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Gigolo Aunts are an American power pop band, who formed in 1981.

BiographyEdit

Early historyEdit

The band was formed by middle school students Steve Hurley, Dave Gibbs, Phil Hurley, and Paul Brouwer in 1981 in Potsdam, New York, United States, originally known as Sniper.<ref name="Larkin90"/> In 1986, their name changed to Gigolo Aunts (after the Syd Barrett song, "Gigolo Aunt", from his 1970 album Barrett) and became a staple on the Northern New York music scene, gaining a reputation for frenetic live sets that featured the close harmonies of the Hurley brothers and Gibbs.<ref name="Larkin90">Template:Cite book</ref> In the summer of 1987 the band relocated to Boston, Massachusetts, and within a year were signed to Hoboken's Coyote Records (then home of the Feelies and Yo La Tengo). Their first album entitled Everybody Happy was produced by former Bongo bassist (and late version Velvet Underground member), Rob Norris, and released in 1988. After touring up and down the east coast, the band returned to Boston and began working on their follow up album with producer Paul Q. Kolderie. Early in the sessions, Coyote Records folded, and only a handful of songs were finished. After a year of slugging in out in the Boston clubs and recording new songs with Kolderie, the band completed Tales from the Vinegar Side, which was released only in Spain on Impossible Records in 1990. The album produced a modest Boston area radio hit in "Down on Me".

Chart successEdit

In fall 1991, the band released the "Bloom"/"Cope" 7 inch single on their own Summerville Records. The single garnered rave reviews on both sides of the Atlantic and heavy Boston area airplay, which led to a record deal with Fire Records in the UK.<ref name="Larkin90"/> An EP, Full-On Bloom, was released in July 1993 and an album, Flippin' Out, made with producers Mike Deneen and Adam Lasus, was released in the UK in October 1993.<ref name="Larkin90"/> The band supported Suede and the Cranberries on their first major U.S. tour and a tour of Japan. The band toured extensively in Europe in support of Flippin' Out, opening for The Wonder Stuff.

After signing to RCA Records in the US early in 1994, the band released the slightly altered American version of Flippin' Out and spent the year supporting the record in Europe and America. Their biggest commercial success was the single, "Where I Find My Heaven", which featured in the soundtrack to the film Dumb and Dumber, and as the opening music to the British sitcom Game On.<ref name="Larkin90"/> The single release of "Where I Find My Heaven" broke into the Top 30 in the UK Singles Chart early in 1995.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">Template:Cite book</ref> The band also composed the song, "Little Wild One", for the movie, That Thing You Do!

Later historyEdit

In the winter of 1995, drummer Paul Brouwer left and was replaced by Fred Eltringham, then of the Boston band, Jack Drag. In the fall of 1995, the band entered the studio with producer Fred Maher to record the follow-up to Flippin' Out, tentatively titled Ultraphonic. The subsequent recordings were never released and soon after Phil Hurley left the band and was replaced by 6L6 guitarist, Jon Skibic.

In 1996, after getting released from their RCA deal, the band began the long process of ending their relationship with Fire Records. In the meantime, they released an EP, Learn to Play Guitar, on the indie Wicked Disc label, which allowed them to tour extensively in support of the Wallflowers and Counting Crows.

After settling their contract status in 1998, the band signed a new deal with E Pluribus Unum Records, a subsidiary of Universal Records owned and led by Counting Crows' singer, Adam Duritz.<ref name="Larkin90"/> The band entered the studio once again with producer Mike Denneen and produced the haunting Minor Chords and Major Themes, which featured the minor hit, "Everyone Can Fly".<ref name="Larkin90"/> Minor Chords And Major Themes was a hit in Spain and led to the band's long-standing popularity in that country and appearance at the Benicassim Festival in 1999.

The Gigolo Aunts played a few shows in 2023 including November 15, 2023 at Brooklyn Made, Brooklyn, NY, USA.

MembersEdit

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Current Members
  • Dave Gibbs (vocals/guitar)
  • Steve Hurley (bass/vocals)
  • Fred Eltringham (drums, 1995-)
  • Jon Skibic (lead guitar/vocals, 1995-)

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Former Members
  • Phil Hurley (lead guitar/vocals, 1981–1995)
  • Paul Brouwer (drums, 1981–1995)

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Timeline

<timeline> ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:25 PlotArea = left:120 bottom:120 top:5 right:0 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1981 till:12/31/2016 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3 ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1981 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1981

Colors =

 id:v    value:red       legend:Vocals
 id:lg   value:teal      legend:Lead_Guitar
 id:rg   value:brightgreen legend:Rhythm_Guitar
 id:b    value:blue      legend:Bass
 id:d    value:orange    legend:Drums
 id:alb  value:black     legend:Studio_Albums
 id:ep   value:gray(0.4) legend:Extended_Plays

LineData =

 layer:back
 at:06/30/1988 color:alb
 at:06/30/1990 color:alb
 at:07/26/1993 color:ep
 at:04/12/1994 color:alb
 at:02/25/1997 color:ep
 at:02/09/1999 color:alb
 at:06/30/1999 color:ep
 at:04/08/2002 color:alb

PlotData =

 width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(12,–4)
 bar:Dave Gibbs from:start till:end color:v
 bar:Dave Gibbs from:start till:end color:rg width:3
 bar:Phil Hurley from:start till:10/01/1995 color:lg
 bar:Phil Hurley from:start till:10/01/1995 color:v width:3
 bar:Jon Skibic from:10/01/1995 till:end color:lg
 bar:Jon Skibic from:10/01/1995 till:end color:v width:3
 bar:Steve Hurley from:start till:end color:b
 bar:Steve Hurley from:start till:end color:v width:3
 bar:Paul Brouwer from:start till:02/01/1995 color:d
 bar:Fred Eltringham from:02/01/1995 till:end color:d

</timeline>

DiscographyEdit

AlbumsEdit

Compilation albumsEdit

SinglesEdit

Selected tracks from other compilationsEdit

ReferencesEdit

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External linksEdit

Template:Gigolo Aunts

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