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Ivan Julian | |
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 Ivan Julian (second from left) as part ofRichard Hell and the Voidoids in 1977 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | (1955-06-26)June 26, 1955 (age 69) Washington, D.C.[1] |
| Genres | Punk rock,rock & roll |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer, songwriter, producer, audio engineer |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar, piano, vocals |
| Labels | Sire,Radar,Warner Bros., Pravda Records |
Ivan Julian (born June 26, 1955) is a guitarist, singer-songwriter, and founding member ofRichard Hell and the Voidoids andLovelies. He has also performed withThe Isley Brothers,The Clash,Matthew Sweet,The Bongos,Richard Barone, andShriekback, Jeremy Toback.
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Julian was inspired after seeingJimi Hendrix play and the freedom of expression that he represented. Julian apparently went home and burned hisChuck Taylor shoes in his backyard - a symbolic gesture against conformity.
The child of a Navy officer, Julian spent his formative years moving a great deal, spending time inHaiti andCuba before the family settled in Washington D.C. He enjoyed spending time alone and was an avid reader of books byEdgar Allan Poe and Ovid. He also enjoyed putting his own thoughts in writing.
When he was 13, Julian sang in aLed Zeppelin cover band, which led him to pick up the guitar at 14. Prior to this, he also studied bassoon and saxophone. He spent his high school years as a part-time student in a college program studying music theory. And then at the age of 17, Julian toured the United Kingdom, Switzerland and the former Yugoslavia as a member ofThe Foundations, known for hits like "Build Me Up Buttercup" and "Baby Now That I Found You”.
In 1976 Julian returned to the U.S. to New York, where he was a founding member of the seminalPunk/New Wave groupRichard Hell and the Voidoids. Soon after the band recorded an EP that was heralded by the Village Voice as one of the best records of the year. Later that year they were signed to Sire/Warner Brothers, and with the band andRichard Gottehrer producing came theBlank Generation LP. This album set a new standard for a whole generation of guitar players. Two of Julian's songs (co-written withRichard Hell), "Liars Beware" and "Betrayal Takes Two" appear on side one. The reviewers gave the album high accolades and singled out the guitar work praising its merit. The album stands the test of time and today is still considered among the quintessential records of that period.[citation needed]
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Julian formed The Outsets just after the breakup ofRichard Hell and the Voidoids in 1980. He remembered seeing Vinny DeNunzio ofThe Feelies playing withRichard Lloyd's band and being impressed. As it turned out, Vinny was ready for a change, so they started holding auditions for bass and the other guitar. When the word got out,Fred Smith (Television,Blondie), Ted Niceley (producer,Fugazi and Girls vs. Boys), andTommy Keene were among those that came to play. Niceley and Keene had both played in (the) Razz, a D.C. band whose members were friends with Julian.
Eventually the positions were filled by Bob Albertson on bass and Simon Chardiet on guitar. Soon after the band went into rehearsals and prepared for live dates atCBGB's andMax's Kansas City. At this point there were more venues opening up such as the Mudd Club, Danceteria catering to a new minimal, percussive style of music and Ivan wanted to be part of it. The plan as always was to venture out with fresh ideas and to new places, so the first gig was booked at Tier 3, a performance space inSoho.
After several months the band was signed to Contender Records and released their first single, "I'm Searchin' For You" b/w "Fever". Much has been made of the misprint on the label that incorrectly list the publishing rights for the B side. As a result, the record company corrected the mistake after the first pressing which has made it somewhat of a collectors item. The songs onThe Punk/Funk Voodoo Collection were recorded in the basement studio ofGiorgio Gomelsky,Yardbirds producer and early manager of theRolling Stones. He persuaded Ivan Julian and the band to explore sounds outside of the boundaries of American pop music, most notablyFela Kuti. The music and the lyrics resound with the rough and tumble immediacy ofEast Village New York in the early 1980s. Included as Bonus Tracks are remastered versions ofThe Outsets first single originally released as a 45 on Contender records.
Garland Jeffreys approached Ivan and offered to produce The Outsets forthcoming EP "The Ice Man", which also involvedBob Clearmountain as engineer. During this time he also recorded with Tomas Donker fromDefunkt,Afrika Bambaataa andBernie Worrell ofParliament/Funkadelic fame. Originally released in the U.S. onPlexus Records playing keyboards on the bonus tracks is Marsha Sardy who also played withThe Julian.
Julian formed a group called Lovelies which included his then-wife, formerBush Tetras vocalist Cynthia Sley in 1988.[1][2]Mad Orphan (an early version of the band was called The Mad Orphans) is their one and only release.[3] This release is characterized by percussive downtown NYC post-punk.[citation needed]
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WhenThe Clash were atElectric Lady Studios recording theirSandinista! LP,Mick Jones andJoe Strummer wanted Julian to join them in the studio but he was touring with his band,The Outsets. Upon his return he recorded with them and helped them develop their single "The Call Up".
Julian joined the touring lineup of The English bandShriekback for two tours of North America and Europe. Shriekback was founded by bassistDave Allen from members of his bandGang of Four withBarry Andrews, formerly ofXTC.
Julian's thoughts on being compared to Hendrix? "I never wanted to emulate him because he is someone that can't be touched, but I am honoured that people would say that about me."[citation needed] With his influences being such notable figures asCharlie Parker,Albert Ayler andCharlie Christian it is no wonder that he has developed a distinct style all his own. Julian states, "There is a piece of their soul in every note they play."[citation needed] During most of the nineties Julian recorded and toured the world withMatthew Sweet as lead guitarist earning him three Gold Record Awards.
He continues to write and produce music at his analog tape/digital recording studio,NY HED where he has produced the last 2The Fleshtones LP's, and masteredFive Dollar Priest among others.
After Julian was diagnosed with Stage III gastrointestinal cancer in 2015, a two-day benefit concert was staged for him at City Winery in New York. The musicians who performed included Debbie Harry, Thurston Moore, and Matthew Sweet. Declared cancer-free in 2016, Julian played a comeback show at Bell House in Brooklyn.[2]In March 2020, it was announced that his cancer had returned and a GoFundMe was started to cover 75k in medical bills.
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