Big Beef Productions
Cage - The Big Beef Demo Sessions
updated
Held February 2, 1991, this concluding portion of the day's events features performances by John Dubuc of band The Obvious at the time, who is joined by his friend and former Obvious bandmate Nick Kizirnis, who was playing with the band The Killjoys (aka The Raging Mantras) at the time, and later was part of two of Dayton, Ohio’s most notable bands of the 90’s, Cage and The Mulchmen.
Also appearing are the original incarnation of The Pure Plastic Tree, a band that reformed after singer Kattie Dougherty left and went on to found her new band Real Lulu, along with a closing solo set by the aforementioned Nick Kizirnis.
For a fairly complete gigography of every performance ever held at Canal Street..
mickslisteningroomgigology.com/website/gigology-1981-1991
For more Nick Kizirnis
nickkizirnis.com
And his bands The Killjoys and The Mulchmen
bigbeef.com/mulchmen
For more on The Pure Plastic Tree
bigbeef.com/ppt
Held February 2, 1991, this portion of the day's events features performances by Chris Montgomery with The Beets, Sharon Lane, Michael Kotur, Will Dalgard, and Denny Wilson (whose band Tooba Blooze was a staple of the Dayton music scene at the time).
For a fairly complete gigography of every performance ever held at Canal Street..
mickslisteningroomgigology.com/website/gigology-1981-1991
Held February 2, 1991, this portion of the day's events features performances by Ben Schelker (who was very active with his band The Oxymorons at the time), the acoustic duo Cobalt Blue, Phyllis Turner, Victoria Jones (joined by Phyllis Turner and Sharon Lane), and Glee & Beak (Morgan Taylor and David Ponitz).
For a fairly complete gigography of every performance ever held at Canal Street..
mickslisteningroomgigology.com/website/gigology-1981-1991
[Note: Tom’s camcorder lists the date as the 27th of December, but the show was actually the 26th]
For a more complete video document of the night’s event, shot by original Big Beef’ster the documentary filmmaker and long time Real Lulu fan Steve Bognar
youtu.be/JznMt9yyh_s
Real Lulu is:
Kattie Dougherty - Guitar and Vocals
Sharon Gavlick - Bass and Vocals
Jim Macpherson - Drums
For more on Real Lulu:
bigbeef.com/real-lulu
Video produced by DATV (Dayton Access Television) and originally airing on cable TV in the greater Dayton region. Thank you, DATV!
The Band:
Nick Kizirnis - Guitar, Vocals
Dr. Crazy Joe Tritschler - Guitar, Vocals
Brian Hoeflich - Bass, Vocals
Kelly Morelock - Drums
For more on Nick Kizirnis;
nickkizirnis.com
For more on Nick's band The Mulchmen;
bigbeef.com/mulchmen
DATV (Dayton Access Television)
datv.org
Held at what is now the rather legendary Cro-Magnon Studios in Dayton, Ohio, a regular working and playing spot at the time, and site of hundreds of recordings by Dayton area bands, including Bob Pollard and Guided By Voices, as well as a host of Big Beef Records releases. The gathering involved a number of impromptu jams among friends throughout the evening, a few of them captured here.
This took place amidst a time where Nick’s band The Mulchmen was running full throttle, what with the recent release of their cassette released “Covered With Mulch” and soon to be full length CD “Greetings From Planet Stupider.”
More on The Mulchmen here:
bigbeef.com/mulchmen
Video documentation by Steve Bognar.
Frankie Camaro (aka Paul Peter Jova) was no stranger to the Dayton music scene at the time, so it was not uncommon for Dayton-based bands like The Mulchmen and Real Lulu to join him on bills like this.
This show was also notable for being the Two Tod(d)s Mulchmen gig, as regular Mulchmen bassist Brian Hogarth was unavailable for the trip, so friend and Dayton music stalwart Tod Weidner filled in, as well as an appearance by their friend and Luna Music and recordhead label creator Todd Robinson (who put out the band's first release, the "All The News That's Fit To Surf" 7" EP).
