Laughter Around The Table...The Story of The Laughing Clowns...Show # 259

In 1979, Ed Kuepper left The Saints. He would relocate to Sydney, Australia and form a new group, one that was very different compared to his work with The Saints (Chris Bailey would continue with the group The Saints in name only, they would have a different band line-up). The Laughing Clowns combined elements of Punk, Soul and Jazz music for a unique sounding band that lasted from about 1980 until 1985. While critics called the group Jazz-Punk, Kuepper has said that the band is more Soul and Blues influenced. The original line up of the band featured Ed Kuepper on guitar/vocals, Jeffery Wegener on drums, Ben Wallace-Crabbe on bass, Dan Wallace-Crabbe on piano, and Bob Farrell on saxophone. The bands first release was a six song EP titled The Laughing Clowns in 1980. The band would then record a series of singles and EP's.

In 1982 a compilation of the bands older material was released titled Reign of Terror/Throne of Blood. The band would have some line-up changes as well because it was also at this time that The Laughing Clowns moved to London, England. With only Kuepper and Wegener the band assembled other musicians to complete the line-up. The other members were Leslie Millar on bass, Peter Doyle on trumpet, and Louise Elliot on saxophone. Mr. Uddich-Smuddich Goes to Town, the bands first full length album was released in 1982. Containing eight songs, the album is now impossible to find and out of print. Another album came out in the same year titled Everything That Flies, a slightly different version was released in the UK under the name Laughter Around The Table. Law of Nature was another full length album in 1984 and The History of Rock N' Roll Volume 1, which was a best of compilation.

The last full length Laughing Clowns album, Ghosts of an Ideal Wife was released in 1985. Following this album, the band stopped playing together. Ed Kuepper went on to pursue a solo career, he also formed a group called The Aints. A compilation of Laughing Clowns material was released in 1995 called Golden Days: When Giants Walked the Earth. In 2005, Cruel But Fair a Laughing Clowns anthology was released. It collects all of the bands studio recordings totaling 48 tracks. In 2009, The Laughing Clowns reunited for the All Tomorrow's Parties Festival and a tour. Kuepper also reformed The Saints for a few live shows. Ed Kuepper also joined Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds as their touring guitarist for their 2009 tour. I would also like to state a slight discrepancy in Laughing Clowns release dates, some sites list the band lasting from 1979-1984 and some from 1980-1985. Ed Kuepper's official website (The Kuepper Files) lists the bands first EP as being released in 1979, and the bands final release in 1985.

The Play List:

1. Klark Kent - Too Kool To Kalypso
2. XX Teens - Onkawara
3. Alder Fork - Great Lakes
4. The Fall - It's The New Thing
5. Mando Diao - Gloria
7. Low Numbers - Keep In Touch
8. Ex-Boyfriends - Born To Be Kicked Out
9. The Demics - Talk's Cheap
10. Hot Nasties - Do You Know
11. Kasabian - Where Did All The Love Go?
12. Portugual. The Man - Everyone is Golden
13. The Beatles - Good Morning Good Morning (Take 8)
14. Flaming Lips - Bag Full of Thoughts
15. White Stripes - Black Jack Davey
16. The Dead Weather - Rocking Horse
17. The Kills - Wait
18. Marble Index - Not Impressed
19. Thrush Hermit - From the Back of the Film
20. Laughing Clowns - Law of Nature
21. Laughing Clowns - Sometimes
22. The Jam - The Place I Love

To download this week's show visit the CJAM archives and select the files 10:00 AM and 11:00 AM on July, 28th 2009.

Laughing Clowns Videos:

Holy Joe (1980)
Eternally Yours (1984)