Biography : Swirlies
Formed
from the shell of a Go-Go's cover band named Raspberry Bang, SWIRLIES began their life in Boston/Cambridge,
Massachusetts in the summer of 1990. The original band featured Damon Tutunjian (guitar/vocals),
Seana Carmody (guitar/vocals), Andy Bernick (bass), and Ben Drucker (drums).
SWIRLIES played live for the very first time on 25 January 1991 at The
Alcove in Allston, MA. In these early years, SWIRLIES wandered the Northeastern
Megalopolis with other like-minded people, releasing 7" records through the kindness
of Slumberland, Pop Narcotic, Cinderblock, and other labels. Billy Ruane was
often there. In June 1992, SWIRLIES signed to then-Boston-based Taang! Records.
The first two Taang! releases, the ’What to Do About Them’ EP (a collection of previous
7"s and new tracks) and ‘Blondertongue Audiobaton’ LP, were created and
recorded by the original members plus other mysterious
entities. Our dependence on sacred symbols (embodied by The Ostrich, The Number 11, The
One Who Speaks Abstractly On Recordings, and others) began at approximately
this time. Sadly, none of these symbols protected us from The Curse.
The first of many roilings of personnel came in early 1993. Morgan Andrews (MADBOX, ROCK/PAPER/SCISSORS) took over bass-related duties and infused them with his own blend of irritating noise. It was this SWIRLIES arrangement that made a video with Linsey Herman (CAKE AND COMMERCE) for the song "Bell", and embarked on the band's first US tour in a stinking minivan filled with fashion magazines. Andy later returned to join Morgan and the band and SWIRLIES explored the sensual realm of bands with two bass players. Forthwith, Morgan became disgusted and disappeared into the oblivion of anarchist puppetry. Ben Drucker was ousted (unwisely) and went on to use his mind and condensible drum kit quite productively.
Around the time that ‘Brokedick Car’ EP was released, Anthony DeLuca (THE PLANTS & part-time roadie on the summer 1993 tour) signed on. After our first small tour of Europe in January 1994, Seana left to form the now defunct SYRUP USA, and guitar/singing duties were taken over by Christina Files. With this 'Damon-Christina-Anthony-Andy' group, ‘They Spent Their Wild Youthful Days In The Glittering World Of The Salons’ LP was conceived and recorded over two years at various studios. Anthony departed in late 1995. Gavin McCarthy (KARATE) briefly took over. He was with us for 1.95 US tours, and spent the remaining 0.05 of the second tour solo-driving his white Econoline across the country (mercifully with the rest of us in it) and out of our lives forever. The drummerless SWIRLIES played a few liberating analog/digital shows as a trio (Damon-Christina-Andy) before being joined by drummer Adam Pierce (IRIS, DYLAN GROUP, MICE PARADE).
In 1997, Christina left for other pursuits (including VICTORY AT SEA, MARY TIMONY, WAR BUBBLE, and recording/sound excellence). The ‘Strictly East Coast Sneaky Flute Music’ LP (our last for Taang!) was released thereafter. This record featured remixes of 'Salons’ LP material, and new pieces heavily influenced by Scituate, Massachusetts. "Free" from contractual obligations, SWIRLIES were next joined by guitarist Rob Laakso a/k/a 'Dr. Bobby Laasoko' or simply 'Doc' (WICKED FARLEYS, KURT VILE AND THE VIOLATORS).
In September 2002, SWIRLIES added the incredible Kevin Shea (TALIBAM!, COPTIC LIGHT, SEXY THOUGHTS) to the "Damon-Andy-Rob" arrangement, plus Vanessa Downing (WICKED FARLEYS) and our old collaborator Ron Rege, for a fun but challenging (thanks to KL) two-week tour of England and the Netherlands mostly with THE TELESCOPES, and a show in London where we were THE MICROPHONES' backing band for a song. Marmite sustained us.
For most of the early 2000s, SWIRLIES maintained a roughly "Damon-Andy-Rob-Adam" arrangement, while also taking on Mike Walker (LILYS), Ken Bernard (WICKED FARLEYS, RA RA RIOT), Kara Tutunjian, our old comrade Seana Carmody, Deb Warfield (PURE SUNRAY, GOLD MUSE), Doro Tachler (IGLOO), Avery Matthews, and Junko Hemmi (CANDYCANE). These people and others helped make and/or perform songs that became 'Cats of The Wild, Volume 2', the mini-album, EP, or whatever it was (Bubble Core Records, released 25 March 2003). Subsequently, there was some touring with a "Damon-Rob-Adam-Mike-Doro-and-very-rarely-with-bird-researchin'-Andy" arrangement, but this ended when Damon moved to Parts Midwest (followed by Sweden) to find better living through psycholinguistics.
