Camper Van Beethoven is an American rock band formed in Redlands, California, in 1983, later based in Santa Cruz and San Francisco. Their style mixes elements of pop, ska, punk, folk, alternative, country, and world music, among other genres. The band initially polarized audiences within the hardcore punk scene of California's Inland Empire and then found wider acceptance and, eventually, an international audience. Their strong iconoclasm and emphasis on do-it-yourself values proved influential to the burgeoning indie rock movement.

The band's first three independent records were released within an 18-month period. Their debut single was "Take the Skinheads Bowling", a song with nonsensical lyrics that became an unexpected hit. The group signed to Virgin Records in 1987, released two albums and enjoyed chart success with their 1989 cover of Status Quo's "Pictures of Matchstick Men", a number one hit on Billboard Magazines Modern Rock Tracks. They disbanded the following year due to internal tensions.

Lead singer David Lowery formed Cracker, David Immerglück joined Counting Crows, and several other members played in Monks of Doom. Beginning in 1999, Camper Van Beethoven reunited and made several new records.

History

Formative and early years (1983–1985)

Camper Van Beethoven was preceded by several related garage bands based in Redlands, At the same time, Lowery, Molla and Krummenacher were studying in Santa Cruz at the University of California, Santa Cruz, and were musically active there as well. The former two played in the Santa Cruz-based Box O' Laffs, which also included future Camper Van Beethoven members Richie West, Anthony Guess, and Chris Pedersen at various times.

While on summer break in 1983, Lowery and Molla returned to Redlands and formed a new band, Camper Van Beethoven and the Border Patrol. The group featured Lowery, Molla, Krummenacher and McDonald, along with several other musicians at various points, including guitarist David McDaniel, harmonica player Mike Zorn and violinist Daniel Blume.

First three albums and member changes (1985–1987)

In 1985, the band reduced its name to Camper Van Beethoven, replaced West with Anthony Guess, and recorded their debut album, Telephone Free Landslide Victory. The record featured their first successful single, "Take the Skinheads Bowling", the lesser hit "The Day That Lassie Went to the Moon", and an experimental country-influenced cover version of Black Flag's "Wasted". and instrumental tracks featuring ska-beats and Eastern European, Mexican or Spaghetti-Western influenced guitar or violin lines.

Shortly after this record was released, lead guitarist Greg Lisher joined the group. The band recorded a set of songs with an expanded version of the lineup that recorded the debut, with Lisher playing lead on some songs. Guess departed shortly thereafter, leaving Lowery and Molla briefly to take turns swapping drumming duties. This incarnation recorded a second set of songs, with Molla handling the drums. At the end of the sessions, in 1986, long-term drummer Chris Pedersen was added. The band played their first national tour in the spring as a 5-piece with Lisher on guitar. After finishing the tour, Lisher temporarily left the band as well, and Molla rejoined. The band started recording their next album in May 1986, with Molla on guitar and pedal steel. The band invited Lisher to play on the sessions, and he ended up rejoining.

Released in August 1986, their self-titled third album featured guest membership from experimental banjo and guitar player Eugene Chadbourne on their cover of Pink Floyd's "Interstellar Overdrive" and several other tracks.

David Immerglück (of the Ophelias and the Monks of Doom) joined in 1990 for touring behind the record, playing some of the departed Molla and Segel's instrumental parts on steel guitar, guitar and mandolin. They broke up in April 1990 after a show in Örebro, Sweden. Extensive touring, mostly with Margolis and Funaro, followed.

The group next released Cigarettes & Carrot Juice: The Santa Cruz Years, a five-disc box set compiling their first three (pre-Virgin) albums, Camper Vantiquities, and a live recording from 1990 they called Greatest Hits Played Faster. The latter recording featured live versions of several unreleased songs. Shortly thereafter, the band released "director's cut" versions of the first three records and Camper Vantiquities, which included remastering, re-sequencing and additional demo and B-side tracks.

New Roman Times; live and compilation releases (2004–2012)

In 2004, the band released New Roman Times, their first studio album of original material in 15 years. A concept album, the record detailed the rise and fall of an idealistic Texan whose disenchantment following a stint with the American military redirected him towards organized terrorism. It featured the band's familiar eclectic sound, but also added a heavier, prog-metal sound on a few tracks. The lineup on the album included Lowery, Krummenacher, Segel, Lisher, Pedersen and Immergluck. The album also featured contributions by other Camper Van Beethoven associates, including Molla and Hickman. Following the album's release, Pedersen and Immergluck did not participate in the touring lineup, and Funaro started to handle all of the drumming in live shows.

A limited-edition live concert disc was also released, In the Mouth of the Crocodile – Live in Seattle. Segments of a 2004 performance were released the following year as Discotheque CVB: Live in Chicago.

The band continued to frequently tour with Cracker (whom Krummenacher joined for a time), and in 2005 the two groups started an annual three-night "Campout" at Pappy and Harriet's Pioneertown Palace in Pioneertown, California. The Campout has seen appearances by Built to Spill, Neko Case, Magnolia Electric Company, and John Doe, as well as sets from the individual members of the band.

A compilation of greatest hits, Popular Songs of Great Enduring Strength and Beauty, was released by Cooking Vinyl Records in June 2008. As band relations with Virgin Records were poor, they were not granted access to any material from the two Virgin LPs for this compilation. Thus, the band re-recorded five songs from these albums to include on the collection. These were the first and only Camper Van Beethoven studio tracks to include Funaro.

