FAQ 2.4
And a tip of the hat to Senor Matthew Jason Euclid Barnhardt. Any questions answered in italics are credited to him.
Also, if you have any questions about Baboon, ask away, it’ll just make this damn FAQ fatter.
What does Baboon sound like?
Senseless noise! Actually, they sound different on a song by song basis, everything from slow
melodic to loud beat-up-the-guy-closest-to-you to punkish, although Baboon doesn’t really fit
too well under any particular genre. They’re loud and they’re fun.
What albums have they released?
On CD, they’ve released Facedown In Turpentine in 1994, and Secret Robot Control
in 1997. They’ve released an e.p. Numb in between the two albums, and another in 1999, We Sing And Play. They have
numerous tapes, vinyl singles, and compilation appearances to their credit as well.
What are Baboon’s influences?
Steve likes Tom Waits, Andy's into Echo & the Bunnymen, Mike and Bart (the original bass player) grew up on Van Halen, but all list the Jesus Lizard, Fugazi, and Palace as influences. I've heard Brainiac, Radiohead, Weezer, U2, Metallica, Misfits, Nick Cave, Joy Division, X-Cops, Beatles, and Butthole Surfers mentioned, among others.
Where is Baboon from?
Andy and Mike are from Houston. Steve is from Garland. Mark is from Mars. Those are all Texas towns fer you non-Texans. Except Mars.
What Is The History Of Baboon
Mike has written a pretty good history at Baboonland, the official Baboon page.
Who has Baboon toured with?
They’ve toured with or at least have played with countless other bands. They played the ROAR
tour and have played on the same stage as the Toadies, Fugazi, No Knife, Bobgoblin, Brutal Juice,
Love Nut, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Pansy Division, Earl, Godplow, rubberbullet, Course
of Empire, Fuel, Crypt Kicker, Reverend Horton Heat, Record Player, Slow Roosevelt, among many many others.
Who is Jack Skinner?
A mastering engineer at K-Disc who royally fucked up the first pressing of "Face Down In Turpentine," then refused to refund their money. ($600) K-Disc is now out of busness.
What side projects or collaborations have Baboon done?
Mike was a long-time member of the Dooms UK, and Steve played drums for them for a little while. Steve also played in Six Hard Brothers And A Dog. Steve sat in on drums for a band called Budapest One. Andrew and Clark from the Toadies did a little tape called Mommy, but I don't think anything came out of it other than the tape. Mark Hughes does a Weezer-cover band deal called Weener recently, doing bass and vocals. Along with guitarists/voxes Glen Reynolds (Chomsky, Liquid Three), Jason Weisenburg (The Commercials, Bobgoblin), and drummer Ben Burt (Brutal Juice, Tomorrowpeople, Pinkston). Weener does play fairly regularly.
Who else has been in Baboon?
My facts may be real shady here. I believe their original drummer was Will Johnson. Will went on to
drum for Funland, a local Dallas band that was immensely popular in the scene. After Funland broke up,
Will went on to start a solo project band called Centromatic which he fronts to this day. It’s an excellent
band that should be checked out if you can.
They’ve had a revolving door for bassists. Current bassist Mark Hughes, I believe was originally supposed to be their bassist but a hand injury prevented him from joining. Bart Rogers was the bassist
to record on their early material. I believe he still shows up to Baboon shows and even occasionally sings
on stage. Second bassist was Bryan Schmitz. I know little about him, but occasionally when he played with
them, I remember him switching with Mike to play guitar.
Who draws Baboon’s art?
Todd Ramsell. His web page displays some of his art, he has a pretty large amount of art worth checking
out. I believe that he’s a very close acquaintance of the band and is probably from Denton as well though
he lives in Dallas now.
What’s the story behind Mark’s injured hand?
Well, this is a story that I believe changes depending on who you talk to, but basically from what I hear, Mark was working as a chef in some deli, making an avocado sandwich when he accidentally sliced through his hand with a very, very sharp knife. It apparently left him unemployed in the world of music as a bassist for several years, so it must have been a bad cut (slice up all those tendons and bones and ouch!). From what I hear, Mark isn’t enthusiastic about retelling this story, so if you see him and want to inquire about it, buy him a beer first.
What equipment does Baboon use?
Mike: Fender standard (Mexican-made) Strat with a Seymour Duncan pickup,
Marshall head and cabinet.
Mark: Fender Jazz Basses, Ampeng head, Kustom cabinet
Steve: Premier drums
What songs have Baboon covered?
"The Yellow Rose Of Texas" for a state songs comp on Coolidge records. As well as "Beekeeper's Maxim" (Brainiac), Eruption (Van Halen), "You're The One That I Want" (Grease soundtrack), and "Velvet" (Toadies).
What tuning does Baboon play in?
Most of the time, it's D live, and E in the studio. I believe there are more E-flat tunes than E, but oddly enough, there's few "open E"-ed songs, so I guess you can survive without tuning down.
Why is "Walker, Texas Ranger" significant to Baboon?
They appeared on one episode, and in fact were a significant back drop to the story line. Baboon songs were played as background music, one scene actually had Baboon playing onstage at the Trees club in Deep Ellum, Texas (a section of Dallas) although the music heard was just one song looped to play the same part over and over.
Where can I buy Baboon records or see or hear them?
Baboon’s cd releases actually are distributed nationally. You can buy them anywhere at super big record store chains like Sam Goody, Musicland, CD Warehouse, Tower Records, Best Buy, etc. You can also order them through cdnow.com, amazon.com, or any other prominent online music stores. Baboon often plays shows in the Dallas/Ft. Worth/Denton area and occasionally dips around other Texas cities. They occasionally hit the road for long periods of time and have played just about in every mainland USA state. The newest EP, We Sing And Play, must be ordered directly from the band. You can inquire them at baboonboys@hotmail.com. And you should, it's a great record!
