Kenneth Coleman- lead guitars, vocals
Eric S Gregory- vocals, rhythm guitar
Curt Schulz- drums
Matt Sherman- bass guitar
Wilson Johns- manager
Influences
William Wyss
Gary Glitter
Roxy Music
Grateful Dead
Buzzcocks
Velvet Underground
Patti Smith Group
The Lovin' Spoonful
Bryan Ferry
The Blue Orchids
VOM
The Feelies
The Only Ones
Ian Dury and the Blockheads
Human Switchboard
Mirrors
New York Dolls
Richard Meltzer
Big Star
Queen
The Perfect Disaster
The Mugwumps
Yoko Ono
Alex Chilton
Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments
Allen Ginsberg
Mamas and the Papas
Richard Hell
Homosexuals
Luna
Subway Sect/Vic Godard
Black Randy & the MetroSquad
Pere Ubu
Sly and the Family Stone
The Blasters
Steve Treatment
Dexy's Midnight Runners
Julian Cope
Pierre Macherey
Scottish Pop ca. 1983
The Red Crayola
Art & Language
Gladys Knight & the Pips
the Clash
The Deviants
John Wieners
Cornershop
Bob Weir
the Gap Band
The Troggs
the Fall
William Blake
Paul Simon
Pete Wylie/Wah!
13th Floor Elevators
Flying Nun Bands pre-92
Rolling Stones
Eddie Cochran
Fairport Convention
Mick Farren
Marianne Faithfull
Motown
Michel Polnareff
The Triffids
Blondie
Rough Trade Bands pre-86
T. Rex
Ed Sanders
Georg Lukacs
Bizarros
Chic
Howard Devoto
Mekons
The La's
Jim Carroll Band
Raymond Williams
Antonio Gramsci
The Raincoats
The Adverts
Captain Beefheart
Francoise Hardy
Pierre Bourdieu
Ed Sanders
ABC
Wreckless Eric
Monochrome Set
Archie Bell & the Drells
Talking Heads
Jefferson Airplane
Television
Charles Wright
Thomas Chatterton
Christopher Smart
Roland Barthes
Kid Creole and the Coconuts
Ramones
the Byrds
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Miles Davis
Alan Moore
The Serpent Power
Tom Verlaine
Karl Marx
Frank OHara
Ted Berrigan
Lloyd Cole
That Petrol Emotion
Ze Records
Frederick Douglass
Scritti Politti
Lautreamont
Grace Jones
Slapp Happy
The Last Men
Nectarine No. 9
Peter Blegvad
Iain Sinclair
Guy Debord
Oscar Wilde
Algernon Charles Swinburne
Buddy Holly
Richard/Linda Thompson
Ernst Bloch
Lou Reed
Bob Dylan
Kevin Ayers
Angry Samoans
The Chills
Moby Grape
John Phillips
Stranglers
Felt/Denim
Lizzy Mercier Descloux
Fugs
Kevin Coyne
Alexander Trocchi
Bert Jansch
Davey Graham
Raoul Vaneigem
Stewart Home
Walter Benjamin
The Bluebells
Fire Engines
Okay folks, here’s the deal:
After eight years, three CD releases, four lead guitar players, around 100+ performances and untold bottles of bottom-shelf bourbon, the Crack City Rockers formally announce their amiable breakup, effective immediately. The celebratory final gig will be Friday, July 6 at the White Eagle Saloon, with guests Honus Huffhines and The Strange Effects. The band is survived by their latest release, The Good Life, and literally dozens of disappointed fans.
Every worthwhile endeavor eventually reaches a point of diminishing returns, and instead of letting the band degenerate into some kind of sad love affair we lack the courage to end, it seemed both simpler and more honest to just set a definitive “sell-by” date, shake hands like weary travelers at the end of the journey, and call it a day while the group still fires on all collective cylinders. Plus, by splitting up, the band enters our long-planned final phase by becoming yet another influential cult act that toiled in relative obscurity before leaving a legacy of work that grew in legend and impact long after the bones were picked clean. It’s nice work if you can get it.
And really, even if the band achieves this epic status only in the minds of the members and a few other hangers-on, that’ll be payment plenty. We knew we were good at what we did- convincing others that we were became less and less important and more and more boring, and now none of that matters at all.
So, were our weeks better than your years? Was our shit harder, shiner and more downright crystalline than your diamonds? It’s hard to say…..but here’s the important part: we always swung for the fence.
If on occasion we were just a sweaty, ridiculous mess, every once in a while we were also the best band going, bar none. Sometimes we flat-out sucked, but we were never, ever boring.
Regrets? Well, we never did score that endorsement deal from the Old Crow people. But in the larger scheme, we’ve checked off all the boxes on our dance card and did everything we set out to do.
