Combustible Edison

{{Short description|American neo-lounge music group}} {{more citations needed|date=August 2016}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Combustible Edison | image = | caption = | image_size = | alias = Combustible Edison Heliotropic Oriental Mambo and Foxtrot Orchestra | origin = [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]], [[Rhode Island]] | genre = [[Lounge music|Lounge]], [[exotica]], [[jazz]], [[Swing music|swing]] | years_active = 1991–1999 | label = [[Sub Pop]] | associated_acts = Christmas, Monopoly Queen, Super Casanova, the Swinging Erudites, [[the Del Fuegos]], the Fabulous Billygoons, [[Barrence Whitfield|Barrence Whitfield & the Savages]], Brother Cleve and His Lush Orchestra, Wheelers & Dealers, Miki Singh & Jetset, Dragonfly, Waitiki, Funk House | website = [http://www.subpop.com/artists/combustible_edison Official website] | current_members = Miss Lily Banquette (Liz Cox) Michael "The Millionaire" Cudahy Nick Cudahy Mr. Peter Dixon Aaron Oppenheimer Michael "Laughing Boy" Connors [[Robert "Brother Cleve" Toomey]] }}

'''Combustible Edison''' were an American neo-[[lounge music]] group founded in the early 1990s in [[Providence, Rhode Island]]. They were one of several lounge acts that led a brief resurgence of interest in the genre during the mid-1990s.<ref name="subpop">{{cite web|url=https://www.subpop.com/artists/combustible_edison |title=Combustible Edison on Sub Pop Records |website=Subpop.com |date=1998-10-06 |access-date=2020-03-15}}</ref>

Unlike other bands with a more [[irony|ironic]] take on the lounge scene, Combustible Edison took the music seriously and strove to add to what its members saw as a canon of works by [[Juan García Esquivel|Esquivel]], [[Henry Mancini]] and [[Martin Denny]]. Said ''[[Trouser Press]]'', "As the band that poured the first shot in the Cocktail Revolution, this Providence combo brought lounge music into the '90s—or, more accurately, transported tastemakers back to the suburbia of the '50s—with strikingly authentic interpretations of some of the most unauthentic sounds known to mankind."<ref name="trouserpress">{{cite web|url=http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=combustible_edison |title=Combustible Edison |website=TrouserPress.com |access-date=2020-03-15}}</ref>

The band ended in 1999.<ref name="tikiroom">{{cite web|url=http://www.tikiroom.com/music/combustible.htm |title=Combustible Edison |website=Tikiroom.com |access-date=2020-03-15}}</ref>

==History== Connecticut natives Liz Cox (drums, vocals) and Michael Cudahy (guitar, vocals) formed [[indie rock]] band Christmas in Boston in 1983.<ref name="christmas">{{cite web|author=Biography by Stewart Mason |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/christmas-mn0001856211 |title=Christmas | Biography & History |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=2020-03-15}}</ref> They issued three albums, ''In Excelsior Dayglo'' (1986), ''Ultra Prophets of Thee Psykick Revolution'' (1989) and ''Vortex'' (released after the dissolution of the band in 1993). Cudahy's brother Nick was a member of the Christmas lineup for the second album.

In 1991, Michael Cudahy — now re-dubbed "The Millionaire" by fellow Providence ''bon vivant'' Robert Jaz — wrote a stage show titled "The Tiki Wonder Hour", and formed the 14-piece ''Combustible Edison 'Heliotropic Oriental Mambo and Foxtrot Orchestra''' to accompany the performance.<ref name="subpop"/> After three performances of "Tiki Wonder Hour," the orchestra shortened its name to Combustible Edison and slimmed down to five core members: Cox (renamed "Miss Lily Banquette", on vocals and various percussion instruments), The Millionaire (guitar), Nick Cudahy (bass), Mr. Peter Dixon (keyboards) and Aaron Oppenheimer (drums and percussion).

Combustible Edison signed to [[Sub Pop Records]] and released their debut album, ''I, Swinger'', in 1994.<ref name="subpop"/> A live review by ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' critic Chuck Crisafulli noted that the album "perfectly duplicates the '50s cool and hi-fi [[exotica]] of such lounge icons as Martin Denny",<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-06-13-ca-3557-story.html|title=Pop Music Reviews: Combustible Edison Captures '50s Cool|first=Chuck|last=Crisafulli|date=June 13, 1994|newspaper=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> while ''Trouser Press'' said, "''I, Swinger'' is a faithful replication of bargain-bin exotica, right down to a sleeve festooned with cocktail recipes and calculatedly dated hep-cat liner notes".<ref name="trouserpress"/> The group performed on ''[[Late Night with Conan O'Brien]]'' on December 23, 1994.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2732434/|title=Late Night with Conan O'Brien|website=IMDb.com|access-date=2020-03-15}}</ref>

