Arson Garden

Arson Garden were a five piece band from Bloomington Indiana who made music that I would call etheral-metal. Kind of akin to the Monks of Doom but heavier, well okay more etheral too. They have also been called an art-rock band by one critic, I'd more or less agree. They have been compared to 10,000 Maniacs probably due to their having a great female vocalist and worked with Albert Garzon who produced the Maniacs first album. Otherwise the resemblance is really quite minimal.

The band

Counter clockwise from bottom. April Combs voice Michael Mann guitars Joby Barnett drums,percussion Clark Starr bass James Combs guitars,vocals

Latest News/Rumors:

The latest news from Michael Mann himself in the Summer of 1999 (Thanks Michael!):

Butter broke up in 1995 and James and April formed Snacktime in Chicago. Snacktime broke up in 1997. James is the only one still involved in music professionally. He is in Petaluma, CA. and recently released a solo CD called "Remoter" on a Berkley label. It is great and should be sought out. Myself (Michael) and April are in Cincinnati, not being musical - at least publically. Chip is in Chicago and Joby is in Michigan City, IN. Neither are doing anything music related.

from September 95...

Having moved up to Chicago the remainder of the group (Joby) found a new drummer, rehearsed, played six or so shows under the "Butter" moniker. Around this time it became apparent that the new guy, though technically proficient, wasn't going to work out. At this time Michael and Clark decided to move on to other things. Without Joby, Michael and Clark, James and April decided to continue on and at press time have recruited Tina (drummer) and Greg (old bloomington friend ex-early incarnation of Unrest bass). The new name is "Snacktime".

Discography

• Live From Bloomington 1988 compilation album
  • Arson Garden contribute: All Talk.

  They were a four-piece at the time of this recording, Michael Mann was not yet with them.
  

  Written & Performed by Arson Garden.
  Produced by Wayne Jackson.
  Engineers: David Cheek and John Weber.
  

  Recording and mixing performed at the Indiana University School of Music. Engineering by students at the School of Music Audio-Technology Program. Sponsored by the Indiana Memorial Union Board. Coordinated by Harry Jay Lubin and Don Luse.

  LP/CT, IU Memorial Union Board, IN 1988, 1988.

• Live From Bloomington 1989 compilation album
  • Arson Garden contribute: Leak of News Pending.

  Michael Mann is in the band by this point.
  

  Written by James Combs. Performed by Arson Garden.
  Produced by Wayne Jackson.
  Engineers: Frank Bland and Charalambos Blazoudakis.
  

  Recording and mixing performed at the Indiana University School of Music. Engineering by students of the School of Music Audio-Technology Program. Sponsored by the Indiana Memorial Union Board. Coordinated by Larry Jacobson and Don Luse.

  LP/CT, IU Memorial Union Board, IULFB89, 1989.

• Under Towers album
  • Two Siters (Love All Around Them); Lash; Not Long Before; Under Towers; Heat From a Radiated House; Solitariat; The Sways; Truer Words Were Never Spoken; Once Then Twice Removed; Face of Resistance; Armistice.

  Produced by: Albert Garzon
  Engineered by: Tom Herbers
  Asst. Engineer: Timothy "Timoeto" Penn
  Digital Remastering by: Scott Hull at Masterdisk, NYC
  All Songs by Arson Garden
  

  CD/LP, Community 3 Records, C3-1490CD, 1990.
  CD, Vertebrae Records, 3588-56017-2, 1993.

• Virtue Made Out of Sticks single
  • Virtue Made Out of Sticks (3:03); Metro (2:33); Shifting (4:10).

  Produced by: Albert Garzon
  Engineered & Mastered by: Scott Hull at Masterdisk, NYC
  All Songs by Arson Garden
  

  7" 33rpm, Community 3 Records, C3-2391, 1991.
  

• Radio Singles from ARSON GARDEN'S "Wisteria" promo
  • Impossible Space (3:00); This Chemical Draws (4:09); Lash (live, 3:40).

  Lash was recorded at the Cabaret Metro, Chicago IL, January 17th 1992.

  CD, Vertebrae Records, ASKP 66013, 1993.

• Wisteria album
  • Of 2 Minds (4:30); She Reconsidered (3:35); Impossible Space* (3:36); Goes Out Kicking (2:35); Bird in the House (4:04); It Will Soon Be Over* (3:40); This Chemical Draws (4:09); Cold* (4:18); Prerogative (4:08); Pact (4:08); Kathy's in Deep (3:50).

  Produced & Engineered by: Tom Herbers at Creation Studios, Mineapolis, MN.
  *Produced by: Mike Robinson at BBC Studios, London, December 1990.
  Mastered by: Roger Seibel at SAE, Pheonix AZ.
  All Songs by Arson Garden
  

  CD, Vertebrae Records, ASKP 66013, 1992.

• Drink a Drink of You EP
  • Drink a Drink of You (3:35); She Reconsidered (3:35); Two Sisters (live, 4:05); Trem Two (live, 4:05).

  dadoy Produced by: Frosty Horton, Recorded by: Andy Symons at TRC, Indianapolis.
  sr - same credits as "Wisteria"
  ts & tt: Recorded at the Patio, Indianapolis September 12th, 1992.
  tt written by: Roger Miller (Mission of Burma)
  All Other Songs by Arson Garden
  

  CD, Vertebrae Records, ASKE 66014, 1992.

• The Belle Stomp album
  • Risk in This(1:29); Transcendental (4:10); Mind Talking (3:09); Lazy (4:13); Hard Bitten (3:38); Different Level of Alright (3:40); Secret Self (3:33); the Pick Up (1:35); Baby's in a Black Tree (4:26); Pull of a Speeding Train (2:35); Mystified (3:29); Untitled (1:12); Untitled (1:06).

Note: This is based on bilbo's old AG page from various locations. If anyone finds it again, let me know!

I'm putting up this page because bilbo's page has disappeared again and I have been unable to find a new location for it. Since his page has not re-appeared, I've started adding some new material, graphics, and other formatting on this one.

At last check, there are Arson Garden CDs at SecondSpin.

Arson Garden has a page in The Ectophiles' Guide to Good Music.

Updated: August 2000