Camper Van Beethoven is an alternative rock band that was founded in 1983 i… Read Full Bio ↴Camper Van Beethoven is an alternative rock band that was founded in 1983 in Redlands, California, though the band soon moved to Santa Cruz, California. Camper Van Beethoven mixed elements of pop, ska, punk rock, folk, country, and acid rock into an eclectic, catchy and sometimes mysterious ensemble, years before the so-called alternative rock moniker came to mainstream attention.

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

Wasted
Camper Van Beethoven Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I was so wasted
I was a surfer
I had a skateboard
I was so heavy and I lived on the strand

I was a dumb shit
And I was a fuck-up
I was so napped out I was out of my head

I was so wasted

I was a hippie
And I was a burn-out
I was so wasted I was out of my head
I was a punker

I had a mohawk
I was so gnarly and I drove my dad's car

Overall Meaning

Camper Van Beethoven's song "Wasted" is a riotous anthem that catalogues the various subcultures and youthful follies that the singer has embraced and subsequently outgrown. The repeated refrain of "I was so wasted" serves as a reminder that the singer's experiences were fueled by drugs, alcohol, and a desire to constantly push boundaries. The first verse describes the singer's time as a surfer and skateboarder, living on the beach and embracing a carefree, hedonistic lifestyle. The second verse references the singer's time as a hippie, embracing countercultural values and a desire for peace and love. However, the consequences of constant drug use and partying has left the singer feeling "napped out" and "out of my head." The final verse references the singer's brief stint as a punk rocker, complete with a mohawk and reckless behavior.

Overall, "Wasted" is a classic example of youthful rebellion, exploring the various subcultures and lifestyles that young people may experiment with before ultimately settling into their adult identities. The song is full of tongue-in-cheek humor and self-awareness, with the singer acknowledging the questionable choices they have made in the past. At its core, however, "Wasted" is a celebration of youth, energy, and the drive to explore the world and oneself.

Line by Line Meaning

I was so wasted
I was under the influence of drugs or alcohol to an extreme degree

I was a surfer
I identified with the laid-back, beach-going lifestyle of a surfer

I had a skateboard
I enjoyed the recreational activity of skateboarding, possibly as a form of rebellion

I was so heavy and I lived on the strand
I was physically weighed down by my lifestyle and residence near the beach

I was a dumb shit
I made poor decisions and lacked intelligence

And I was a fuck-up
I had failed in some or many aspects of my life

I was so napped out I was out of my head
I was extremely tired and/or under the influence of sleep-inducing drugs

I was a hippie
I identified with the countercultural movement of the 1960s that emphasized peace, love, and freedom

And I was a burn-out
I had exhausted my resources, both mentally and physically, due to drug use or other damaging behaviors

I was a punker
I identified with the punk rock movement, which often rejected mainstream societal norms and values

I had a mohawk
I exhibited a distinctive hairstyle that was often associated with punk rock culture

I was so gnarly and I drove my dad's car
I exhibited extreme behavior and recklessness while also living off the resources of others (in this case, my father's car)

Lyrics © ALMO MUSIC CORPORATION,
Written by: GREG W. HETSON, KEITH G. MORRIS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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