Elastic No-No Band | |
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| Origin | New York City,USA |
| Genres | Anti-folk,indie rock |
| Years active | 2004–2011 |
| Labels | Weemayk Music |
| Members | Justin Remer Herb Scher Preston Spurlock Doug Johnson John Mulcahy |
| Past members | Clint Scheibner |
| Website | elasticnonoband.com |
Elastic No-No Band was a musical group based inNew York City'santi-folk scene. Started in the mid-2000s, the band's name was initially just apseudonym for its leader and mainsongwriter,Justin Remer. After 2005, Elastic No-No Band's line-up also included pianist Herb Scher and multi-instrumentalist Preston Spurlock. In 2005 and 2006, the band would perform sporadically with Clint Scheibner, who would play abass drum attached to his chest, as though he were in amarching band. In 2007, the band added drummer Doug Johnson (who plays a standarddrum kit) as a regular member. During the recording sessions for the band's 2010 album,Fustercluck!!!, electric guitarist John Mulcahy was also added.
Remer did a solo US tour as Elastic No-No Band during spring of 2008.[1]
Remer initially used the name Elastic No-No Band as a personal pseudonym when he wrote and performedsongs andfilm scores for some of hisshort films. These films includeIn Defense of Lemmings (2004) andLoved and/or Laid (2006). Remer also contributed songs to theTroma filmsTales from the Crapper (2004) andPoultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead (2007)[2] as Elastic No-No Band.
While he was studying film atNew York University, Remer used the facilities intended for recordingvoice-over for film projects to create fourlo-fisolo albums. These albums wereSongs from a Poorly-Soundproofed Room (2004) (the title is a parody ofLeonard Cohen'sSongs from a Room),More Songs About Cowboys and Moisture (2004) (the title is a parody ofTalking Heads'More Songs About Buildings and Food), an album ofElvis Costellocovers calledEvery Elvis Has His Army: ENB Does EC (2005), and(Previously Otherwise) Uncollected Songs (2005). These albums were initially distributed using theCD-R format, then were made available as a freemusic download from Elastic No-No Band'swebsite. When the website was shut down at the end of 2011, Remer compiled the website tracks into a two-volume compilation, collectively titledNot Like Most Folkies.
Remer began performing at theAnti-hootenannyopen mic run byLach at the Sidewalk Cafe (the center of New York's East Village anti-folk scene[3]). This is where he met Scher, Spurlock, and Scheibner. The men performed shows together and madehome recordings of some of their rehearsals. Five of these rehearsal recordings, featuring the trio of Remer, Scher, and Spurlock are featured on Elastic No-No Band's first official CD release,The Very Best of Elastic No-No Band So Far (2006). Scheibner is credited on the release with "silent drumming."[4] The remainder of the CD consists of songs from the four CD-R albums Remer recorded alone and a newer solo recording titled "Run-DMC."
In 2007, the band issuedNo-No's (Leftovers and Live Songs), which consists of previously unreleased material, live performances, and previously issued one-off recordings from compilations. According to Remer, the songs are called "leftovers" instead of "B-sides" or "rarities" because they're no rarer than any of the band's other songs.[5] This CD includes the first recorded live performances with the band's second drummer, Doug Johnson.
This new quartet line-up created Elastic No-No Band's firststudio album, titledMy 3 Addictions. It was produced byMajor Matt Mason USA.[6] It was released on October 16, 2007.[7]
Justin Remer set up ablog in advance of the album's release called "My 3 Addictions: An interactive album". Starting September 3, 2007, Remer posted a new entry every other day, including an audio stream of one of the album's songs. Since September 23, 2007, all eleven songs have been available for listening from the blog.
Elastic No-No Band released their second studio album, adouble album calledFustercluck!!! in January 2010. It featured numerous guest appearances from other antifolk acts, likeToby Goodshank ofThe Moldy Peaches,Nan Turner ofSchwervon!, andBrook Pridemore. The album also marked the addition of electric guitarist John Mulcahy to the band. It would turn out to be their last proper studio album, as the band dissolved in late 2011. A final "leftovers" compilation,Black No-No's was scheduled to be released in May 2012.[8]
Many of Elastic No-No Band's songs feature humorous lyrics based onpop culture references.
"Run-DMC" mentions the titularhip-hop group, as well as fellow hip-hoppersEric B. & Rakim,R&B singerBobby "Blue" Bland, and actorMr. T.
"I AmKlaus Kinski (And This Is My Song)" is told from the point of view of the famedGermanactor and mentions his squabbles with his frequent collaborator, the Germanfilm directorWerner Herzog.
"A Modest Proposal (For Laura Cantrell)" has Remer proposing marriage to thecountry music singerLaura Cantrell and mentioning past romantic crushes on female musicians likeLiz Phair,Juliana Hatfield, andMeg White.
"Woody Allen Surrogate (Kenneth Branagh's Blues)" is from the point of view ofBritish actor and directorKenneth Branagh, who starred inWoody Allen's filmCelebrity. The song discusses actors who have played the "Woody Allen part" in movies that Allen has directed but not starred in, such asJohn Cusack (inBullets Over Broadway) andJason Biggs (inAnything Else).Sean Penn is noted in the song for "avoiding it" in his performance inSweet and Lowdown.
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