Dramarama is an American, New Jersey–based alternative rock/power pop band, who later moved to Los Angeles. The band was formed in New Jersey in 1982 and disbanded in 1994. The band formally reunited in 2003 following an appearance on VH1's Bands Reunited.

Since 1996, an evolving lineup of the band, always fronted by singer/songwriter John Easdale, has been performing in one incarnation or another (initially billed as Easdale solo but usually joined by former Dramarama bandmates), and from then until 2003 played occasional shows in Los Angeles as well as in New Jersey. However, amid renewed interest since the episode on Bands Reunited in January 2004 and a large-scale appearance at KROQ-FM's annual Inland Invasion festival concert (attended by more than 78,000 fans) in September 2003, Dramarama then toured nationally and released a full-length CD titled Everybody Dies on October 25, 2005. Fifteen years later, they released the album Color TV.

History

1981–1994

In 1982, Dramarama formed in the basement of Looney Tunez Records (previously known as Dirt Cheap Records) in Wayne, New Jersey, owned and operated by founding member Chris Carter. Initially the line-up consisted of singer/songwriter John Easdale, "Mr. E Boy" (Mark Englert) and Carter, later joined by Peter Wood on guitar and Ron Machuga on drums.

The band’s early lineup evolved through several short-lived projects, beginning with the high school punk group The Fucks, followed by a later incarnation called DPW (a local parody name referencing their hometown Department of Public Works), before eventually developing into Dramarama. The band emerged in North New Jersey, where at that time there was a scene with radio station WHTG 106.3 and venues such as The Stone Pony, Green Parrot and Fast Lane featuring other local bands such as Red House, Smithereens, Whirling Dervishes and The Blases. In 1982, the band released its first single, "You Drive Me", attracting some national attention.

In 1984, keyboard player Ted Ellenis and drummer Ken Moutenot (replacing Machuga) joined the band and Dramarama released their first EP Comedy, a self-funded, five-track debut that garnered both critical and unexpected cult praise in France. Moutenot was replaced by Jesse Farbman, who left the group after the band's third album to pursue mind/body purity and to obtain "philosophical and spiritual awareness". Dramarama issued its first full-length release, 1985's Cinéma Vérité on France's New Rose Records. Following the local L.A. success of "Anything, Anything", the band obtained a larger advance from Chameleon and permanently moved from New Jersey to Los Angeles. The song was featured in A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master and was covered for the East Timor Benefit Album.

As an expression of gratitude to both Bingenheimer and Fields, the band gave Fields their recording of the New York Dolls' song "Private World" for inclusion on the CD The Best of Rodney on The Roq, released in 1987 and re-released in 1992 through Rhino Records.

The recording sessions for Stuck in Wonderamaland produced enough material for three albums. Easdale and Carter decided to again try a foreign release. Thus, Looking Through..., a 14-song album, was released in Europe by The Bent Backed Tulips, both pseudonym and album title in reference to lyrics from the Beatles' "Glass Onion". Looking Through... was re-released in the U.S. through eggBERT Records with extra tracks, increasing the number of songs to 20.

The band then signed with Chameleon distributor Elektra and released 1991's Vinyl. Backed by a major label for the first time, Dramarama received nationwide airplay with the singles "Haven't Got a Clue" (which also was on a CD included with the Sega CD video game system in the United States) and "What Are We Gonna Do?". The album's production with Don Smith added to the success of the LP. Vinyl included contributions from Mick Taylor, Jim Keltner, Benmont Tench, and Brian Macleod of Wire Train.

After Vinyl, a limited-edition, 17-song CD titled The Days of Wayne and Roses (The Trash Tapes) was made available to members of the Dramarama fan club. It included the band's early recordings together as well as songs that were dropped from their early albums, a couple of live performances, and one song exclusive (at the time) to the disc.

The band's final release on Elektra, 1993's Hi-Fi Sci-Fi, was well received among both critics and fans. Clem Burke, who had joined the band for the Vinyl tour, appears on this album, and backing vocal contributions include Dwight Twilley and Sylvain Sylvain. After the tours, the group split.

, Dramarama continued to perform frequently as headliners and at various festivals.

After a 15-year hiatus the band released Color TV on May 1, 2020.

