The Raybeats were an American

instrumental An instrumental is a recording normally without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through semantic widening, a broader sense of the word song may refer to instr ...

neo-surf rock combo from New York City that arose from the No Wave musical scene. The original line-up consisted of Don Christensen (drums), Jody Harris (guitar),

Pat Irwin Pat Irwin (born May 17, 1955) is an American composer and musician who was a founding member of two bands that grew out of New York City's No Wave scene in the late 1970s, the Raybeats and 8-Eyed Spy. He joined The B-52s from 1989 through 200 ...

(guitar, saxophone, Acetone organ), and

George Scott III George Scott III (October 16, 1953 - August 5, 1980) was a bass player for several New York City bands during the No Wave era. He was a founding member of 8-Eyed Spy and the Raybeats, and he worked with James Chance and the Contortions, James ...

(bass).

History

The Raybeats formed in 1979, brought together by George Scott. He had worked with Jody Harris and Don Christensen in James Chance and the Contortions, and he had worked with Pat Irwin in 8-Eyed Spy. When Scott died from a drug overdose in August 1980, he was replaced by Danny Amis. Amis left in the spring of 1982, after which the Raybeats used several bassists-for-hire, including David Hofstra, Bobby Albertson and

Gene Holder The dB's are an American alternative rock and power pop group, who formed in New York City in 1978 and first came to prominence in the early 1980s. Their debut album, ''Stands for Decibels'', is often acclaimed as one of the greatest "lost" pow ...

. Amis later formed

Los Straitjackets Los Straitjackets is an American instrumental rock band that formed in Nashville, Tennessee, United States, in 1988. Originally comprising guitarists Danny Amis (formerly of the Raybeats), Eddie Angel and drummer L. J. "Jimmy" Lester under the ...

. With Amis, the Raybeats recorded an EP called ''Roping Wild Bears'', which was released in 1981. Later that year, they recorded and released a full-length album titled ''Guitar Beat'' produced by Martin Rushent. It featured ten original tunes, plus a cover of Jan Berry's "B-Gas Rickshaw." After Amis's departure in 1982, the Raybeats recorded one more album, ''It's Only A Movie!'', which was released on Shanachie Records in 1983. They disbanded in 1984. In 1990, Christensen, Harris and Irwin reunited one more time, playing a benefit concert for the Brooklyn Academy of Music. Jared Nickerson played bass. On August 21, 2010 Pat Irwin, Jody Harris, Don Christensen, with Gail Ann Dorsey on bass backed up Adele Bertei (Contortions/The Bloods) at Joe's Pub in Greenwich Village. They played another show on August 25, 2010 at Bowery Electric (327 Bowery at 2nd Street). Also on the bill was Faith as well as Command V which was a band consisting of Pat Irwin, Cynthia Sley (Bush Tetras) and filmmaker Rachel Dengiz. On June 29, 2011, the Raybeats headlined a benefit concert at Maxwell's in

Hoboken, New Jersey Hoboken ( ; Unami: ') is a city in Hudson County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the city's population was 60,417. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 58, ...

, raising funds to cover medical expenses for former bassist Danny Amis, who had been diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Steve Almaas, formerly of The Suicide Commandos and Beat Rodeo, filled in on bass.

Discography

* ''Roping Wild Bears'' EP (Don't Fall Off the Mountain \ Beggars Banquet 1981) * ''

Guitar Beat ''Guitar Beat'' is the debut album by the neo-surf band the Raybeats. It was released in 1981 and produced by Martin Rushent. The album features ten original instrumentals, plus a Jan and Dean cover. In tongue-in-cheek fashion, the original ...

'' (Don't Fall Off the Mountain K\ PVC/Passport Records S1981) * ''It's Only A Movie!'' (Shanachie 1983) * ''The Lost Philip Glass Sessions'' (Orange Mountain Music 2013)

Compilations

* ''Start Swimming'' ( Stiff Records 1981) (recorded live at the

Rainbow (London) The Rainbow Theatre, originally known as the Finsbury Park Astoria, is a Grade II*-listed building in Finsbury Park, London. The theatre was built in 1930 as a cinema. It later became a music venue. Today, the building is used by the Univer ...

on 20 Feb 1981) * '' Children of Nuggets: Original Artyfacts from the Second Psychedelic Era, 1976-1995'' (

Rhino A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species ...

2005)

External links

Official web site

References

{{Authority control Surf music groups Musical groups established in 1979 Musical groups disestablished in 1984