The group's trademark violin-coated melodies and their ironic take on American culture put them one step away from being a novelty act in the eyes of many critics. But as the band would move from irreverently playful to experimental with their intricate, psychedelic pop meanderings they carved out their own niche in the music world. CVB consciously played with building a mystique about the band, using articles, liner notes and press interviews to weave a bizarre mythology about the band, to the point where it is still often difficult to distinguish fact from fiction.
CVB had roots in the earlier projects Sitting Duck and Estonian Gauchos, proto-CVB projects from which some of the earliest CVB songs originated. Original bandmembers from CVB's early recordings, including 'Telephone Free Landslide Victory,' included David Lowery, Chris Molla, and Anthony Guess, all of whom also did time in Eric Curkendall's project Box O'Laffs.
The core touring and recording contingent of this band consisted of David Lowery, Victor Krummenacher, Jonathan Segel and Greg Lisher with Anthony Guess on drums from early 1985 to fall 1985 for their first album, 'Telephone Free Landslide Victory'. Guess left the band in late 1985 following the tour and went on to collaborate with numerous other musicians and bands, including Pile of Disaster, World Entertainment War, Calm Down Juanita, the Hollywood Lightweights, Billy Dwayne & the Creepers, Travis Morrissey & The Good Ship, and his current project, I Die Everyday.
Chris Pedersen took over drumming in the late 80's and since reformation in 2000, with Cracker drummer, Frank Funaro. After signing to Virgin Records in 1988 and releasing two eclectic yet slightly more accessible LPs, they disbanded in 1990; singer David Lowery went on to found the band Cracker (with guitarist Johnny Hickman, a former member of Estonian Gauchos), while the other members - guitarists Greg Lisher and David Immerglück, bassist Victor Krummenacher and drummer Chris Pedersen - devoted themselves full-time to the Monks of Doom, which had begun several years earlier as a non-Lowery side project. Violinist Jonathan Segel went on to play with Granfaloon Bus, Dieselhed, Hieronymus Firebrain, Jack & Jill and more. Segel and Krummenacher also continue to release solo recordings. More recently Segel has been involved in experimental music, including collaborations with Fred Frith and Joelle Leandre. Krummenacher and Segel collectively run their own record label, Magnetic. Chris Pedersen moved to Australia and currently plays drums for the dub band Daktari.
In 2000, ex-members regrouped to compile the experimental rarity set Camper Van Beethoven Is Dead. Long Live Camper Van Beethoven. In 2002, they released Tusk. Allegedly recorded in 1987, it had all the same tracks as the Fleetwood Mac album of the same name, and a parody of the original album's cover art. A series of reunion tour dates followed with many of the band's former members. The group officially reformed in 2004 to record New Roman Times, their first official studio album in 15 years. A live concert disc was also released entitled In The Mouth of the Crocodile, capturing a 2004 reunion performance in Seattle. Also, segments of a 2004 performance in Chicago were released the following year as Discotheque CVB: Live In Chicago, which was only available at a limited number of record stores. The band continue to play live and co-host the Annual Cracker Camper Van Beethoven Campout, a 3-day alternative music festival in Pioneertown, CA held every September.
CVB's 1985 staple "Take the Skinheads Bowling" was covered by Teenage Fanclub and used as the title track for the 2002 Michael Moore film Bowling for Columbine. A portion of the original Camper Van Beethoven recording can be heard as an introduction to the DVD release of the film. The song has also been covered by many other artists, most notably Manic Street Preachers and Sugarlust, who play it in every show they do; they all have skinheads and it has become their signature cover song.
Members of Camper Van Beethoven collaborated with Eugene Chadbourne on a number of records under the name Camper Van Chadbourne.
The band's official site is campervanbeethoven.com
Down and Out
Camper Van Beethoven Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Down and out
Gonna read a lot of William Burroughs
Down and out
Gonna practice being depressed
And I think I'll go to film school
Down and out
Down and out
All my friends will think that they're junkies
And I don't know what it is I want, but I can get it
From my old man
And I don't know what it is I need, but I can get it
Gonna move to the city
Down and out
I'll join a rock-n-roll band
Down and out
Gonna dress and act like Lou Reed
And I think I'll go to film school
Down and out
Live in a scummy part of town
Down and out
Read a lot of William Burroughs and be depressed
The lyrics to Camper Van Beethoven's song "Down and Out" depict the singer's aspirations to move to the city, embrace a bohemian lifestyle, and explore their artistic passions. The repeated phrase "down and out" suggests a sense of desperation or disillusionment with their current situation, indicating that they see the move as a chance to reinvent themselves and escape the mundanity of their current existence.
The mention of William Burroughs suggests a literary and countercultural influence on the singer's plans. Burroughs was a controversial author known for his unconventional writing style and exploration of taboo subjects, including drug use and homosexuality. By reading his work, the singer hopes to expand their own artistic horizons and perhaps even rebel against mainstream societal norms.
The singer's desire to "practice being depressed" may sound paradoxical or even troubling, but it's not uncommon for artists and thinkers to explore darker themes and emotions in their work. By immersing themselves in this mindset, the singer may hope to deepen their own understanding of human nature and perhaps even create more meaningful art.
Overall, the lyrics to "Down and Out" suggest a restless yearning for creative expression and self-discovery, tempered by a sense of youthful cynicism and an embrace of countercultural values.
Line by Line Meaning
Gonna move to the city
I will leave my current life behind and relocate to the city
Down and out
I will not have a lot of money and will be struggling financially
Gonna read a lot of William Burroughs
During my difficult times, I will turn to the works of William Burroughs for solace
Gonna practice being depressed
I will actively try to embrace the feeling of sadness and hopelessness
And I think I'll go to film school
I will pursue higher education in the field of film
Live in a scummy part of town
I will reside in a less desirable and potentially unsafe neighborhood
All my friends will think that they're junkies
My lifestyle choices and the people I surround myself with may lead my friends to believe I am involved in drugs
And I don't know what it is I want, but I can get it
I may not have a clear idea of what I desire, but I have access to resources that can help me attain it
And I don't know what it is I need, but I can get it
Although I may be unsure of what I require, I am confident that I can obtain it
I'll join a rock-n-roll band
I will pursue a career in music
Gonna dress and act like Lou Reed
I will emulate the style and persona of Lou Reed, potentially as a means of fitting in with the rock-n-roll scene
Read a lot of William Burroughs and be depressed
I will continue to turn to the troubled works of William Burroughs and will embrace my feelings of sadness and despair
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: KRUMMENACHER, LISHER, LOWERY, MOLLA, SEGEL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind