Col. Bruce Hampton, 1947-2017
May 2, 2017 7:19 AM Subscribe
In what will certainly go down as one of the most memorable exits in show business, Col. Bruce Hampton collapsed at the end of a tribute show honoring his 70th birthday. He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead a few hours later.
Hampton first gained a following as a member of the Hampton Grease Band which recorded what was reputedly the second lowest selling record in Columbia Music's history. After they broke up in 1973 he had a short solo career, then formed the Aquarium Rescue Unit, which among other activities helped organize the original H.O.R.D.E. tour. Among other project the prolific musician also formed/played with the Fiji Mariners, The Code Talkers, and the Quark Alliance (among others). He also had a memorable cameo in Sling Blade. For those who never got to see him live, here is a taste of what you missed (Pharaoh's Kitchen live in Nashville, 2012.) I'm sure others will add additional videos to the thread. His official website seems to be dark right now. Oh, and he wasn't really a colonel.
Hampton first gained a following as a member of the Hampton Grease Band which recorded what was reputedly the second lowest selling record in Columbia Music's history. After they broke up in 1973 he had a short solo career, then formed the Aquarium Rescue Unit, which among other activities helped organize the original H.O.R.D.E. tour. Among other project the prolific musician also formed/played with the Fiji Mariners, The Code Talkers, and the Quark Alliance (among others). He also had a memorable cameo in Sling Blade. For those who never got to see him live, here is a taste of what you missed (Pharaoh's Kitchen live in Nashville, 2012.) I'm sure others will add additional videos to the thread. His official website seems to be dark right now. Oh, and he wasn't really a colonel.
Terrible news!
A few quick favs from my bookmarks:
Late Bronze Age - Arkansas promo
discussing Ponce de Leon ballpark
Early ARU
posted by thelonius at 7:38 AM on May 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
A few quick favs from my bookmarks:
Late Bronze Age - Arkansas promo
discussing Ponce de Leon ballpark
Early ARU
posted by thelonius at 7:38 AM on May 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
I lived in or around Knoxville (Col. Hampton's home town) for many years during my 20s. I only saw him perform once and that was with Medeski, Martin, and Wood. It was an amazing show all the way around. The weirdness was certainly an influence in my own explorations of the classical avant-garde.
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posted by bfootdav at 8:05 AM on May 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
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posted by bfootdav at 8:05 AM on May 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
Yield not to temptation
I send my loving while I'm away...
.
posted by SafetyPirate at 8:24 AM on May 2, 2017
I send my loving while I'm away...
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posted by SafetyPirate at 8:24 AM on May 2, 2017
I hate to see the media lump him in with the jam band scene, but it did give him an audience outside of Atlanta, and they need some kind of label. It's a serious error to conceive of his music as some kind of Dead-inspired meandering, though, which is what most people are going to think when they hear "jam band".
posted by thelonius at 8:26 AM on May 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by thelonius at 8:26 AM on May 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
.
Back in 1993 or 1994, I was living in Northampton, MA with two buddies who were into the jam band thing. One night I got home and they were all psyched the the ARU was playing that night- Pearl Street I think. They knew I was not into it, I was into punk and alt, but were so sure if I went to this show I'd understand. They offered to buy my ticket and a few beers so I said yes.
We get in there and this opening band is setting up. There were a lot of musicians setting up a lot of things on the tiny stage- horns, strings, all kinds of stuff. I remember thinking how are they all going to fit up there? What is this all about?
They finally got going with just one drumstick against the side of a mic stand, just a steady beat for like 8 beats, then a string note, then the song percolated and exploded. The song turned out to be Ants Marching, the opening band Dave Mathews, touring on a 5 song cassette EP and they tore the place down and blew us all away. I'd never heard anything like it. Within a few months they broke through nationally and were everywhere.
I remember enjoying ARU that night but I was just stunned by the Dave Mathews band. I got to meet Mathews many years later. He remembered the tour if not the show, and had very nice things to say about Bruce Hampton and his experience touring with the ARU.
I'll spend some time listening today, and toast the good colonel tonight.
posted by vrakatar at 8:48 AM on May 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
Back in 1993 or 1994, I was living in Northampton, MA with two buddies who were into the jam band thing. One night I got home and they were all psyched the the ARU was playing that night- Pearl Street I think. They knew I was not into it, I was into punk and alt, but were so sure if I went to this show I'd understand. They offered to buy my ticket and a few beers so I said yes.
We get in there and this opening band is setting up. There were a lot of musicians setting up a lot of things on the tiny stage- horns, strings, all kinds of stuff. I remember thinking how are they all going to fit up there? What is this all about?
They finally got going with just one drumstick against the side of a mic stand, just a steady beat for like 8 beats, then a string note, then the song percolated and exploded. The song turned out to be Ants Marching, the opening band Dave Mathews, touring on a 5 song cassette EP and they tore the place down and blew us all away. I'd never heard anything like it. Within a few months they broke through nationally and were everywhere.
I remember enjoying ARU that night but I was just stunned by the Dave Mathews band. I got to meet Mathews many years later. He remembered the tour if not the show, and had very nice things to say about Bruce Hampton and his experience touring with the ARU.
I'll spend some time listening today, and toast the good colonel tonight.
posted by vrakatar at 8:48 AM on May 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
Vrakatar I was at that show too! Crazy.
This is heartbreaking. But good on him for going out on a high note.
posted by nevercalm at 9:06 AM on May 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
This is heartbreaking. But good on him for going out on a high note.
posted by nevercalm at 9:06 AM on May 2, 2017 [1 favorite]
Like Tommy Cooper.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 9:10 AM on May 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by GallonOfAlan at 9:10 AM on May 2, 2017 [2 favorites]
I saw a double bill at The Fillmore in 1996(?) of Aquarium Rescue Unit and Leftover Salmon. Best double bill of 2 bands ever. RIP Col. Bruce.
posted by terrapin at 10:25 AM on May 2, 2017
posted by terrapin at 10:25 AM on May 2, 2017
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posted by mikelieman at 10:26 AM on May 2, 2017
posted by mikelieman at 10:26 AM on May 2, 2017
HORDE tour stopping in Richmond, VA in July 1993 was when I caught ARU first, although a local radio station was playing tracks off their "Mirrors of Embarrassment" album, and I had been playing the hell out of it that summer. Fun day grooving to ARU, the Samples, Widespread Panic, Blues Traveler and Phish.
I saw ARU more often without the Colonel at the helm, after vocalist Paul Henson came in. My last time seeing Col. Bruce was about 10 years ago at the State Theater in Falls Church, VA, with his band The Codetalkers. Friends from New York were in the opening band that night.
posted by emelenjr at 10:33 AM on May 2, 2017
I saw ARU more often without the Colonel at the helm, after vocalist Paul Henson came in. My last time seeing Col. Bruce was about 10 years ago at the State Theater in Falls Church, VA, with his band The Codetalkers. Friends from New York were in the opening band that night.
posted by emelenjr at 10:33 AM on May 2, 2017
sorry, for some reason the '.'s weren't showing up for me
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:47 AM on May 2, 2017
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:47 AM on May 2, 2017
.
posted by Joey Michaels at 11:50 AM on May 2, 2017
posted by Joey Michaels at 11:50 AM on May 2, 2017
Also, I totally screwed up the reference :( Let's try again:
Leavin' his soul . . .
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:53 AM on May 2, 2017
Leavin' his soul . . .
