The Red Krayola (or Crayola) are an experimental rock band who formed in Ho… Read Full Bio ↴The Red Krayola (or Crayola) are an experimental rock band who formed in Houston, Harris County, Texas in late 1966. The group was made up of musician and visual artist Mayo Thompson who has remained the group's leader and sole constant for over 50 years, novelist Rick Barthelme who was the son of Donald Barthelme, and bassist Steve Cunningham who joined them at the age of 17. One night's show at a club called "Love" attracted people to the stage, audience members began to walk on up and improvise with whatever they saw fit, this would be the event that would spawn their secondary auxiliary "The Familiar Ugly" who'd follow and improvise amongst them wherever they so pleased.
After playing at local radio station KNUZ's battle of the bands event hosted in the Gulfgate mall, the Red Crayola were subsequently signed to "International Artists" by house producer Lelan Rogers. He suggested they bring their group of 50 friends into the studio to record a "freak-out" album. Roky Erickson of the 13th Floor Elevators would make two instrumental cameos on electric organ and harmonica. The album's title would be coined by Steve Cunningham: The Parable of Arable Land, an album which went on to sell 50,000 copies on its first run and garnered the attention of Jimi Hendrix, John Peel and the Beatles. Thompson described it as "the beginnings of alternative rock" as no advertising nor promotion was done for the record. Their sophomore album "God Bless the Red Krayola and all Who Sail With It" saw drummer Rick Barthelme depart from the band. International Artists provided the release with a quantity of promotion and advertising. The album flopped, selling around 6,000 copies - perhaps due to it's minimalistic sound contrasting with their debuts maximalist noise; Pitchfork wrote "It would take a few decades of post-punk experimentalism before Mayo Thompson's vision would have a truly suitable context". The album would go on to be assessed as a precursor to the Minutemen, Unrest, Bastro and Gastr Del Sol. The Red Krayola's follow-ups never lived up to the success of their debut but always broke new ground and foreshadowed different alternative rock genres.
After playing at local radio station KNUZ's battle of the bands event hosted in the Gulfgate mall, the Red Crayola were subsequently signed to "International Artists" by house producer Lelan Rogers. He suggested they bring their group of 50 friends into the studio to record a "freak-out" album. Roky Erickson of the 13th Floor Elevators would make two instrumental cameos on electric organ and harmonica. The album's title would be coined by Steve Cunningham: The Parable of Arable Land, an album which went on to sell 50,000 copies on its first run and garnered the attention of Jimi Hendrix, John Peel and the Beatles. Thompson described it as "the beginnings of alternative rock" as no advertising nor promotion was done for the record. Their sophomore album "God Bless the Red Krayola and all Who Sail With It" saw drummer Rick Barthelme depart from the band. International Artists provided the release with a quantity of promotion and advertising. The album flopped, selling around 6,000 copies - perhaps due to it's minimalistic sound contrasting with their debuts maximalist noise; Pitchfork wrote "It would take a few decades of post-punk experimentalism before Mayo Thompson's vision would have a truly suitable context". The album would go on to be assessed as a precursor to the Minutemen, Unrest, Bastro and Gastr Del Sol. The Red Krayola's follow-ups never lived up to the success of their debut but always broke new ground and foreshadowed different alternative rock genres.
Free Form Freakout: War Sucks
The Red Krayola Lyrics
We have lyrics for these tracks by The Red Krayola:
Born in Flames At a new life we took aim We set the vast…
Victory Garden Last night in your window sittin' I saw you Adolf, I…
The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos
More Genres
No Artists Found
More Artists
Load All
No Albums Found
More Albums
Load All
No Tracks Found
Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Search results not found
Song not found
Steven Streight
An American no-mother child at your breast
Your apple pie is just obviously best
But you have moved away out west
You know I cannot finish this, you know the rest
War sucks
Well listen to me my friend General Fox
I have something to say today, you know
I don't much to tell you my friend but
You may not like what I say
You know war sucks
Lindon, a good general he does weep
A-when he sends his troops into battle
I'm sick to death of your endless prattle
'Cause you remember what happened to Hanzel and Gretel
War sucks
America, America, god shed his grace on thee
And crown thou good with brotherhood
Sea to shining sea you know war sucks
You know war sucks
Well Mister God, are you a savage [?]
And we treat each other bad
You know your silence is part of a fad
You know that you do nothing just makes me mad
War sucks
War sucks
Anthony
This 72 years young Guy has this album It still rocks and the end is denoted by a breaking of a twig
Charles West
Grew up in CA late 60s. Saw turmoil about VN war and it was aweful.
ConservativeGal300
Cool comment man
Nicolas Guierre
my favorite on this crazy album... 10 years ahead of punk, new, cold wave. and amazing haunted sound !!
Steven Streight
An American no-mother child at your breast
Your apple pie is just obviously best
But you have moved away out west
You know I cannot finish this, you know the rest
War sucks
Well listen to me my friend General Fox
I have something to say today, you know
I don't much to tell you my friend but
You may not like what I say
You know war sucks
Lindon, a good general he does weep
A-when he sends his troops into battle
I'm sick to death of your endless prattle
'Cause you remember what happened to Hanzel and Gretel
War sucks
America, America, god shed his grace on thee
And crown thou good with brotherhood
Sea to shining sea you know war sucks
You know war sucks
Well Mister God, are you a savage [?]
And we treat each other bad
You know your silence is part of a fad
You know that you do nothing just makes me mad
War sucks
War sucks
wailin1967
well mister god are you sad this week
Marco Venieri
this song invented post punk, new wave and krautrock years before
WC Petree
I just listened to Death Grips 30 min. ago and it's of a piece...
Marco Venieri
@Mubtasik and red crayola also. This album is a masterpiece like the first of velvet, at the same level
Mubtasik
Those were invented mostly by the velvet underground.