Those Darn Accordions
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Those Darn Accordions, commonly abbreviated as TDA, are an American
accordion Accordions (from 19th-century German language, German ', from '—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a Reed (mou ...
band from San Francisco, California, originally formed in 1989 by Linda "Big Lou" Seekins. Boasting several accordionists whose numbers have fluctuated over the years and rounded out by a bassist and a drummer, Those Darn Accordions play a multi-genre mix of rock, pop and
polka Polka is a dance style and genre of dance music in originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though generally associated with Czech and Central European culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the ...
originals, characterized by the unusual use of effects and distortion on their accordions and the humorous lyrics of current frontman Paul Rogers. The band also performs from an extensive repertoire of covers, ranging from traditional accordion standards and polkas to
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...
,
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...
and new wave songs. Since their formation, TDA have released six studio albums and one EP, with their most recent album '' Squeeze Machine'' having been released in 2007. As of 2014, the band continues to tour the United States, often performing as part of music festivals, fairs and
Oktoberfest celebrations The Oktoberfest is a two-week festival held each year in Munich, Germany during late September and early October. It is attended by six million people each year and has inspired numerous similar events using the name ''Oktoberfest'' in Germany ...
across the Pacific Northwest and Midwest.


Biography


Early years (1989–1991)

The concept behind Those Darn Accordions was initially conceived by keyboardist and accordionist Linda "Big Lou" Seekins in early 1989. Seekins, who was active in several
Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a region of California surrounding and including San Francisco Bay, and anchored by the cities of Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose. The Association of Bay Area Governments ...
bands including the
polka Polka is a dance style and genre of dance music in originating in nineteenth-century Bohemia, now part of the Czech Republic. Though generally associated with Czech and Central European culture, polka is popular throughout Europe and the ...
punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
band Polkacide, was called up by the owner of San Francisco's Paradise Lounge and offered an open performance slot if she could put together a band in time. As a joke, she contacted every accordionist she knew in an attempt to assemble an all-accordion band, ultimately recruiting thirteen accordionists to play the show, where they
sight read In music, sight-reading, also called ''a prima vista'' (Italian meaning, "at first sight"), is the practice of reading and performing of a piece in a music notation that the performer has not seen or learned before. Sight-singing is used to desc ...
"
Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
songs and polkas" before a packed house. Despite the disorganized and under-rehearsed nature of the band, the audience response was tremendous: "everyone liked us so much that they wanted an encore, and we'd already played everything we knew", Seekins recalled, "so we just had to play a song over again". Almost immediately, what was originally intended to be a one-time gag started developing into plans to become an ongoing project. Shortly after their first few performances, member Tom Torriglia thought up the idea of carrying out a series of
publicity stunt In marketing, a publicity stunt is a planned event designed to attract the public's attention to the event's organizers or their cause. Publicity stunts can be professionally organized, or set up by amateurs. Such events are frequently utiliz ...
s to help draw some attention to the band. Every few weeks the members began engaging in what were called "accordionista raids", where a mass group of accordionists – sometimes upwards of twenty or more – would run around town and barge uninvited into random restaurants, start playing accordion standards like "
Lady of Spain "Lady of Spain" is a popular song composed in 1931 by Tolchard Evans with lyrics by " Erell Reaves", a pseudonym of Stanley J. Damerell and Robert Hargreaves (1894–1934)I, and by Henry Tilsley. The sheet music was published in London by the ...
" and "
Beer Barrel Polka "Beer Barrel Polka", originally in Czech , also known as "The Barrel Polka", "Roll Out the Barrel", or "Rosamunde", is a 1927 polka composed by Czech musician Jaromír Vejvoda. Lyrics were added in 1934, subsequently gaining worldwide popularit ...
", announce the location of their next show and then quickly disperse "before the
maître d' (spelled according to post-1990 spelling rules) is a commonly used honorific for lawyers, judicial officers and notaries in France, Belgium, Switzerland and French-speaking parts of Canada. It is often written in its abbreviated form ''Me'' o ...
has time to throw us out". These raids effectively turned the group into local celebrities, and soon the band was not only receiving press coverage from the likes of the ''
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'', ''
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'', ''
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'' and ''
People The term "the people" refers to the public or Common people, common mass of people of a polity. As such it is a concept of human rights law, international law as well as constitutional law, particularly used for claims of popular sovereignty. I ...
'' magazine, but began receiving paid offers from the restaurants they had invaded to come back and play for their customers, once even being hired by
Apple Inc. Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation and technology company headquartered in Cupertino, California, in Silicon Valley. It is best known for its consumer electronics, software, and services. Founded in 1976 as Apple Comput ...
to interrupt one of their company meetings. It was during these raids that the band coined the name "Those Darn Accordions", and through their frequently changing line-ups eventually enlisted keyboardist and singer Paul Rogers as a member. In 1990, TDA were invited to perform at an accordion festival in
Castelfidardo Castelfidardo ( Marchigiano: ''Castello'') is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Ancona, in the Marche region of central-eastern Italy. It is remembered for a Piedmontese victory over an army composed of foreign volunteers defending the ...
, Italy. To help raise money for travel expenses, the band gathered at Washington Square park and played "Lady of Spain" for roughly ten hours straight, accepting tips and donations to keep them from playing ("For a $2,000 donation, we won't play for an hour!", Torriglia advertised). Successfully accruing their goal of $20,000, TDA traveled to Italy, where they discovered that instead of playing a music festival, they had inadvertently entered a serious accordion competition. Despite competing in the "pop" category, Rogers recalled that judges didn't respond well to the group's opening rendition of "
Stairway to Heaven "Stairway to Heaven" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, released on 8 November 1971 on the band's untitled fourth studio album (commonly known as ''Led Zeppelin IV''), by Atlantic Records. Composed by the band's guitarist Jimmy ...
" and, due to a technicality, TDA ultimately placed fourth out of only two bands. Nevertheless, the audience reaction to TDA was overwhelmingly positive; the band even appeared on the front page of a local newspaper and were invited on the spot to perform at the International Accordion Festival in
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, which they later did in 1992.


Studio albums and national touring (1992–2000)

TDA independently released their debut album ''
Vongole Fisarmonica ''Vongole Fisarmonica'' is the debut album by American accordion band Those Darn Accordions, released in 1992 by Globe Records. The album was originally released only on cassette tape before later being made available for digital download on iTun ...
'' on
cassette tape The Compact Cassette, also commonly called a cassette tape, audio cassette, or simply tape or cassette, is an analog audio, analog magnetic tape recording format for Sound recording and reproduction, audio recording and playback. Invented by L ...
in 1992, featuring a seventeen-member line-up and largely consisting of cover songs including everything from "Beer Barrel Polka" and " Duck Dance" to "Stairway to Heaven" and "
It's Not Unusual "It's Not Unusual" is a song written by Les Reed and Gordon Mills, first recorded by a then-unknown Tom Jones, after it had first been offered to Sandie Shaw. He intended it as a demo for her, but when she heard it she was so impressed with ...
". Though the tape helped solidify the band's growing local fanbase, it did little to help them achieve the same kind of press attention as their accordionista raids. By this time, Rogers was taking a more prominent role in TDA as a singer-songwriter and had been elected as the group's de facto leader – according to him, "nobody else wanted to do it". Dissatisfied with their unkempt look and sound ("Everyone had to have sheet music on stands and the music would keep falling off...it was just not a band"), Rogers began restructuring TDA into a tighter rock band, placing a stronger emphasis on writing and performing original material. This major shift in direction, as well as Rogers' strict adherence to regular rehearsal sessions, would inevitably contribute to the departure of several members, whittling the band down to a more manageable unit of around eight to ten musicians. In addition to tightening up their musicianship, TDA had also redefined their visual style into a uniquely offbeat and bizarre combination of
retro Retro style is imitative or consciously derivative of lifestyles, trends, or art forms from the past, including in music, modes, fashions, or attitudes. It has been argued that there is a nostalgia cycle in popular culture. Definition The term ...
and
kitsch ''Kitsch'' ( ; loanword from German) is a term applied to art and design that is perceived as Naivety, naïve imitation, overly eccentric, gratuitous or of banal Taste (sociology), taste. The modern avant-garde traditionally opposed kitsch ...
sensibilities, appropriating such attire as shiny lamé jackets,
fishnet In the field of textiles, fishnet is hosiery with an open, diamond-shaped knit; it is most often used as a material for stockings, tights, gloves or bodystockings. Fishnet is available in a multitude of colors, although it is most often sport ...
stockings,
beehive A beehive is an enclosed structure which houses honey bees, subgenus '' Apis.'' Honey bees live in the beehive, raising their young and producing honey as part of their seasonal cycle. Though the word ''beehive'' is used to describe the nest of ...
hairdos,
cat eye glasses Cat eye glasses (sometimes called "cat eyes" or "cat glasses") are a shape of eyewear. The form is closely related to the browline style, differentiated by having an upsweep at the outer edges where the temples or arms join the frame front. C ...
and even a cowboy outfit, an aesthetic the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'' described as looking like "
The B-52s The B-52s, originally presented as the B-52's (with an errant grocer's apostrophe, apostrophe; used until 2008), are an American band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate ...
meet the
Village People Village People is an American disco group known for its on-stage costumes and suggestive lyrics in their music. The group was originally formed by French producers Jacques Morali and Henri Belolo and lead singer Victor Willis following the re ...
". Drawing upon their knack for self-promotion, TDA took quickly to merchandising, producing accordion-themed t-shirts bearing slogans like "Accordions Don't Play 'Lady of Spain' – People Do!" and
bumper sticker A bumper sticker is an adhesive label or sticker designed to be attached to the rear of a car or truck, often on the bumper. They are commonly sized at around and are typically made of PVC. Bumper stickers serve various purposes, including p ...
s reading "Pro-Accordion And I Vote!", which even won the ''
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'' award for "Bumper Sticker of the Year" in 1997. Perhaps the most peculiar element of TDA's sound and style, however, was member Clyde Forsman, a heavily tattooed senior who had joined the band's original line-up at the age of 74. Along with featuring prominently on their album covers and press photos, Forsman sang lead on several TDA songs, and soon became one of the main attractions of the band's concerts when he would sing
The Jimi Hendrix Experience James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...
s "
Fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion re ...
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Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British singer and songwriter. Known for his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time, having sold ...
s "
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", occasionally shirtless and always delivered in a deadpan monotone. Forsman performed and recorded with the group until 2000, and died on June 5, 2009, at the age of 94. In 1994, TDA performed at the
South by Southwest South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and Convention (meeting), conferences organized jointly that take place in mid-March in Austin, Texas. It began in 1987 and has conti ...
music festival in
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, where they were offered a
