The Banana Convention captured the hearts and minds of an unsuspecting public...so frail, so vulnerable... with bellies full of yummy Lebkuchens and their spirits awash with a spritzer or two of that fine, fine, SUPER FINE Jones Soda. They came, they rocked, and the conquered. Veni, vidi, voom...or something like that. Though the BC had played White’s Bar before, this was my first time. Like Madonna writhing in her cheap cotton see-through wedding dress singin’ Like A Virgin, I was more than excited by these bubblicious minstrels…they seemed to promise sooo much - sexy, sexy women – WHO CAN ACTUALLY SING!!!!! – humor, good times, dancin’ & a prancin’, and a hot band to boot.
And there’s this cat Oily McBride playing Fred Schneider, orchestrating the show, throwin’ around tambourines with Mama Nu Jahn, singin’ like a hoot owl, and givin’ the whole vibe a good nudge and wink. The music is dynamic, even powerful, and at times, if you really listen, you can hear something consummately American, and so pleasing that it defies the simple minded bagism suggested by marketers and radio programmers. Sure this is bubblegum, but it’s also pop, and rock ‘n’ roll and punk. BC’s root influences owe as much to the B 52’s as they do to the Ohio Express. And I would venture to compare BC punk-pop to the music of Bert Burns (the McCoy’s ”Hang on Sloopy” and Van Morrison’s Brown-Eyed Girl…dig them sha-la-las) or Shadow Morton’s groundbreaking work with the Shangri-las (check out Leader of the Pack or Give Him A Great Big Kiss). The Banana Convention seem to know and appreciate the organic link between these subgenres and it gives their music an unabashed vitality that is often missing-in-action from today’s mus-yecch scene.
They play it loud and sing it proud
When the girls sang Who’s Your baby, I almost lost control. I put down my camera, climbed up on a stool, waved my arms and shouted, “OOH-OHH…I’m Your baby… yeah…. I’m your baby”. But Elmar Paeva, that funny-lookin-kid who owns Retro Rocks, wrestled me to the floor, took me into the back room, and forced me to watch one of his damn Iggy Pop videos
YEEW
I was just having fun…really. But Elmar and I go a long way back and I’ve bought hundreds of vinyl albums from him through the years, including a real cool Russian Sergeant Peppers’ lp cover that was modified by state censors without the Beatle’s knowledge or permission. He says he’s storing his 180,000 plus cache of vinyl in warehouse…boy I’d like to have the key to that door.
But I digress
No one noticed this, it was so hard to see the drummer behind that big kit…but…and I don’t mean to embarrass anyone…but take a good look…closer...now take a peek at his left leg...no pants…
THE DRUMMER IS NAKED
only from the waist down…”no big deal”, said a fan in the front row.
BC mixed bubble- covers like Bang-shang-alang and Down at Lulus with art-pop covers such as Crimson and Clover and rock covers like Steppin’ Stone and Let’s Dance On.
But is was their original compositions that really turned my head. BC has learned a lot from the hook-laden soulful pop of Goffin-King. I can hear it in such BC classics as The Telephone Song, Licorice Whip and (Ooh La La) I Think I’m in Love. And these originals are so good that they often surpassed - musically and lyrically - the well chosen cover tunes.
The place is H-O-T
The stage dynamics are tight but loose, choreographed yet spontaneous. The interplay between the front three – Oily, Mama Nu Jahn, and AfroDytee – is captivating and just a little saucy - and the musicianship of Tang Apollo, Thumbs Harvey, Fletch Bohanski help keep it steamy…such sexy instruments, doncha know.
I can’t recall a better time, nor a better group of musicians and singers, taking the best out of popular forms, both musical and theatrical, and making something fresh and new - a dandy dialectic. So get up - toss the tambourine around, sing & dance, and shake your groove thing…one time for me…HUH…good-god, y'all
Oh yeah...I almost forgot, check out BC's phenomenal website - www.thebananaconvention.com - YOU WON'T REGRET IT
Peace,
Bo White
12/27/2004