moved to Brussels, to find first shelter in the Plan K. (a live p.a. club).
              

Reininger began to branch out as a solo artist. Tuxedomoon was also hired to score a Maurice Bejart

ballet, the results of which were released in 1982 as Divine. Reininger left for a solo career in 1983 and was replaced by Frankie Lievaart and horn player Luc Van Lieshout. In between side projects and scoring, the band sought an international deal for their forthcoming LP Holy Wars; it was eventually released in 1985 and became the band's biggest commercial success.
                               

Tong left the group for good that year, leaving Brown and Principle the only remaining San Francisco

members; multi-instrumentalist Ivan Georgiev was hired to replenish the group's sound for 1986's Ship of Fools album and tour. Scoring work from past projects has been reissued in Belgium. Reininger, Brown, Principle and Lieshout still record together as Tuxedomoon, whilst Reininger, Brown, Principle and Tong have all recorded as solo artists.
                      

Tuxedomoon – Holy Wars
Label: Cramboy – CBOY 2020 CD
Format: CD, Album
Country: Europe
Released: 1985
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: New Wave, Electro, Minimal

TRAXS

                                      

01. The Waltz   5:00
Bass Guitar – Peter Principle
Organ, Electric Piano, Alto Saxophone, Synthesizer – Steven Brown
Trumpet [Trumpets], Harmonica – Luc Van Lieshout
Written-By – L. Van Lieshout, P. Principle, S. Brown
02. St.John   4:27
Backing Vocals [Back Up Vocals] – Winston Tong
Bass Guitar, Drum Programming [Drum Programs], Tape [Tapes] – PP
Lyrics By [Text Adapted From A Poem By] – St-Juan de la Cruz
Organ, Synthesizer [Synthesizers], Vocals – SB
Percussion [Live Percussion] – Alain Lefebvre
Trumpet [Trumpets] – LVL
Voice [Spanish Voice] – Jan D'Haese
Written-By – P. Principle, S. Brown
03. Bonjour Tristesse   5:24
Bass Guitar, Drum Programming [Drum Programs], Synthesizer [Emulator] – PP
Congas – AL
Organ, Piano, Synthesizer [Emulator] – SB
Trumpet, Harmonica – LVL
Vocals – WT
Written-By – L. Van Lieshout, P. Principle, S. Brown, W. Tong
04. Hugging The Earth   4:00
Bass Guitar, Drum Programming [Drum Programs] – PP
Organ – LVL
Vocals, Clarinet, Organ – SB
Written-By – P. Principle, S. Brown
05. In A Manner Of Speaking   3:28
Guitar – PP
Vocals – WT
Voice [Second Voice] – SB
Whistle – BG
Written-By – W. Tong
06. Some Guys   4:50
Bass Guitar, Drum Programming [Drum Programs], Guitar, Cymbal [Cymbals] – PP
Keyboards, Vocals – SB
Melodica, Recorder – LVL
Written-By – L. Van Lieshout, P. Principle, S. Brown
07. Holy Wars   6:47
Alto Saxophone, Soprano Saxophone, Organ, Synthesizer [Synthesizers], Tape [Tapes], Synthesizer [Emulator] – SB
Bass Guitar, Drum Programming [Drum Programs], Synthesizer [Emulator] – PP
Trumpet, Bass Harmonica, Harmonica – LVL
Vocals – WT
Written-By – P. Principle, S. Brown, W. Tong
08. Watching The Blood Flow   5:04
Backing Vocals [Back Up Vocals] – WT
Bass [Bass Line] – Blaine Reininger
Guitar, Bass Guitar, Drum Programming [Drum Programs] – PP
Percussion [Additional Percussion] – AL
Trumpet, Harmonica – LVL
Vocals, Organ, Alto Saxophone, Synthesizer [Emulator] – SB
Written-By – B. L. Reininger, S. Brown
09. Egypt   4:57
Backing Vocals [Back Up Vocals], Percussion [Flexatone] – WT
Guitar [Guitars], Drum Programming [Drum Programs] – PP
Handclaps [Claps] – LVL, PP, SB
Organ, Piano, Vocals, Synthesizer [Synth Bass], Drum Programming [Drum Programs] – SB
Trumpet [Trumpets], Harmonica – LVL
Written-By – P. Principle, S. Brown
10. Soma   5:24
Written-By – W. Tong

Personnel

                                        

Vocals, Backing Vocals, Percussion - Winston Tong
Bass Guitar, Drum Programming, Tapes - Peter Principle
Organ, Electric Piano, Saxophone, Synthesizer - Steven Brown
Trumpet, Harmonica - Luc Van Lieshout
Live Percussion, Congas - Alain Lefebure (Tracks 2, 3, 8)
Spanish vocal - Jan D'Haese (Track 2)
Photography and Cover Art - Bernard Faucon
Producers - Gilles Martin, Tuxedomoon
Engineer, Recorded By - Gilles Martin
Executive Producer - Martine Jawerbaum

MP3 @ 320 Size: 116 MB
Flac  Size: 308 MB

Tuxedomoon On Urban Aspirines HERE