Carnival Art

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Carnival Art
Carnival-Art.jpg
L-R: Brian Bell, Michael P. Tak, Ed Dobrydnio, Keith Fallis
Background information
Origin Los Angeles, CA
Years active 1989-1993
Label(s) Spineless Voodoo Records (1989-1990)
Situation Two (1990-1992)
Beggars Banquet Records (1992)
Former Members
Michael P. Tak
Ed Dobrydnio
Brian Bell
Keith Fallis
Shane Paul Rhody

Carnival Art was a rock band from Los Angeles that featured future Weezer guitarist Brian Bell.

Overview

Carnival Art was originally formed in 1989 by Michael P. Tak, Shane Paul Rhody, Ed Dobrydnio, and Keith Fallis. Shortly after the group's first release, Like Nobody's Business in 1989, Rhody would depart from the band. Dobrydnio would take over Rhody's position on guitar and Brian Bell would join the band as a bassist. This line-up would go on to release two more albums, as well as three additional EPs.

The Dig EP was released in 1990 and was the band's first release with the new line-up. It was the introduction of one of the band's most notable songs, "Mr. Blue Veins", which would later appear on the band's next two releases: the Blue Food & Black Sparks EP and Thrumdrone—the band's second album—both in 1991. "Mr. Blue Veins" was pushed as the lead single of Thrumdrone and was featured in an episode of Beavis and Butt-Head a year after the band had broken up. The Holy Smokes EP would follow in the spring of 1992, and the band's third and final album, Welcome to Vas Llegas, would be released later in fall of the same year.

Despite signing to Situation Two (a sub-label of Beggars Banquet) and later Beggars Banquet itself, Carnival Art would receive minimal radio play and poor record sales. They would be dropped by the label after the release of Welcome to Vas Llegas. Following the band's final contribution—a cover of Alice Cooper's "Cold Ethyl" for the Welcome to Our Nightmare: A Tribute to Alice Cooper compilation—they would officially disband in 1993.

Bell would first meet the members of Weezer in December of 1992[1], and after a short stint with a band he formed under the name Jerkwater, he would officially join Weezer in September of 1993.[2] Michael P. Tak would release a solo album in 1994, while Dobrydnio and Fallis would later form Shufflepuck.

Bell commented on his time during the band in a 2002 interview:


Brianhead.png
Carnival Art was not the huge success as bands today seem to be. But at the time it was successful for me. I was so young and it was great experience making records and touring the world. That's how Rivers heard about me and why I was chosen to be in Weezer. Thrumdrone is a record worth getting. Besides - there's a cool picture of me inside.


- Brian Bell, [3]


Discography

Studio albums

EPs

Singles

Compilation appearances

See also