The Golden Palominos
| Company type | Musical collective |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1981 |
| Founder | Anton Fier |
| Defunct | 2022 |
| Headquarters | Cleveland, Ohio , United States |
| Products | Music albums |
The Golden Palominos were a U.S.-based musical collective initiated in 1981 by drummer, producer, arranger, and composer Anton Fier. Apart from Fier, the lineup varied considerably, though bassist Bill Laswell and guitarist Nicky Skopelitis participated on every album up until 1996. Their last release, 2012's A Good Country Mile, featured vocals by Kevn Kinney. Initially rooted in the No Wave movement, their sound later broadened to include styles such as alternative rock, country rock, and electronic music.
Although a consistent group of musicians and emotional tone underpinned their albums, the inclusion of guest artists resulted in shifts in style from one track to another. Fier likened his role to that of a casting director, stating: "Every album was a form of experimentation... I attribute this to my brief attention span and the many collaborators I wished to engage... certain combinations didn't mesh with others, so one album would embody one style while another would explore something entirely different."
Original formation
The founding lineup consisted of Fier, vocalist-guitarist Arto Lindsay, saxophonist John Zorn, bassist Bill Laswell, and violinist/guitarist Fred Frith. Their eponymous debut record, released in 1983 under New York's Celluloid Records, included contributions from guests like bassist Jamaaladeen Tacuma, guitarist Nicky Skopelitis, percussionist David Moss, and turntablist M.E. Miller. This album featured some of the earliest uses of turntable scratching outside the rap genre, performed by Laswell and Miller, who also employed vocal splitting techniques to create harmonies.
Drawing influence from no wave—Lindsay had been part of the influential band DNA—their sound blended elements of funk and improvisational jazz reflective of Zorn’s approach. This initial ensemble was exclusive to the debut album; however, core members excluding Zorn made guest appearances on subsequent projects.
Mid-1980s to late 1980s
The 1985 release Visions of Excess saw a reconfigured roster, retaining only Fier, Laswell, and Arto Lindsay from the original group. This album introduced vocalist Syd Straw, whose songwriting and singing took a central role. It also featured guest vocalists such as Michael Stipe, John Lydon, and Jack Bruce, along with lead guitar contributions from Richard Thompson and Jody Harris.
Continuing this direction, Blast of Silence (Axed My Baby for a Nickel) (1986) included covers of Lowell George’s compositions performed by Straw and showcased guest appearances by artists including Peter Blegvad, Matthew Sweet, Don Dixon, Peter Holsapple, and T-Bone Burnett.
Released in 1989, A Dead Horse preserved the established style but integrated darker ambient textures that would characterize the band’s work throughout the 1990s. With Syd Straw having left the group, vocals were mainly delivered by Amanda Kramer, formerly associated with Information Society. Fier later contributed to Straw’s solo debut album titled Surprise.
1990–1995
Drunk with Passion (1991) marked the band's first release outside of Celluloid Records, building upon the shadowy, atmospheric tones established in A Dead Horse and incorporating manipulated electronic sounds. The album’s distinctive style was significantly influenced by guest musicians such as Hüsker Dü's Bob Mould, Richard Thompson, and Michael Stipe. Nicky Skopelitis emerged as a key collaborator, joining Fier and Kramer as central contributors. In 1992, Fier issued his solo album Dreamspeed, which included reimagined versions of tracks intended for the forthcoming Palominos record.
Released in 1993 through Restless Records, This Is How It Feels advanced the ambient direction while integrating elements from club and trance genres. New lead singer Lori Carson co-authored nine of the album’s tracks alongside Fier. Bill Laswell returned to contribute and produce, shaping his subsequent remix endeavors. The album featured an ethereal rendition of Jackson Browne's "These Days". To support the release, a remix EP entitled Prison of the Rhythm was issued.
Considered one of the band’s most cohesive projects, Pure (1994) was driven by the combined efforts of Carson, Laswell, and Skopelitis. Tracks like "No Skin" and "Pure" maintained the dance-infused ambient style. The album cover ignited minor controversy due to its nudity, prompting alternative packaging for certain retailers. A remix EP called No Thought, No Breath, No Eyes, No Heart accompanied the main release.
Pure represented Lori Carson’s final collaboration with The Golden Palominos; her subsequent solo work preserved a similar minimalist production and vocal approach. Fier produced her 1995 solo album Where It Goes. Additionally, in 1994 Fier released Absence of Time under the alias Blind Light, utilizing outtakes from the Pure sessions.
1995–2000
The 1996 album Dead Inside signaled a shift toward an industrial sound with a pared-down lineup comprising Fier, multi-instrumentalist Knox Chandler, Nicky Skopelitis, and poet Nicole Blackman. Blackman’s somber lyricism contributed to the record’s intense atmosphere. The opening track "Victim" is a stark spoken-word narrative depicting abduction and murder.
In 1997, the band issued the remix EP Dead Outside, featuring five reinterpretations from Dead Inside. Notably progressive for its era, it was distributed as free MP3 downloads released sequentially over several months through Blackman’s website and a fan platform.
Following Dead Inside, Fier disbanded The Golden Palominos, citing dissatisfaction with Restless Records alongside personal struggles with alcoholism.
2000–2012
Both Syd Straw and Lori Carson pursued solo careers with moderate success; Carson notably contributed to various television and film soundtracks. A compilation of her work titled Stolen Beauty was released in 2003, followed by her final solo album The Finest Thing in 2004.
Anton Fier returned to production in 2009 with Drivin' 'n' Cryin's album The Great American Bubble Factory, their first release in over a decade.
In 2010, The Golden Palominos reunited for two well-received performances in New York City at Le Poisson Rouge and The Living Room. Around this period, Fier resumed drumming as a sideman for Tony Scherr and reconnected with Kevn Kinney from Drivin' 'n' Cryin'.
Fier and Kinney launched a Kickstarter campaign to finance a new album. Released on February 21, 2012, A Good Country Mile is credited to Kevn Kinney and The Golden Palominos—featuring Fier on drums, Scherr on guitars, Andy Hess (formerly of Gov't Mule) on bass, and Aaron Lee Tasjan on guitars and backing vocals. The album garnered positive feedback for its raw sincerity; however, no further projects under The Golden Palominos name followed.
Anton Fier passed away on September 22, 2022, at age 66.
Discography
- Studio albums
- The Golden Palominos (1983)
- Visions of Excess (1985)
- Blast of Silence (Axed My Baby for a Nickel) (1986)
- A Dead Horse (1989)
- Drunk with Passion (1991)
- This Is How It Feels (1993)
- Pure (1994)
- Dead Inside (1996)
- A Good Country Mile (2012)
Compilations
The availability of Golden Palominos’ recordings has diminished over time, with compilations providing only partial representations of their work. Notable best-of compilations include two releases titled A History issued by Celluloid in 1992, a German collection from 1997, and the 2002 compilation Run Pony Run. These anthologies exclude tracks from the album Drunk with Passion onward. Early Celluloid CDs along with subsequent Restless Records releases are now rare. In 2003, Fier reissued his seldom-seen solo projects Dreamspeed and Absence of Time through John Zorn's Tzadik label.
External links
- Profile at Yahoo! Music (archived)