The Voodoo Birds "The Blue Tape - Sneaking Suspicion"
In 1992, the Voodoo Birds, Athens Ohio’s premier party band, released “the blue tape” entitled “Sneaking Suspicion.”
The Voodoo Birds
Roman Warmke
1992
Robert J. Rial "Time To Move On"
This is a recording of a song of mine from 1999, recorded by Ian Mykel at his home studio. He created the stellar percussion track and wrote an awesome bass line. The piece is a break up song about suicide. It has jazzy bluesy hints of where my sound was heading (into the Bakelite 78 genres) and features my only ever whistling solo! "Time To Move On" is a fine document of an evolving songwriter. LYRICS: "Time To Move On, by Robert Rial, 1999. I drink it slowly, I'm taking my time, I got the whole night through to walk this line, I'm thinkin' 'bout you, girl, you knew that I would, Keep hoping to see you somewhere out in the 'hood. But no, you left and said it's time to move on, That you coulda stayed except you wanted me gone, so I check the clock, fish in my pocket for my keys, I know I'm going but to where, I cannot see, no. I down another couple shots for the road, The devil's comin' to collect what he's owed. I pop the clutch in and I lean back my head, Watchin' the needle slipping into the red, yeah. I can't forget you even out on this drive, Don't wanna make it back to Brown Ave. alive. Just tell my family 'It was time to move on.' I love you, sugar, and tonight I'll be gone. Just tell my momma like you told me 'It was time to move on!' I love you, sugar, and tonight I'll be gone, yeah!!! Tonight I'll be gone, Tonight I'll be gone, Tonight I'll be gone.... I hope you're happy." This song was a real catharsis for me following a breakup. It does not condone or promote taking your own life with alcohol or suicide. You are not alone. <a href="https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org">National Suicide Prevention Hotline</a> - 1-800-273-8255
Robert J. Rial
Robert J. Rial
1999
100 Book Club "Shooting For the Stars" - TCom Studios - Ohio University - Athens, OH - 1994
"A couple of years after The Garden Party broke up, I shared a four track recording of my quirky guitar work with Bill Wagner. A few weeks later in 1994 he asked me if I would play bass guitar in a new project he was working on. I expressed misgivings about my ability to even play bass, but he told me he knew I could do it, so 100 Book Club was born. 100 Book Club was: Bill Wagner: Guitar and vocals Robert Rial: Bass and backing vocals Matt Hanrahan: Electric Piano, samples, vocals Andy Zboralski: Drums This song, "Shooting For the Stars" was one of three songs we recorded at T-Com Studios. (You gotta love those T-Com students giving all of us all those free hours of studio time to be their guinea pigs!!)" - Robert J. Rial
100 Book Club
Robert J. Rial
1994
Garden Party - TComm Studios, Ohio University - Athens, OH - 1991/92
"My earliest recordings from Athens" - Robert J. Rial
Recorded at the T-Com Studios in Fall of 1991-Spring of 1992.