Since 2009, SWIRLIES have mainly toured in odd-numbered years, including: a smattering of northeastern US shows (mislabeled "reunions") in 2009 and 2011 with a "Damon-Rob-Andy-Adam-Deb-Shep-plus guests" arrangement; a longer July 2013 tour supporting Kurt Vile and the Violators with a "Damon-Rob-Deb-Adam" arrangement, plus new recruit Elliott Malvas (YOU'RE JOVIAN, THE SEEERS) on bass, and appearances by Andy (DC) and Christina (Brooklyn); a 2015 eastern US/Canada tour in honor of our 25th year (the Silver Ostrich Anniversary) with a "Damon-Andy-Adam-Rob/Elliott" arrangement, along with founding member Seana Carmody (REINDEER, NIGHT SPELLS) and former sound engineer Adam Cooke and an appearance by Anthony at the UFO Factory in Detroit on our penultimate performance of 'Pancake'; and a 2017 west coast and desert tour with Cruel Summer (SF) and a "Damon-Deb-Andy-Elliott-Adam-and-Rob-in-Portland-only" arrangement and sound engineer Dan Gonzales. (In 2017, Ron Rege sang SSD's "Glue" with us during our LA show on account of the laptop that contained our CS-80 emulator falling over, thereby rendering it impossible to play any synth songs [courtesy of The Curse].)
The odd-year skein was broken in September/October 2018: a Texas-to-Boston tour in support of NOTHING, with a "Damon-Deb-Elliott-Adam" arrangement, new conscript Wesley Bunch (SUBURBAN LIVING) filling in on bass, and junior year sound engineer Dan Gonzales. The odd-year tradition (Odd Year #6) returned on a New England tour with a "Damon-Seana-Andy-Elliott-Adam" arrangement (and guest appearances by Ron Rege, Christina Files, and Kenny Bernard and Mike Cory of the Wicked Farleys) in July 2023. Although scheduled with Rob's new band (RAW BELL), Frankie Rose kindly joined us after the passing of Rob Laakso in May 2023.Recordings have been sparse. In July 2016, a new track (featuring new Swedish conscripts Viktor Hober and Anna Bergvall) was released by Joyful Noise Recordings as part of a subscription, flexi-only series. In September 2018, we released the "Swirlies' Magic Strop: Tonight..."12" EP on red and black vinyl, a collection of Part Time Punks radio sessions and a new song. In 2020, all SWIRLIES releases since 2003, including "Cats of the Wild, Volume 2" and the SWIRLIES' MAGIC STROP series (mostly live recordings) were made available via Bandcamp. Taang! Records, who still own our older releases, sporadically reissue those records on vinyl, sometimes against our will or knowledge. In March 2023, we recorded a song (our last with Rob Laakso) for a podcast that will come out in late 2023.
Aside from (or overlapping with) these activities, we also have the following endeavors: 1) SNEAKY
FLUTE EMPIRE, our label (with headquarters in Malmo, Sweden and Alexandria, Virginia);
2) THE YES GIRLS, a sneakyflute music-playing group featuring Damon and occasionally
others; and 3) RICHMOND
COUNTY ARCHIVES, a label with some Swirlies-related releases (like 'Nevah Have I Evah: A
Sneaky Flute Family Album' and 'Buck Wild!: The Saga of Jack Bucky') and also A B's own vinyl-only "South Shore" LP (2020).
Stay vigilant always and prepared anytime, and we shall see you at The Spit on the 4th of July.
IN MEMORIAM: Rob Laakso passed away on May 4, 2023. We met a teenage Rob at Phillips Hall in Fitchburg (October 29, 1995). That smile and those soft eyes, like Moxie in human form. We danced on tabletops as Rob stood below and laughed. Later, when we wanted to take him on tour with us (on drums!), his parents said absolutely not; he was too young to go to NYC, and besides, he had to finish his senior year of high school. Damon did some recordings with the Wicked Farleys in 1996, and then Rob finally joined the Swirlies (on guitar!) in early 1997.
We called him "Doc" (originally Dr. Bobby Laasoko) because he had a way of fixing bad situations and making right everything that was wrong. In the end, he couldn't fix himself, but he still touched so many of us with his beautiful, positive soul. We miss you terribly little brother - thank you for our time together and for all the wonderful experiences you've shared with us. We hope wherever you are, you are playing ‘Do the Ostrich’ far, far longer than anyone ever should and smiling down on us through it all.
Revised October 1, 2023