In 1995, the band recorded the [[Four Rooms (soundtrack)|soundtrack]] to the film ''[[Four Rooms]]'', produced by [[Mark Mothersbaugh]]. "[[Vertigogo]]", the film's main theme, was submitted for consideration for an [[Academy Award]], but was ultimately disqualified from consideration because of its incomprehensible lyrical content, despite the fact that the band submitted a lyric sheet with their best written approximation of the lyrics.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090110083747/http://ogami.subpop.com/bands/combustible/comed/vert.html The Vertigogo Story]</ref>

The group's second studio album, ''[[Schizophonic!]]'' was issued in 1996.<ref name="subpop"/> During this period, Dixon was replaced by keyboardist [[Robert "Brother Cleve" Toomey]], a former [[WMBR]] DJ who was previously a member of the Swinging Erudites, [[the Del Fuegos]], the Fabulous Billygoons, and [[Barrence Whitfield|Barrence Whitfield & the Savages]].<ref name="brothercleve1">{{cite web |url=http://www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/music/98/02/19/CELLARS.html |title=Brother Cleve |access-date=2016-08-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205040934/http://www.bostonphoenix.com/archive/music/98/02/19/CELLARS.html |archive-date=2016-02-05 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="brothercleve2">{{cite web|url=http://www.bandtoband.com/artist/robert-toomey |title=Robert Toomey |website=BandToBand.com |access-date=2020-03-15}}</ref>

By the time of Combustible Edison's final album, ''The Impossible World'' (1998),<ref name="subpop"/> drummer Michael "Laughing Boy" Connors had replaced Oppenheimer, and they had incorporated more modern electronic elements.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/the-cocktail-hour-the-lounge-lizards-of-combustible-edison-bring-1.421974 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911125552/http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/music/the-cocktail-hour-the-lounge-lizards-of-combustible-edison-bring-1.421974 |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 11, 2016 |title=The Cocktail Hour: The lounge lizards of Combustible Edison bring |website=Newsday.com |date=1999-02-03 |access-date=2020-03-15}}</ref>

The group split during the 1999 tour for ''The Impossible World''.<ref name="tikiroom"/>

After the band had split, former member Nicholas Cudahy recovered original [[Demo (music)|demo]] recordings from 1992. These recordings were released by [[Sundazed Music]] under the album ''Forbidden Isle of Demos.''

==Other projects== After Combustible Edison, Michael Cudahy helped build the internet radio station and music community site LuxuriaMusic, which launched in 1999.<ref name="subpop"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.kurthanson.com/archive/news/031103/index.shtml |title=RAIN: Radio And Internet Newsletter |website=Archives.kurthanson.com |date=2003-03-11 |access-date=2020-03-15}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://luxuriamusic.com/about-us/|title=About Us|website=LuxuriaMusic}}</ref> A cocktail enthusiast, Cudahy was credited with coining the term "Cocktail Nation"<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1996/02/19/for-better-or-worse-lounge-music-yes-that-easy-listening-dreck-has-returned-so/|title=For Better Or Worse, Lounge Music (Yes, That Easy-Listening Dreck) Has Returned, So...|first=Greg|last=Kot|date=February 19, 1996|newspaper=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> as well as the Combustible Edison cocktail.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfgate.com/wine/cocktailian/article/Combustible-Edison-cocktail-a-fiery-memory-4168454.php |title=Combustible Edison cocktail a fiery memory |website=SFGate.com |date=2013-01-04 |access-date=2020-03-15}}</ref> The recipe for the cocktail was featured on the back cover of Combustible Edison's debut album, and was later collected by Paul Harrington in his 1998 book ''Cocktail: The Drinks Bible for the 21st Century''.<ref name="subpop"/> Continuing to use his Millionaire moniker, Cudahy contributed three solo tracks to the 2003 compilation album ''Music to Lose Your Knickers By'', and in 2004, he paired with Eric Bonerz to form Super Casanova, issuing the album ''Eternity Now''.

Cox sang the [[Lesley Gore]]-cowritten "My Secret Love" on the soundtrack for the 1996 film ''[[Grace of My Heart]]'',<ref>{{cite web|url=https://intothepopvoid.com/2015/12/03/miss-lily-banquette-my-secret-love/ |title=Miss Lily Banquette – My Secret Love – Into the Popvoid |website=Intothepopvoid.com |date=2015-12-03 |access-date=2020-03-15}}</ref> and "Oahu" on [[the 6ths]]' 2000 album ''[[Hyacinths and Thistles]]''. She is currently involved with Community MusicWorks, a community-based [[music education]] and performance organisation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://communitymusicworks.org/about/who-we-are/twenty-years-twenty-stories/twenty-stories-liz-cox/|title=20 Stories: Liz Cox {{!}} Community MusicWorks|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-31}}</ref>

Dixon released an instrumental solo album in 2007 titled ''Shady Planet''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/shady-planet-mw0001778442/credits |title=Shady Planet - Peter Dixon | Credits |website=[[AllMusic]] |date=2007-10-22 |access-date=2020-03-15}}</ref>

