The Continental Drifters were an American

rock band A rock band or pop band is a small musical ensemble that performs rock music, pop music, or a related genre. A four-piece band is the most common configuration in rock and pop music. In the early years, the configuration was typically two guita ...

, formed in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

in 1991 and dissolved in

New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

about a decade later. Though the line-up changed several times, at one point the band comprised a kind of

college rock College rock was the alternative rock music played on student-run university and college campus radio stations located in the United States and Canada in the 1980s. The stations' playlists were often created by students who avoided the mainstream ...

indie-rock Indie rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the music they produce ...

power pop Power pop (also typeset as powerpop) is a form of pop rock based on the early music of bands such as the Who, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Byrds. It typically incorporates melodic hooks, vocal harmonies, an energetic performance, and ch ...

supergroup Supergroup or super group may refer to: * Supergroup (music), a music group formed by artists who are already notable or respected in their fields * Supergroup (physics), a generalization of groups, used in the study of supersymmetry * Supergroup ...

, including as it did

Peter Holsapple Peter Livingston Holsapple (born February 19, 1956) is an American musician, who formed, along with Chris Stamey, the dB's, a jangle-pop band from Winston-Salem, North Carolina.Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongat ...

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, Mark Walton of

The Dream Syndicate The Dream Syndicate is an American alternative rock band from Los Angeles, California, originally active from 1981 to 1989, and reunited since 2012. The band is associated with neo-psychedelia and the Paisley Underground music movement; of the ba ...

Bangle Bangles are traditionally rigid bracelets which are usually made of metal, wood, glass or plastic. These ornament are worn mostly by women in the Indian subcontinent, Southeastern Asia, Arabian Peninsula, and Africa. It is common to see a bride ...

Vicki Peterson Victoria Anne Theresa Peterson Cowsill (born January 11, 1958) is an American rock musician and songwriter. She has been the lead guitarist for the Bangles since their foundation in 1981. After their first disbandment in 1989, she has returned ...

and

Susan Cowsill Susan Claire Cowsill (born May 20, 1959; Canton, Ohio) is a musician, vocalist and songwriter. The Cowsills Cowsill began her musical career with the Cowsills in 1967; she is the youngest member of the Cowsills and the only daughter of parent ...

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History

The band was formed in Los Angeles in 1991, initially consisting of Carlo Nuccio (drums, vocals), Ray Ganucheau (guitars, banjo, vocals), Mark Walton (bass), Gary Eaton (guitars, vocals) and Danny McGough (keyboards). The group gigged regularly at Raji's in LA, and were often joined by Susan Cowsill and Vicki Peterson on backing vocals and guitars, and Peter Holsapple (keyboards, guitars), though these three players were not yet official members. Holsapple was asked to join the band, but initially declined, offering instead to produce the group's debut album. The resulting disc was not released at the time; after it was completed, Holsapple, Cowsill and Peterson all joined the band officially, while McGough dropped out. Led by New Orleans natives Nuccio and Ganucheau, most of the band moved to New Orleans over a span of several months during 1993/94. Eaton was the only member who didn't make the move, and who consequently left the band. However, shortly after the move Ganucheau developed health problems, and was forced to drop out, being replaced by Robert Maché. This line up (Nuccio/Walton/Cowsill/Peterson/Holsapple/Maché) recorded the band's first issued album, ''Continental Drifters'', in 1994. Nuccio left the band after the tour for the first album. He was replaced by new drummer Russ Broussard, and this line up issued two albums: ''

Vermilion Vermilion (sometimes vermillion) is a color, color family, and pigment most often made, since ancient history, antiquity until the 19th century, from the powdered mineral cinnabar (a form of mercury sulfide, which is toxic) and its correspondi ...

'' (1998) and ''Better Day'' (2001). Susan Cowsill and Russ Broussard left the group in early 2002. The remaining players drafted drummer John Maloney and the returning Ray Ganucheau to continue for several gigs, but at this point the group essentially wound down as a continuing concern. In 2003, the band's unissued debut album was finally released, and a Continental Drifters line-up of Gary Eaton, Ray Ganucheau, Carlo Nuccio, Peter Holsapple, and Mark Walton played a gig to celebrate. On April 28, 2009, the group reunited for the fifth annual Threadhead Patry in New Orleans, LA during Jazz Fest daze between, followed by a show on May 1 at Carrollton Station, playing to a sold-out crowd. In 2015,

Omnivore Recordings Omnivore Recordings is an independent record label founded in 2010. It specializes in historical releases, reissues and previously unissued vintage recordings, as well as select releases of new music, on CD, vinyl and digital formats. Omnivore Re ...

issued a double album retrospective focused on unreleased and live tracks from the band's long history. In September 2015, the band, including all members from both the Los Angeles era and the later New Orleans manifestations, came together for fundraising concerts in New Orleans and Los Angeles.Alex Rawls
"Continental Drifters - just an informal, laid-back supergroup"
''

New Orleans Advocate ''The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate'' is an American newspaper published in New Orleans, Louisiana, since January 25, 1837. The current publication is the result of the 2019 acquisition of ''The Times-Picayune'' (itself a result of th ...

'', September 10, 2015.

Discography

;Singles *"The Mississippi" b/w "Johnny Oops" (7"/45rpm, 1992, SOL) *"Christopher Columbus Transcontinental Highway" b/w "Meet On The Ledge" (7"/45rpm, 1997, Black Dog) ;10" *''Listen, Listen'' (CDEP/10", 2001, Blue Rose) ;LPs *''Continental Drifters'' (1994, Monkey Hill/2001,

Razor & Tie Razor & Tie was an American entertainment company that consisted of a record label and a music publishing company. It was established in 1990 by Craig Balsam and Cliff Chenfeld. Based in New York City (with additional offices in Los Angeles an ...

) *''

'' (CD, 1998, Blue Rose/1999,

) *''Better Day'' (CD, 2001,

/Blue Rose) *''Nineteen Ninety-Three'' (CD, recorded 1993/released 2003, Blue Rose) ;Compilations and appearances *"When You Dance, I Can Really Love" (CD, 1995, This Note's for You, Too: A Tribute to Neil Young, Inbetweens) *"I Can't Let Go" (CD, 1995, ''

Sing Hollies in Reverse ''Sing Hollies in Reverse'' is a tribute album of various artists performing songs by British rock group The Hollies. It was released on Eggbert Records in 1995. According to AllMusic reviewer Roch Parisien, the 21 artists represented 1995's then ...

'', Eggbert) *''Drifted: In The Beginning & Beyond ''(CD, released 2015,

)

Band members

* Mark Walton - Bass, Acoustic Guitar, Vocals * Carlo Nuccio - Drums, Guitar, Vocals * Gary Eaton - Guitar, Vocals * Ray Ganucheau - Guitar, Banjo, Vocals * Dan McGough - Organ, Piano *

- Guitar, Keyboards, Accordion, Mandolin, Vocals *

- Acoustic Guitar, Vocals *

- Guitars, Vocals * Robert Maché - Guitars, Mandolin, Vocals * Russ Broussard - Drums

References

External links

Official site
* {{Authority control Rock music groups from California Rock music groups from Louisiana Musical groups established in 1991 1991 establishments in California