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:53 AM on May 2, 2017
I don't think that's right. I believe the "Dot Dot Dot" come between "Medula" and "Oblongota
posted by TedW at 12:32 PM on May 2, 2017
posted by TedW at 12:32 PM on May 2, 2017
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posted by Cookiebastard at 1:51 PM on May 2, 2017
posted by Cookiebastard at 1:51 PM on May 2, 2017
Requiem aeternam dona ei, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat ei. Requiescat in pace.
posted by ob1quixote at 3:07 PM on May 2, 2017
posted by ob1quixote at 3:07 PM on May 2, 2017
Hey old lady do you know the big E?
He lives up on Apalachee
Spends his lifetime 32 days
Lord works in mysterious ways
When he's seen
everyone roars
he keeps the streets clean,
that's what he's for
posted by anazgnos at 8:48 PM on May 2, 2017
He lives up on Apalachee
Spends his lifetime 32 days
Lord works in mysterious ways
When he's seen
everyone roars
he keeps the streets clean,
that's what he's for
posted by anazgnos at 8:48 PM on May 2, 2017
ArtsATL: Do you have a personal daily mantra?
Hampton: Yes, “Brato Ganib.” I say it, at least, once before noon every day. It means Universal Peace. It first came to me 40 years ago in a dream — every day for three months. A voice said “Repeat ‘Brato Ganib.'” So I did. Most everything I get comes to me like that in dreams.
Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit were one of the best bands on the planet, unbeatable for raw virtuosity and imagination. They could play anything they liked, and played what they wanted to play. Col. Bruce joins the pantheon of uninhibited visionaries, right up there with Zappa, Beefheart, and Mingus. An insipiration, and now a legend--hopefully his wry passing will be notable enough through the years to keep his music and mind alive.
posted by oneironaut at 9:30 PM on May 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
Hampton: Yes, “Brato Ganib.” I say it, at least, once before noon every day. It means Universal Peace. It first came to me 40 years ago in a dream — every day for three months. A voice said “Repeat ‘Brato Ganib.'” So I did. Most everything I get comes to me like that in dreams.
Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit were one of the best bands on the planet, unbeatable for raw virtuosity and imagination. They could play anything they liked, and played what they wanted to play. Col. Bruce joins the pantheon of uninhibited visionaries, right up there with Zappa, Beefheart, and Mingus. An insipiration, and now a legend--hopefully his wry passing will be notable enough through the years to keep his music and mind alive.
posted by oneironaut at 9:30 PM on May 2, 2017 [3 favorites]
Col. Bruce Hampton and the Aquarium Rescue Unit were one of the best bands on the planet, unbeatable for raw virtuosity and imagination.
Srsly. Jimmy Herring is out playing 2nd guitar with John McLaughlin this year....and you used to be able to walk into the Little Five Points pub on Mondays and see him just kill it with the Col.
posted by thelonius at 5:15 AM on May 3, 2017
Srsly. Jimmy Herring is out playing 2nd guitar with John McLaughlin this year....and you used to be able to walk into the Little Five Points pub on Mondays and see him just kill it with the Col.
posted by thelonius at 5:15 AM on May 3, 2017
It's crazy that three of the people in that Sling Blade scene are now dead.
posted by sourwookie at 7:18 AM on May 3, 2017
posted by sourwookie at 7:18 AM on May 3, 2017
Saw him perform one time at Slim's in SF with the Aquarium Rescue Unit, about 25 years ago...blown away! I got to meet Oteil Burbridge, before the show.
posted by littlejohnnyjewel at 10:32 AM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by littlejohnnyjewel at 10:32 AM on May 3, 2017 [1 favorite]
Chuck Reece, for The Bitter Southerner: "Floating Eastwardly: Col. Bruce Hampton."
posted by MonkeyToes at 4:59 AM on May 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by MonkeyToes at 4:59 AM on May 8, 2017 [2 favorites]
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So surreal that he died at the end of his own tribute concert, but honestly it being Col. Bruce I'm not shocked. Some of the best shows I've been to were during the ARU heyday.
Rest in Space Col. Bruce.
posted by austinetsu at 7:32 AM on May 2, 2017 [1 favorite]