For more on Real Lulu and The Mulchmen...
bigbeef.com/real-lulu
bigbeef.com/mulchmen
Tod Weidner remains and active professional songwriter and musician, now based out in California. More on his excellent work here...
todweidner.com
This show took place the same day Real Lulu was in town doing filming for the video to their song “Chief,” of which some of this concert was itself included in the video. The “Chief” video was shot on 16mm film and directed by acclaimed filmmaker and original Big Beef’ster Steve Bognar. The band had spent the day doing shooting for the video, driving around in limousines with huge chickens on them. They later arrived that evening to the gig chauffeured to the front door in, which turned some heads and made for a good laugh.
You can see some of that production process at work, including plenty of footage of the chicken limos, here…
youtu.be/ZjsQZt1nBV4
This was also the period in which Guided By Voices was primarily made up of the members of the band Cobra Verde, featuring Doug Gillard, who has remained working with Bob Pollard pretty much ever since. It was also the gig in which Bob, while watching Real Lulu drummer Jim Macpherson (previous and again later Breeders drummer as well) doing his thing, was probably inspired to envision another GBV line up change, as it wasn’t long after this gig that GBV welcomed the addition of Jim and Nate Farley to the line up, along with the return of Greg Demos. That line up would go on to record the Ric Ocasek-produced "Do The Collapse” in 1999.
The song “Chief" was recorded at Cyberteknics Studios in Dayton, Ohio with Phil Mehaffey, and produced by Gregg Spence and Andy Valeri. The song is available on Real Lulu's CD release "After You."
You can see the final product here…
Real Lulu - “Chief”
youtu.be/Mr__dLcH3C4?si=SqyQQFCRWpXNNg_c
More on Real Lulu here...
bigbeef.com/real-lulu
The film was created and directed by original Big Beef’ster (and later Emmy and Oscar-winning filmmaker) Steve Bognar, who shot the whole thing with a 16mm Bolex film camera.
Also among the production contingent is fellow Daytonian Dave Doughman of Swearing at Motorists whose featured as one of the ‘cast’ in the video.
The song “Chief" was recorded at Cyberteknics Studios in Dayton, Ohio with Phil Mehaffey, and produced by Gregg Spence and Andy Valeri. The song is available on Real Lulu's CD release "After You."
You can see the final product here…
youtu.be/Mr__dLcH3C4?si=SqyQQFCRWpXNNg_c
More on Real Lulu here...
bigbeef.com/real-lulu
Real Lulu is
Kattie Dougherty - Guitar & Vocals
Sharon Gavlick - Bass & Vocals
Jim Macpherson - Drums
*Fun Fact: This footage only covers some of the shooting work earlier in the day, the in action scenes featuring the chicken limousines from Love Auto rental. This was because Big Beef producer Andy Valeri who was doing much of the documenting left the shoot early to go watch the Penn State-Ohio State football with Guided By Voices’ Bob Pollard and friends at Luna Music’s Todd Robinson’s house, as Real Lulu was in Indy playing with Guided By Voices that night at The Vogue.
Also featured is long time Dayton-based DJ ‘celebrity’ the Rev. Cool (host of ‘Around The Fringe’ for over four decades on WYSO radio), presenting Nick with his award for being named ‘Dayton’s Favorite Musician’ in the annual Dayton Daily News ‘Best Of’ poll.
Video produced by DATV (Dayton Access Television) and originally airing on cable TV in the greater Dayton region. Thank you, DATV!
The Band:
Nick Kizirnis - Guitar, Vocals
Kyleen Downes - Guitar, Vocals
Bryan Lakatos - Bass
Dan Stahl - Drums
More on Nick Kizirnis:
nickkizirnis.com
“Every Moment” by Nick Kizirnis on Bandcamp:
nickkizirnis.bandcamp.com/album/every-moment
DATV (Dayton Access Television)
datv.org
There’s a number of Big Beef references and jokes being bantered about as this was in the summer of 1997, when Big Beef Records was in the middle of some high profile and artistically rewarding releases at the time. There was the notable success of Real Lulu’s “We Love Nick” release still making waves, and The Mulchmen’s highly popular debut full length “Louder Than Dirt, Thicker Than Mud!” having just come out only a few weeks previously.