|January 1, 1993

|-

|Everybody Dies

|style="text-align:center;"| —

|October 25, 2005

|-

|Color TV

|style="text-align:center;"| —

|May 1, 2020

|}

Live / compilation albums

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!Name

!Type

!Released

!Label

|-

|Play New Rose for Me

|Compilation

|1986

| rowspan="4" | New Rose

|-

|Best of Rodney on the Roq

|Compilation

| 1989

|-

|Days of Wayne & Roses

|Compilation

|1992

|-

|Rock'n'Rose

|Compilation

| rowspan="2" |1990

|-

|Live at the China Club

|Live

|Chameleon

|-

|Days of Wayne & Roses

| rowspan="3" |Compilation

| rowspan="3" |1992

| rowspan="2" |Self-released

|-

|Days of Wayne & Roses

|-

|KBCO Studio C Vol. 2

|KBCO

|-

|Welcome to Our Nightmare: A Tribute to Alice Cooper

| rowspan="3" |Compilation

| rowspan="3" |1993

| Triple X

|-

|Amongst Friends - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

| Atlantic

|-

|10 from 5

|Rhino

|-

|Melody Fair

|Compilation

|1994

| rowspan="2" |EGGBERT

|-

|Sing Hollies in Reverse

|Compilation

|1995

|-

|The Best of Dramarama: 18 Big Ones

|Compilation

|October 29, 1996

|Rhino

|-

|Blockbuster: A 70's Glitter Glam Rock Experience

|Compilation

|2000

|Robison

|-

|One Step Beyond: The Best of New Wave

|Compilation

|2002

| Rhino

|-

|Mayor of the Sunset Strip

|Compilation

|2003

| Shout! Factory

|-

|Anything Anything with Rich Russo Exclusive Live Performances

|Compilation

|2010

|

|}

Extended plays

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!Name

!Released

!Record label

|-

|Comedy

|May 19, 1984

|Question Mark Records

|-

|Vinyl

|1992

|Chameleon

|}

Singles

{| class="wikitable"

|-

!rowspan="2"|Year

!rowspan="2"|Title

!colspan="2"|Chart position

!rowspan="2"|Album

|-

!<small>US Alternative Songs</small>

!<small>AUS</small>

|-

|1983

|"You Drive Me" b/w "A Fine Example", "Femme Fatale"

| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="3"|N/A

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|Non-album single

|-

|1985

|"Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)"

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|Cinéma Vérité

|-

|1987

|"It's Still Warm" b/w "Private World"

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|Box Office Bomb

|-

| 1989

| "Last Cigarette"

| style="text-align:center;"| 13

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|rowspan=2|Stuck in Wonderamaland

|-

| 1989

| "Wonderamaland" b/w "70's TV"

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|-

| 1989

| "Anything, Anything (I'll Give You)" b/w "I Wish I Was Your Mother"

| style="text-align:center;"| —

| style="text-align:center;"| 85

| A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master

|-

|1991

|"Haven't Got a Clue"

| style="text-align:center;"| 6

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|rowspan=2|Vinyl

|-

|1991

|"What Are We Gonna Do?"

| style="text-align:center;"| 10

| style="text-align:center;"| 60

|-

|1993

|"Work for Food"

| style="text-align:center;"| 10

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|Hi-Fi Sci-Fi

|-

|1998

|"Tie Me Down" b/w "Last of the Famous International Playboys"

| style="text-align:center;"| —

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|Looking Through...

|-

|2003

|"California über alles"

| style="text-align:center;"| —

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|Non-album single

|-

|2005

|"Physical Poetry (A-B-C-D-1-2-3)"

| style="text-align:center;"| —

| style="text-align:center;"| —

|Everybody Dies

|}

  • "N/A" = not applicable as the US Alternative Songs chart was not introduced until 1988
  • "—" = song did not chart

Videography

  • 70's TV (on the compilation Slipping Through the Cracks - An Uprising of Young Pacifics)
  • Anything, Anything (I'll Give You) — 1987
  • Last Cigarette — 1989
  • Wonderamaland — 1989
  • Anything, Anything (I'll Give You) — 1990
  • Haven't Got a Clue — 1991
  • What Are We Gonna Do? — 1992
  • Work 4 Food — 1993

References

  • Official Facebook Page
  • Anant Jesse official website

<!---===Articles and interviews===

  • "Dramarama," The Montclair Times, 11/28/2005
  • "Too Good to Die," Upstage Magazine, 11/7/2005
  • Letter from the Publisher (about Dramarama), Upstage Magazine, 11/7/2005
  • "Eighties to live again in Hemet," The Press-Enterprise, 9/16/2005 (free registration required)
  • "Dramarama Record New Album," UltimateGuitar.com, 8/10/2005
  • "Reunited, and it feels so — wait, who's reuniting again?" USA Today, 3/30/2005
  • "Dramarama...They're Back!" interview with Virgin MegaMagazine, 2/2/2005
  • Interview with John Easdale, RustedRobot.com blog, 9/17/2004
  • "Second Coming: Dramarama Gets Another Chance to Rock," Las Vegas CityLife, 6/30/2004
  • "Spotlight: Dramarama," The Austin Chronicle, 3/19/2004
  • "An Interview With John Easdale," North Jersey Music, 2/17/2004
  • "Dramarama Set to Rock," The Press-Enterprise, 12/26/2003
  • "Gropenator Über Alles," EarPollution.com, 11/3/2003
  • "Arnold Über Alles!" Orange County Weekly, 10/31/2003
  • "Dramarama Take Aim at Arnold," Rolling Stone magazine, 10/7/2003
  • "the rise and fall and rise of dramarama," PopNirvana.com, 2003
  • "Everything But the Money," Eye Weekly, 08/06/1998
  • "Looking at the Bright Side," Los Angeles Times, 4/20/1998
  • Interview with johnE, Stephanie M. Mechman, 03/1998-->