The Cosmopolitans - Chevy Baby - 1981from 2006 Bacchus Archives CD "Wild Moose Party: New Wave Pom Pom Girls Gone Go-Go, NYC 1980-1981"
It's a tragic twist on the usual tale. Southern artists head for the bright lights of Manhattan to seek success in the court of culture but dream is cut short just on verge of fulfilment.
Jamie K. Sims of Asheville, who played in a high school psychedelic band, met future dB's Chris Stamey and Will Rigby at UNC, forming a modern dance ensemble including Rigby (doesn't get to move around too much behind his drum kit). Sims headed to NYC with Stamey into the maelstrom of the legendary late '70s CBGBs scene and hooked up with Nel Moore of Wilmington to revive the Cosmopolitan Dance Troop (with appearances by Stamey).
Troop struggled through the modern dance world, getting kicks on the side performing as go go dancers during dBs and Fleshtones gigs, then performed a song of their own at CBGBs and were an immediate hit. The renamed Cosmopolitans start playing the clubs, singing and dancing with drum (often Rigby) and tape backing, then headed back to NC to Mitch Easter's new home studio to lay down three tracks for a demo tape with backing from Easter, Faye Hunter and even Mitch's mother Lib and help from Don Dixon and Stamey.
Sims' neighbor just happened to be Shake Records label founder Alan Betrock, who loved the tape and turned it "(How to Keep Your) Husband Happy"/"Wild Moose Party" into a hit single with NYC radio stations and college stations elsewhere. Sims and Moore added more musicians and headed out on tour and started work on an album.... But then Sims was diagnosed with chronic Epstein Barr infection and the band abruptedly called it a day.
25 years later, the Cosmos' single is suddenly out on CD along with a bunch of never released studio and live tracks ("Chevy Baby" appeared on B-side of British release of the single). Both Sims and Moore still play music and talk of a reunion is in the works. It's a wacky world. Buy the disk!
Posted by: Zach Coleman
4 comments:
Among the most requested songs when I was in radio were How To Keep Your Husband Happy and Wild Moose Party by The Cosmopolitans. (I'm Straight by the Modern Lovers holds the title of all-time most requested over my nine-year career.)
Co-incidentally in the summer of 2005 I debated whether to sell one of my two original 7-inch copies of The Cosmopolitans on eBay. After much personal inner turmoil over loyalty vs. dollars, I decided I could not part with them.
When I heard about the CD I was so excited - not only because I knew it immediately devalued my 45s but because there were more Cosmops to be heard!
You can cherry pick the songs on iTunes or get the entire CD with the Mitch Easter and Faye Hunter video on Amazon at here.
DDT
Deaconlight.com
Hello. Anyone there?
Love the blog. Please come back.
Cheers,
Bob
Oh, Will (Rigby) was quite a dancer! And he was in the Chapel Hill version of the dance company (NC Progressive Dance Troop) before I reorganized the group up in NYC. I've got proof - photos. I didn't know Nel in NC, we met in Central Park just before I morphed the troop into a club performance act (with girls and boys).
Our official Car Records "coming out" party was on October 30, 1979 in a loft in NYC. Five months after the fateful CB's benefit show on May 6, 1979.
Faye (Hunter) was the very first bass player. Ted Lyons played drums. Kent Schuyler played sax and guitar. Chris (Stamey) played organ, and Mitch (Easter) played guitar. Nel (Moore) and Shaun McQuate danced and provided extra vocals.
Peter Holsapple drummed for us at one point. As did Doug Wygal, and a host of others. Very 'Tap-ian.
If you look deep enough, I believe there's a little Cosmopolitan in everybody -
There's a release party (NOT a band performance) and "talent search" planned for Asheville on Sept. 15th at the Westville Pub. We'll "chat" about the scene back in 1980, read and discuss the background of the incredibly deep lyrics of the songs. There'll be a 60's go-go lesson. Cosmop friends and I will look for people to dance, sing back-up, and re-enact Husband Happy tips onstage for a possible upcoming show. No promises, just possibilities - I want to have a lot of friends up there with me if I get this thing together again!
Start practicing -
Jamie K. Sims
Appreciate the background, Jamie. Sounds like the Cosmo world is approaching another Big Bang! Let us know how the release party goes.
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