• Some Philharmonic (Seminal 1980's Art-Pop Band) Some Philharmonic, (1980-1986) was originally conceived as a "punk-funk" band. At its inception on the idyllic campus at UC San Diego, music student Elma Mayer (keyboard and vocals) recruited her fellow students Brian Woodbury (bass) and Tom Rettig (guitar). They were soon joined by Tom's brother Deane Rettig on xylophone, Steve Knopoff on trombone, Tim Song Jones (guitar) and a rotating lineup that included more than 30 alumni over the years.* The band's sound was inspired by an eclectic array of music, back when eclectic was still rather shocking. Main influences included Parliament/Funkadelic, Captain Beefheart, West African music, highlife music, Fletcher Henderson, Luciano Berio, Kid Creole and the Coconuts, Henry Cow, Fred Frith, Van Dyke Parks, Steve Reich, the Residents, Duke Ellington, Igor Stravinsky, the Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo, Devo, Art Ensemble of Chicago, American musical theater, British Progressive Rock, so-called new music, punk rock, world music, and the music scene at UCSD, which included fellow students Diamanda Galas, Richard Zvonar, Paul Dresher, Mark Dresser and more. EARLY PERIOD 1980-1982 Some Philharmonic's early period in San Diego was marked by exploration of genres and compositional flights of fancy that sometimes exceeded the musicianship of the band. Many of the band members lived together in a La Jolla tract home known as Some House, where the band rehearsed. Some Phil also inspired a sibling band, Some Ambulants, whose lead singer, Carmen Borgia, was a sometime Some Phil member as well. Some Phil's early period culminated with the LP Some Philharmonic, released in 1983. (Circa 1982. From Left, Brian Woodbury, Elma Mayer, Victor Zupanc, Steve Christian, Steve Knopoff (trombone), Deane Rettig, Tom Rettig) MIDDLE PERIOD 1983-1984 This period began with a move to Oakland, CA, by Elma Mayer, Brian Woodbury, and Tom Rettig. In the Bay Area, former members of the band NAME (Everett Shock, Erling Wold, Lynn Murdock Wold, Mark Crawford and Rick Crawford) joined the Some Phil roster, abetted by a horn section that included Nik Phelps (sax and trumpet), and Ed Summerfield (sax). Some Philharmonic performed, in black tie, all over the San Francisco Bay Area. LATE PERIOD 1985-1986 The late period was marked by Some Phil's most stable lineup: Rick Crawford (guitar), Elma Mayer (vocals), Joe Moe (vocals), Tom Rettig (guitar), Michael Webster (keyboard), and Brian Woodbury (bass). Deciding to forego a drummer, from then on they performed and recorded with a drum machine. The band's sound edged toward dance music, under the influence of popular hits like George Clinton's "Atomic Dog," and Scritti Politti's "Cupid & Psyche `85." Some Phil's stage show grew increasingly theatrical, and saw the introduction of costumes based on unisex skirts, with sets and makeup, in a musical-theater-of-the-absurd. The band moved to Venice Beach, CA in search of fume and fortune. They played at many historic venues, including Club Lingerie, Madame Wong's, Lhasa, and the Anti-Club. They performed with Van Dyke Parks at the Will Gere Theatricum Botanicum. Some Phil's next incarnation saw a name change to Pulu and Ingrid, fronted by vocalists Joe Moe and Elma Mayer. (Circa 1985. From Left, Joe Moe, Elma Mayer, Tom Rettig, Brian Woodbury. B/W inset: Woodbury, Mayer, Moe, Rettig, Rick Crawford, Michael Webster) The band splintered in 1986. Crawford, Moe, Rettig and Webster formed King Pez before going on to other projects, like Moe and Webster's Native Shrubs of the Santa Monica Mountains. Mayer and Woodbury left for New York City's Downtown Music scene, where they performed solo, and embarked on projects like Brian Woodbury's Popular Music Group, Variety Orchestra, and others (described elsewhere on this website). Look for a retrospective CD of unreleased Some Philharmonic material soon. *Some Philharmonic also included the following at one time or another: Victor P. Zupanc, Steve Christian, David Friendly, John Goss, Dave Blackburn, Mark Nemoyten, and various other drummers and sidemen.