Walmartians - bebobebobe (2008)

The first Walmartians transmission. Originally broadcast in 2008.

Originally conceived as a way to entertain my 2-year-old son Ian, Walmartians ultimately took on a life of its own.

Walmartians (Kontakt Prime) is the opening shot and includes my first use of the Stylophone. Great little instrument originally made in the 1970s.

Kerpy Oom is named after something Ian was singing over the music for the song.

For some reason the third track 1988 (Something New) reminded me of the late 1980s and in particular The Cutting Edge show on MTV.

While finishing out the fourth track I turned to young Ian and asked “what should this be called?” He looked up and answered “Purple Balloon!” Yes, there was one in the room. Nice little pop number. There were some lyrics for it, but seemed better as an instrumental.

Wobble Pants is a bit of silliness and based on something I used to say to Ian.

Long ago in the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts, young Darin Brock penned a short-lived comic strip titled Stick Darin & Friends. It chronicled the adventures of Darin, Bruce and Steve as they taught at summer camp. This is the somewhat belated Theme From Stick Darin and Friends. Where are you now Nazi Boy?

Distant Early Frizz Warning combines jabs at both the Weather Channel’s most ridiculous forecast bit – the Frizz Warning – and Rush’s similarly titled song. I like Rush, but sometimes they’re a little much.

Before I ran across the Walmartians moniker I briefly toyed with the idea of reviving Spoo as the band name. That was the inspiration for the appropriately titled The Return of Spoo.

Anthrax Klown Attakk is a clattering noisy reference to both the early days of Purple Fish (“Anthrax clowns throwing spores at the children…”) and perhaps more oddly Magma. If you don’t know who they are look it up.

Ian plays a bit of accidental bass on Colony Collapse. You can hear it during the break.

The DTO Theme was originally written and performed by me, Darin Brock and Robert Brown. The original version appeared on the 1992 debut album by Debbie Tooth Overdrive – Pantyboy Slapfest on Tonto Disco Records.

Several people have commented that Crashing The Stratofortress is one of their favorite Walmartians songs. It isn’t too bad I suppose.

The melody for Almost Home came to me while on a long approach into DFW International Airport one evening. This was after one of many trips to Tokyo.

The title When The Melody Ends (The Doors Will Close) comes from a sign on board the subway trains in Tokyo.

Cover image from the Regus Center, Shibuya, Tokyo. All songs written by Cummings except DTO Theme by Brock, Brown and Cummings. Thanks to Darin Brock for helping to sequence these songs. Originally released October 2008.