record deal A recording contract (commonly called a record contract or record deal) is a legal agreement between a record label and a recording act (artist or group), where the act makes an audio recording (or series of recordings) for the label to sell and ...
by the Chicago-based independent label
Flying Fish Records Flying Fish Records was a record label founded in Chicago in 1974 that specialized in folk, blues, and country music. In the 1990s the label was sold to Rounder Records. Bruce Kaplan, the label's founder, was a native of Chicago and the son of ...
. Their sole album with Flying Fish, ''
Squeeze This! ''Squeeze This!'' is the second studio album by American accordion band Those Darn Accordions, released in 1994 on Flying Fish Records. This was the only TDA album to be released on Flying Fish, as the rest of the band's discography was released ...
'', was a marked step forward from their debut, serving as a showcase for the band's new rock and pop-oriented original songs while still retaining their trademark flair for polkas and quirky covers. Already a popular live draw for their oddball concept and energetic stage shows, the resulting press from publications including ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' and ''
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'' giving ''Squeeze This!'' positive reviews generated enough buzz about the band to help them carry out larger-scale tours in clubs and festivals across the United States and Europe for most of the decade. With the release of '' No Strings Attached'' in 1996, TDA experienced the peak of their pseudo-mainstream notoriety as they toured much of the United States and began making occasional appearances on national television, most notably performing on ''The Jim J. and Tammy Faye Show'' in 1996, ''
Oddville, MTV ''Oddville, MTV'' is an American variety television series starring Rich Brown (as host Frank Hope), co-host David Greene, and announcer Melissa Gabriel. The series premiered June 16, 1997, on MTV. History ''Oddville, MTV'' was based on the New ...
'' in 1997, the ''
Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon The ''MDA Labor Day Telethon'' was an annual telethon held on (starting the night before and throughout) Labor Day in the United States to raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). The Muscular Dystrophy Association was founded in ...
'' in 1998, ''
Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular ''Penn & Teller's Sin City Spectacular'' is an American television variety show hosted by Penn and Teller that aired on FX from August 10, 1998 to June 30, 1999. The show's aim was to revive the genuine variety shows from the past, such as ''Th ...
'' in 1999 and '' Donny & Marie'' in 2000, in addition to numerous appearances on various local network affiliates. TDA's most prominent television exposure came in 1998, when the band appeared on that year's
American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show produced by Dick Clark Productions since 1974. Nominees are selected on commercial performance such as sales and airplay. Winners are determined by a poll of the public and ...
broadcast on
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, performing an instrumental medley – arranged by Rogers – of former "Song of the Year" winners with accordionists
Dick Contino Richard Joseph "Dick" Contino (January 17, 1930 – April 19, 2017) was an American accordionist and singer. Early life Contino was born in Fresno, California. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Contino, and he attended Fresno High School. H ...
,
"Weird Al" Yankovic Alfred Matthew "Weird Al" Yankovic ( ; born October 23, 1959) is an American comedy musician, writer, and actor. He is best known for writing and performing Comedy music, comedy songs that often Parody music, parody specific songs by contempo ...
and event host
Drew Carey Drew Allison Carey (born May 23, 1958) is an American comedian, actor and game show host. After serving in the United States Marine Corps, U.S. Marine Corps and making a name for himself in stand-up comedy, Carey gained stardom in his own Situa ...
. Carey, an admitted fan of TDA, specifically requested that TDA be involved with the segment after hearing their version of the "''
Perry Mason Perry Mason is a fictional character, an American criminal defense lawyer who is the main character in works of detective fiction written by Erle Stanley Gardner. Perry Mason features in 82 novels and four short stories, all of which involve a ...
'' Theme" on
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''Legends of Accordion'' compilation. Carey would maintain friendly relations with the band afterwards, hiring them again to play the
wrap Wrap, WRAP or Wrapped may refer to: Storage and preservation * Gift wrap or wrap paper, used to enclose a present * Overwrap, a wrapping of items in a package or a wrapping over packages * Plastic wrap, a thin, clear, flexible plastic used to co ...
parties for the fourth season of ''
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'' in 1998 and the TV film ''
Geppetto Geppetto ( ; ) is a fictional character in the 1883 Italian novel ''The Adventures of Pinocchio'' by Carlo Collodi. Geppetto is an elderly, impoverished woodcarver and the creator (and thus 'father') of Pinocchio. He wears a yellow wig resemblin ...
'' in 1999. Following the release of TDA's fourth album '' Clownhead'' in August 1999, founder Seekins parted ways with the group to focus full-time on another accordion-based band she had formed, Big Lou's Polka Casserole, who released their debut album a month prior to ''Clownhead''. In a 2006 interview, Seekins reflected on her decision to leave the band, feeling at odds with the more rock-oriented direction TDA was heading: " ey wanted to be a groovy rock band, touring all the time, and playing rock clubs. And I liked the festivals we had been playing. ey didn't want to play polkas anymore...So I recorded the polka album and it was just so much fun and I felt that it sounded more like music I wanted to play". TDA carried on, spending the rest of 1999 and 2000 touring across the United States.