In 2011, the band began playing a series of shows that featured the Key Lime Pie record in its entirety, often joined by Immergluck. In the same year, they also revealed plans for a new album.

La Costa Perdida, El Camino Real and likely end of touring activity (2013–present)

La Costa Perdida, the followup to New Roman Times, was released on January 22, 2013, preceded by the single "Northern California Girls". The music was inspired in part by Holland-era Beach Boys. Most of the drumming on the album was by studio drummer and former Cracker member Michael Urbano, although Chris Pederson played on some tracks as well. Much of the album featured a gentler, more folky sound than their previous albums.

Lowery revealed in interviews that there were seven songs recorded during the sessions for La Costa Perdida that were not released, which would be included on a follow-up album to be finished in 2013. In August 2013, the band revealed on its Facebook page that it was tracking songs for the album, with Urbano on drums again. The band stated that the album would be a Southern California-themed sequel to the Northern California theme of La Costa Perdida. On March 2, 2014, the band announced a title for the new album, El Camino Real, which was released on June 3, 2014, in the United States and on June 23, 2014, in the UK. In contrast to the previous album, it featured some of the band's most abrasive and intense music, mixing elements of prog-rock and punk with the band's trademark eclecticism.

For subsequent tour dates, the band initially alternated Pedersen and Urbano on drums, due to health problems that have prevented Frank Funaro from playing. Since 2015, Chris Pedersen has been flying in from Australia to participate in the band's infrequent tours, resulting in a reunion of their best-known late 80s lineup. David Immerglück also continued to join the band's lineup for occasional shows.

In 2015 the band contributed two tracks to the original motion picture soundtrack for the film Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!, "Long Way to Go (Sharknado)" and "Infinite Ocean".

The band continued touring through 2020, and then did not play for several years thereafter. They embarked on a brief tour in 2025, with founding guitarist/drummer Chris Molla sitting in on accordion. These shows were billed as including 'all original members,' presumably referring to Molla's presence, although drummer Anthony Guess did not participate. During the tour, Lowery posted on social media that the September, 21 performance at the 9:30 Club would likely be the final performance of the band, and referred to the difficulties of operating as a band with members in three different countries and five different times zones.

Band members

Current members

  • David Lowery – lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards, bass, drums (1983–1990, 1999–present)
  • Victor Krummenacher – bass, baritone guitar, vocals, occasional lead vocals (1983–1990, 1999–present)
  • Jonathan Segel – violin, guitar, keyboards, sitar, mandolin, vocals, occasional lead vocals (1984–1989, 1999–present)
  • Greg Lisher – lead guitar, backup vocals (1985–1990, 1999–present)
  • Chris Pedersen – drums, backup vocals (1986–1990, 2004, 2015–present; 2002–2014 part-time)

Part-time members

  • David Immerglück – guitar, lap steel guitar, mandolin, bass, backup vocals (1990; 2004, 2000–2003/2005–present part-time)
  • Michael Urbano – drums (2011–present in studio, occasional live dates)

Former members

  • Chris Molla – guitar, pedal steel, keyboards, accordion, drums, vocals (1983–1986; 2002–2004 part-time; 2025 as guest)
  • David McDaniel – guitar (1983–1984)
  • Bill McDonald – drums (1983–1984)
  • Mike Zorn – harmonica (1983–1984)
  • Daniel Blume – violin (1983–1984)
  • Richie West – drums (1984)
  • Anthony Guess – drums (1985)
  • Eugene Chadbourne – guitar, banjo (1986, studio sessions only)
  • Don Lax – violin (1989, studio sessions only)
  • Morgan Fichter – violin, vocals (1989–1990)
  • Frank Funaro – drums, backup vocals (2000–2004 as guest, 2004–2013 as member, mostly for live dates)
  • Kenny Margolis – keyboards, accordion (2000–2006 as guest)

Discography

Studio albums

  • Telephone Free Landslide Victory (1985)
  • II & III (1986)
  • Camper Van Beethoven (1986)
  • Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart (1988)
  • Key Lime Pie (1989)
  • Tusk (2002)
  • New Roman Times (2004)
  • La Costa Perdida (2013)
  • El Camino Real (2014)

EPs and singles

  • Take the Skinheads Bowling (1986) – single
  • Vampire Can Mating Oven (1987) – EP
  • "Turquoise Jewelry" (1988)
  • "Life Is Grand" (1988)
  • "Pictures of Matchstick Men" (1990)
  • "The History of Utah" (live) (2004) – split single with Calexico

Live albums

  • In the Mouth of the Crocodile – Live in Seattle (2004) – live album
  • Discotheque CVB: Live In Chicago (2005) – live EP

Compilations

  • Camper Vantiquities (1993) – rarities compilation
  • Camper Van Beethoven Is Dead. Long Live Camper Van Beethoven (2000) – rarities compilation
  • Cigarettes & Carrot Juice: The Santa Cruz Years (2002) – boxed set
  • Popular Songs of Great Enduring Strength and Beauty (2008) – greatest hits compilation

Various artist compilations

  • Look at All the Love We Found (2005) – Sublime tribute album
  • The Sandinista! Project (2007) – The Clash tribute album
  • Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No! (2015) film soundtrack

References

  • Official web page
  • Audio recordings at the Live Music Archive
  • Interview with Crawdaddy!