More on Big Beef Records here…
bigbeef.com/music
More on Real Lulu…
bigbeef.com/real-lulu
More on The Mulchmen:
bigbeef.com/mulchmen
The Mulchmen on Facebook:
facebook.com/mulchmen
Gregg Spence was a multi-talented musician and songwriter in his own right, who was a member of a number of notable bands throughout the 80's and 90's (including The Mulchmen and Cage), videos of whom can be found here on the Big Beef Productions YouTube page as well as on the Big Beef Records website - bigbeef.com/gregg-spence
This show is also particularly notable for featuring the return of Gregg on drums for the band, who was filling in for them for a few various gigs while the band’s regular drummer Jim Macpherson was away doing work with his other band at the time Guided By Voices.
Also accompanying Troy on the bill that night were fellow Daytonian natives Karen Poston and Chris Montgomery (son of Canal Street Tavern proprietor Mick Montgomery), both of whom also continued on with their music careers down in Austin.
Video from the Big Beef Production archives.
Ultra Vega are...
John Shough - Guitars & vocals
Brett "Skywalker" Owsley - Keyboards
Dennis Mullins - Bass
Jeff Robertson - Guitar
Todd "TeaSea" Carll - Drums & vocals
More information on John Shough here...
bigbeef.com/john-shough
The Songwriter's Showcase, which was a fairly regular feature at Dayton, Ohio's venerable Canal Street Tavern, would feature musicians often better known for their work in different stage settings, performing personal compositions in a stripped down, personal setting. This showcase featuring a line up of some of the more notable figures in the Dayton music scene at the time:
Nick Kizirnis (Cage; The Mulchmen)
Dave Doughman (Swearing At Motorists)
Nick Eddy (Mink)
Steven Gullett (The Mystery Addicts)
Dan O’Connor (Mink)
Kattie Dougherty (Real Lulu)
Nate Farley (The Amps; The Breeders; Robthebank)
Gregg Spence (The Mulchmen; Cage; Real Lulu)
Morgan Taylor (Mink)
Video from the Big Beef Productions archives
More on the The Mulchmen here...
bigbeef.com/mulchmen
The Mulchmen are...
Nick Kizirnis - Guitar, Theremin
Brian Hogarth - Bass
Gregg Spence - Drums
“Their folk-derived arrangements were infused with a punk sensibility belying their minimalist philosophies.”
More on The Pure Plastic Tree here…
bigbeef.com/ppt
This iteration of the Luxury Pushers features frontman guitarist Jamy Holliday, Eric Purtle on bass and JJ Pearson on drums, who was the original drummer for another legendary Dayton punk outfit, Toxic Reasons.
This video was shot by the late, great Tom Carter, a staple of the Dayton music scene, who documented countless rock events throughout the Dayton/Miami Valley region for years.
New Regrets on Bandcamp
newregrets.bandcamp.com/album/confrontation-2
Video footage by Tom Carter (Atom Carter Productions)
"It's Total Destruction!"
Footage from this recording along with some other demo derbies were used as a chroma keyed backdrop video for a demolition derby edition of the popular live television program "Andy & Pat's Groovy Cosmic Love Hour."
These ridiculous events were so popular among the Big Beef family of friends that we even looked into how we could shoot a Mulchmen video during one to promote the band's "Greetings From Planet Stupider" album that Big Beef was producing at the time. Unfortunately it never came to pass.
The National Elephant Conservation Center in Lampang is a great place and notable for many reasons, not the least of which its where favorite artists Komar & Melamid produced their elephants painting project.
More on that here:
goodreads.com/book/show/28640.When_Elephants_Paint
Vitaly Komar & Alexander Melamid Elephant Art
youtu.be/d3jfFHG6KLM
The Story of Komar & Melamid
theartstory.org/artist/komar-and-melamid
The party was held at the home of Chris Wright, and eventually turned into a full fledged jam session featuring c.wright and friends. Wright is one of Dayton’s most accomplished guitarists, and who is also a master guitar craftsmen in repairing and restoring the instrument. (See info for his business Wrightfield below).
