Pink House Forever

Pink House. 130 North Street. Back In The Day.

Fellow residents from the 1991-94 years were Clint Curtis, Shyam Patel, Raj Krishnasami, Lydia Craft, Jess Deltac, Kyle York Spencer, Caroline Rivers Hall, Mel Lanham, Michelle Sinnott, Jay Murray, N'Gai Wright, Scott Bullock (who crashed on the couch for a year before finally moving in), Bryan Ellerson, Karen Hurka, Sally Stryker, Ryan Mathias, Charlie Speight, Chris Palmatier, Trent McDevitt, and Steve William.



Besides holdovers and returnees Jay, Scott, Mel (& Laverne!), Chris, and N'Gai, residents during 1995-97 included Ian Williams, Greg Humphreys, Allen Sellars (who, like Jay, lived at both the Pink House and 401 Pritchard), Zak Bisacky, James Dasher, Linden Elstran, Jiffer Bourguignon, Grant Tennille (who first made the scene as a fixture in N'Gai's room circa summer '93), Zia Zareem, Ben Folds, Tom Holden, and Chris "Chip" Chapman.

- Erik Ose

Featured Post

Remembering the Pink House, 15 Years Later

2009 marks fifteen years since I graduated from Carolina and moved out of the Pink House, the legendary off-campus crash pad located at 130 ...

Wednesday, July 6, 1994

The rug stayed behind

Pink House residents all agreed to buy my big living room rug from me for $60 - I think I paid about $90 for it two years ago. I am going to organize a huge yard sale on the Pink House front lawn when school starts again and try to sell all sorts of things I don't want anymore. Until then, I'm going to keep what I don't take with me in the attic, the garage, and at places like Pedigo's and Jyoti's.

Talked with Beth Ising at N.C. NARAL today. She said they didn't need anyone right now, but asked me to mail her a copy of my resume for her to keep on file. She also told me how she meets weekly with the heads of several of the progressive N.C. activist groups and hears about job openings constantly, so she would keep me in mind if an organizing position opens somewhere, to start early next month.

Looked through want ads, too. The N&O classifieds sucked. The Village Advocate was a little more helpful. I am going to apply for a couple of positions. One is an office manager for a firm called Environmental Media. One is a Carrboro medical office assistant. T'boli needs a salesperson. A "medium sized" law firm in Chapel Hill at 100-E Franklin Square needs an administrative assistant. If all else fails, I could go work for Adam and Eve taking phone orders for $5 an hour. Wouldn't that be fun.

- Letter to Jenny, 7/6/94

Friday, July 1, 1994

Clint gets Mad as Faust with Zen Frisbee

In 1994, Zen Frisbee released I'm As Mad As Faust, their first full-length album on the band's own Flavor-Contra Records.

Featuring cuts like "Crazy Steven" and "Marsha Don't Play In The Fire," the record also featured Clint on drums. Having already honed his skills on the skins with Kung Fu Fighting and the Anubis Leisure Society, by the time he joined Zen Frisbee (becoming the latest in a series of replacements for original ZF drummer and Superchunk namesake Chuck "Chunk" Garrison), Clint's drumming was tight, as evidenced by the tracks on this album.

In fact, some believe it's the greatest unheralded indie rock record of its era.

During the heady days of the Chapel Hill, NC music scene in the early '90s, bands like Superchunk, Archers of Loaf and Ben Folds Five made their way out of the clubs on Franklin Street and into the national spotlight. Zen Frisbee was one of the bands to miss the glare of the music business' eye, and has gone relatively unnoticed even amongst the indie-rock intelligentsia (for proof, try finding the band in the Trouser Press Guide). What a shame. The Frisbee was (and is) perhaps the area's best live band, and this, their debut album, is one of the '90's most criminally overlooked albums. The band creates a mesmerizing blend of breezy songwriting, Fallesque controlled musical mayhem, countrified rave-ups, and searing funk that never falls for the cocky panderings of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Guitarist Laird Dixon (who also plays in the excellent instrumental combo Shark Quest) is one of the area's most inventive players and the lead singer (whose name escapes me, sorry!) is a dynamic performer and inspired vocalist. "Fraidy Cat" may be the best song released by any Triangle band, and "Clothes," "Crazy Stephen," and others follow a similar REM-inspired songwriting sensibility that is always wholly original. "Martha Don't Play in the Fire" moves with a steady fury--as fierce and wondrous an opener as can be found anywhere. "Cruising With Randy Travis" is simply a blast. A brilliant album indie-rock fans will cherish as a seceret treasure. It deserves to be so much more.