Current activity (2001–present)

By 2001, TDA was operating with the smallest line-up of their career, consisting of a five-piece of accordionists Rogers, Patty Brady and Suzanne Garramone, bassist Lewis Wallace and drummer Bill Schwartz, all of whom had been with the band since ''Vongole Fisarmonica''. That year, the quintet recorded a six-track EP entitled ''
Amped Amped may refer to: *''Amped'' video games series: **'' Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding'' **''Amped 2'' **''Amped 3'' * ''Amped'' (116 Clique EP) * ''Amped'' (Seven Witches album), 2005 * ''Amped'' (Those Darn Accordions EP), 2002 * ''Amped'' (novel ...
'', featuring a noticeably heavier and distorted rock sound than their previous albums. After carrying out their "Extreme Squeezeboxing Tour" into 2002, Brady would leave TDA the following year to move to Hawaii, being succeeded by accordionists Susie Davis and Carri Abrahms. Addressing the line-up changes, Rogers remarked ''
San Antonio Express-News The ''San Antonio Express-News'' is a daily newspaper in San Antonio, Texas, founded in 1865. It is owned by the Hearst Corporation and has offices in San Antonio and Austin, Texas. The ''Express-News'' is the third largest newspaper in the sta ...
'' that "I've found four accordions is the right amount to re-create parts for songs"..." ter about three accordions playing at once you can't tell who's doing what". '' Lawnball'', TDA's fifth studio album, was released in July 2004, finding the band mostly returning to the pop and polka influences of their previous albums in place of the harder-edged rock of ''Amped'', which still remained present on a pair of covers of
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1968. The band comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones (musician), John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. With a he ...
s "
Whole Lotta Love "Whole Lotta Love" is a song by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. It is the opening track on the band's second album, '' Led Zeppelin II'', and was released as a single in 1969 in several countries; as with other Led Zeppelin songs, no singl ...
"/" Black Dog" and
The Edgar Winter Group Edgar Holland Winter (born December 28, 1946) is an American multi-instrumentalist, working as a vocalist along with playing keyboards, saxophone, and percussion. His success peaked in the 1970s with his band the Edgar Winter Group and their pop ...
s "
Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 Gothic novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a Sapience, sapient Frankenstein's monster, crea ...
". After a few more years of sporadic touring and the departure of drummer Schwartz, TDA released '' Squeeze Machine'' in 2007, mixing elements of
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
,
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and
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styles into the band's pop/rock influences, as well as featuring the "Glass of Beer Polka", a comic duet with Drew Carey. TDA celebrated their 20th anniversary in 2009 and carried out a tour dubbed "20 Years, 20 Cities", taking them throughout California, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin and Illinois. For the band's concert in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin Oshkosh () is a city in Winnebago County, Wisconsin, United States, and its county seat. It is located on the western shore of Lake Winnebago and had a population of 66,816 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List o ...
, TDA hosted an "Accordion Blowout" where they extended free admission to anyone bringing an accordion, leading a crowd of accordionists in a rendition of the "
Beer Barrel Polka "Beer Barrel Polka", originally in Czech , also known as "The Barrel Polka", "Roll Out the Barrel", or "Rosamunde", is a 1927 polka composed by Czech musician Jaromír Vejvoda. Lyrics were added in 1934, subsequently gaining worldwide popularit ...
". The final stop of the tour was at the
Cafe Du Nord Cafe Du Nord is a 320-person capacity music venue in the basement level of the historic Swedish American Hall in the Upper Market neighborhood of San Francisco, California, U.S. History Both Cafe Du Nord and The Swedish American Hall have host ...
nightclub in San Francisco, where former original members Big Lou and Tom Torriglia joined the band to perform a set of old favorites. To help promote the show, both current and past members of TDA reunited to carry out a series of "accordionista raids" on restaurants in North Beach. In 2012, Rogers launched a successful
crowdfunding Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising money from a large number of people, typically via the internet. Crowdfunding is a form of crowdsourcing and Alternative Finance, alternative finance, to fund projects "withou ...
campaign on
RocketHub RocketHub was an online crowdfunding platform launched in 2010, its first use was September 1, 2009. Based in New York City, its users included musicians, entrepreneurs, scientists, game developers, philanthropists, filmmakers, photographers,Haine ...
to help finance a Northwest tour for The Darn, a "
power trio A power trio is a rock band format having a lineup of electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit, leaving out a dedicated vocalist or an additional rhythm guitar or keyboard instrument that are often used in other rock music bands that are quart ...
" treatment of his music featuring TDA bassist Lewis Wallace and Ian Luke, drummer for
folk punk Folk punk (known in its early days as rogue folk) is a fusion of folk music and punk rock. It was popularized in the early 1980s by the Pogues in England, and by Violent Femmes in the United States. Folk punk achieved some mainstream success in t ...
band The Mad Maggies, who accompanied The Darn on their tour. Rogers said The Darn was a chance to do something different with his songs, stripping them "down to their basics while allowing him to stretch out on the solos and bring a rawer edge to the sound". As of 2014, Those Darn Accordions continue to sporadically play shows across the Pacific Northwest and occasional music festivals in the Midwest, though the band has made no indication of any future plans to return to recording or extensive touring.