Chris has since gone on to play with a host of notable Dayton rock outfits, including The Mystery Addicts and Luxury Pushers. His current long-running band is c.wright’s Parlour Tricks.
Wrightfield Instrument Salvage and Repair
http://www.wrightfield.com
Wrightfield on FB
facebook.com/wrightfield
c.wright’s Parlour Tricks
facebook.com/parlourtricks
Drumming for Real Lulu at the time was Matt Espy, known for his work with such Dayton music greats Cage and Mink. Matt eventually relocated to Chicago and has been working as a professional drummer ever since, including with his long-time current band Dead Rider.
Along with the news feature is some behind the scenes look of the recording genius of NDI at work, here with Christian Shoulders, their long time co-producer and recording engineer.
There’s also some footage of Skipper, Goodtime and Pigtail Dick as fashion mavens, as NDI were contestants in a fashion show held at the Cabaret Metro back in the early 90’s. I’m not sure they won it, but they should have.
Some footage of NDI’s performance with Tiny Tim can be found here on the Big Beef Productions YouTube page at…
youtu.be/BJzYzFTUNaw
Get your copy of the NDI with Tiny Tim show recording here…
pravdamusic.com/album/2370992/live-in-chicago
The New Duncan Imperials website…
newduncanimperials.com
Bringing a new definition to the concept of 'intersectionality,' this rather humorous and bizarre (which is par for the course for anything NDI is involved with) cross-cultural combination of local civic groups, public service announcements, local news, along with the white trash boogie of NDI makes for some interesting television viewing. The power and enjoyment of actual authentic, locally-originated programming writ large.
PSL continues to air, marking as of this posting 40 years on KWQC.
The record was produced as a tribute to (and with contributions from) Dayton, Ohio’s legendary television personality and horror movie host Dr. Creep, who was a cultural staple of the Miami Valley region of Ohio for decades.
More on The Lawn Jockeys/O.G.C. and this album project can be found on the Big Beef website at www.bigbeef.com
These recordings comprise a collection of the various unused takes and versions that were never publicly released (at least until here now).
The Electric Ferrets, fronted by Greg Wallace and guitarist ‘Flying’ Ike Robinson, continue to actively record and perform, mainly in the Los Angeles, CA region. Their most recent release (as of this posting) was their deluxe double-album “Electric Ferrets Psychedelic Punk Rock Band”, released on the famed Get Hip label.
Some of the initial songs here also feature guest drummer Dave Graeter (of bands Liquid Draino, Planet Ed and others), one of Dayton's best young rock drummers at the time. Dave was on hand to help fill in to get things set up and started for the band, while awaiting the arrival of their regular drummer Rudy Wagner who was traveling in separately from out of state at the time.
“Electric Ferrets Psychedelic Punk Rock Band”
gethip.com/blog/2020/10/04/electric-ferrets-psychedelic-punk-rock-band
The Electric Ferrets on Facebook
facebook.com/Electric-Ferrets-1492160167753679
The Electric Ferrets, fronted by Greg Wallace and guitarist ‘Flying’ Ike Robinson, continue to actively record and perform, mainly in the Los Angeles, CA region. Their most recent release (as of this posting) was their deluxe double-album “The Electric Ferrets Psychedelic Punk Rock Band”, released on the famed Get Hip label.
“Electric Ferrets Psychedelic Punk Rock Band”
gethip.com/blog/2020/10/04/electric-ferrets-psychedelic-punk-rock-band
The Electric Ferrets on Facebook
facebook.com/Electric-Ferrets-1492160167753679
Real Lulu is:
Kattie Dougherty - Guitar and Vocals
Sharon Gavlick - Bass and Vocals
Jim Macpherson - Drums
Real Lulu featured Kattie Dougherty, Sharon Gavlick and drummer Jim Macpherson, known also for his work with The Breeders and Guided By Voices. The bands original founding drummer was Gregg Spence, with which the band won the prestigious annual Canal Street Tavern battle of the bands competition in 1994 (which the bands Shrug and Brainiac had won the years prior).
