Refrigerator are definitely one of the most unsung heroes of L.A. rock -- mainly because they probably hate(d) L.A., since the days when they were The Bux, and L.A. always hated them... no wonder the Callacis always were hidden away in the San Gabriel Valley.. which as far as seclusion within the greater L.A. basin goes, makes Orange County seem like Culver City in comparison.
I'm currently listening to their second-to-last album Comedy Minus One, just appreciating how they've been changing but always remained moving, in a very small town way. I realize this is a total Springsteen type cliché... then again, Dennis Callaci, guitarist/backing singer for the band, worships Springsteen. Thankfully, he also has really odd tastes in music; and Shrimper certainly carved something unique as far as 90s indie talent. Shrimper and "lo-fi" were talked about in the same breath often, and hence any Shrimper band by proxy.. which was ultimately a curse. :/ Since Daniel Brodo joined the band as a fourth stand-up bassist in the mid-to-late 90s, the band has certainly abandoned anything "lo-fi" (though they were well out of that realm from their second or third album, imho)
It also helps that Alan's voice, even in the more caustic earlier days, was always tremendously beautiful. It always pissed me off whenever audience members would show disgust for Alan's twirling-in-place of his body back and forth closing his eyes singing and holding his notes, when it was MOST uncool to make those motions or use that type of timbre in contemporary "indie rock" music at the time.. when everyone in L.A. was trying to practice Steve Malkmus's trademark timbre/posture of indifference (which he does well!.. however, many of the imitators? nuh uh)
Anyway, this is a thread for the appreciaters of Refrigerator.. or anything related to Dennis Callaci or other members...(who did a split release with Simon Joyner recently, I think?)
(There isn't a Shrimper thread either, for that matter.. someone should start it.)
― dali madison's nut (donut), Thursday, 15 December 2005 07:07 (twenty years ago)
I've probably seen this band live as much as a few select others... there was always a sense of absurdity to their live shows (multiplied by 100 when playing with Chris Knox), although definitely moments of sincerity as well. Although, I'll never forget, when James McNew played with them via Dump headlining, when Dennis dropped his guitar, Daniel started playing "Bela Lugosi's Dead", and Dennis started primally screaming, acting "goth", went outside of the Pomono college dorm room the show was set up at, and started climbing the glass patio window and walls outside! He nearly got killed!
― dali madison's nut (donut), Thursday, 15 December 2005 07:11 (twenty years ago)
I'VE CHANGED MY NAME
AND I'VE CHANGED MY PRICE
(that means CLASSIC, btw - esp. their self-titled album)
― David R. (popshots75`), Thursday, 15 December 2005 07:12 (twenty years ago)
three weeks pass...
six years pass...
Allen Callaci is in the hospital for heart issues. Those of you who are close to Allen, whether personally and/or musically, please send good thoughts!
He is being cared for, but his condition is currently serious.
I'd like to revoke the first sentence or so above. The ones with the h-word. Allen Callaci is the sweeting, most loving person ever.
― ma ck ro ma ck ro (mackro mackro), Saturday, 28 April 2012 08:53 (fourteen years ago)