The Coctails were a Chicago band, which formed while its members were all attending the Kansas City Art Institute. The Coctails were active from about 1988 to 1995 (with reunions in 2000 for the last-ever show at Lounge Ax, December 2004 and January 2005 for the release of their Popcorn Box CD box set collection of rarities, and July 2005 for a tour of Japan). Band members, Archer Prewitt, Mark Greenberg, John Upchurch, and Barry Phipps were largely self-taught musicians who experimented with various instruments and played in a manner they described as the Chinese fire drill method, through which they switched off playing different instruments. For example, though Phipps often played bass, he was as likely to play guitar, drums, bass saxophone, theremin, and so on. Originally considered a loungecore band -- most likely because they covere
d a few Martin Denny tunes -- they preferred to call themselves a garage jazz band.
Of special note was the Coctails' line of merchandise which they created themselves, having a printshop set up in their loft. Merchandise included buttons, calendars, t-shirts, news letters, and similar music giveaways, but also included their own line of stuffed dolls. Recently a line of 12" action figures of the band were produced in Japan by Presspop Gallery as well as a book of the art of the Coctails' flyers. At some point during a Coctails show, the audience would be served popcorn in bags (and sometimes boxes) imprinted with the band's images.
Archer Prewitt currently performs solo and also plays with The Sea and Cake and Sam Prekop and creates the comic book Sof' Boy.
Mark Greenberg currently performs with Archer Prewitt and Eleventh Dream Day and has his own music-for-use company Mayfair Recordings.
John Upchurch has played with Rachel's, owned and operated FireProof Press, and is currently on staff at Columbia Collage, Chicago.
Barry Phipps owns and operates the North Branch Recording Studio and Tight Ship Records as well as Beep DJ Service.
The Coctails albums and 45s included:
Hip Hip Hooray! LP (Hi-Ball)
Here Now Today LP (Hi-Ball)
The Early Hi-Ball Years CD comp (Carrot Top)
Long Sound LP (Hi-Ball/Carrot Top)
Peel LP (Hi-Ball/Carrot Top)
The Coctails LP (Carrot Top)
Live at Lounge Ax LP (Carrot Top)
Songs For Children EP (Hi-Ball)
Devo Corporate Anthem split 7" with Chrome Cranks (Insipid, Australia)
Wheels split 7" with SCOTS (Todd & Cheryl Records)
Working Holiday split 7" with Codeine (Simple Machines)
Tardvark EP with Dame Darcy (Hi-Ball)
Why? 7" single with T. Lance (Telstar)
Powerhouse 7" single (SOL)
Winter Wonderland EP (Hi-Ball)
3/4 Time EP (Hi-Ball)
Hello CDEP (Hello Record Club)
Let's Enjoy 10" EP (Presspop, Japan)
Popcorn Box 3 CD box set (Carrot Top)
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