- Anonymous Amazon Customer, 1999

Bottom line, Zen Frisbee should have been a lot bigger than they were. Here's a rundown on ZF's history. And this look back by Ross Grady sheds a little light on why they never caught fire outside of the Triangle:

Zen Frisbee were the quintessential Chapel Hill band, whatever that means. In addition to "I'm as Mad as Faust," there's a singles/b-sides compilation called "Eat at the Burrito Bunker" and a somewhat mysterious release of material by an early/different lineup called something like "10 million years BC." (As far as I can recall, all the material from their various 7"s are included on the Burrito Bunker CD, so it's pretty crucial, as those early singles were most excellent).

They were notorious around town for many things, including the perhaps predictable tardiness, sloppyness and general slackness that concealed their underlying musical genius from anybody unwilling to stick around for the second half of their set, when they'd finally get to firing on all cylinders & would transform into a mesmerizing rockband, fueled equally by the intricate guitar lines of brothers Laird & Kevin Dixon, and by the hypnotic sleaze of frontman Brian Walker's voice.

ZF were also notorious for their Halloween show which involved the members of the band wearing actual flaming pumpkins on their heads.

Guitarist Laird Dixon joined Shark Quest towards the end of Zen Frisbee's lifespan, and you can definitely recognize his guitar playing in both bands.

Laird's brother Kevin is currently playing in a Chapel Hill band called Bringerer, with sometime ZF bassist Shawn Albert, and ex-Pipe frontman Ron Liberti. Kevin is also working on a seemingly endless weekly comic called "And Then There Was Rock" for the Independent Weekly in Durham, which chronicles the long slow rise of Zen Frisbee in a lightly fictionalized manner.

