Radio Bunyup
Recorded in 1988 by Bill Carrico, Maureen Coyle, and The Bunyups at Bunyup Bakeries in Oakland, CA. Radio Bunyup is a satirical tour de force blending 1980s garage rock, pirate radio station IDs, commercial parodies, and vaudeville humor inspired by 1950s Spike Jones broadcasts.
Tracklist, Commentary & Lyrics
Click any track row to expand DAC's session commentary, Radio ID/Spot titles, and complete lyrics.
Digital Artifact Vault
Original 1988 cassette jacket artwork, band promotional photos, press materials, and vintage comics.
An Introduction by W.A. Carrico
In 1988 My wife Maureen and I recorded an album of original music with our band The Bunyups. It was called Radio Bunyup and was largely dedicated to social and political commentary of the day. The album accomplished its task through humor that found roots in vaudeville and early TV. If you’ve ever seen any of the 1950s Spike Jones shows, you’re headed in the right direction. The Bunyups updated that sound and borrowed heavily from the media of the 1970s and ‘80s. Surrounding the songs are radio announcements, IDs and ads performed by actual radio announcers and comedians heard across the dial back then; all of them friends and coworkers at the time.
The result was this relentless assault on the politics and popular culture of the day. Some specific references are dated (the political right no longer eschews the color red, the Freedom at 7/11 ad campaign) but the commentary still rings true to us. And the music, the gags, those solos (Dude!) hold up as fresh and funny as they were back then. You may not agree with all the comments made in this album but if you just ride the rollercoaster that is Radio Bunyup with your hands in the air, you will be rewarded with laughter. Who doesn’t need that? And no one, not even me, escapes the barbs of Radio Bunyup.
W A Carrico
PS
Side 2 contains the bonus track, “Pink Linguini”. This was recorded with a different version of The Bunyups. The musicians are:
Musician & Studio Credits
Bill Carrico
Electric Bass, Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Producer
Maureen Coyle
Lead Vocals, Keyboards
Gil Ashley
Saxophone, Vocals, Keyboards
Chris Akin
Electric Guitar, Vocals
Phil Skeen
Drums, Percussion
Rick Dula
Art Direction & Radio Construction