The Spent Poets - Information and Discography

If you want to chat about the lost album "Steve" or have rare Spent Poets recordings, drop me an email (address at bottom of page).

My Other Spent Poets-related Pages:

• The Bone Factory
• Adam Gates' non-Spent Poets projects
• Matt Winegar's non-Spent Poets projects (including Slider)
• Spent Poets live performance information

Spent Poets Links:

• Adam Gates:
  • Four tracks from "Steve" ("Mobius", "Sleep", "Pink Elephant" and "Jack Is The Beast") are posted in MP3 format at the Madame Blavatsky Overdrive site.
• Matthew Winegar:
  • Two tracks from "Steve" ("Sleep" and "Jack Is The Beast") are streaming at Matt Winegar's MySpace page.
  • Matthew Winegar discusses the recording diary here at Tape Op. And more about the Poets recordings here.
• Derek Greenberg:
  • Current musical project is AirKing Sound.
  • One of AirKing Sound's projects is a generative audio system called Autopilot. One of the contributors to Autopilot is Madame Blavatsky Overdrive.
  • AirKing Sound also provided the soundtrack for the Invisible-5 project.
  • The Spent Poets Recording Diary @ BeanpoleLand (Derek Greenberg's current musical project). At one point, the group Beanpole consisted of Derek Greenberg, Larry LaLonde and Adam Gates. Looks like the site is down for maintenance...for 3 years running. Some of the content is at the WaybackMachine here. Some of the recording diary appears to be there, but I haven't had a chance to make an exhaustive survey..
  • Adam Gates has posted ten Beanpole tracks on the MBO site.
• John Berg:
  • Bone Factory - John Berg's site - He hasn't changed this page since May of 1997. The site says "mail me" but I've never managed to get him to answer. John is an avid motorcyclist and can be spotted posting on mailing lists occasionally. He is also the only Poet who still posts to USENET occasionally. Site is now down. Some content is available at the Wayback Machine here.
• Other:
  • a review of the album in Italian - You can view a translated version here.
  • the Spent Poets fan's special page - it's in Japanese, so I really don't know what it says. Site is down. Meaning the world has one less Spent Poets page. Some of the content is here in the Wayback Machine, I still don't know what the pages say.
• Monkey Rhythm:
  • Contact info for Graham Clarke (ex-Monkey Rhythm) is here.

Other facts:

• Adam's prior band was named Monkey Rhythm. The name was then also used for his collaboration with Matthew Winegar. The band was renamed as The Spent Poets during the recording of the first album.
• A second album entitled "Steve" was recorded, but shelved by the label. The band was dropped by the label. Other labels made offers, but the band broke up shortly afterward.
• Matt and Adam produced Primus' first record "Suck On This".
• Matt Winegar co-produced Primus' "Frizzle Fry", which also includes an excerpt from a very familiar recording of "You Can't Kill Michael Malloy".
• Adam, Derek and Matt appeared on Primus' "Sailing The Seas Of Cheese".

Discography:

• Artist: The Spent Poets
• Title: Dogtown
• Label: Geffen
• Catalog Number: PRO-CD-4392
• Format: cd-single
• Release Date: 1992
• Tracks:
  1. Dogtown (Edit) 4:00
  2. Dogtown (LP Version) 5:42
• Other Notes:
  • promo, carboard gatefold slipcase

• Artist: The Spent Poets
• Title: Dogtown
• Label: One Little Indian
• Catalog Number: 55TP7CDSP / 55TP12ST
• Format: cd-single / 12"
• Release Date: 1992
• Country: US
• Tracks:
  1. Dogtown 5:55
  2. Grassheads (Eight-Track Demo Version) 6:03
  3. Why Are You Sleeping With Mr. Brown? (Eight-Track Demo Version) 3:59
• Other Notes:
  • Tracks 2 & 3 produced by The Spent Poets
  • promo, slimline jewelcase

• Artist: The Spent Poets
• Title: Ali Ali Ackbar
• Label: Geffen
• Catalog Number: GED 21725
• Release Date: 1992
• Format: cd-single
• Country: DE (Germany)
• Tracks:
  1. Ali Ali Ackbar 4:38
  2. You Can't Kill Michael Malloy 2:57
  3. Grassheads (Eight-Track Demo Version) 6:03
• Other Notes:
  • Track 3 produced by The Spent Poets
  • slimline jewelcase

