The Scene is Now is a New York City-based avant-garde no wave jug band from the 1980s.[1] Its founding members were Dick Champ, Philip Dray, Jeff McGovern (also of Mofungo), and Chris Nelson.[2] Influences included the Holy Modal Rounders, The Fugs, the no wave noise music bands DNA and Mars, and the traditional Americana of Bob Wills and Hoagy Carmichael.[1]

The Scene Is Now
Background information
OriginNew York City
Past members
  • Dick Champ
  • Philip Dray
  • Jeff McGovern
  • Chris Nelson

Their songs, most of which are compiled on the album The Oily Years, tend to be somewhat rough, lo-fi recordings. Their song Yellow Sarong was later covered by Yo La Tengo for the 1990 album Fakebook.[3]

Thurston Moore called the band's sound "drunken sailor music" as a compliment.[4]

Discography

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  • Burn All Your Records (Lost, 1985)
  • Total Jive (Lost, 1986)
  • Tonight We Ride (Lost, 1988)
  • Shotgun Wedding (Lost, 1991; released only on cassette due to a lack of funds)[5]
  • The Oily Years (Bar/None, 1995)
  • Songbirds Lie (Tongue Master, 2004)[6]
  • Magpie Alarm (Tongue Master, 2011)[6]

References

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  1. 1 2 https://www.forcedexposure.com/Artists/THE.SCENE.IS.NOW.html The Scene Is Now at Forced Exposure
  2. Gross, Philip (February 2001). "The Scene Is Now – Philip Dray Interview". Perfect Sound Forever. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  3. Bracy, Timothy; Bracy, Elizabeth (October 12, 2012). "Yo La Tengo Albums From Worst To Best". Stereogum. Retrieved June 1, 2021.
  4. Champ, Richard (May 13, 2015). "Remembering a post-Longhorn friendship with Kim Gordon and Thurston Moore". The Current. Retrieved February 18, 2021.
  5. Margasak, Peter (December 21, 1995). "Too Much Too Soon". Chicago Reader. Retrieved December 19, 2017.
  6. 1 2 "TM - New Releases".