Van Duren is an American singer-songwriter who released a successful debut album in 1978 to critical acclaim. He has subsequently recorded and released more than 15 additional albums. Van's career was revitalized in 2019 after the release of a film about his journey, Waiting – the Van Duren Story.

Career

Born 25 August 1953 in Memphis, Tennessee, Van Duren was part of the Memphis music scene along with power-pop group Big Star.[1] Van befriended the group's eventual drummer Jody Stephens in 1970 when Stephens was working with Chris Bell and Andy Hummel in Icewater, the precursor to Big Star.[2] [2] In 1974, he auditioned to replace vocalist and guitarist Chris Bell in Big Star. "It went horribly, basically because I was a bassist at the time" he recalled later, and he didn't get the spot.[3]In 1975-76, Van played in a post Big Star band called the Baker Street Regulars with Bell and Stephens.

In 1977, he moved to New York's Greenwich Village[3] and began work on a solo album.[2] He was managed and produced by Andrew Loog Oldman of Rolling Stones fame,[4] with comparisons to Paul McCartney.[5] He released his first album Are You Serious? in 1978 on the Big Sound label, which received rave reviews and was widely played on US radio stations.[4] It was released in Europe as Staring at the Ceiling on the London Decca label.[6] It included one song, The Love That I Love, co-written by Big Star's Jody Stephens.[7]

In 1980, he had recorded his second album, Idiot Optimism, but his relationship with Big Sound's owner, Doc Cavalier, had soured due to a conflict over Scientology. As a result, the label did not distribute the album, while retaining the rights.[8]

In 1981, he returned to Memphis after "things just ran out of steam and gigs dried up".[3]

In 1982, he helped form a band, Good Question. He wrote all the songs on the 1986 release Thin Disguise except "Girls In Uniform" co-written by John Hampton.[9] Good Question had limited success with the single "Jane"[3] and didn't make any more albums but continued to perform until the late '90's.

In 1998, he teamed up with fellow Memphis musician Tommy Hoehn to co-write an album, released as Hailstone Holiday on Frankenstein Records in 1999.[3][10]

Also in 1999, the album Idiot Optimism was finally released, in Japan on Airmail Recordings and with minimal input from Van Duren who was recovering from a major stroke.[11] In 2020, he released a remastered version on Omnivore Recordings along with a remastered version of Are You Serious? --both of which on vinyl.[11]

Meanwhile, Van formed a musical partnership with the singer/songwriter/percussionist Vicki Loveland in 2012, recording 3 albums of material co-written by the duo: Bloody Cupid (2013), NEXT (2016) and Any Such Thing (2021) all on the Edgewood Recordings label.

In 2019, he became the subject of the documentary Waiting: The Story of Van Duren, made by two Australian first-time film-makers.[1] This triggered the re-release of some earlier albums (see above) and a soundtrack album from the film, also on Omnivore.[5]

In 2023, a set recorded live in Memphis in 1992 with Good Question was released, under the name Cartwheeling: Live in Memphis, which features Van on lead vocals, guitars and piano; Ray Sanders on vocals, bass: James Lott on vocals, guitar: Joel Williams on drums, vocals; and Rick Steff on keyboards, accordion.[12]

2024 finds Van still performing live regularly in his hometown of Memphis at age 70.

Discography

  • Are You Serious? (Big Sound, 1978) / Staring At the Ceiling (London/Decca)
  • Idiot Optimism (recorded 1978–1979,[13] released 1999 Airmail Recordings, Japan)
  • Thin Disguise (SUR Records 1986), reissued 2001 Airmail Recordings, Japan)
  • Hailstone Holiday --Hoehn Duren (w/Tommy Hoehn) (recorded 1998-99 released 1999 Frankenstein Records, reissued 2001 Airmail Recordings, Japan)
  • Blue Orange--Hoehn Duren (w/Tommy Hoehn) recorded 2001-02 released 2002 Frankenstein Records, reissued 2003 Airmail Recordings, Japan
  • Open Secret (Van Duren 3rd solo album[14]) recorded 2003-05, released 2005 Pure Pop Planet Recordings
  • Resonance Road (2010) (Van Duren 4th solo album) recorded 2005-10, released by Three Cool Cats Records[15]
  • Her Name Comes Up (Van Duren and Tim Horrigan, 2012)[16] recorded 1990-1996, released 2012
  • Bloody Cupid (Loveland Duren) recorded and released 2013 Edgewood Recordings
  • NEXT (Loveland Duren) recorded 2015-16, released 2016 Edgewood Recordings
  • Any Such Thing (Loveland Duren) recorded 2020-21, released 2021 Edgewood Recordings
  • Waiting: The Van Duren Story film soundtrack (2019 Omnivore Recordings)
  • Are You Serious? (re-mastered, 2020 Omnivore Recordings)
  • Idiot Optimism (re-mastered, 2020 Omnivore Recordings)
  • Cartwheeling: Live in Memphis 1992 (Van Duren and Good Question, 2023 Omnivore Recordings)

References

  1. 1 2 Stafford, Andrew (2019-04-06). "Waiting: The Story of Van Duren review – gifted rocker rediscovered". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  2. 1 2 3 "Van Duren - Music Publishing - Concord". concord.com. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Tommy Hoehn and Van Duren (was Big Star)". www.mail-archive.com. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  4. 1 2 "Van Duren live after 40-year gap". Blue Mountains Gazette. 2019-04-18. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  5. 1 2 Chelstowski, Ray (2023-12-05). "Why singer-songwriter Van Duren's music matters". Goldmine Magazine: Record Collector & Music Memorabilia. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  6. ↑ https://concord.com/publishing-roster/van-duren/
  7. ↑ "Van Duren – Staring At The Ceiling".
  8. ↑ Yates, Rod (2019-04-09). "Singer-songwriter Van Duren rediscovered, 40 years on". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  9. ↑ "Good Question (2) – Thin Disguise".
  10. ↑ "Hoehn & Duren - Hailstone Holiday, by Tommy Hoehn & Van Duren". Van Duren. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  11. 1 2 "Van Duren — Idiot Optimism – Omnivore Recordings". Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  12. ↑ Apice, John (2023-11-30). "REVIEW: Van Duren & Good Question "Cartwheeling: Live In Memphis" - Americana Highways". americanahighways.org. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  13. ↑ Van Duren - Idiot Optimism Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic, retrieved 2023-12-24
  14. ↑ "Open Secret, by Van Duren". Van Duren. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  15. ↑ "Resonance Road, by Van Duren". Van Duren. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  16. ↑ "Her Name Comes Up, by Van Duren and Tim Horrigan". Van Duren. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
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