Musical and lyrical style

Since the earliest days of the band, Those Darn Accordions intended to play styles of music well beyond the scope of genres which traditionally incorporate the accordion. In a 1994 interview, Tom Torriglia stated bluntly "We're of the mindset that there's absolutely no musical style that cannot be played on the accordion", while Big Lou once eloquently queried "the accordion is just a portable acoustic organ...other bands use organs in their rock songs, so I figured why can't we use accordions in our rock song remakes and originals?" Although polka plays a major role in TDA's sound and the band has dabbled in various accordion-centric styles including
tango Tango is a partner dance and social dance that originated in the 1880s along the Río de la Plata, the natural border between Argentina and Uruguay. The tango was born in the impoverished port areas of these countries from a combination of Arge ...
,
Cajun The Cajuns (; French: ''les Cadjins'' or ''les Cadiens'' ), also known as Louisiana ''Acadians'' (French: ''les Acadiens''), are a Louisiana French ethnicity mainly found in the US state of Louisiana and surrounding Gulf Coast states. Whi ...
and
New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
music,
Tejano Tejanos ( , ) are descendants of Texas Creoles and Mestizos who settled in Texas before its admission as an American state. The term is also sometimes applied to Texans of Mexican descent. Etymology The word ''Tejano'', with a ''J'' instead ...
and
conjunto The term ''conjunto'' (, literally 'group', 'ensemble') refers to several types of small musical ensembles present in different Latin American musical traditions, mainly in Mexico and Cuba. While Mexican conjuntos play styles such as '' norteño' ...
, and
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
''
bal-musette Bal-musette is a style of French instrumental music and dance that first became popular in Paris in the 1880s. Although it began with bagpipes as the main instrument, this instrument was eventually replaced by the accordion, on which a variety of ...
'', TDA is foremost rooted in rock and pop music, with frontman Rogers listing
Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, author and television host. According to ''Rolling Stone'', Costello "reinvigorated the literate, lyrical ...
, Joe Jackson and
Randy Newman Randall Stuart Newman (born November 28, 1943) is an American singer, songwriter, arranger, pianist, composer, conductor and orchestrator. He is known for his non-rhotic Southern American English, Southern-accented singing style, early America ...
among his major songwriting influences. The band's studio albums have featured songs in styles such as
ska Ska (; , ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a w ...
,
funk Funk is a music genre that originated in African-American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African-Americans in the ...
,
folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk horror ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Fo ...
,
mambo Mambo most often refers to: *Mambo (music), a Cuban musical form *Mambo (dance), a dance corresponding to mambo music Mambo may also refer to: Music * Mambo section, a section in arrangements of some types of Afro-Caribbean music, particul ...
and
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
and western music, while their cover songs have spanned swing, bluegrass, surf, new wave,
synthpop Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a music genre that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s and early 1970s ...
,
hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a heavier subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and Distortion (music), distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the Garage rock, garage, Psychedelic rock, psychedelic and blues ...
and even heavy metal. As a whole, the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'' once called TDA's sound a cross between "
Lawrence Welk Lawrence Welk (March 11, 1903 – May 17, 1992) was an American accordionist, bandleader, and television impresario, who hosted ''The Lawrence Welk Show'' from 1951 to 1982. The program was known for its light and family-friendly style, and the ...
and
Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock music, rock band formed in London in 1968. The band comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist-keyboardist John Paul Jones (musician), John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham. With a he ...
", while band leader Rogers has described it as more akin to "Lawrence Welk meets
The B-52s The B-52s, originally presented as the B-52's (with an errant grocer's apostrophe, apostrophe; used until 2008), are an American band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate ...
". Structurally, TDA has always consisted of multiple accordionists backed by a
rhythm section A rhythm section is a group of musicians within a music ensemble or band that provides the underlying rhythm, harmony and pulse of the accompaniment, providing a rhythmic and harmonic reference and "beat" for the rest of the band. The rhythm ...
of bass guitar and drums, though the band's earliest shows prior to the release of their first album were typically all-accordion ensembles. One of the most distinctive characteristics of TDA is their use of
distortion In signal processing, distortion is the alteration of the original shape (or other characteristic) of a signal. In communications and electronics it means the alteration of the waveform of an information-bearing signal, such as an audio signal ...
and