• Artist: The Spent Poets
• Title: The Spent Poets
• Label: Geffen
• Catalog Number: GEFD-24467 (MVCG-88 in Japan)
• Release Date: 1992
• Format: CD / cassette / LP
• Tracks:
  1. Mr. Einstein
  2. My Useless Heart
  3. Your Existential Past
  4. Grassheads
  5. Special
  6. Dogtown
  7. You Can't Kill Michael Malloy
  8. Walt Whitman's Beard
  9. He's Living With His Mother Now
  10. Ali Ali Ackbar
  11. The Rocks In Virginia's Dress
  12. You Don't Know Me
  13. Why Are You Sleeping With Mr. Brown?
  14. A Bad Case Of Melancholy
• Notes:
  • "Mr. Einstein", "My Useless Heart", "Dogtown", "Walt Whitman's Beard", "He's Living With His Mother Now", "Ali Ali Ackbar", "The Rocks In Virginia's Dress", and "Why Are You Sleeping With Mr. Brown" by Adam Gates.
  • "You Can't Kill Michael Malloy" by Matthew Winegar.
  • "Grassheads", "You Don't Know Me" and "A Bad Case Of Melancholy" by Adam Gates and Matthew Winegar.
  • "Your Existential Past" by Adam Gates and John Berg.
  • "Special" by Adam Gates and Derek Greenberg.
  • "You Don't Know Me" is actually the original eight-track demo version. It was re-recorded for the album but not used. "Special" was recorded twice, with the second version making it onto the album. It is unknown if these alternate recordings still exist.
  • The following tracks went onto the album in their demo form without re-recording: "A Bad Case of Melancholy", "He's Living With His Mother Now", and "You Can't Kill Michael Malloy".
  • These and many more recording details available at The Spent Poets Recording Diary.
  • The Japanese version of the album features a brief bio in the booklet, but it is in Japanese, so I don't know what it says.
  • It appears that Geffen has re-issued the album in a mid-price version. I have heard a report of differing sound quality, but have not been able to confirm yet.
  • Lyrics

Unreleased Recordings:

• Artist: The Spent Poets
• Title: Steve Demos
• Tracks:
  1. Beatles Big Top
  2. Pink Elephant
  3. Sleep
  4. Saville Row
  5. Fair Weathered Friend
  6. Prodigy Suit
  7. Jack Is The Beast
  8. Dope
  9. The Phantom Of My Own Opera
  10. Troubled Young Man
  11. Mobius
  12. I'd Like To
  13. Reasons To Drink
  14. Mrs. Thompson
  15. Complicated Jane
  16. Won't You Let Me Join Your Band?
  17. I Want
  18. Heroin
  19. I Was Dead
  20. The Black Pope
• All recordings are 8-track demos, recorded on a Tascam 388.
• Personnel on this recording:
  • Adam Gates
  • Derek Greenberg
  • Matt Winegar
• Recorded and produced by Matthew Winegar.
• Studio: The Jesus Room, Fremont, CA (aka Matt's Bedroom).
• All music and lyrics by Adam Gates except: "Troubled Young Man" - music and lyrics by Matt Winegar, and "Mrs. Thompson" - music and lyrics by Derek Greenberg.
• Lyrics

• Artist: The Spent Poets
• Title: Untitled EP
• Label: Geffen
• Catalog Number: was there one assigned?
• Release Date: none, shelved by Geffen and never released
• Tracks:
  1. The Absolute Core Of Happiness
  2. Unknown
  3. Unknown
  4. Unknown
• 4-track EP never released.
• All recordings are 8-track demos.
• Recorded and produced by Matthew Winegar.
• Studio: The Jesus Room, Fremont, CA.

• Artist: The Spent Poets
• Title: Steve
• Label: Geffen
• Catalog Number: GEF-24610
• Release Date: none, shelved by Geffen and never released
• Tracks:
  1. Dope
  2. The Black Pope
  3. Prodigy Suit
  4. Sleep
  5. Heroin
  6. Jack Is The Beast
  7. Troubled Young Man
  8. Mobius
  9. Reasons To Drink
  10. Waiting For The Man
  11. Mrs. Thompson
  12. Pink Elephant
• All music and lyrics by Adam Gates except: "Troubled Young Man" - music and lyrics by Matt Winegar, and "Mrs. Thompson" - music and lyrics by Derek Greenberg.
• Personnel on this recording:
  • Adam Gates
  • Derek Greenberg
  • Matt Winegar
• Produced by The Spent Poets and David Bianco.
• Engineered and Mixed by David Bianco.
• "Jack Is The Beast" and "Pink Elephant" recorded by Matthew Winegar. They are taken from the 8-track demos.
• Studios: Coast Recording, San Francisco, CA and The Jesus Room, Fremont, CA.
• Lyrics

Compilations:

• Artist: Various
• Title: Stolar Tracks Volume 1
• Label: None
• Catalog Number: None
• Release Date: 1992
• Format: CD
• Tracks:
  15. My Useless Heart
• Promotional CD for Stolar Vodka.
• Liner notes include the following biography: "On their self-titled debut, San Francisco's Spent Poets shower the listener with highly decorative orchestration, lavish melodies and a penchant for Beatlesque sounds -- they even sample Beatles' producer George Martin. One of the CD's prettiest songs, 'My Useless Heart' is a demonstratin of their superb songwriting skills and is a harbinger of great things to come from this band."

