Mayo Thompson American musician and artist Date of Birth: 26.02.1944 Country: USA

1. Mayo Thompson: American Musician and Artist
2. Early Years and Solo Album
3. Rough Trade Records and 'Red Crayola'
4. 'Red Crayola' and Collaborations
5. Later Career and Current Life

Mayo Thompson: American Musician and Artist

Mayo Thompson is an American musician and artist, best known as the leader of the avant-garde rock band 'Red Crayola'. He was born on February 26, 1944, in Houston, Texas. In 1966, Thompson, who was then a student studying art, formed the band 'Red Crayola' with his classmates Frederick Barthelme on drums and Steve Cunningham on bass guitar. The band became part of the growing psychedelic scene in Houston, and many other musicians joined them, resulting in their first album, 'The Parable of Arable Land' (1967). However, their second album, 'Coconut Hotel', was rejected by the record label for being too abstract and experimental.

Early Years and Solo Album

In the early 1970s, Thompson lived in New York City and worked as an assistant in the studio of abstract artist Robert Rauschenberg. In 1970, Thompson released his only solo album titled 'Corky's Debt To His Father' on the 'Texas Revolution' label in Houston. The album was reissued on 'Drag City' in 2008. Disillusioned with the American art scene, he traveled to London, where he joined the conceptual art group 'Art & Language'. He recorded five albums with them, including 'Corrected Slogans' (1976), 'Kangaroo' (1981), 'Black Snakes' (1983), 'Sighs trapped by liars' (2007), and 'Five American Portraits' (2010).

Rough Trade Records and 'Red Crayola'

While in London, Thompson became involved in the business of Geoff Travis, the founder of the independent label 'Rough Trade Records'. When the label decided to start releasing records in 1978, Thompson was offered the role of producer for many of the releases, as Travis did not consider himself experienced enough in studio work. Thompson is credited as the producer of many early recordings by 'The Fall', 'Stiff Little Fingers', 'The Raincoats', 'Cabaret Voltaire', 'Kleenex', and many other bands. His work at 'Rough Trade Records' led him to consider reforming 'Red Crayola' with new members from the groups he had worked with.

'Red Crayola' and Collaborations

The lineup of 'Red Crayola' from 1979 to 1983 included several notable punk musicians, such as Gina Birch from 'The Raincoats', Lora Logic from 'X-Ray Spex' and 'Essential Logic', Epic Soundtracks from 'Swell Maps', and other members of 'Pere Ubu'. The band maintained a connection with 'Art & Language', who often contributed to the songwriting process. Their song 'Born in Flames' was featured in the soundtrack of the radical feminist film of the same name by Lizzie Borden in 1983.

Later Career and Current Life

In the 1980s, Thompson continued to be involved with 'Pere Ubu' and pursued more experimental projects. In 1983, he recorded a series of monologues and vocal tracks for a collaborative work with German musicians Dieter Moebius and Conny Plank. These recordings were released 15 years later as 'Ludwig's Law' in 1998. In 1987, Thompson began collaborating with German artist Albert Oehlen, primarily on the soundtrack for Derek Jarman's film 'The Last of England'. They later reformed 'Red Crayola' with a completely new lineup. In 1987, Thompson also produced the album 'Brave Words' by New Zealand band 'The Chills'.

In the early 1990s, Thompson met avant-garde guitarist David Grubbs, who offered to release new music from 'Red Crayola' on 'Drag City' in Chicago. Thompson accepted and the lineup of 'Red Crayola' changed once again, this time including many important post-rock musicians of the time, including members of 'Gastr del Sol' and 'Tortoise'. The band has continued to work in a similar lineup since 1994. In 1994, Thompson became a teacher at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, but he left the college in 2008. Since 2009, he has been living in California with his wife and dog.