The Beatnigs
| Company type | Musical ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1986 |
| Founder | Michael Franti, Rono Tse, Kevin Carnes, Andre Flores, Henry Flood |
| Defunct | 1990 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
The Beatnigs were a San Francisco-originated ensemble active between 1986 and 1990, known for fusing elements of industrial sounds, hip hop, and hardcore punk.
Biography
Kevin Carnes and Adam Sherburne first crossed paths in Houston, Texas, while Michael Franti and Rono Tse encountered each other within San Francisco's club scene. In 1986, Franti and Tse established the group alongside Carnes, Andre Flores, and Henry Flood. Subsequently, Louis 'Troy' Dixon, also known as The Crack Emcee, joined as a touring participant.
Their eponymous studio album and a 12" EP containing the prominent track "Television" were both released in 1988 through the Alternative Tentacles label. That same year marked their New York City debut at the New Music Seminar and a recorded session for the BBC's Peel Sessions. The Beatnigs toured extensively across the United States and United Kingdom with Billy Bragg and Michelle Shocked, sharing performance bills with acts such as D.O.A., MDC, Fugazi, Living Colour, and Einstürzende Neubauten.
Post breakup
Following the band's dissolution, Franti and Tse created The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, adapting the Beatnigs' song "Television" into "Television, The Drug of the Nation." Kevin Carnes went on to form Broun Fellinis, featuring The Crack Emcee as a touring artist. Adam Sherburne went on to establish Until December and Consolidated. Louis 'Troy' Dixon launched projects including The Crack Emcee and Little White Radio, with Carnes contributing on drums. Additionally, The Crack Emcee appeared on Consolidated's album "Play More Music."
Style
Their live performances were notable for incorporating nudity alongside industrial noise generated by power tools such as a rotary saw and grinder applied to metal bars, enhanced with pyrotechnic effects. The group's musical approach blended spoken word poetry with African drumming influences. The Rough Guide to Rock characterized them as "a kind of avant-garde industrial jazz poets collective."
Albums
- The Beatnigs (1988)
Singles
- The Beatnigs - Television EP (An ON U Sound Mix) (1988)
Legacy
In 2002, Alternative Tentacles reissued the single "Television," accompanied by intentions to issue a CD version; the album remains accessible on iTunes and various digital outlets.
According to KQED, both Beatnigs and Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy have inspired artists including JPEGMAFIA and Death Grips.