effects unit An effects unit, effects processor, or effects pedal is an electronic device that alters the sound of a musical instrument or other audio source through audio signal processing. Common effects include distortion (music), distortion/overdrive, ...
s like
wah-wah pedal A wah-wah pedal, or simply wah pedal, is a type of effects pedal designed for electric guitar that alters the timbre of the input signal to create a distinctive sound, mimicking the human voice saying the onomatopoeic name "wah-wah". The peda ...
s on their accordions to achieve a wider range of sounds, using them much like an
electric organ An electric organ, also known as electronic organ, is an electronic keyboard instrument which was derived from the harmonium, pipe organ and theatre organ. Originally designed to imitate their sound, or orchestral sounds, it has since develop ...
on their heavier and more rock-oriented songs. Beginning with their fourth album '' Clownhead'', TDA began using more outside instruments on their studio recordings, primarily using acoustic guitar and piano, while later albums included violin,
banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and in modern forms is usually made of plastic, where early membranes were made of animal skin. ...
,
glockenspiel The glockenspiel ( ; or , : bells and : play) or bells is a percussion instrument consisting of pitched aluminum or steel bars arranged in a Musical keyboard, keyboard layout. This makes the glockenspiel a type of metallophone, similar to the v ...
,
tuba The tuba (; ) is the largest and lowest-pitched musical instrument in the brass instrument, brass family. As with all brass instruments, the sound is produced by lip vibrationa buzzinto a mouthpiece (brass), mouthpiece. It first appeared in th ...
, trumpet,
clarinet The clarinet is a Single-reed instrument, single-reed musical instrument in the woodwind family, with a nearly cylindrical bore (wind instruments), bore and a flared bell. Clarinets comprise a Family (musical instruments), family of instrume ...
, harmonica and
ukulele The ukulele ( ; ); also called a uke (informally), is a member of the lute (ancient guitar) family of instruments. The ukulele is of Portuguese origin and was popularized in Hawaii. The tone and volume of the instrument vary with size and con ...
. Paul Rogers has been TDA's main lyricist since the early 1990s and usually writes in a humorously observational and narrative style, covering such mundane topics as
bowling Bowling is a Throwing sports#Target sports, target sport and recreational activity in which a player rolls a bowling ball, ball toward Bowling pin, pins (in pin bowling) or another target (in target bowling). Most references to ''bowling'' are ...
, lawn decorations and the difficulties of tandem bikes while sometimes venturing into more farcical material about accordion-snatching
extraterrestrial Extraterrestrial may refer to: Science * Extraterrestrial life, life that occurs outside of Earth and that probably did not originate from Earth Media * ''Extraterrestrial'' (TV program), a program on the National Geographic Channel * '' Extrate ...
s, the
Loch Ness monster The Loch Ness Monster (), known affectionately as Nessie, is a mythical creature in Scottish folklore that is said to inhabit Loch Ness in the Scottish Highlands. It is often described as large, long-necked, and with one or more humps protrud ...
and
Japanese monster movies Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...
. Some of the band's comic appeal comes from their frequent covers of songs from genres not typically associated with accordions, with a few of such covers being reworked as
parodies A parody is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satirical or ironic imitation. Often its subject is an original work or some aspect of it (theme/content, author, style, etc), but a parody can als ...
– for example, hard rock band
Grand Funk Railroad Grand Funk Railroad (often shortened to Grand Funk) is an American rock band formed in Flint, Michigan, in 1969 by Mark Farner (vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica), Don Brewer (drums, vocals) and Mel Schacher (bass). The band achieved pea ...
s "
We're an American Band ''We're an American Band'' is the seventh studio album by American hard rock band Grand Funk Railroad, credited as Grand Funk. The album was released by Capitol Records in July 1973, and was certified gold by the RIAA a little over a month afte ...
" having been re-written as "We're an Accordion Band" on ''Squeeze This!''. Despite the
novelty Novelty (derived from Latin word ''novus'' for "new") is the quality of being new, or following from that, of being striking, original or unusual. Novelty may be the shared experience of a new cultural phenomenon or the subjective perception of an ...
nature of the band, TDA have always considered themselves "artists first and comics second". Nearly all of the accordionists have been classically trained pianists; among them, Rogers has a
Bachelor of Music A Bachelor of Music (BMus; sometimes conferred as Bachelor of Musical Arts) is an academic degree awarded by a college, university, or conservatory upon completion of a program of study in music. The degree may be awarded for performance, music ed ...
, and Suzanne Garramone holds a master's degree in piano performance and works as an adjunct professor of music at the
University of San Francisco The University of San Francisco (USF) is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit university in San Francisco, California, United States. Founded in 1855, it has nearly 9,000 students pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees ...
.