All our love, Crack City Rockers
(active service) Ken Coleman- guitar, vocals/ Eric S. Gregory- lead vocals, guitar/ Curt Schulz, drums, percussion/Matt Sherman- bass.
(retired from duty) Sean Flora- bass and vocals, Dennis Mitchell- lead guitar, Steve McAvoy- lead guitar and vocals, Kurtiss Lofstrom- lead guitar and bass.
We are proud to announce our return to the stage for The Godfathers' Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre on February 14th 2008 at The Forum, Kentish Town, London.
Tickets on sale NOW for the 1st UK concert in 19 years from the original line-up of one of Britain's greatest ever rock and roll bands.
Thanks so much for the CD's. They're way better than we could have ever imagined! In fact, for what its worth, Crack City Rockers are in our own Pantheon of great bands - and there aren't many in there!
Numerous faves, but these twelve kill: I'm Too Easy / Truth Drug / Laying Low / Occult Piss / Estrogen Mess / Live In The Wild / I Do All Right / Fuel / L'Amour / Panic / Arms And Legs / Born Nervous.
Spreading the word, but sorry didn't get here sooner (and before the end).
Hey guys! Supernatural Sound is discounting days. Some of our clients include the Shins, Stephen Malkmus, Bright eyes, Wilco, the thermals, rogue wave, and many more. We recently had a last minute cancellation for the next 2 weeks. I am trying to fill the time so I am offering 50% off book rates. This is a great deal, and I rarely get to discount time (especially this much!). I am hoping to get bands in that wouldn't normally be able to make an album at Supernatural due to budget or are just looking to take advantage of a great deal. Check out our website for more info and look at our myspace page for new photos! Please call or email Sarah ASAP, since we expect to fill the dates fast, for details and to set up a studio tour so you can see the space for yourself. Look forward from hearing from you!
It was a hell of a ride. I knew it had to end when you started hangin' out on 82nd & Flavel. It always goes tits up when the crystal enters the picture. We'll see you in the books...
friday, after school, get yourself down to rob's place! and make sure to bring your quarters! dee is working the door, and she won't let you in unless you pay up turkey!!! j/p. see ya there! we'll all get loaded on burgers and grape soda! :D
Hey Eric...just back into town. I love travelling, but coming home always feels good. I hope your gig went down with a huge bang and life is treating you well. I did make the family cruise around listening to your music on the Cape...along with the new Interpol. Cheers, Dude!
It was truly a privilege to witness/participate in the final CCR gig. Here's wishing a fond farewell to one of Portland's finest. Catch you in your afterlife.
that was awesome, lets go surfing at the white eagle again real soon. VOM/Meltzer/surfing/ & todd homer/pj coker (where was he?) forever!!! oh yeah and Crack City too love Greggy boy Mongoloid Jr.
Hey guys, nice work last night, you could reall feel the love in the room and your energy on stage was beautiful. Wouldn't it be great if they were all like that?
Well dude, you are still riding my heavy rotation in the car and I'll be taking you with me for a week on the Cape starting Saturday. Just wanted to wish you a great gig on Friday night...Rock 'til you Drop, my friend!!
"It seemed beyond all measure dense to me, and I felt its presence oppress me. I closed my eyes, commenced to sing under my breath, and tossed to and fro, in order to distract myself, but to no purpose. The darkness had taken possession of my thoughts and left me not a moment in peace. Supposing I were myself to be absorbed in darkness; made one with it?"
Hey man...I've got to confess that I have been listening to yer tunes all week long on my drive to and from work (out in friggin Bloomfield). I've also got the new Modest Mouse, but your songs have been keeping them out of my player. Great stuff, my friend. Happy Friday!
Oh yeah...Labatt's Blue. It's a budgetary staple when I can't go the extra mile for a Rorbach's Scotch Ale or some other exotic brew. Hey, that White Eagle Saloon looks like a pretty cool venue for a gig...I found a picture of the building and it radiates good music vibes. I'll be down in Geneseo tonight, with my kids, camping at a friends place, for a guys night of fireworks, music and beer. Cheers, my friend.
Hey my friend, your kind words leave me dumbstruck...which I suppose ain't all that hard to do. Those days of laughing and philosphizing on the barstools of the Idle Hour or jamming on stairways together with John Wilson are still etched in the core of the substance that defines my composition. You're talent speaks for yourself and listening to your tunes takes me right back down the time-tunnel. Cheers, my kindred soul.
Hey you guys...that was a phenomenal set last night! July 6th at the Eagle will be the pinnacle!! Can't wait...gonna get a room so be ready to party w/ Rick james Biatch!! g
