Caveman Shoestore
{{Short description|Avant-prog group}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Caveman Shoestore
| image =
| caption =
| image_size =
| landscape = yes
| alias =
| origin = Portland, Oregon, U.S.
| genre = Rock in Opposition, art rock
| years_active = 1991–2018
| label = Tim/Kerr, Build-a-Buzz
| associated_acts = Curlew, Tone Dogs
| website =
| current_members =
| past_members = Fred Chalenor
Amy DeVargas
Elaine di Falco
Henry Franzoni
}}
Caveman Shoestore was an avant-prog group founded in 1991 by bassist Fred Chalenor, percussionist Henry Franzoni and keyboardist/vocalist Elaine di Falco.
History
Bassist Fred Chalenor and drummer Henry Franzoni had frequently collaborated since 1976, most notably in the band Face Ditch.{{cite web |first=Henry J. |last=Franzoni |url=http://www.henryfranzoni.com/faceditch.htm |title=Face Ditch: The Northwest Alternative Music Pioneers Re-Emerge |publisher=henryfranzoni.com |date=2012 |accessdate=June 1, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304101048/http://www.henryfranzoni.com/faceditch.htm |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |url-status=dead }} While Chalenor and Franzoni were playing at a music festival in Portland, OR, when they met vocalist Elaine di Falco, who was performing in the punk group God Wads. The trio decided to form Caveman Shoestore and recorded a ten track cassette titled Rock in 1991.
Their debut studio album, titled Master Cylinder, was released by Tim/Kerr Records in 1992. The album drew from a wide range of influences, including Conlon Nancarrow and Black Sabbath, and was compared to Discipline-era King Crimson. They followed up that album with 1994's Flux, which featured Amy DeVargas on vocals. The band collaborated with Hugh Hopper for Caveman Hughscore, released in 1995.{{cite journal |first=Bob |last=Rusch |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qipLAAAAYAAJ |title=Caveman Shoestore |journal=Cadence |publisher=Cadence Magazine, LLC |date=January 1996 |volume=22 |issue=1 |pages=33 |accessdate=June 1, 2018}} After a ten year hiatus, the band reunited and released their third full-length album Super Sale in 2005.{{cite web |first=Dave |last=Lynch |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=mn0000740682/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title=Caveman Shoestore > Biography |publisher=Allmusic |date= |accessdate=June 1, 2018}} A final album Frankensongs was recorded in 2006, finished in 2010, and released in 2020.{{cite web |first=Henry |last=Franzoni |url=https://buildabuzz2.com/|title=Caveman Shoestore > Biography |publisher=Buildabuzz |date= |accessdate=Sep 17, 2023}} From 2011-2018 Fred Chalenor, Henry Franzoni, and Doug Therealt (Guitar) formed a noise improv trio operating under the same name.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}} Mike Gamble (Guitar) sat in for one gig.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}} Fred Chalenor died of early onset Alzheimers on June 23, 2018, and was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame in 2023.{{Cite web |title=Induction Timeline |url=https://www.omhof.org/induction-timeline/ |access-date=2024-06-18 |website=Oregon Music Hall of Fame |language=en-US}}
Discography
;Studio albums
- Master Cylinder (Tim/Kerr, 1992)
- Flux (Tim/Kerr, 1994)
- Caveman Hughscore (Tim/Kerr, 1995)
- Super Sale (Build-a-Buzz, 2005)
- Frankensongs (Buildabuzz, 2010)
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Discogs artist}}
{{Caveman Shoestore}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Caveman Shoestore}}
Category:American progressive rock groups
Category:American art rock groups
Category:Jazz fusion ensembles
Category:Musical groups established in 1991
Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2005
Category:1991 establishments in Oregon