Fly Ashtray is an American alternative rock band, formed in 1983 in the Bronx, New York, by Chris Thomas, James Kavoussi, Eric Thomas, John Beekman and Mike Anzalone. At some point, Thomas and Anzalone left the band which led to Beekman moving from lead vocalist to bassist/guitarist, and then Kavoussi switched from keyboard to guitar. Glen Luttman joined the band at this juncture to play the drums.
Spoog, a side project, resulted with impromptu gigs when one or another member of the band was out of town. Anzalone and Kavoussi also played in Uncle Wiggly. Kavoussi has made solo records billed as Phoaming Edison. The line-up of Thomas, Kavoussi, Beekman and Luttman was stable for a lengthy period until Beekman's duties were taken over in 1998 by Dave Abel.
In 2003, Luttman requested a leave of absence from Fly Ashtray, and in the same year Eric Marc Cohen took over drum duties.
The band released two records on Shimmy Disc and worked with Kramer.
Links to Peel[]
Peel seemed to have first played the band's material in December 1990, according to available tracklistings on this site, when he played a track from their 'Extended Outlook' EP. Further material from the group were played on his radio programmes until 2000.
Shows Played[]
- 1990
- 01 December 1990: Ice Cream Cone (7" EP - Extended Outlook) See Eye
- 27 November 1992: 'The Man Who Stayed In Bed All Day (LP-Clumps Takes A Ride)' (Shimmy Disc)
- 05 December 1992: 'Second Song (CD-Clumps Takes A Ride)' (Shimmy Disc)
- 1993
- 01 January 1993: 'It Doesn't Matter (CD-Clumps Takes A Ride)' (Shimmydisc)
- 29 January 1993: The Man Who Stayed In Bed All Day (album - Clumps Take A Ride) Shimmy Disc
- 12 February 1993: Snack Bar (v/a album - Soluble Fish) Volume
- 28 February 1993 (BFBS): Snackbar (CD - Soluble Fish) Volume
- 21 May 1993: Tent (10" Let's Have Some Crate) Hemiola Records
- 28 May 1993 (BFBS): Tent (10" LP - Let's Have Some Crate) Hemiola Records
- 05 June 1993: S!TO!I!N!K! School Of Song Titling (10" Let's Have Some Crate) Hemiola Records
- 11 June 1993: ‘Owl Mound (10 inch – Let’s Have Some Crate)’ (Hemiola Records)
- 12 June 1993 (BFBS): Owl Mound (10" LP - Let's Have Some Crate) Hemiola
- 18 June 1993: ‘Power Puff (10 inch - Let’s Have Some Crate)’ (Hemiola)
- 26 June 1993 (BFBS): Brumaire 18 L.B. (10" EP: Let's Have Some Crate) Hemiola
- 16 July 1993: Here Comes The Coastguard (10" Album - Let's All Have Some Crate) Hemiola
- 1999
- 01 December 1999: 'The Twelve Days Of The Week Of Christmas Of Love (CD-Sawgrass Subligette)' (Dark Beloved Cloud)
- 16 December 1999 (Radio Eins): 'Vestibule Of The Poacher (CD-Sawgrass Subligette)' (Dark Beloved Cloud)
- 2000
- 21 December 2000 (Radio Eins): 'Vestibule Of The Poacher (CD-Sawgrass Subligette)' (Dark Beloved Cloud)