Robert Rial- lead vocals
Bill Wagner- guitar
Chris Fischbach- guitar
Jeff Kobberdahl- bass
Andy Zboralski- drums
Garden Party
Robert J. Rial
1991-1992
Maladroid
In late 1996, I began working at Casa Nueva and Matt Hanrahan and Andy Zboralski graduated and moved away. 100 Book Club/Protozoa disbanded, and I had lots of newer material I was working on, some of which I had wanted to play in that other band. I decided to form a new art rock project with some of my new co-workers, specifically an interesting guy named Ian Mykel. I had little idea what a superstar he was when we formed Maladroid with drummer and fellow Casatron, Josh Brown. This recording of "Star Destroyer" is all I have left of a studio session we recorded at my house. "Star Destroyer" is a song originally slated for Protozoa, a space rock tribute to my favorite Sci-Fi movies, including Star Wars, Blade Runner and Dune. I really wanted to be Han Solo. Lyrics and Music by Robert Rial Lyrics: "Star Destroyer Who was it that said 'crime doesn't pay'? It's kept me well fed throughout the galaxy I'm cruisin' my rig through hyperspace They can't catch me, they don't even know my real face Lock in the auxillary power Maneuver through the asteroid shower A space smuggler, you know I got the spice I know you want it but can you-- She's a high maintenance girl visiting from another world With all the money I spent Sure hope she's not a replicant But I'm gonna take her with me We'll camp on the Dune sea We'll drift off into the void Just her and me and my droid 'The faster you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers'--Robert Rial 1997
In 1998 Josh Brown left Athens to head to Chicago with his Athens band Sylph. Maladroid went on temporary hiatus, but headed back into the T-Com studio in 1999 to record this other masterpiece of mine, "Automaton". This time, Ian Mykel and myself enlisted the help of drummer Jeff Amon. This is arguably the best guitar I have ever recorded, Frippy and masterful. "Automaton by Robert Rial I can't meander far on my own Can't scale the walls of my only home Staying so calm sometimes is so hard Playing within the cage of my yard, which isn't mine The more I give the more I'm taken You think you're real--You must be faking This is pretentious so I've been told, but I'm for sale, I'm selling, I'm sold To the dark Caught in the gears you have been set free to Forget the things that once did please thee & sometimes when I look into your eyes It's just an empty hole with nothing Inside Now you are just a lone Automaton You can't remember where you came from Stripped of your home and of community You drift alone without a family. - R.Rial 1999
Maladroid
Robert J. Rial
1999
Robert J. Rial and Brendan McKay "Sonic Waves"
Brendan McKay once saw me play my frenetic guitar at the upstairs Union open mic. I felt kind of put down because after I got off stage, Beister said "That was Bob Rial, asking once again, "What IS music?" But Brendan came up to me and complemented my performance and asked me if I'd heard of some band, I forget which. I looked up to him as a guitarist, and didn't miss this chance to ask him if he'd come over to 11 Brown sometime and jam with me, which, even though he was sick with cancer and suffering, he did do, in 1996. I treasure this recording and the moments I got to spend with him that day. I didn't know him well but here, in "Sonic Waves" we are friends. I hope the archive listeners can sense the magic in this recording and enjoy it as much as I do. --Robert Rial
Robert J. Rial and Brendan McKay
Robert J. Rial
1996
<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/us/">Creative Commons Non-Commercial Use</a>
Stella
STELLA: Pony Girl
Produced by STELLA
Recorded and mixed by Bryan Gibson at Noisy Boy Studio, Athens, Ohio
Mastered by Joe Viers at John Schwab Recording Studio, Columbus, Ohio
STELLA is:
Laura Nadeau: lead vocals, acoustic guitar
John Juliano (a.k.a. Catfish): vocals, lead guitar, fiddle, mandolin
Dave Baer: bass
Mark Hellenberg: drums, percussion, vocals
Guest Musicians on Pony Girl:
Chris Biester: vocals with Laura on Blackbird Song and John Borchard: Lap Steel
All Songs by Laura Nadeau and published by Laura Nadeau Publishing Company (BMI) 2002.
Except: “Look Back at Me” by Slaid Cleaves and Laura Nadeau, published by Happy Valley Music (BMI) and Laura Nadeau Publishing Company (BMI), “Crocodile Man” by David Robert Carter, published by Signature Sounds Recording (BMI), “Blackbird Song” by Chris Biester, “Money to Burn” and “When Worlds Collide” by J.D. Hutchison, published by J.D. Hutchison Publishing Company (BMI), “Motor City” by Randy Weeks, published by Angry Desert Music (BMI), “Lay It Down” by Kim Ritchey and Tom Littlefield, published by Mighty Nice Music and Wait No More Music (BMI), and “I am Alive” by Bruce Dalzell.
Mark Lausche - Album - Looking For Lost John
Acoustic album by Mark Lausche. In Athens Mark played with the Carolina Peaches, Mobius Cobias, and the Hedonists.