Vaganza

Vaganza was a theatrical art-rock-pop duo consisting of multi-instrumentalists David Longworth Wallingford and Quigley.

Vaganza
David Longworth Wallingford on the left, Quigley on the right
Background information
GenresGlam rock, art rock, pop rock, progressive rock
Years active1991 (1991)-1998 (1998)
LabelsGeffen Records, Outpost Recordings, Elektra Records
Associated actsAstronaut, Skunk
Past membersQuigley
David Longworth Wallingford

Astronaut, Skunk, and Vaganza's origins

Wallingford and Quigley began formally working on the Vaganza project in late-1991. The duo's launch followed the dissolution of their respective indie groups, Astronaut (band) and Skunk (band).

The pair went into seclusion for a time, completely reinventing themselves visually, and developing their sound -- which was a significant departure from their previous ventures -- in a New Jersey-based home studio.

Speaking with Yahoo Music Editor-in-Chief, Lyndsey Parker, in a 1998 interview, Quigley said of the project's inception:

"... we grew up listening to all forms of musical theater and all that glam-rock crap. David and I used to always talk about our 'dream band,' what we'd really like to do with music. Finally we thought, 'Maybe we shouldn't just dream about this, or talk about this as if it's something that will never actually happen, and we should actually do it.'"[1]

Are You Willing to Die for Rock 'n' Roll? demo (1993), and signing with Elektra Records

Their first unofficial release was a 1993 demo entitled Are You Willing to Die for Rock 'n' Roll?[2]

The elaborately produced, $5,000 recording was completed in October of '93. During the previous spring and summer, Wallingford and Quigley had fully realized their desired individual and combined visual presentation(s). In the months following Are You Willing's recording, the two repeatedly made the rounds, through Manhattan's nightclubs, and various music and/or nightlife oriented events. These social activities were undertaken with the goal of being seen, and circulating the demo to as many people as possible. Among those who ultimately received copies were many of the pair's friends in the music business.

In Rolling Stone Magazine's year-end survey of popular musicians, Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins named Are You Willing to Die for Rock 'n' Roll (which he erroneously listed as Are you Ready to Die for Rock 'n' Roll?) as one of his 10 favorite releases of 1993.[3]

The impact of these combined efforts proved to be sufficient substitute for Vaganza's then-lacking live band to generate an industry buzz, and eventually land the pair a contract with Elektra Records.

In April of 1994, Terry Tolkin, then an A&R VP for Elektra, offered them a deal.

Recording and release of self-titled debut album (1995 - 1998)

In January of 1996, the pair embarked upon the recording of what was intended to be their debut for Elektra.

The album was co-produced by Vaganza and, the recording's engineer, Greg Frey (the latter of whose credits included work with Ween, Richard Auguste Morse, and Quigley's old band, Skunk). Numerous musicians, and two separate choirs, were hired for the sessions. The most notable of these contributors was, arguably, the album's drummer, Joey Waronker (Atoms for Peace, Beck, REM).

The initial sessions wrapped in September of 1996, just as Tolkin and Elektra were parting ways. Tolkin was the rather costly album's only real champion at the label, so the pair began to quietly investigate their options.

Inside of a week, Andy Gershon, a former artist manager (Cocteau Twins, Bryan Ferry), offered them a deal. Earlier in '96, Gershon -- along with record producer, Scott Litt, and A&R vet, Mark Williams -- launched an imprint through Geffen Records, called Outpost Recordings.

Vaganza's self-titled, and only official, album was released on Outpost in April of 1998.

While a mix of the album had been completed, by Frey, in 1996, a new mix was done, by engineer Jim Rondinelli, during August and September of 1997.

Album release, live performances, and break-up (1998)

The album went largely unnoticed upon release, with the small reception that greeted it being mixed-to-favorable.

During the summer of 1998 the pair assembled a 10-piece live band, featuring such well-regarded players as saxophonist Baron Raymonde, drummer Zach Danziger, and John Kimbrough of the rock band, Walt Mink.

The ensemble performed a number of shows in the New York City area, to strong attendance and generally favorable, regular write-ups in the city's various arts weeklies of the era (such as, Village Voice, New York Press, and Time Out New York, the last of whose kudos were surprising, as they had earlier published a memorably scathing review of the album).

During the autumn of '98, the group was dropped by Outpost (the imprint itself folded altogether in early-'99).

By December, Wallingford had dissolved the Vaganza partnership.

References
  1. "Rock and Roll Apocalypse Now by Lyndsey Parker". Yahoo.com.
  2. unknown. "2/3 of the 1993, Are You Willing to Die for Rock 'n' Roll? demo". SoundCloud. Retrieved December 22, 2020.
  3. "Rolling Stone". No. 674. Rolling Stone. January 27, 1994. p. 59. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.