• Artist: Various
• Title: DGC Comp. #8
• Label: DGC?
• Catalog Number: ??
• Release Date: 1992?
• Format: CD
• Tracks:
  • Dogtown

• Artist: Various
• Title: KGEF: The Only Music That Matters
• Label: Geffen
• Catalog Number: PRO-CD-4400
• Release Date: 1992
• Format: CD
• Country: USA
• Tracks:
  3. Dogtown
• CD is one continuous track made to sound like a radio broadcast including: DJ chatter, songs, bumpers, caller requests and advertisements.
• DJ chatter after the song: "You've been listening to The Spent Poets, with 'Dogtown' from their self-titled debut album on Geffen. This band emerging out of San Francisco is comprised of John Berg, Adam Gates, Derek Greenberg, Michael Urbano and Michael [sic] Winegar. Quite a unique sound. You'll be hearing a lot more about these guys in the future, I'm sure."

• Artist: Various
• Title: Road Kill
• Label: ??
• Catalog Number: ??
• Release Date: 1992?
• Format: CD
• Country: USA
• Tracks:
  • Grassheads

• Artist: Various
• Title: The Power Of Positive Listening
• Label: ??
• Catalog Number: ??
• Release Date: 1992?
• Format: CD
• Country: USA
• Tracks:
  • Your Existential Past

Covers:

• Artist: The Chorallaries of MIT
• Title: Earshot
• Release date: May 1995
• Format: CD
• Country: US
• Tracks:
  16. Your Existential Past
• more info at MIT

• Artist: Jackson Jackson
• Title: (track is a non-album track on his webpage)
• Format: MP3
• Release Date: ?
• Country: US
• Tracks:
  • Special
• Link to Jackson's webpage, the file is in the "Music" subsection
• Worth noting is the lyrical change he makes - the original line is "And as she brings her hands to pray, She gave her life away, Nothing ever changes", but Jackson sings "And as she brings her hand to pray, She gave her life away, Something in her changes"

• Artist: Jackson Jackson
• Title: Paseo Padre
• Format: CD
• Release Date: 2006
• Country: US
• Tracks:
  11. Mr. Einstein
• Link to Jackson's webpage

Monkey Rhythm:

• Artist: Monkey Rhythm
• Title: I've Been Burned / Buried In The Sand
• Label: Unknown
• Catalog Number: Unknown
• Format: Cassette
• Release Date: 14 September 1984
• Country: US
• Tracks:
  1. I've Been Burned
  2. Buried In The Sand
• Music on "Buried In The Sand" by Adam Gates. Music on "I've Been Burned" by Adam Gates, Charles Risby & Graham Clarke.
• All lyrics by Adam Gates.
• Data obtained from a search of the United States Copyright Office.

• Artist: Monkey Rhythm
• Title: This Must Be The Place
• Label: 415 Records
• Catalog Number: 415-0011
• Format: 12" vinyl
• Release Date: 1985
• Country: US
• Tracks:
  1. This Must Be The Place
  2. Heaven's Gate
  3. Buried In The Sand
  4. Happiness Died At The Willow Tree
• Personnel:
  • Adam Gates: Bass Guitar & Vocals
  • Graham Clarke: Guitars & Keyboards
  • Chuck Risby: Drums
  • Piano on "Heaven's Gate" by Derek Greenberg
  • Cello on "Heaven's Gate" by Guryneth Monks
  • Storm on "Heaven's Gate" by Mother Nature, Inc.
• Credits:
  • All songs by Gates & Clarke except "Buried In The Sand" which is by Gates.
  • All lyrics by Gates.
  • Produced by Matt Wallace and Monkey Rhythm at Prairie Sun Recording Studios, Cotati, California, except "Happiness Died At The Willow Tree" and "Heaven's Gate", produced by John Baccigaluppi and Monkey Rhythm at Heavenly Recording Studios, Sacramento, California.
  • All songs mixed at Prairie Sun Studios by Matt Wallace.
• Run-off groove etchings:
  • A: ...GOD CREATED RIDDUM ...AND HE SAW THAT IT WAS GOOD
  • B: THIS IS MON-KEE RID-DUM

Copyright 2002-2007 by Karl Reinsch, <karl at rockin-r dot net>
Last updated: 9 December 2007