southern records

There is a place in the city of Brooklyn, rather a small place called Marlborough Farms. Therein resides The Ladybug Transistor. The group's latest offering, which follows their debut recording Marlborough Farms, moves them down the road to Beverley Atonale. Beverley Atonale is where the calls of crows can be heard throughout the most beautiful trees, where cool crisp winds blow across open skies, where the whitest clouds pass above hissing lawns.

The Ladybug Transistor's story defines itself through background and talent. At an early age,, Gary Olson worked at his family's piano factory. First employed as a string stretcher, he was soon promoted to key inspector: "Pounding those keys day after day truly helped me formulate many of the musical ideas that have led to The Ladybug Transistor."

Guitarist Jeff Baron learned to play on "a guitar made of cigar boxes and nylon fishing wire." By the age of sixteen, Jeff was the guitarist for The Thin Mints, whose members wore green jackets with black edges while performing in bowling alleys and youth centers. That's about as far as they got.

Jennifer Baron began her musical career as a backup singer for the Uncommon Denominators, who performed only once at Mount Lebanon High School's annual Holiday Show. Jennifer reminisces: "I never wanted to sing." Her true desire was to play guitar, and she soon learned. By playing in her grandparents combo, The Tamburitzas and performing across Western Pennsylvania with loving family members.

Last January, The Ladybug Transistor (Gary, Jeff, Jennifer and their former drummer, Ed Powers) pooled their talents and established their live sound with a visit to Switzerland. They were billed as amerikanisches Familienidyll (An Ideal American Family!), performing for two solid weeks as the supporting act for Swiss sensations Sportsguitar.

Recently, the group has taken their show on the road to Canada, the American Midwest and New England, and audiences responded with gifts and strange telephone calls. With the release of Beverley Atonale in early 1997, The Ladybug Transistor are planning to visit your town soon.