While Pere Ubu have never been widely popular—usually categorized as "underground rock"—they have a devoted following, have been hugely influential on several generations of avant-garde musicians and are a critically acclaimed American musical group. To define their music, Pere Ubu coined the term Avant Garage to reflect interest in both avant-garde music (especially Musique concrète) and raw, direct garage rock.
When Cleveland-based band Rocket From The Tombs fragmented some members formed Dead Boys, while David Thomas and guitarist Peter Laughner joined with guitarist Tom Herman, bass guitarist Tim Wright, drummer Scott Krauss and synthesist Allen Ravenstine to form Pere Ubu in 1975. At the time the band formed, Herman, Krauss, and Ravenstine lived in a house owned by Ravenstine.
Pere Ubu's first single (their first five releases were singles on their own "Hearthan" label) was "30 Seconds Over Tokyo" (inspired by the "Doolittle Raid" and named after a film depicting the raid), backed with "Heart of Darkness"; followed by "Final Solution" in 1976. One review noted that "30 Seconds..." "was clearly the work of a garage band, yet its arty dissonance and weird experimentalism were startlingly unique."
Of their second single, "Final Solution" (backed with "Cloud 149"), one reviewer wrote that Ubu's "call for a 'final solution' was the cry of teen angst run down in the decaying rust belt of America, and unlike the British punks who were looking around England the same year, seeing no future, and hating what they saw, Ubu reveled in it." They would rarely perform this song after some listeners misinterpreted it as being associated with the 'Nazi final solution'.
After "Street Waves", their third single, Pere Ubu signed to Blank Records, a short-lived imprint of Mercury Records.
Laughner left the group after their first two singles, and died soon afterward after a struggle with drug addiction. Tony Maimone signed on as bassist after Tim Wright left to join DNA.
In 1978 they released their debut album, The Modern Dance, which sold poorly but has proven influential. With the song "Sentimental Journey," the debut also introduced the practice of re-appropriating titles from well-known popular songs: Pere Ubu's "Sentimental Journey" has no obvious relation to the Doris Day hit song of the same name; "Drinking Wine Spodyody" has no apparent connection to the Sticks McGhee song (later revived by Jerry Lee Lewis). This practice has continued through 2006's Why I Hate Women, which has a song called "Blue Velvet" (again, no relation to the 1963 hit song by Bobby Vinton).
Special note should be made of Ravenstine's contributions to Pere Ubu. While most synthesizer players tended to play the instrument as they would a piano or organ, Ravenstine generally opted instead to make sounds that were reminiscent of spooky sound effects from 1950s science fiction films, or perhaps electronic music and musique concrète.
Dub Housing was released in 1978 and New Picnic Time in 1979. The group briefly disbanded in 1979, but reformed soon afterward with Tom Herman replaced by Mayo Thompson (of Red Krayola).
The Art of Walking was released in 1980, and by the release of Song of the Bailing Man in 1982, Krauss was replaced by Anton Fier. The group disbanded again soon afterwards; Krauss and Maimone formed Home and Garden, while Thomas worked on a solo career, notably with Richard Thompson and with members of Henry Cow.
By the late 1980s, one of Thomas' solo projects eventually featured much of Pere Ubu. The band was reformed again in 1987, with Jim Jones and Chris Cutler joining for the release of The Tenement Year in 1988, a far more pop-oriented album than ever before. The following year, the track "Waiting for Mary" (off the album 1989 Cloudland) appeared on MTV briefly. After the recording of Cloudland, Ravenstine left the group (although he made a guest appearance on Worlds in Collision in 1991) and later became an airline pilot. Eric Drew Feldman joined the band in time for the Cloudland tour and the recording of Worlds in Collision but left afterwards, joining Frank Black.
Story of My Life was released in 1993 on Imago Records; Maimone left (once again) to join They Might Be Giants, and Michele Temple and Garo Yellin joined the band for the Story of My Life tour and feature on Ubu's 1995 album, Ray Gun Suitcase. Robert Wheeler has played synthesizer and theremin with Pere Ubu since 1994. Krauss left the band during the Ray Gun Suitcase sessions. For the Ray Gun Suitcase tour, guitarist Jim Jones departed as a touring member (although he continued to contribute to recordings), founding guitarist Tom Herman replaced him for the tour.
Concurrent with the 1996 release of the Datapanik in Year Zero box set, Jim Jones retired due to health problems. Tom Herman returned to the band after a twenty year absence to tour with the band in 1995, and went on to record Pennsylvania in 1998 and St. Arkansas in 2002. Jim Jones contributed guitar tracks to each album as well, and guitarist Wayne Kramer of MC5 fame joined the band for their 1998 summer tour. Herman left again in 2005, being replaced by Keith Moliné, of David Thomas's "solo" group Two Pale Boys. The new lineup completed an album entitled Why I Hate Women, which was released on September 19th 2006.
On 18 February 2008, Jim Jones passed away at his Cleveland residence.