- Ross Grady, 2006

Tags

!free records! (1) '91 election (1) '92 election (1) '96 election (2) 120 Mallette Street (1) 130 North Street (1) 13th Gen (1) 1980s (5) 2000s (1) 210 Ransom Street (1) 333 Lounge (4) 401 Pritchard Ave. (14) 407 North Greensboro Street (1) 70s dance (3) 81 Mulberry (1) A Tribe Called Quest (1) Aaron Gannon (1) Abbey Court (1) Abe Benrubi (1) ADF (2) AIDS (1) AIDS quilt (1) Al Gore (2) Alec Guettal (1) Alexis Mastromichalis (1) Algonquin Books (1) Allen Copeland (3) Allen Sellars (2) Alpha Phi Alpha (1) Alston Neal (1) alt.music.chapel-hill (4) Alvis Dunn (1) Amiri Baraka (1) And Then There Was Rock (1) Angela Crisp (1) Ann Humphreys (1) Anna Weinstein (1) Anne Michaud (1) ants (1) Anubis Leisure Society (2) Archers of Loaf (2) Archie Copeland (1) Art Pope (1) attic (1) August Sessions (2) B-GLAD (1) Bamboo House (4) Banu Ogan (1) Barbara Berry (2) Basic 4 (1) BCC (7) Ben Chavis (1) Ben Folds (3) benefit concerts (1) Berlin (1) Bernard Butler (1) Bernard Chi (3) Besa Mi Burro (1) Beth Ising (1) Beyond (1) Big Bertha's (1) Bill Burd (1) Bill Clinton (3) Blan Holman (1) Blind Melon (1) Block Island (3) Bob Boster (1) Bob Camp (1) Bob Sheldon (1) Boogie Nights (1) Boone's Farm (1) Boston (3) Brandon Carr (1) Breadman's (2) Brett Long (2) Brian Walker (1) Bronwyn Merritt (1) Brothers Pizza (1) Bryan Ellerson (1) Bryce Lankard (1) BSM (2) Burrito Bunker (1) Cabaret (1) Caitlin Reed (2) Campus Y (2) Carmichael Auditorium (1) Carolann Belk (3) Carolina Abuelo (3) Carolina basketball (1) Carolina Theatre (1) Caroline and Chris (2) Caroline Hall (7) Caroline Philson (20) Carrboro (1) Carrie McLaren (4) Casey Paleos (1) Cat's Cradle (15) Chalky and The Wood (1) Chapel Hill Museum (1) Chapel Hill police (1) Charles McNair (10) Charles Overbeck (1) Charlie Speight (7) Charlie St. Clair (1) Cherryl Aldave (1) Chew Toy (1) Chris Bracey (2) Chris Chapman (1) Chris Lee (1) Chris Lyn (2) Chris Palmatier (6) Chris Pedigo (21) Chris Qualls (1) Chris Riser (3) Chris van Daalen (1) Christi Ilene Ginger (1) Chuck D (1) Chuck Garrison (2) classifieds (2) Clay Boyer (6) Clint Curtis (31) Clinton's Inauguration (1) Club Babyhead (2) Club Zen (4) Cobb Terrace (1) Cole Street (2) Colonel Chutney's (1) Columbia Street Bakery (1) communal bills (1) communal living (2) CUAB (1) Cypress Hill (1) D.C. (3) Dada Veda (12) Daisuke Ikeda (13) Dali (2) Dan Partridge (1) Dana Lumsden (37) Dana Terebelski (1) Darin Johnson (1) Dave Deifell (3) Dave Graedon (1) Dave Jimenez (1) Dave Kaplan (1) Dave Suroweicki (1) Dave the nervewracker (1) David Biggs (1) David Bowie (1) David Cassidy (1) Dawad Norville (5) Dazed and Confused (1) De La Soul (2) Deee-Lite (2) Deep Rising (1) Deepu Gowda (2) Deidre Campbell (1) Denise Matthewson (2) Derek Elliott (9) Derek Shadid (7) developers (2) Diana Ross (1) Digable Planets (2) Disco Inferno (1) dishes (4) Diversions (1) DJ Pez (8) DJ Sploo (2) DJ Stony (4) Doc Martin (1) Donald Reid (1) Donald Whittier (1) Donald Williams (1) Donna Bell (3) Doug Clark (1) DTH (15) Duke (2) Duke Coffeehouse (1) Duncan Boothby (1) Dunkin Donuts (1) Durham (2) Earl Lumsden (1) Ed LeBrun (2) Eddie Sanchez (1) Electric Ladyland (1) Elizabeth Dryman (2) Ellie Blake (7) Eloise (1) Eric Dolphy (1) Eric Odell (1) Eric Wagner (1) Erica Campbell (1) Erica Herman (1) Erica Salmon (2) Ericka Kurz (3) Erik Donald France (1) Erik's