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.
Modern Dance
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 Pere Ubu song "Modern Dance" presents a bleak and depressing portrait of a young man who is unable to fit into the modern world, as represented by the titular dance. The lyrics describe this boy as "poor," both financially and in terms of his emotional and social state. He is unable to get around town easily and is seemingly unable to attend the modern dance that he longs to experience. Even when he goes to see the show, the girl he is interested in leaves early, leaving him alone and disappointed.
There are a number of interesting details in the lyrics that add to the sense of alienation and despair. The fact that the boy "believes in chance" suggests that he has no control over his own fate, a feeling that is compounded by the way he watches "shadows race" and is always "in touch" but unable to truly connect with anyone. The repetition of the line "he'll never know/he'll never get the modern dance" reinforces the idea that the boy is trapped in his own limitations, unable to break free and experience the joy and freedom that the dance represents.
Overall, "Modern Dance" is a powerful and haunting song that presents a vivid portrait of a young man who is unable to find his place in the world around him. The lyrics capture a sense of aimlessness and despair that is all too common in contemporary society.
Line by Line Meaning
Down to the bus
Leaving where he is and going towards a bus
Into the town
Travelling to a city or urban area
Our poor boy can't get around
The singer of the song has difficulties moving or travelling
Eight fifty-five
Time of day, possibly when the bus arrives or departs
Down at the show
Arriving at a performance or event
She leaves early
A female character exits the location prematurely
He'll never know
The singer remains oblivious to what transpired
'Cause our poor boy
The artist's limitations and struggles
Believes in chance
The artist relies on fortune and opportunity
He'll never get the modern dance
The artist believes he is incapable of achieving a contemporary style of dance
Under the door there's an eye on the place
A visual cue or an opening in the door provides an opportunity for someone to watch
He watches for the shadows race
The artist remains vigilant and observes the movements within the location
Watch real close
A terse instruction to pay attention or be alert
Look real fast
A second instruction to be aware quickly
He's in touch
The singer is aware and informed
It'll never last
Whatever information or knowledge he gains will not be long-lived
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: ALLEN RAVENSTINE, DAVID THOMAS, SCOTT KRAUSS, TOM HERMAN, TONY MAIMONE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
j v
"Non-Alignment Pact" 0:00
"The Modern Dance" 3:18
"Laughing" 6:49
"Street Waves" 11:26
"Chinese Radiation" 14:32
"Life Stinks" 18:02
"Real World" 19:56
"Over My Head" 24:00
"Sentimental Journey" 27:46
"Humor Me" 33:54
j v
"Non-Alignment Pact" 0:00
"The Modern Dance" 3:18
"Laughing" 6:49
"Street Waves" 11:26
"Chinese Radiation" 14:32
"Life Stinks" 18:02
"Real World" 19:56
"Over My Head" 24:00
"Sentimental Journey" 27:46
"Humor Me" 33:54
S R
Thank you for your service
Heikki Kolehmainen
Back in the day I used to feel so awkward for liking Pere Ubu but now I find myself still loving this. Great stuff!
Tonyo Maghirang
No, more like ground breaking original stuff!
Flintpope
So good to hear all this remarkably musical album again. This is genuine indie. Did the Pixies like Pere Ubu?
Joel Shields
I'm guessing Pixies, or at least Black Francis, dug them. Fun fact: Eric Drew Feldman (late 80s Pere Ubu member) played on Trompe Le Monde and collaborated on some of Frank Black's solo stuff (and also worked with Captain Beefheart, The Residents, and PJ Harvey - not too bad a resume).
Returns
Listen to the track Sentimental Journey on this album and then Vamos, Surfer Rosa version. There's your answer
JavaJoelRadio
@The Fire Brigade I hear some Minutemen too.
The Fire Brigade
@TheAnalPunisher And Xiu Xiu
laalaa sequin9
Never get tired of Pere Ubu!!. Humor Me is a work of genius!!