Bablicon was formed in Chicago in 1996 by The Diminisher (Dave McDonnell), Marta Tennae
(Jeremy Barnes), and Blue Hawaii (Griffin Rodriguez). Each member is a writer, as well as an improviser. Plus each member
can play an arsenal of instruments.
In A Different City, their first album, has both material which is highly composed and wholly improvised.
It was recorded by the band in an abandoned machine shop. The roar of Chicago's elevated train (whose tracks ran
only a few feet away from the shop's walls) continually interrupted the proceedings.
After completing the album, Dave worked on finishing his degree in music composition, and
Griffin set out to India to study the Veena, a South Indian relative of the sitar. Jeremy went on tour in
Europe with Neutral Milk Hotel, and spent time living there as well.
In May of 1999, the band got together again for the first realization of its "painticons." 400 blank LP covers
were placed on the floor and painted by the audience while the band performed. These covers were then used
for the vinyl version of In A Different City. The record was released in the US by Misra and in the UK by
Pickled Egg.
June 2000 saw the release of the Orange Tapered Moon EP. The main bulk of the recordings were
done in a long, late night session at the WFMU studios in New Jersey in November 1999 with more additions/edits
done at home. Again all the LP covers were hand-painted.
The group's third record, A Flat Inside A Fog, The Cat That Was A Dog, was released in June 2001. After its
recording, Dave went off to study in China and Jeremy took up residence in France. Griffin began work on his new project, Icy
Demons (the record was released on Cloud Recordings in 2004).
Other projects involving Bablicon members:
Neutral Milk Hotel, The Gerbils, Marta Tennae, Icy Demons,
Michael Columbia
| ALBUMS |
FORMAT |
LABEL |
RELEASE DATE |
| In A Different City |
CD / LP |
Misra
(MISRA 001) |
Aug. 1999 |
| In A Different City |
CD / LP |
Pickled Egg
(EGG 13) |
Aug. 1999 |
| A Flat Inside A Fog, The Cat That Was A Dog |
CD / 2x LP |
Pickled Egg
(EGG 31) |
June 2001 |
| A Flat Inside A Fog, The Cat That Was A Dog |
CD / 2x LP |
Misra
(MSR 008) |
June 2001 |
| SINGLES / EPs |
FORMAT |
LABEL |
RELEASE DATE |
| Chunks Of Syrup Amdist Plain Yoghurt |
7" |
Pickled Egg
(EGG 12) |
Aug. 1999 |
| Chunks Of Syrup Amdist Plain Yoghurt |
7" (white vinyl) |
Contact
(CR 003) |
Aug. 1999 |
| The Orange Tapered Moon |
12"/CD |
Misra
(MISRA 005) |
June 2000 |
| The Orange Tapered Moon |
12"/CD |
Pickled Egg
(EGG 20) |
June 2000 |
| COMPILATIONS |
SONG |
FORMAT |
LABEL |
RELEASE DATE |
| U.S. Pop Life Vol. 10 - Athens Experimental |
Wooden pie people invade
the womb and replace the baby with false teeth |
CD |
Contact
(CR018) |
Jan. 2001 |