[Untitled]
Pere Ubu Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Into the town
Our poor boy can't get around
Eight fifty-five
Down at the show
She leaves early
He'll never know
'Cause our poor boy
He'll never get the modern dance
Under the door there's an eye on the place
He watches for the shadows race
Watch real close
Look real fast
He's in touch
It'll never last
'Cause our poor boy
Believes in chance
He'll never get the modern dance
The lyrics to Pere Ubu's "The Modern Dance" explores themes of isolation, disillusionment, and the futility of chasing after something that always seems just out of reach. The song's protagonist is a "poor boy" who struggles to keep up with the modern world around him. He is unable to physically move around the city, trapped in his own isolation. His lack of agency is juxtaposed with a sense of urgency—the clock is ticking, and he is running out of time. The woman he loves leaves early, and he is left alone, unable to join in the celebration of the modern dance.
The second verse of the song continues to explore themes of disconnection and futility. The singer watches the world around him, looking for a way in, but he is always one step behind. There is an "eye on the place," suggesting a sense of surveillance or scrutiny, and the shadows race past him, further emphasizing his sense of futility. He is "in touch," but only briefly, unable to make a meaningful connection or lasting change. This underlying sense of unease and anxiety is reinforced by the unsettling, discordant music, which creates a feeling of dissonance and tension.
Line by Line Meaning
Down to the bus
Leaving to go to the bus stop
Into the town
Going to the city
Our poor boy can't get around
The singer has trouble moving around the city
Eight fifty-five
The time of the show
Down at the show
Arriving at the performance venue
She leaves early
A woman leaves the show early
He'll never know
The singer won't learn why she left early
'Cause our poor boy
Because the artist
Believes in chance
Trusts probability to change outcomes
He'll never get the modern dance
The artist will not be successful at the modern style of dance
Under the door there's an eye on the place
A peephole beneath the door is used for surveillance of the area
He watches for the shadows race
He observes the shadows moving rapidly
Watch real close
Pay careful attention
Look real fast
Quickly observe
He's in touch
He's connected to something, possibly dangerous or illegal
It'll never last
Whatever contact he has will not endure
'Cause our poor boy
Because the artist
Believes in chance
Trusting probability can have negative consequences
He'll never get the modern dance
The singer will not succeed at the modern style of dance
Writer(s): Allen Ravenstine, David Lynn Thomas, Tim Wright, Scott Krauss, Tom Herman
Contributed by Logan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@floglobe
LOVE this band JIM JONES (electric eels) guitar, TONY MAIMONE (bass) SCOTT KRAUS (drummer) ERIC FELDMAN (Keyboards) DAVID THOMAS (Voice)
Dog day afternoon by the sea.
I think about you.
What am I gonna do?
Sorrow's hangin over me.
Let me walk with you cuz it's breaking my heart.
The things that we had,
the good and the bad - now it's parking lots.
Don't let's talk about tomorrow -
Baby, standin at the edge of sorrow.
Let's watch the whole world goin slow.
Let's watch the whole world goin.
I know my way round town.
Used to live around here.
I know the sites to see,
the things they mean to me,
and how we tore it down.
Let me walk with you cuz it's breaking my heart.
The things that we had,
the good and the bad - now it's parking lots.
Don't let's talk about tomorrow -
Baby, standin at the edge of sorrow.
Let's watch the whole world just goin slow.
Let's watch the whole world goin slow.
Unh-hunh.
It was a dream.
Nah, but it was a tin can.
Not a dream - man, it was a tin can.
Ha!
Had I not kicked that...
Had I not kicked that...
Had it clattered in the gutter when it bounced down the sidewalk...
Had I not...
Keep that.
Don't let's talk about tomorrow -
Baby, standin at the edge of sorrow.
Let's watch the whole world goin slow.
Let's watch the whole world goin so.
Let's watch the whole world goin
@manmaas
About a year or so ago, I went to see him perform at Cafe Oto in London where he pretty much just told stories with the band riffing along in the background. At a certain point he started looking at his watch every now and again, then announced he had to leave to catch a flight to Berlin. Cafe Oto for those not familiar is a former shop with large glass windows facing directly onto the street. He'd spotted the cab that had pulled up and simply stopped, politely said good night, walked thorugh the crowd and straight into the taxi. The band carried on playing as he left the street. True style.
@tschak909
This signifies a time in history, when experimental bands had the ability to break through to mainstream audiences. A very unique time, indeed.
@wetsuit101
DUDE. I finally know where Tim and Eric got the inspiration for Casey's on-stage mannerisms. Also, Pere Ubu is sheer genius.
@spensert4933
Steve Bruhl the early years
@MajarHagard
@JS ThompsonYOU RESPOND TO THIS COMMENT 11 YEARS LATER
@ilonaxsenos
@Majar 😂
@michaelb9537
The mannerisms are really different. This guy loves being on stage. Casey acts like he doesn’t want to be anywhere near an audience.
@marcinb4647
who the fuck are tim and eric and casey dude
@11spike7
"Final Solution" is a masterpiece. I saw them around 76 at a club in Chicago. They had this vibe that impressed me. Like they knew something that no one else did.
@jeffsmith50001
Yes sir. They play for the world. Deep joy music.