Barnes & Barnes
| Company type | Musical duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1970 in Los Angeles, United States |
| Founder | Bill Mumy, Robert Haimer |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles , United States |
| Products | Novelty tunes, comedic rock music |
Barnes & Barnes was an American musical pair originating from Los Angeles in 1970, primarily recognized for their novelty tunes and comedic rock style, incorporating elements of new wave, synth-pop, and folk rock.
The group featured actor Bill Mumy alongside Robert Haimer (March 2, 1954 – March 4, 2023), who were high school friends and initially started their collaboration as a private home recording endeavor. Their breakthrough came in 1978 with the novelty single "Fish Heads", which gained nationwide attention through the Dr. Demento Show.
Under the moniker Barnes & Barnes, Mumy and Haimer assumed the identities of Art Barnes and Artie Barnes, fictional twin siblings hailing from the imaginary land of Lumania.
History
Robert Haimer and Bill Mumy, childhood acquaintances, occasionally joined forces musically. Following the conclusion of Mumy's television show Lost in Space in 1968, they began producing short films they called "Art Films," a concept that inspired their "Art" stage names.
Established in 1970, Barnes & Barnes began recording music using a two-track recorder when they were around sixteen years old. The surname "Barnes" was drawn from a character featured in a Bill Cosby comedy sketch. At first, both members used the name "Art Barnes," but to differentiate them, Haimer's persona was changed to "Artie" in 1979.
Their initial exposure on radio occurred in 1978 via The Dr. Demento Show after Haimer persuaded Mumy to professionally record tracks such as "Boogie Woogie Amputee" and "Fish Heads." The latter was released as a single on their own Lumania Records label in 1979 and remains their hallmark song as well as the most requested piece in Dr. Demento's broadcast history.
In the same year, they teamed up with Damaskas to produce "A Day in the Life of Green Acres," a creative blend merging The Beatles' "A Day in the Life" with the theme from Green Acres. This mashup drew inspiration from similar combinations like Little Roger and the Goosebumps' fusion of Led Zeppelin with Gilligan's Island themes.
In 1982, Barnes & Barnes put out a four-song EP that included "I Had Sex with E.T." and "I Had Sex with Pac-Man." These songs shared the same instrumental backing but featured distinct lyrics. It is rumored that legal concerns from Steven Spielberg or Universal Studios prompted its withdrawal from sale, resulting in limited distribution. Neither track has been included on any subsequent compilations. Another track, "Something's In The Bag," also enjoyed frequent airplay on Dr. Demento's program.
Robert Haimer passed away in March 2023.
Discography
With the exception of Soak It Up and Yeah: The Essential Barnes & Barnes, most of their early albums were issued through Rhino Records. In the 1990s, reissued CDs with bonus content were released by Oglio Records.
- Voobaha (1980)
- Spazchow (1981)
- Barnes & Barnes (EP; 1982)
- Fish Heads: Barnes & Barnes' Greatest Hits (compilation EP; 1982)
- Soak It Up (EP; 1983)
- Code of Honor (planned for 1983; material later included on Kodovoner in 2005)
- Amazing Adult Fantasy (1984)
- Sicks (1986)
- Zabagabee: The Best of Barnes & Barnes (compilation; 1987)
- Hictabur (intended for release in 1988; ultimately issued in 2016)
- Loozanteen (1991)
- The Dinosaur Album (1993)
- Yeah: The Essential Barnes & Barnes (compilation; 2000)
- Kodovoner (2005)
- Opbopachop (2009)
- Holidaze in Lumania (2018)
- Creepy Scary (2019)
- Pancake Dream (2021)
- Haimoom (2022)
Producing work
Barnes and Barnes were responsible for creating two albums for Wild Man Fischer as well as one album for Crispin Glover.