Wannabe Texans archive

reunion show 10-10-10

2010-09-05T18:44:00.000-07:00

At the Bottom of the Hill.
Matt Sullivan, guitar, Matt Royston,fiddle, Wally Sound, Guitar, Steven Strauss, bass, Melanie DiGiovanni, drums, Mary O'Neil, vocals

The SF Weekly says:

Don't mess with the Wannabe Texans: It seems safe to assume that San Francisco is one of the only places in the world that could produce a musical outfit that considered itself a "bike-messenger band." That's how vocalist Mary O'Neil describes the Wannabe Texans, her late-'80s twang-friendly rock band that has re-formed for a show at Bottom of the Hill on Sunday, Oct. 10, around Bike Messenger Appreciation Day.

"The folks putting on the bike-messenger reunion convinced us to play for old time's sake," says O'Neil, who notes that the band had such disparate influences as the Carter Family and Gang Of Four. "It's not likely to happen again." During its short existence, the Wannabes put out one full-length in the UK on the Mekons' Sin label as well as lots of unofficial cassettes. ("That's right, cassettes," she confirms.)

O'Neil and bassist Brad Johnson went on to form alt-country outfit Virginia Dare, and the other members have also developed impressive résumés, including guitarist Wally McClellan, who runs his Wally Sound studio out in Oakland, and guitarist Matt Sullivan, who did time in Tarnation. Expect to see all original members onstage on Sunday, and make sure to head down to Bottom early: The all-ages show begins at 3 p.m.

set to video by Wally

2010-08-09T18:53:00.000-07:00

pictures

2010-03-04T07:28:00.001-08:00

SF Weekly 11/1/89

2010-03-03T22:54:00.000-08:00

Trips to England

2008-02-24T23:26:00.000-08:00

In 1989, Mary went to England to visit our friend Victoria. While she was there, Robert Worby taped a few songs with Mary singing and playing a very out-of-tune autoharp. Here's Swimming in the Trees.

In 1991, Mary and I went over to promote 'Alcohol is a Cheap Perfume', just out on Snat records. We did a little radio tour in lieu of a honeymoon (having just been married). I played electric bass. Rob Worby was our chaperone and guitarist. Here's a broadcast recording of Las Vegas, not real listenable but there you go.

Alcohol is a Cheap Perfume

2007-12-15T17:45:00.000-08:00

Album available again for download: http://www.badongo.com/file/5606899

The hinges broke on our old titanium powerbook, so I don't like to move it... but hopefully, over the holiday break, I will take it down to the basement and record a few more songs off the old cassette tapes.

Last show, 11-16-91

2007-06-03T21:43:00.000-07:00

The last Wannabe Texans show was at the Paradise Lounge. We played the first set with no drummer, and for the second set, Tim Vaughan aka 'the Professor' joined us on drums. Wally brought a wheel of fortune for contestants to spin. We gave away t-shirts, records, and a cake. We were having a great time that night, and didn't want to stop. The club finally pulled the plug on us. We kept on playing, without electricity. The Paradise Lounge guy was yelling that we would never play the Paradise again. I'm sorry that the tape ran out before the end, but here are a few songs that did get preserved on a low-quality cassette:

Tank was Greg's favorite Wannabe Texans song. This seems to be the only recording ever made of it. Forgiven is another song that I can't find any other recordings of.

Like I Do was played often, but seldom recorded. Penelope Houston did a cover of it.
Goin' There Again is a Weenie Roast song that we did.

Nov '89 flyer by Mario Hernandez

2007-04-22T10:46:00.000-07:00

2007-03-14T20:46:00.000-07:00

I don't think anyone's reading this, but I'm going to keep putting stuff up here anyway. This is a later picture of the band. I can tell, because the face turned away from the camera is Rick Vena's; he played drums towards the end. The rest, clockwise, are Matt S., Matt R., Mary, Wally, and myself.

flyers galore

2007-02-25T20:04:00.000-08:00

figured i should scan these before i misplace them again - - there are still a few more somewhere. Not that it matters but I like seeing them all together.

2007-02-20T20:56:00.000-08:00

Two songs not recorded anywhere else that I know of: Heaven and Rebecca, at the Hotel Utah, 12-2-89.

Fallen Man, Ballad of the Wannabe Texans

2007-01-19T10:45:00.000-08:00

I did some digging around and found some good quality cassettes that Wally made for me a couple of years ago. There's enough material to keep this going for a long time!

Here are two early songs recorded at Greg Freeman's studio, right where the Giant's ball park is today. Things have changed in many ways, but I still like these:
Ballad of the Wannabe Texans
Fallen Man

I played electric bass, Kirk van Loon played drums, and as I recall, Wally hadn't joined the band yet. The two Matts were playing guitar and and co-writing songs with Mary.

Next: some live recordings.

some flyers

2007-01-07T21:37:00.000-08:00

Our basement flooded a couple of weeks ago, and I found some of these flyers soaking in a cardboard box. One good thing about putting these on the internet is that they'll be dry here.
Most are from '87, by Mary; a couple might be '88. I drew the one with the flower.

Pictures are easier for me to post than MP3s are, but I'll find some more music for next time.

cover art

2006-12-26T20:28:00.000-08:00

a couple of songs

2006-12-26T20:16:00.000-08:00

These aren't exactly high fidelity, but they sound great to me. 'Maybe Wyoming' rocks! where can you hear singing like that? 'Patience is a Virtue' is a waltz, on the poignant side.

I think the band here is: Mary O'Neil, Matt Sullivan, Matt Royston, Wally Sound, and Steven Strauss. On accordion, film reviewer Richard von Busack.

SnatCD002

2006-12-26T11:57:00.000-08:00

This is a band I was in during the late 80s. It took me a little while to realize what a great group I had happened to join. I was also slow to realize that I was in love with the singer (Mary O'Neil); we got married in '91.

'Alcohol is a Cheap Perfume' was the only CD release for the Wannabe Texans, on the Mekon's SNAT label. It's good that I was out of town during the recordings, as Steven Strauss was the better bassist in this group.

Re-uploaded 8/12/07: download at gigasize.com.
If I get around to it, I plan to post some unreleased recordings, also flyers and photos. Just because I think the songs are good and can still give new possibility and enthusiasm to those who hear them.