10,000 Maniacs

10,000 Maniacs is an American alternative rock band formed in 1981 and continues to be active with various line-ups. The band was formed as Still Life in 1981 in Jamestown, New York, by Dennis Drew (keyboards), Steven Gustafson (bass), Chet Cardinale (drums), Robert Buck (guitar), and Teri Newhouse (vocalist and Buck's ex-wife). Gustafson invited Natalie Merchant, who was 17 at the time, to do some vocals. John Lombardo, who was in a band called The Mills (along with brother guitarist/vocalists Mark Liuzzo and Paul Liuzzo and drummer Mike Young) and used to play occasionally with Still Life, was invited to join permanently on guitar and vocals. Newhouse and Cardinale left the band in July, and Merchant became the main singer. Various drummers came and left. The band changed its name to Burn Victims and then to 10,000 Maniacs after the low-budget horror movie Two Thousand Maniacs!. (Read more at Wikipedia)

Links To Peel
The band's debut album Secrets Of The I Ching got the attention of Peel in 1983 and was well received by Peel and by critics in the music press. In his film for the John Peel's Record Box project, Joe Boyd mentions that Peel was responsible for putting him in touch with 10,000 Maniacs by recommending the band to him, and him to them. This led to Boyd producing the band's album The Wishing Chair.

Early material of the band got played on Peel's show, but by the late 80's, the band went into a more pop rock orientation, which Peel was disappointed with. They remained favourites of Peel's colleague and friend Andy Kershaw, though, and tracks by the band were featured regularly on his shows - as was Natalie Merchant, after she left 10,000 Maniacs to pursue a solo career.

Festive Fifty Entries

 * 1983 Festive Fifty: My Mother The War #26

Sessions
1. Recorded: 1985-06-23. Broadcast: 01 July 1985. Repeated: 22 July 1985, 28 October 1985, 18 December 1985
 * Just As The Tide Was A'Flowin' / Lily Dale / Maddox Table / Back O' The Moon

Other Shows Played
1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1990 1998
 * Stewart Tape Oct 1983: Grey Victory (album - Secrets Of The I Ching) Mark Recordings MC 20389
 * 24 November 1983: Katrina's Fair (album - Secrets Of The I Ching) Press
 * 29 November 1983: Death Of Manolette (LP - Secrets Of The I Ching) Press
 * Peel Early Dec 1983: Planned Obsolescence (7" - My Mother The War) Reflex
 * 01 December 1983: My Mother The War (LP - Secrets Of The I Ching) Mark
 * 06 December 1983: Grey Victory (LP - Secrets Of The I Ching) Press
 * 13 December 1983: 'Planned Obsolescence (Mini LP-Conflict Number Five)' (Press)
 * 27 December 1983: 'My Mother The War (12 inch)' (Reflex) FF #26  (JP: 'I know that actually technically, I mean, and in fact that was issued last year, I mean in 1982, but I think it only burst upon an astonished British public this year, so it was only fair to include it. And anyway, I like it a lot myself.')
 * Helen And Her Horns: 'Planned Obsolescence (Mini LP-Conflict Number Five)' (Press)
 * 02 January 1984: Grey Victory (album - Secrets Of The I Ching) Mark Recordings MC 20389
 * 02 January 1984: Pour De Chirico (album - Secrets Of The I Ching) Mark Recordings MC 20389
 * 01 February 1984: Pit Viper (album - Secrets Of The I Ching) Press
 * Peel Early Feb 1984: Pit Viper / Katrina's Fair (album - Secrets Of The I Ching) Press
 * Peel March 1984: My Mother The War (album - Secrets Of The I Ching) Mark
 * Peel Mid Sep 1984: Katrina's Fair (album - Secrets Of The I Ching) Mark
 * 28 May 1985: Can't Ignore The Train (7") Elektra
 * 29 May 1985: Daktari (7" - Can't Ignore the Train) Elektra
 * 03 June 1985: Can't Ignore The Train (7") Elektra
 * 11 June 1985: Can't Ignore The Train (album - The Wishing Chair) Elektra (JP - 'I do hope they're not going to turn them into a Katrina And The Waves for the 1980's ...)
 * Karl's Tape June 1985: Can't Ignore The Train (album - The Wishing Chair) Elektra
 * 05 November 1985: Unknown
 * 20 November 1985: Back O' The Moon (album - The Wishing Chair) Elektra
 * 26 November 1985: Grey Victory (12" - The Wishing Chair) Elektra
 * 04 March 1986: Scorpio Rising (7") Elektra
 * Mostly Peel Spring 1986: Scorpio Rising (7") Elektra
 * Peel 039 (BFBS): 'Death Of Manolete (LP-Secrets Of The I Ching)' (Press)
 * Peel 039 (BFBS): 'Back O' The Moon (LP-The Wishing Chair)' (Elektra)
 * 03 February 1987: Can't Ignore the Train (LP - The Wishing Chair) Elektra
 * 29 July 1987: A Campfire Song (LP - In My Tribe) Elektra (Andy Kershaw show)
 * 08 September 1987: Gun Shy (LP – In My Tribe) Elektra
 * The Peel Tapes Vol.5: City Of Angels
 * 13 August 1990: My Mother The War (album - Secrets Of The I Ching) Mark
 * 16 December 1990: 'Grey Victory (CD-Hope Chest (The Fredonia Recordings 1982-1983)' (Elektra)
 * Best Of Peel Vol 18: 'Grey Victory (CD-Hope Chest (The Fredonia Recordings 1982-1983)' (Elektra)
 * 09 July 1998: The Death Of Manolette (LP: Secrets Of The I Ching) Mark Recordings
 * 03 December 1998: 'Katrina's Fair (EP-Secrets Of The I Ching)' (Christian Burial)