Mink were themselves a talented and popular power pop entourage that helped define the Dayton music scene during that period, featuring talents such as the late, great Morgan Taylor (who was later nominated for Grammys for his Gustafer Yellowgold project), as well as drummer Matt Espy, who not only played with Cage and Real Lulu, but went on to a career of performing with a host notable bands, including Lisa Loeb, Motorhome, and his long-time outfit Dead Rider.
Video from the Big Beef Productions archives.
This show was one of the earlier performances featuring Jim Macpherson (The Breeders/The Amps/The Raging Mantras) on drums, who had recently taken over as the band's regular drummer after Gregg Spence's (The Mulchmen/Cage/The Underdogs) departure earlier that year, with the release of the band's debut CD "We Love Nick" (Big Beef Records).
Video recorded by Amy Macpherson
Real Lulu is:
Kattie Dougherty - Guitar and Vocals
Sharon Gavlick - Bass and Vocals
Jim Macpherson - Drums
This show documents a transitional incarnation of the band, performing as an instrumental three piece with Doug Gillard on guitar and Jim Macpherson now joining the band on drums, along with the return of Greg Demos to the regular bass duties. This was shortly before GBV went back to the two-guitarists line up with the addition of Nate Farley on second guitar. The following year would see the release of this outfits stellar Ric Ocasek-produced work, "Do The Collapse."
It was also a notable show for the fact that the band literally had their power cut and amps shut down during the performance before they could complete their set.
(Original video from the Macpherson archives)
Video footage by Tom Carter (Atom Carter Productions), and was likely shot during the band's Canal Street gig on April 6, 1996 (though that is unconfirmed).
The Nick Kizirnis Band was quite the line up of talent, featuring along with Nick were his long-time musical companion drummer Jim Macpherson (The Breeders/Guided By Voices/Real Lulu), who has also been serving as drummer for the re-energized Mulchmen. On bass is Josh Hoag, who went on to a successful career as an Austin-based touring musician, and Dr. “Crazy Joe” Tritschler on guitar, performing here with the use of his self-constructed “Peacekeeper” amp. Tritschler has himself played for audiences throughout the region, the nation, and the world, playing with Deke Dickerson, as well as his own bands, including the Mad River Outlaws, and Nicky Kay & His Fabulous Kay-Tones.
Video footage shot by Tom Carter and provided by Atom Productions.
“Into The Loud” on Nick’s Bandcamp page:
nickkizirnis.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-loud
The Mulchmen Facebook page
facebook.com/mulchmen
Most of the video here is from a show at Canal Street Tavern in Dayton later that year. Mink was a talented and popular power pop entourage that helped define the Dayton music scene during the 90's, featuring talents such as the late, great Morgan Taylor (who was later nominated for Grammys for his Gustafer Yellowgold project), as well as drummer Matt Espy, who not only played with Cage and Real Lulu, but went on to a career of performing with a host notable bands, including Lisa Loeb, Motorhome, and his long-time outfit Dead Rider.
Video footage shot by Tom Carter and provided by Atom Productions.
Also performing at this event were the Dayton, Ohio-based bands Real Lulu and The Mystery Addicts. (Footage of them is available here - youtu.be/27L9E1D5cRo )
Carter and his daughters were not only friends and fans of these notable bands, but Tom was a beloved long time member (and documenter) of the Dayton music scene.
Also featured in this video is footage of the ‘headliner’ band of the party, The Mystery Addicts, setting up and sound checking for their set. Unfortunately, (though also somewhat humorously, as is some of the banter that takes place during it), the tape in the camcorder which was set up in the back of the room to document the proceedings, runs out just as the band begins their set. The Mystery Addicts were one of the premier rock outfits on the Dayton scene at the time, out of which later came the Luxury Pushers, with Jamy Holliday and Eric Purtle. Also featured in this band was the talented Steven Gullet, now a songwriter/performer in the L.A. region.
The show was also particularly notable for being the first time the band worked with Big Beef Productions video producer Andy Valeri. Along with multi-media visual artist Jon Bene, they went on to make these forms of psychedelic visualscapes featuring videos, films and slide projections, and other such media a staple of many of their stage performances.
