Search - Ralph Gean; Boyd Rice :: Boyd Rice Presents: The Amazing Ralph Gean - His Music, His Story

This is a two-disc, 40 year retrospective of the work of Ralph Gean, compiled by countercultural maven Boyd Rice (of the band NON). Ralph Gean has been writing, performing and recording his own unique variety of off-beat Rock, Rockabilly and Country songs since the late 1950s. As an early '60s contemporary of first-wave Rock n' Roll acts like Roy Orbison and Glenn Campbell, Gean achieved a measure of regional success in Texas, cutting several 45s and receiving vigorous support from local radio. Unfortunately, just as he was rising to what was sure to be national stardom, The Beatles stormed America, and the "British invasion" that followed all but eliminated the market for Gean's home-grown Rock n' Roll, causing his career to fall-apart almost overnight. In the three topsy-turvy decades that followed his brief brush with rock-stardom, Ralph Gean experienced a wide range of extreme experiences that led him all over the US.

Throughout all of this, Gean continued to write and record his own bizarre variety of Country and Rock songs, which typically featured lyrics about murder, TV shows, weird news items and other "unusual" themes. In the mid '90s Gean was "discovered" by noted countercultural figures such as Boyd Rice (NON), Eric Allen (Apples In Stereo) and Jello Biafra (Dead Kennedys), all of whom would become involved in his career in one way or another; this lead to a comeback for Gean.

Disc one of this two-disc set is a collection of the best and weirdest of Ralph Gean's assorted "outsider" tracks, and includes some bonus live material recorded in the late 1990s. Disc two is a best of Gean's eight Sun Studio rockabilly sessions. Also included is a 24-page booklet featuring extensive biographical liner notes and numerous photos. More information is available on www.RalphGean.com