Buffalo Rising Online

Jun 12th 2005, 8:58am By queenseyes

The 10,000 Maniacs show coming up on Wednesday night at Mohawk Place got me to thinking about the band, and the many times Iive seen them play n throughout Chautauqua County, opening for the Grateful Dead at Rich Stadium (I admit to attending one Dead show in my life)... The off shoots of the band n Natalie Merchant solo a couple of times, and John & Mary in Buffalo frequently.

The music of the 10,000 Maniacs has been a major piece in the soundtrack of my life. Memories of February 28, 1986 are still with me, the first time I saw them play live. I just found this date on their iofficiali website www.maniacs.com. I was 15, and the new sound of their music was just what I needed to lift me out of the everyday sameness of life in Fredonia, NY.

Living in Fredonia in those days, the Maniacs were a regular fixture on the scene, and being one of the hometowns for the band, we had access to their artistic development. Their sound in i86 was quite different from what we think of today as the Maniacs. They incorporated a lot of reggae sounds and punk rock noise. I think it was when John Lombardo left the band (for the first time) that Natalie Merchantis lyrical nature and Robert Buckis skillful guitar took them down a more folk rock-ie road. I listened to Campfire Songsi Obscure Recordings disc today. Canit Ignore the Train is an example of that early sound, and the Fredonia Recordings CD has a lot of the punky, new wave stuff they did in the 80s. Just like everyone else though, I canit get enough of In My Tribe or Our Time in Eden.

In 1992 I saw the 10,000 Maniacs in Amherst, Massachusetts with the then new (Buffalo based) band John and Mary opening for them. After Natalie Merchant left the band to pursue her solo career, John & Mary joined the group. John Lombardo came back and Mary Ramsey took over the lead singer roll, adding her skills on the viola. I donit know all the details of the transformations of the band, but some great music came out of this group of musicians, with John and Maryis Victory Garden and Weedkilleris Daughter. 10,000 Maniacs (including John and Mary) put out Love Among the Ruins and The Earth Pressed Flat. I heard them play in this form at the Fredonia Opera House in December of 1998.

Maryis sound is a lot more quiet and gentle than Natalieis and eventually this grouping dissolved, and the group continues to evolve. Robert Buck passed away, and Jeff Erickson came in on lead guitars, replacing Buck and Lombardo. Eventually the guys found Oskar Saville (a manis name but definitely a woman) to take over on lead vocals. Original members Dennis Drew, Jerry Augustyniak and Steve Gustafson are still with the band. This will be my first opportunity to listen to the latest incarnation of one of Western New Yorkis legendary musical groups. I hope youill join me.

10,000 Maniacs n portions of the proceeds will benefit Revitalize Buffalo Wednesday, June 15, 8 p.m. Mohawk Place $10 at the door