Toomey, an acclaimed DJ (including a current stint as DJ Sharaabi Kapoor<ref>{{cite web|url=http://jimsullivanink.com/?p=2391 |title=Brother Cleve morphs into DJ Sharaabi Kapoor – |website=Jimsullivanink.com |date=2013-01-02 |access-date=2020-03-15}}</ref>), cocktail creator and bartender,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://boston.eater.com/2016/5/17/11691234/brother-cleve-red-lantern-empire |title=Brother Cleve IN at Big Night Entertainment Group - Eater Boston |website=Boston.eater.com |date=2016-05-17 |access-date=2020-03-15}}</ref> later played and recorded with his group Brother Cleve and His Lush Orchestra, country band Wheelers & Dealers, and Miki Singh & Jetset (later renamed Dragonfly).<ref name="brothercleve1"/><ref name="brothercleve2"/><ref>{{cite news|url=http://thephoenix.com/boston/music/27383-worldly-travelers/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170510192226/http://thephoenix.com/boston/music/27383-worldly-travelers/|archive-date=May 10, 2017|title=Worldly travelers: Dragonfly and the many sides of Brother Cleve|first=Jim|last=Sullivan|date=November 13, 2006|newspaper=The Boston Phoenix|access-date=August 29, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Jason MacNeil |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/dragonfly-mn0000805968 |title=Dragonfly | Biography & History |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=2020-03-15}}</ref>

Connors joined the Toomey-produced [[Tiki culture#Music|tiki music]] ensemble Waitiki in 2006, and also formed his own combo Funk House.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://waitiki.com/2008/02/29/mikey/ |title=WAITIKI's "Laughing Boy": Mike Connors (Drum kit) – WAITIKI: Acclaimed Internationally for TIKI Music & Cocktails |access-date=2016-08-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911054217/http://waitiki.com/2008/02/29/mikey/ |archive-date=2016-09-11 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Members== * Miss Lily Banquette (Liz Cox) – vocals, bongos, vibraphone, drums, percussion, melodica (1991-1999) * Michael "The Millionaire" Cudahy – guitar (1991-1999) * Nick Cudahy – bass (1991-1999) * Mr. Peter Dixon – keyboards, organ (1991-c. 1996) * Aaron Oppenheimer – drums, vibraphone, percussion (1991- c. 1998) * Robert "Brother Cleve" Toomey – keyboards, vibraphone (1996-1999, died September 2022) * Michael "Laughing Boy" Connors – drums (c. 1998-1999)

==Discography==

===Studio albums=== *''I, Swinger'' (1994, [[Sub Pop]]) *''[[Schizophonic!]]'' (1996, Sub Pop) *''The Impossible World'' (1998, Sub Pop) *''Forbidden Isle of Demos'' (2023, [[Sundazed Music]])

===Singles=== *"Cry Me a River" 7" (1993, Sub Pop) *"Blue Light" CD (1993, [[Domino Recording Company|Domino]]) *"Christmastime Is Here" CD (1994, Sub Pop) *"[[Vertigogo]]" promo CD (1995, [[Elektra Records|Elektra]]) *"Short Double Latte" CD (1996, Bungalow/[[Rough Trade Records|Rough Trade]]) *"Bluebeard" CD (1996, Bungalow)

===Soundtrack albums=== *''[[Four Rooms (soundtrack)|Four Rooms: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]]'' (1995, Elektra)

===Compilation albums=== *''The Combustible Edison Mixer'' promo (1998, Sub Pop)

===Selected compilation appearances=== *"A Shot in the Dark" ([[Henry Mancini]] cover) on ''Secret Agent S.O.U.N.D.S.'' (1995, Mai Tai) *"Millionaire's Holiday" on ''Martini Lounge'' (1996, [[EMI-Capitol Special Markets]]) *"Vertigo", "Theme from [[Bewitched]]" and "The Millionaire's Holiday" on ''Cracked Ice & Crushed Velvet'' promo EP (1996, Elektra) *"Miniskirt" ([[Esquivel]] cover) on ''[[Lounge-A-Palooza]] '' (1997, [[Hollywood Records|Hollywood]]) *"Christmas Time Is Here" and "Sleigh Ride" on ''Combustible Edison's The Millionaire Presents Sub Pop's Holiday Sound Spectacular'' promo (1997, Sub Pop) *"Sleigh Ride" on ''Hi-Fidelity Holiday...A Holiday Compilation in Stereo'' (1998, EMI Music Special Markets/[[Starbucks|Starbucks Coffee]])

===Guest appearances=== *Monopoly Queen - "Let's Keep It Friendly" 7" single (with [[Lisa Crystal Carver]] and [[Boyd Rice]])

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p142388|label=Combustible Edison}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20091027000425/http://geocities.com/missdaphneq/ You Swinger - Miss Daphne Q. Appleby's Combustible fan page]

[[Category:American pop music groups]] [[Category:Musical groups from Providence, Rhode Island]] [[Category:Exotica musicians]] [[Category:Sub Pop artists]] [[Category:Lounge music groups]] [[Category:City Slang artists]] [[Category:1991 establishments in Rhode Island]]