Related bands and side projects

Prior to joining TDA, Paul Rogers fronted and played keyboards for the San Francisco rock bands The Dinks, Jimmy Knight and the Daze and the Baxter Brothers, and since TDA has played keys for the
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
group Transistor Rodeo and contributes several instruments to the "acoustic
folk Folk or Folks may refer to: Sociology *Nation *People * Folklore ** Folk art ** Folk dance ** Folk hero ** Folk horror ** Folk music *** Folk metal *** Folk punk *** Folk rock ** Folk religion * Folk taxonomy Arts, entertainment, and media * Fo ...
-
skiffle Skiffle is a music genre, genre of folk music with influences from American folk music, blues, Country music, country, Bluegrass music, bluegrass, and jazz, generally performed with a mixture of manufactured and homemade or improvised instruments. ...
- swing
holiday A holiday is a day or other period of time set aside for festivals or recreation. ''Public holidays'' are set by public authorities and vary by state or region. Religious holidays are set by religious organisations for their members and are often ...
" ensemble The Christmas Jug Band, the latter of which Rogers has also composed numerous songs for, including the humorous "Santa Lost a Ho" which
NPR National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It serves as a national Radio syndication, syndicator to a network of more ...
voted Christmas Song of the Year in 2005. Rogers has also released solo recordings through TDA's website, and in 2010 released his first solo CD under his name, a folk and rock
children's music Children's music or kids' music is music composed and performed for children. In European-influenced contexts this means music, usually songs, written specifically for a juvenile audience. The composers are usually adults. Children's music has hi ...
album entitled ''The Cul-de-Sac Kids''. Throughout the 1980s, Linda "Big Lou" Seekins played keyboards and recorded with the Bay Area all-girl
rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the Southern United States, South. As a genre, it blends the sound of Western music (North America), Western musi ...
band The Stir-Ups and
roots rock Roots rock is a genre of rock music that looks back to rock's origins in contemporary folk music, folk, blues, and country music. First emerging in the late 1960s, it is seen as a response to the perceived excesses of the then dominant psychedel ...
band Thee Hellcats, and most notably played accordion with the polka punk band Polkacide. Since her departure from TDA in the 1990s, Big Lou has fronted several bands including the polka band Big Lou's Dance Party (formerly Big Lou's Polka Casserole), the
bal-musette Bal-musette is a style of French instrumental music and dance that first became popular in Paris in the 1880s. Although it began with bagpipes as the main instrument, this instrument was eventually replaced by the accordion, on which a variety of ...
group Baguette Quartette, recording multiple albums with both, as well as the French
cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...
trio Salute Matelot. Suzanne Garramone was also a member of Polkacide with Seekins, and later co-founded the
oboe The oboe ( ) is a type of double-reed woodwind instrument. Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites. The most common type of oboe, the soprano oboe pitched in C, ...
/piano duo Classical Trash. Susie Davis has an extensive background as a session keyboardist and backing vocalist, having toured and recorded with artists including
Sheila E. Sheila Cecilia Escovedo (born December 12, 1957), known under the stage name Sheila E., is an American singer, songwriter, and musician. Regarded as one of the greatest musicians of her generation; she is known for skills as a multi-instrumental ...
,
