Facebook Twitter Instagram YouTube
    Nostalgia Central
    Banner
    • Home
    • Blog
      • Lists
      • Playlists
    • Television
      • Shows by Decade
        • 1950s Television
        • 1960s Television
        • 1970s Television
        • 1980s Television
        • 1990s Television
      • Shows by Genre
        • Comedy
        • Drama
        • Kids TV
        • Variety
        • News & Sport
        • Advertisements
      • Shows by Country
        • UK TV
        • USA TV
        • Australia & NZ TV
        • Canada TV
        • Europe TV
        • Japan TV
      • Shows A to K
        • Shows A
        • Shows B
        • Shows C
        • Shows D
        • Shows E
        • Shows F
        • Shows G
        • Shows H
        • Shows I
        • Shows J
        • Shows K
      • Shows L to Z
        • Shows L
        • Shows M
        • Shows N
        • Shows O
        • Shows P
        • Shows Q
        • Shows R
        • Shows S
        • Shows T
        • Shows U
        • Shows V
        • Shows W
        • Shows X
        • Shows Y
        • Shows Z
      • Shows 0 to 9
    • Music
      • Music by Decade
        • 1950s Music
        • 1960s Music
        • 1970s Music
        • 1980s Music
        • 1990s Music
      • Music A to K
        • Music A
        • Music B
        • Music C
        • Music D
        • Music E
        • Music F
        • Music G
        • Music H
        • Music I
        • Music J
        • Music K
      • Music L to Z
        • Music L
        • Music M
        • Music N
        • Music O
        • Music P
        • Music Q
        • Music R
        • Music S
        • Music T
        • Music U
        • Music V
        • Music W
        • Music X
        • Music Y
        • Music Z
      • Music 0 to 9
      • Genres
      • Music on Film & TV
      • One-Hit Wonders
      • Online Radio
    • Movies
      • Movies by Decade
        • 1950s Movies
          • Movies 1950
          • Movies 1951
          • Movies 1952
          • Movies 1953
          • Movies 1954
          • Movies 1955
          • Movies 1956
          • Movies 1957
          • Movies 1958
          • Movies 1959
        • 1960s Movies
          • Movies 1960
          • Movies 1961
          • Movies 1962
          • Movies 1963
          • Movies 1964
          • Movies 1965
          • Movies 1966
          • Movies 1967
          • Movies 1968
          • Movies 1969
        • 1970s Movies
          • Movies 1970
          • Movies 1971
          • Movies 1972
          • Movies 1973
          • Movies 1974
          • Movies 1975
          • Movies 1976
          • Movies 1977
          • Movies 1978
          • Movies 1979
        • 1980s Movies
          • Movies 1980
          • Movies 1981
          • Movies 1982
          • Movies 1983
          • Movies 1984
          • Movies 1985
          • Movies 1986
          • Movies 1987
          • Movies 1988
          • Movies 1989
        • 1990s Movies
          • Movies 1990
          • Movies 1991
          • Movies 1992
          • Movies 1993
          • Movies 1994
          • Movies 1995
          • Movies 1996
          • Movies 1997
          • Movies 1998
          • Movies 1999
      • Movies A to K
        • Movies A
        • Movies B
        • Movies C
        • Movies D
        • Movies E
        • Movies F
        • Movies G
        • Movies H
        • Movies I
        • Movies J
        • Movies K
      • Movies L to Z
        • Movies L
        • Movies M
        • Movies N
        • Movies O
        • Movies P
        • Movies Q
        • Movies R
        • Movies S
        • Movies T
        • Movies U
        • Movies V
        • Movies W
        • Movies X
        • Movies Y
        • Movies Z
      • Movies 0 to 9
    • Pop Culture
      • Fads
      • Toys & Games
      • Fashion
      • Decor
      • Food & Drink
      • People
      • Radio
      • Technology
      • Transport
    • Social History
      • 1950s Year by Year
      • 1960s Year by Year
      • 1970s Year by Year
      • 1980s Year by Year
      • 1990s Year by Year
      • Events
    Nostalgia Central
    Home»Music»Music by Decade»1960s Music
    1960s Music Music R 2 Mins Read

    Red Crayola, The/Red Krayola

    Share
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email

    The Red Crayola began as a psychedelic experimental rock band formed by art students at the University of St. Thomas (Texas) in 1966.

    The band was led by singer/guitarist and visual artist Mayo Thompson, along with drummer Frederick Barthelme and Steve Cunningham.