Also of note was this show marked the last time Gregg Spence, who had served as a member of the band for a spell of time the previous year, returned to perform a host of numbers with the band live on stage. Gregg also served as the ‘intermission’ act during the evening’s event. As friends and fans of the band know, Gregg later went on to rejoin Nick Kizirnis and Ed Lacy from the band in 1992 to form Cage, after Killjoys drummer left to join The Breeders that same year.
Unfortunately the video of this performance is not of very good, as the only currently found/surviving footage of this event is a rather poor quality slow speed VHS dub off of an original VHS dub of the event.
The low light levels of the video is also due to not only the limitations of the technology at the time, but the fact that it was shot entirely in rather darkened room light, which the band had expressly designed to be crafted to the various visual projections which were used throughout the evening's performance.
FUN FACT: A good part of this video was shot by original Big Beef Productions filmmaker Steve Bognar, along with his filmmaking partner Julia Reichert, whom together later went on to receive Emmys and Academy Awards for their internationally renowned documentary work.
Inspired by and set to the music of Killing Joke. “Requiem” is the lead off track to their eponymous debut and radically groundbreaking post-punk 1980 album.
The film was later featured in a 1987 episode of Big Beef Production’s community television program “The Eat More Carp Show,” which was produced during the later 1980’s and into the 90's, airing on numerous community television channels throughout the country at the time.
“Killing Joke” Label: E.G. - Malicious Damage
Songwriters: Jaz Coleman / Kevin Walker / Martin Glover / Matthew Ferguson
Requiem © Universal Music Publishing Group
“Don’t Ask Me” - by Public Image Ltd. and originally released as a single, and included as a new track on their 1990 album “The Greatest Hits, So Far”
Songwriters: Derrek Taye / Jamina Achour / Sven Waje / Tim Waje
Don't Ask Me lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Video footage was shot by “Col.” Dwayne Henkel, which was edited and distributed by Big Beef Productions and cablecast through a number of public access television stations around the country at the time.
The video was edited by Big Beef Productions as part of ‘The Eat More Carp Show’ series for airing on community television stations around the country in the early 1990’s.
The Electric Ferrets on Facebook
facebook.com/Electric-Ferrets-1492160167753679
Visit The Electric Ferrets on Facebook
facebook.com/Electric-Ferrets-1492160167753679
This video was originally featured in a 90’s compilation edition of “The Eat More Carp Show,” a community access television show produced by Big Beef Productions in the latter part of the 1980’s and into the 90’s.
Cage is/was:
Nick Kizirnis
Matt Espy
Ed Lacy
Gregg Spence
The 'music' is by the Dayton, Ohio living room band JA, and is taken from their original 1977 recording, “A Close Encounter of the 4th Kind.”
Music by the band Plush Angus, taken from their 1989 Big Beef Records cassette release "Plush Angus Gets Up!"
Adding to the evening’s festivities was the misfit Christmas gift exchange, emcee’d by good friends of the bands Pat Cook and Big Beef producer Andy Valeri, hosts of the popular cable television program ‘Andy & Pat’s Groovy Cosmic Love Hour’ (which The Mulchmen and Real Lulu served as house bands for a few years later). The audience were invited to bring along to the show any gift items they wanted to trade in for a different item, the ‘raffle’ for which took place in between sets. The whole event proved to be a fun and creative way to host a community gathering in the follow up to a Christmas holiday.
Video was shot by Real Lulu’s Sharon Gavlick, Big Beef’s Andy Valeri, and original Big Beef’ster and documentary filmmaker Steve Bognar (a long time Real Lulu/Mulchmen/Dayton music fan and supporter).
For more on The Mulchmen, visit their Facebook page at
facebook.com/mulchmen
Featuring Pat Cook, co-host and producer of The Love Hour, along with Darin Mullins on guitar (another long-standing Love Hour regular contributor), and a cast of various characters, including a rhythm section featuring members of The Raging Mantras, a top-notch Dayton-based band that was serving as the house band for the evening’s festivities. The following year Mantras drummer Jim Macpherson went on to join Kim Deal and The Breeders (and later went on to work with Real Lulu and Guided By Voices, as well).