room (1) Erika Gantt (5) Ernesto Guzman (1) Fall Break '93 (1) Family Dollar Pharaohs (1) far back yard (4) Fast Fare (1) FGI (2) Fifth Column (1) Finis Dunaway (3) Firas Amad (9) Flying Burrito (1) Forest Theatre (1) Fowler's (1) Frank Heath (2) Frankie Bones (1) Franklin Street (2) Fred Heineman (1) From The Bar (1) From The Hip (5) Furious Party (1) Fuse (1) Gang Starr (1) Gap-i-fication of Chapel Hill (2) garage (1) Gary Byrd (1) Gates of Beauty (1) General College (2) Generation X (1) George H.W. Bush (4) George Liquor (1) George Tate (1) George W. Bush (1) George's Garage (1) Gerald Bundy (3) Gerda Hurow (1) ghosts (3) Gill Holland (2) Golden Fleece (1) Goldie (1) graduation (1) Grant Tennille (3) Granville Towers (1) Grateful Dead (2) Great Hall (5) Greenbridge (1) Greg Humphreys (2) Gregory Owcarz (1) Groves Willer (2) Guggenheim (1) Halloween (1) Hammer No More The Fingers (1) Hardback Cafe (6) Hardin's Plantation (4) Harvey Gantt (3) Hector's (1) Hell (3) Henry's (2) Hi Mom! Film Festival (1) Hinton James (1) hip hop (1) hippies (1) HIV (2) Hobex (1) Hollywood (2) housing discrimination (1) I'm As Mad As Faust (1) Ian Williams (26) Indigo Girls (1) Inga the Volvo (3) Internationalist Books (3) Iowa City (1) Isaac Trogden (1) jam sessions (1) Jamaica Plain (2) James Bevel (1) jams (5) Jared Ose (11) Jasme Kelly (3) Jason James (1) Jay Murray (46) Jay's room (1) Jeff Israel (1) Jenny Johnson (22) Jeremy Smith (1) Jess Deltac (8) Jesse Helms (2) JFK (1) Jim Holm (3) Jim Holt (1) Jim Hunt (1) Jim Lilley (3) Jim Rash (1) Jimi Hendrix (3) Jimmy Langman (1) Joan Miro (1) Joby's Opinion (1) Joe Herzenberg (6) John Bell (5) John Coltrane (2) John Gillespie (1) John Hamilton Palmer (4) John Kricfalusi (1) John Moody (3) John Svara (4) John William Pope (2) Josh Bradt (1) Josh Johnson (1) Junior Vasquez (1) Justin Warfield (2) Jyoti Argade (16) Karen Carpenter (1) Karen Hurka (3) Karen Mann (1) Kasey Jones (1) Kendall Morgan (1) Kenneth Anger (1) Kevin Dixon (1) Killian Manning (1) knuckleheads (1) Knucklelectics (3) Kristen Schoonover (10) Kung Fu Fighting (4) Kyle York Spencer (14) Lady Miss Kier (1) Laird Dixon (1) Larry Short (7) Lauren Alexis Ford (4) Laverne (5) Lee Richardson (1) Leif Garrett (1) Lem Butler (25) Lenny Kravitz (1) Lincoln Hancock (1) Lindsay Anderson (1) Lindsay Bowen (4) Lindsay Lowry (1) Lizard and Snake (1) Local 506 (7) Lost City (15) Lydia Craft (26) Lyndon LaRouche (1) Mal Waldron (1) Malcolm Aaron (4) Malcolm X (2) Mallette Street (1) Manbites Dog Theater (1) Marc Sloop (1) March Madness (1) Mardi Gras Bowling Alley (1) Margaret Lumsden (1) Marie and Bruce (1) Mark Bibbs (1) Mark Chilton (11) Mark Dorosin (1) Mark Kleinschmidt (1) Martha Pryor (5) Matt Frish (1) Matt Goecke (1) Matt Hedt (1) Matt McMichaels (5) Matt Schofield (1) Matthew Dan Stewart (5) Mazda GLC (1) McIntyre's Books (1) Meadowmont (1) Med Deli (1) Mel Benner (4) Mel Lanham (31) Melissa Swingle (1) Memorial Hall (3) Meredith Neville (4) Meredith Smith (1) Metalheadz (1) Miami Subs (1) Michael Alig (1) Michael Connor (1) Michelangelo Signorile (1) Michelle Sinott (2) Michelle Thomas (1) Mike Shoffner (1) Mike Thomas (3) Mike Wallace (1) Millennium Center (1) mixtapes (1) MOMA (1) Mona Lisa (9) Mona Lisa room (1) Monica Swisher (1) MOVE (6) MTV Beach House (1) Mu Zeta (1) Myron B. Pitts (2) Myrtle Beach (1) N'Gai Wright (45) Naomi Wolf (1) Natty Bo (1) NCNB Plaza (1) neighbors (5) Neill Prewitt (3) Nell's (1) New England Tour '93 (2) New York City (7) New York Times (2) Nice Price Books (1) Nightlight (1) Norman Korpi (1) North Campus (1) North Street (6) Northside (1) NYC (1) O.J. Simpson (1) Old Well mural (1) Olde English 800 (1) Oliver North (1) Olivia D'Abo (1) Olivier from Paris (1) OrangePolitics (1) Owari (1) Pam Hartley (2) Papagayo's (3) Paris (4) Paris party (1) parties (25) Pat Anders (2) Paul Cardillo (2) Paul Dawson (1) Paul Ferguson (1) Paul Giragos (1) Paul Green (1) Paul Hardin (3) Paul Klee (1) Peggie Porter (4) Penny Bakatsias (2) Pete Corson (1) Pharcyde (1) Phi Mu (2) Philadelphia (2) Phoenix (1) Pine State (5) Pink House (79) Pipe (1) Plastic House (5) Plaza Theatre (2) PLUR (1) poetry (1) posters (1) Powdered Toast Man (1) Power Company (1) Prague (1) Preston Harrison Dunlop (4) Providence (1) Psych-Out (1) Purple Gator (1) Purple House (8) Pyewacket (1) Queen Steve Kennedy (1) Quince Marcum (1) raccoons (2) race relations (2) Raj Krishnasami (10) Raj Narayan (1) Rama Kayyali (1) Randy Jones (1) Rashmi Airan (10) raves (5) Ray Combs (1) recording sessions (1) Reggie Workman (1) REM (1) Ren and Stimpy (2) RHA (1) Rhode Island (1) Richard Hess (2) Richard Wright (1) Rite Aid (1) roadtrips (4) Rob Lowe (1) Robb Teer (5) Rooster (1) Rosemary Street (5) Ross Grady (1) Roy Ayers (1) Roy Lichtenstein (1) Ruby Sinreich (4) Russian House (4) Ryan Williams (1) sad news (3) Sally Stryker (3) Sapphire (1) Sarah Davis (1) Sasha (1) SCALE (2) Scott Bullock (8) Scott Holmes (3) Scott Schobel (1) SEAC (8) Shannan Bowen (2) She-Devils On Wheels (1) Sherry Lumsden (1) Short Street (2) shows (1) Shyam Patel (5) Simple Machines (1) Skylight Exchange (2) slackers (1) Smith Center (1) Smokin Joe's (1) social segregation (2) Sommerfelds (1) Sophia Sacks (1) Soul Society (1) Sound Factory (2) South Campus (1) South Philly (1) Southern Village (1) spider crickets (1) Spike Lee (4) Spins (1) Spirit Of '76 (1) Squirrel Nut Zippers (1) Stabbing Westward (1) Stacy Philpott (1) Starpoint House (1) Stay Free! (5) Stephen Akin (2) Steve William (21) student activism (1) STV (1) Sue Busby (2) Sue Narayan (1) Suede (1) Summer of '93 (4) Super DJ Dmitri (1) Superchunk (2) Susan Campbell (1) Susan Comfort (8) Susannah Turner (1) Swati Argade (4) Sweet Basil (1) Sylvia Chi (11) Talking Heads (1) Tarheels (1) Teasing The Korean (1) Television (1) Tessa Blake (5) The Brewery (1) The Campus Theatre (1) The Crown (1) The Dungeon (3) The End Unit (1) The Gap (1) The Matrix (1) The Pink House Movie (7) The Pit (2) The Regulator (1) The Roxy (1) The Student Body statues (1) Threshold (1) Tift Merritt (1) Tim Moore (1) Tim Ross (2) Time After Time (1) Todd Terry (1) Todd Thomas (1) Tokyo (1) Tom Curtis (2) Tony Deifell (6) Tony Fishel (7) Tracks (1) Trash (1) Tree House (3) Trent McDevitt (2) Trish Foulke (2) Troll's (1) Tsunami (1) Tunnel (1) Twitter (1) UNC Housekeepers Movement (1) UNC student elections (2) UNC track team (1) Unitas (1) used furniture (2) Uzoma Nwosu (6) Varsity (1) Varsity Theatre (1) Village People (1) Vogue (1) voter registration (7) Wachovia (1) Wachowski Brothers (1) Wait 'Til Your Father Gets Home (1) Wild Style Productions (1) Will Raymond (1) WXYC (9) Yackety Yack (1) Yaggfu Front (1) yard sales (3) Zak Bisacky (2) Zen Frisbee (5)