    The abstract tendencies of The Red Crayola were greeted with befuddlement when they released their debut album – The Parable of Arable Land – in 1967.

    Pre-dating Pink Floyd and Pere Ubu, and accompanied by cacophonists The Familiar Ugly, they deepened the relationship between rock and noise.

    The album was self-described as a “Free Form Freak-Out,” and remains one of the most infamous in their catalogue, with one track – Hurricane Fighter Plane – described as “one of the closest American approximations of Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd“.

    redkrayola_9877

    The album is also notable for instrumental cameos by label mate and 13th Floor Elevators frontman Roky Erickson.

    The album Coconut Hotel was recorded in 1967 but rejected by International Artists for its lack of commercial potential. The album did not see release until 1995.

    The band’s second album to see release (and the first to be released with the new “Krayola” spelling) was 1968’s God Bless the Red Krayola and All Who Sail With It.

    Having veered away from the cacophonous psychedelic approach of their first album, the band performed short, minimalist songs on guitar, bass and drums (interspersed with occasional a cappella harmonies and piano interludes) to achieve some surprisingly melodic results and even more surprisingly off-kilter lyrics.

    The album was not well received and the Red Krayola’s original lineup disbanded.

    Mayo Thompson continued to make music, both under his own name and as The Red Crayola. He teamed up with American drummer Jesse Chamberlain and recorded the single Wives in Orbit and the album Soldier Talk.

    Mayo Thompson
    Vocals, guitar
    Steve Cunningham
    Bass
    Frederick Barthelme
    Drums
    Jesse Chamberlain
    Drums

    Related Posts

    • Blossom Toes
      Blossom Toes
      Blossom Toes were a quintessentially English psychedelic pop band active between 1967 and 1969. Signed by Yardbirds manager Giorgio Gomelsky…
    • adammiketim00
      Adam, Mike & Tim
      Adam Sachs, Mike Sedgwick and Tim Saunders were encouraged by a friend to send a demo to Decca records who…
    • thetickle02
      Tickle, The
      Having grown out of the obscure mod rock band The Bunch of Fives, The Tickle were one of the numerous…
    • kaleidoscopeuk2
      Kaleidoscope (UK)
      Kaleidoscope were formed in Acton in 1963 as The Sidekicks but changed their name to The Key in 1965 when…
    • newvaudevilleband000
      New Vaudeville Band, The
      The 1966 UK #1 single Winchester Cathedral was actually recorded by a group of studio musicians assembled by writer, producer and…
    • trafficsound000
      Traffic Sound
      Formed in 1967, Peruvian band Traffic Sound - an exalted name in psych and prog rock circles - recorded four stunning albums…
    • mightybaby7
      Mighty Baby
      From the blazing psychedelia of their blistering self-titled debut album (November 1969) to the mellow sounds of their swansong, A…
    • tages007
      Tages
      Tages were a Swedish rock and roll/psychedelic/folk band formed in the early 60s near Gothenburg. The band released a number…

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest WhatsApp Reddit Email
    Previous ArticleRay Columbus and The Invaders
    Next Article Redd Kross

    Comments are closed.

    NC Radio Player
    Search the site
    Nostalgia Central has been a labour of love since 1998. The site carries no advertising, and I rely on donations to help with running costs and to keep the site running for your entertainment and education.

    If you find the site informative or enjoyable, please consider a donation – no matter how small.
    Thank you so much. Enjoy your trip in the time machine!
    You may also like

    • Misunderstood, The
      Misunderstood, The
      The Misunderstood formed in 1963 in Riverside, California, after being bitten by the surf music bug. In the wake of the…
    • tomorrowband22
      Tomorrow
      In the early days of British psychedelia, three bands were consistently cited as first-generation figureheads of the London-based underground sound: Pink…
    • redlorryyellowlorry
      Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
      These Leeds-based post-punk doomsters formed in 1982. York-based label/distributor Red Rhino released their hypnotic debut 45, Beating My Head, six months later.…
    • Sopwith Camel
      Sopwith Camel
      Sopwith Camel formed in late 1965 with a lineup consisting of vocalist and saxophone player Peter Kraemer, guitarists Terry MacNeil and…


    Nostalgia Central covers the period 1950 to 1999 and contains some words and references which reflect the attitudes of those times and which may be considered culturally sensitive, offensive or inappropriate today.
    Copyright © 1998, 2023 Nostalgia Central. Run by volunteers. Funded by donations.
    • About Nostalgia Central
    • Contact
    • FAQ

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.