Talmadge D’Amour had a short yet brilliant life in the early 1980s, captivating music fans all over Texas with its moody electronic sound. Their material ranged from uptempo synth-pop to neo-psychedelic instrumentals to somber dirges.
Inspired by the music of Kraftwerk, OMD, Soft Cell, Depeche Mode, and Joy Division, the members of Talmadge D’Amour came together in 1981 in Austin and formed one of the first synthesizer and drum machine-based groups in Texas. Many others would soon follow, but Talmadge stepped into the Austin music scene when the vast majority of rock bands were still thrashing it out on guitar, bass, and drums.
Even on a national level, the lush synthetic sound of Talmadge D’Amour was somewhat unusual; recall that some of the Top 10 Rock/Pop songs of 1981 included Hall and Oates’ “Kiss on My List,” REO Speedwagon’s “Keep on Loving You,” Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” and Eddie Rabbit’s “I Love a Rainy Night.” It would be a few more years before synths would dominate the sound of American Top 40.
Talmadge rose out of the ashes of experimental punk band Actual Size, with vocalist John Hawkins and guitarist Bill Neubauer continuing to write songs and rehearse together. They were soon joined by guitarist and keyboard player Gary “Wheelchair” Guthrie, and bassist Seth Bovey came into the fold not long after.
As the group’s vocalist, John wrote evocative lyrics and sang them in a smooth, expressive voice that sometimes reminded listeners of John Foxx or Jim Morrison. Bill played an early guitar synthesizer, and the majestic solos he coaxed out of the device went far beyond the pseudo-trumpet sounds most players got out of the guitar synth. Bill also played keyboards and programmed the drum machine. Keyboardist Gary, who loved anything with edge and attitude, be it the punk rock of the Sex Pistols or the hard funk of Prince, also doubled on guitar, playing his Stratocaster with a effervescent, echo-drenched sound. Seth was the engine of the group, working alongside Orville the drum machine to lay down rock-solid bass lines that made nightclubbers get up and move.
Early in 1982, Talmadge D’Amour debuted in the Capitol City Playhouse and went on to perform in such venues as the Ritz Theater, Liberty Lunch, and Studio 29. The band quickly became a regular at Austin’s Club Foot, and they also played the Bonham Exchange in San Antonio and the Hot Klub in Dallas. Some career highlights include opening for Chelsea at the Hot Klub and opening for Killing Joke at Club Foot.
After developing a local following, Talmadge went into the studio and recorded four of their most commercially viable songs—“Race of Slaves,” “39 Slides,” “Papier Mache’,” and “Occident.” These songs were supposed to be released as an EP, but they never made it to vinyl. Talmadge also made a video based on “Race of Slaves.” It was directed by Rob, a graduating senior in the Radio, Television, and Film program at the University of Texas, and the band had its fifteen minutes of nationwide exposure when the video appeared on MTV’s “Basement Tapes” program on Wednesday, April 13, 1983. Unfortunately, Talmadge lost out in the competition to a hair metal band, and, even more sadly, it had split up by then due to internal conflicts.
Talmadge was more than a synth-dance band; what set them apart from other groups of the time was their dark, romantic vision and their ability to craft emotionally moving songs that also had meaning. Their work inspired several generations of alternative and synth-based bands that followed them in the Austin scene for years after their demise.
In the fall of 2007, after very little communication among the band members, longtime fan and friend Jeff Campbell put the others back into contact with one another, and they decided to reunite for a series of reunion shows, with Jeff replacing the late Gary “Wheelchair.” See individual band member pages for details.
Rehearsals began in early 2008, and the re-born Talmadge D’Amour just wrapped up recording 10songs with an imminent release, and hopes to begin playing live shows in the Fall of 2008 or early 2009.
On stage at Austin's Club Foot, circa '82
