The Foremenwere a satiricalfolk musicband fromLos Angelesfounded byRoy Zimmerman.They were known for their politically charged lyrics, which usually discussed United States politics from aleft-wingpoint of view, such as by mockingRush Limbaugh.[1]
The Foremen | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Los Angeles |
| Genres | Folk music |
| Years active | 1990–1996 |
| Labels | Reprise Records |
| Members | Roy Zimmerman,Kenny Rhodes, Doug Whitney, Andy Corwin |
History
editZimmerman originally started the band in 1990, after seeing aWayfarersalbum in the bargain bin at arecord store.He then recruited Doug Whitney and Andy Corwin—a guitarist and bassist, respectively—to join his newly formed band.[2]The band released a live album,Sing it Loud,on Metaphor Records, and were signed toReprise RecordsafterJim Ed Norman,then head of theWarner Bros. Nashvillelabel, heard them at a party. Norman was so impressed that he signed the Foremen to a recording contract on Reprise, one of Warner Music's subsidiaries,[2]and went on to produce their debut album.[1]It was on Reprise that they released both of their studio albums,Folk Heroes(1995) andWhat's Left(1996). They also released a single from the former album, "Ain't No Liberal", in 1995, which featured an image of Republican politicianPhil Grammon the cover.[3]Reprise promoted the single by sending copies of it to presidential candidates in the1996 US Presidential election,and mocking presidential candidatePete Wilsonin the single's cover art. Reprise's then-president,Howie Klein,admitted that their motivation for doing this was to provoke a "counterattack" from one of the politicians they were mocking.[4]In February 1996, the band performed a song mockingOliver North,entitled "Ollie, Ollie, Off Scot Free", on North's own radio show. While the band was nervous prior to this performance, North's reaction was not as negative as they had expected. He didn't care very much what the song said, only that it was about him, according to Zimmerman. North also described the band as a "very weird group" and agreed to pose for a picture with them.[5]
Style
editZimmerman has said that the political views expressed in his band's songs are influenced in part by the activism popular in the 1960s, and has named "Tom LehrerandPhil Ochsand, to a lesser degree, I guess, [...]Pete Seegerand the honest-to-God activism that was going on in music at that time [i.e. the 1960s] "as his band's influences.[1]Whitney has also described the band as "partly a goof on the lesser folk groups of the late '50s,"[6]whileBillboardmagazine has compared the satirical aspects of the Foremen's music toAllan Sherman.[7]Jim Walsh has concurred with Zimmerman that the Foremen's music resembles that of Phil Ochs, as well as namingSteve Goodmanas one of their influences.[8]Mark Jenkins ofthe Washington Postwrote that "Though the Foremen's" Folk Heroes "arrives with an endorsement from '60s musical satirist Tom Lehrer, it's not especially folkie—nor so biting as Lehrer's best."[9]
Discography
editStudio albums
edit- Folk Heroes(Reprise, 1995)
- What's Left?(Reprise, 1996)
Live albums
edit- Sing it Loud!(Metaphor, 1994)
References
edit- ^abcHurst, Jack (15 December 1995)."Foremen Lean To The Left And To Humor".Chicago Tribune.Archivedfrom the original on 13 May 2014.Retrieved12 May2014.
- ^abHarris, Craig."Foremen Biography".Allmusic.Retrieved12 May2014.
- ^"The Foremen Take Shot At Phil Graham".MTV News.14 January 1996. Archived fromthe originalon April 5, 2015.Retrieved23 June2014.
- ^Hochman, Steve (23 September 1995)."Poppin' Up: Foremen Leap Into Political Arena With 'No Liberal'".Los Angeles Times.Retrieved12 May2014.
- ^Hurst, Jack (11 October 1996)."Politics Liberally Applied".Chicago Tribune.Archivedfrom the original on 13 May 2014.Retrieved12 May2014.
- ^Crisafulli, Chuck (25 November 1994)."What's Funny, Fractured and Folk?".Los Angeles Times.Retrieved12 May2014.
- ^Rosen, Craig (28 September 1996)."Pioneering Warner Bros. Remains Comedy Kingpin".Billboard.p. 105.Retrieved12 May2014.
- ^Walsh, Jim (18 August 1996)."Record Reviews Folk".Times Union.Retrieved6 June2014.
- ^Jenkins, Mark (1996-01-19)."Predictable Foremen".The Washington Post.ISSN0190-8286.Retrieved2017-07-30.