The Squirrel Nut Zippers are the eclectic swing equivalent
to Lenny Kravitz. They have a sound that shouts Dixieland and an aura that
mimics a
voodoo speakeasy's house band. If you haven't heard them, you are
missing out.
The Squirrel Nut Zippers have several full-length albums out,
each with a unique sound, yet all undeniably SNZ. Most albums the Zippers put
out have something special on them. The "Hot," Perennial
Favorites," and "Bedlam Ballroom" all have very cool interactive
ECD's. In addition to that, original printings of the CD's come in fold-out
cardboard, and the Bedlam Ballroom original pressing is marked with a
holographic cover. The albums to date are:
- The Inevitable, 1995 - This was the band's first release, on
Mammoth Records. The sound here is reminiscent of prohibition age rag.
Although it's their freshman effort, they have their sound well defined and
showcase excellent musicianship and mature composition. There are several quintessential
SNZ songs on this album, including "Good Enough for Grandad" and
"La Grippe."
- Hot, 1996 - "Hot" is the album which brought SNZ to
fame. Their single "Hell" was haunting and catchy, and did well
in radio rotation. "Put a Lid on It" was used in a popular Apple
Computer commercial. Many consider this to be the must have album of the
Zippers; every song is one of their best. Personally my favorite SNZ album,
excellent tracks on this effort are "Hell", "Put a Lid on
it", "Prince Nez" and "Blue Angel.''
- Perennial Favorites, 1998 - This album goes full into the campy
mysticism of the South. "Perennial Favorites" has the songs "Suits are Picking up the Bill" and "Ghost of Stephen
Foster" as memorable tunes, although the album is very strong
throughout. The video for "Ghost of Stephen Foster" is a
recreation of the old Bosco cartoons, and won an award for its animation.
- Christmas Caravan, 1998 - Caravan is a collection of Christmas
odes done Zipper Style.
- Bedlam Ballroom, 2000 - This album saw the loss of many original
members of the Zippers, including Tom Maxwell, who was responsible for much
of the Zippers' earlier sound. Relying heavily on James Mathus'
songwriting, this album has a distinctly different sound than the previous
albums, and tends to date itself in 40's club swing. "Stop Drop and
Roll," "Bedlam Reprise" and "Bent Out of Shape" are
this albums highlights.
SNZ also have 2 EP's out, entitled:
But both of these are currently out of print.
The line-up of the band has changed though the years and
it's hard at times to tell who's who, what they're playing and on what album. So
I, in my omniscience, compiled a list of the bands members, what they played,
and their duration with the band. Founding Members are in Bold.
Chris Phillips: Drums
- Played on Albums: The Inevitable - Bedlam Ballroom
Stacy Guess: Trumpet
- Played on Albums: The Inevitable
Note: Stacy wrote an early version of the song "Bedlam
Ballroom," which went onto the "Sold Out" EP in 1997. Guess
died a year later, and the Zippers released a new version of the song on
their 2000 release of the same name. SNZ also set up a scholarship in his
honor, see trianglecf.org.
Don Raleigh: Sting Bass
- Played on Albums: The Inevitable - Hot
Katherine Whalen: Vocals, Banjo
- Played on Albums: The Inevitable - Bedlam Ballroom
Note: Katherine Whalen is the voice on songs like "My
Drag" and "Prince Nez" who bears a resemblence to
Billy Holiday.
Ken Mosher: Saxophone, Guitar and Vocals
- Played on Albums: The Inevitable - Perennial Favorites
James Mathus: Guitar, Vocals
- Played on Albums: The Inevitable - Bedlam Ballroom
Note: SNZ seems to be the brainchild of James.
Tom Maxwell: Guitar, Vocals, Percussion
- Played on Albums: The Inevitable - Perennial Favorites
David Wright: Trombone, Piano, Vocals
- Played on Albums: Bedlam Ballroom
Reese Gray: Piano, Organ
- Played on Albums: Bedlam Ballroom
Tim Smith: Saxophone, Flute, Vocals
- Played on Albums: Bedlam Ballroom
Je Widenhouse: Trumpet
- Played on Albums: Perennial Favorites - Bedlam Ballroom
Stuart Cole: Bass, Vocals
- Played on Albums: Perennial Favorites - Bedlam Ballroom
An interesting note: The Squirrel Nut Zippers were being
sued by Southern Style Nuts, Inc. for using the name of their product,
"Squirrel Nut Zippers."