Camper Van Beethoven turns 25, releases greatest hits

As May slips rapidly away and June fast approaches, a landmark anniversary lies ahead in the sunny months to come. It’s time to take the skinheads bowling and fondly remember that time Lassie went to the moon.  That’s right, influential rock band Camper Van Beethoven is preparing to celebrate its Silver Anniversary.  

The Santa Cruz-based group, self-described as “surrealist absurdist folk,” is commemorating its past 25 years with a headlining show at The Fillmore in San Francisco on June 28 and plans to release a greatest hits collection on Cooking Vinyl on June 24. The album showcases the band’s chameleon-like style with songs from its career claiming influence from a breadth of sources.

Fans can expect songs from CVB's 1985 debut, Telephone Free Landslide Victory, 1988’s Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart and 1989’s Key Lime Pie. The five songs included from albums recorded on Virgin Records (Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart and Key Lime Pie) have all been re-recorded. An attempt by the band to buy back the rights to the original masters for the album was apparently refused by Virgin. Thus, according to a statement from the band, not only have the members of CVB “reclaimed their own music,” they have “given a stiff middle finger to their former record label in the process.”

Birthday festivities aside, the band will co-host the annual Campout music festival with Cracker, singer/guitarist David Lowry’s post-CVB project. The festival will be held in September in Pioneertown, Calif., and will feature Built to Spill and others along with CVB this year.

Popular Songs track listing:

1. The Day Lassie Went to the Moon
2. Border Ska
3. Take the Skinheads Bowling
4. Pictures of Matchstick Men
5. Skinhead Stomp
6. Opi Rides Again/Club Med Sucks
7. Eye of Fatima (Parts 1&2)
8. ZZ Top Goes to Egypt
9. Sad Lovers’ Waltz
10. When I Win the Lottery
11. The History of Utah
12. Seven Languages
13. All Her Favorite Fruit
14. Good Guys & Bad Guys
15. Circles
16. One of These Days
17. Ambiguity Song
18. Shut Us Down

Dates:

June
26 - Los Angeles, Calif. @ House of Blues w/ Everclear and Soul Asylum
28 - San Francisco, Calif. @ The Fillmore

September
11-13- Pioneertown, Calif. @ 4th Annual Campout        

Related links:
CamperVanBeethoven.com
Review: Camper Van Beethoven - New Roman Times
CookingVinyl.com

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