Hall & Oates Daryl Hall & John Oates, commonly known as Hall & Oates, were an American Rock music, rock duo formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1970. Daryl Hall was generally the lead vocalist, while John Oates primarily supplied electric guitar and ba ...
,
Mick Jagger Sir Michael Philip Jagger (born 26 July 1943) is an English musician. He is known as the lead singer and one of the founder members of The Rolling Stones. Jagger has co-written most of the band's songs with lead guitarist Keith Richards; Jagge ...
and
The Rubinoos The Rubinoos are an American power pop band that formed in 1970 in Berkeley, California, Berkeley, California. They are perhaps best known for their single (music), singles "I Think We're Alone Now" (1977, a cover of the hit by Tommy James & th ...
, and appeared on ''
The Tonight Show ''The Tonight Show'' is an American late-night talk show that has been broadcast on NBC since 1954. The program has been hosted by six comedians: Steve Allen (1954–1957), Jack Paar (1957–1962), Johnny Carson (1962–1992), Jay Leno (1992–2 ...
'' backing
Melissa Etheridge Melissa Lou Etheridge (born May 29, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and guitarist. Her Melissa Etheridge (album), eponymous debut album was released in 1988 and became an underground success. It peaked at No. 22 on the Billbo ...
and on ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' with
Sinéad O'Connor Shuhada' Sadaqat (born Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor; , ; 8 December 1966 – 26 July 2023) was an Irish singer, songwriter, record producer and activist. Her debut studio album, ''The Lion and the Cobra'', was released in 1987 and achieve ...
. Carri Abrahms is a classically trained singer who has worked with the
San Francisco Symphony Chorus The San Francisco Symphony Chorus is the resident Chorus of the San Francisco Symphony (SFS). Background Established in 1972 at the request of then-music director Seiji Ozawa, the chorus first performed in the 1973-74 Symphony season. The SFS Cho ...
, the Philharmonia Baroque Chorale and the
Dark Cabaret Dark cabaret is a music genre that draws on the aesthetics of burlesque, vaudeville and Weimar-era cabaret, generally played by groups with origins in rock music. The genre traces its roots to 1930s Weimar Republic experimental cabaret of Bert ...
band Rosin Coven.


Discography

;Studio albums ;EPs ;Compilation appearances


Band members

Current line-up *Paul Rogers – vocals, accordion, piano, acoustic guitar *Suzanne Garramone – accordion, vocals *Lewis Wallace – electric bass *Ian Luke – drums, percussion Former members *Bill Schwartz – drums, percussion, vocals *Michael Messer – drums, percussion *Carri Abrahms – accordion, vocals *Ron "Riff" Borelli – accordion *Patty Brady – accordion, vocals *Susie Davis – accordion, vocals, vocal arrangements *Clyde Forsman – accordion, vocals *Ron "The Filipino Elvis" Muriera – accordion, vocals *Art "California Pete" Peterson – accordion, vocals *Linda "Big Lou" Seekins – accordion, vocals *Tom Torriglia – accordion


References


External links

;Those Darn Accordions
Those Darn Accordions official website
* ;Related websites
Paul Rogers solo
on
MySpace Myspace (formerly stylized as MySpace, currently myspace; and sometimes my␣, with an elongated Whitespace character#Substitute images, open box symbol) is a social networking service based in the United States. Launched on August 1, 2003, it w ...

Big Lou the Accordion Princess official siteSusie Davis official siteRon Borelli official siteArt Peterson official siteTom Torriglia official siteGlobe Records official site
{{Authority control American accordionists American comedy rock musical groups American polka groups Rock music groups from California Musical groups established in 1989 Musical groups from San Francisco Comedians from San Francisco Flying Fish Records artists