Tripping Daisy
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1990 in Dallas, Texas, United States |
| Founder | Tim DeLaughter, Jeff Bouck, Wes Berggren, Mark Pirro |
| Defunct | 1999 (initial dissolution) |
| Fate | Reunited in 2017, 2019, 2022; officially reunited in 2024 |
| Headquarters | Dallas , United States |
Area served | Primarily Texas and North America (touring) |
Key people | Tim DeLaughter (lead vocals, guitar), Mark Pirro (bass), Bryan Wakeland (drums), Philip Karnats (guitar) |
| Products | Music albums and live performances |
Number of employees | 6 (current lineup members) |
Tripping Daisy is a neo-psychedelic pop rock ensemble that originated in Dallas, Texas in 1990. The group was founded by lead vocalist and guitarist Tim DeLaughter, with Jeff Bouck on drums, Wes Berggren handling guitar duties, and Mark Pirro playing bass.
Following the unexpected passing of Berggren, the band dissolved in 1999. However, the remaining members regrouped for shows in 2017, 2019, and 2022, mostly within Texas. In June 2024, they officially reunited with intentions to embark on a tour and produce new recordings.
Debut release
After performing locally, the band issued their first single, "Lost and Found," which received moderate rotation on Dallas’s KDGE radio station. Their live shows featured a unique visual experience, utilizing handmade slides combined with layered 16 mm film projections, adding an early multimedia dimension to their performances.
Their initial full-length album, Bill, was originally launched through the independent Dragon Street Records label and quickly gained a strong local following. Marked by pronounced vocal effects and atypical guitar riffs, Bill established their signature neo-psychedelic style. Subsequently, Island Records reissued the album with altered mixing and mastering but omitted the cover track "Green Tambourine."
In 1992, Bryan Wakeland took over drumming responsibilities from Jeff Bouck. The band released a live album titled Get It On in 1994, closing with a rendition of Bad Religion's "We're Only Gonna Die." DeLaughter has mentioned that the label released this live recording to leverage the success of Bill, although he personally does not regard it as one of their best works.
Breakthrough success
Upon signing with Island Records, which re-released Bill without "Green Tambourine," they unveiled their first major-label effort, I Am an Elastic Firecracker. The music video for "I Got a Girl" enjoyed extensive exposure on MTV and was featured in an episode of Beavis and Butt-Head. Post-tour, Wakeland departed and was succeeded by Mitch Marine and Cory Lemons on drums. Phil Karnats joined as lead guitarist, enabling DeLaughter to concentrate primarily on vocals.
Subsequent albums
Their third studio album, Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb, demonstrated heightened creativity and experimentation; DeLaughter described it as representing the band at their peak. Although it did not achieve commercial success, critics praised it; notably, the track "Sonic Bloom" was ranked number 100 on the Dallas Observer's list of "100 Best Texas Songs of All Time." Mitch Marine toured until Ben Curtis replaced him; Curtis performed drums on this album as well as on their self-titled fourth record, Tripping Daisy. Other releases included Time Capsule, a compilation of demos and b-sides featuring Marine’s contributions, and The Tops Off Our Heads, an impromptu jam EP marking their initial release after departing from a major label.
Passing of Wes Berggren and dissolution
Wes Berggren passed away from a drug overdose on October 27, 1999; toxicology reports revealed presence of cocaine, propoxyphene, and benzodiazepine. Following this tragedy, scheduled tour dates were cancelled and the band completed limited recording sessions for their final album. This self-titled release came out posthumously and included Berggren’s father Don playing Fender Rhodes electric piano on the unfinished track "Soothing Jubilee," along with a re-recording of "One Through Four" originally from Bill. The group officially disbanded on December 14, 1999.
Subsequently, Tim DeLaughter, Mark Pirro, Bryan Wakeland, and Jeff Bouck formed the chamber pop ensemble The Polyphonic Spree. Ben Curtis collaborated with his brother Brandon Curtis in the progressive space rock trio The Secret Machines, later joining the dream pop group School of Seven Bells. Curtis died on December 29, 2013, due to lymphoma complications.
Reunions
On January 5, 2017, Tripping Daisy hinted at a reunion via their official Facebook page. They performed at Dallas's Homegrown Festival on May 13, 2017, followed by four additional shows across Texas—marking their first tour in nearly twenty years. Christopher Penn revealed plans to record a live album during their July 7, 2017 concert at NYTEX Sports Centre in North Richland Hills, Texas. The band reunited again in 2019 for Homegrown Festival’s tenth anniversary and also played an unannounced show at Dallas’s Dada venue with Dylan Silvers substituting for Curtis.
On August 28, 2022, Tripping Daisy surprised audiences with a performance at Dallas's Kessler Theater.
The Dallas Observer confirmed on June 18, 2024 that Tripping Daisy had officially reunited with intentions to tour and create new music. They appeared live at The Factory in Deep Ellum, Dallas on June 29, 2024.
In April 2025, the band announced plans for a North American tour running from June 21 through July 20, 2025.
Band members
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- Current lineup
- Tim DeLaughter – lead vocals, guitar, keyboards, Appalachian dulcimer, Califone (1990–1999, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2024–present)
- Mark Pirro – bass guitar, backing vocals, percussion (1990–1999, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2024–present)
- Bryan Wakeland – drums (1992–1995, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2024–present)
- Philip Karnats – guitar, backing vocals, trumpet, banjo (1997–1999, 2017–present)
- Nick Earl – guitar, backing vocals, samples (2017, 2019, 2022, 2024–present)
- Dylan Silvers – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals (2019, 2022, 2024–present)
- Touring replacements
- Cory Lemons – drums (1995–1996)
- Robert Hubbard – drums (1997–1999)
- Former personnel
- Wes Berggren – lead guitar, keyboards, Mellotron, Ace Tone organ, cello (1990–1999; deceased 1999)
- Jeff Bouck – drums (1990–1992)
- Mitch Marine – drums (1995–1997)
- Ben Curtis – drums (1997–1999; deceased 2013)
- Brandon Curtis – keyboards, guitar backing vocals (2017, 2019)
- Recording staff
- Matt Gililland – assistant engineer (1992–1996)
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Highest chart rankings | Sales figures | Certifications | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | US Heatseekers |
CAN | NZ | UK | ||||
| Bill |
|
— | — | — | — | — |
|
|
| I Am an Elastic Firecracker |
|
95 | 1 | 44 | 43 | 140 |
|
|
| Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb |
|
— | — | — | — | — | ||
| Tripping Daisy |
|
— | — | — | — | — | ||
| A dash ("—") indicates no chart entry or release in that region. An "X" indicates discontinued charts. | ||||||||
Extended plays
| Title | Album information |
|---|---|
| Get It On |
|
| Hook Music: Vol1 (Fan club exclusive) |
|
| Time Capsule |
|
| The Tops Off Our Head |
|
Demo recordings
- Tripping Daisy – cassette demo recorded in shoestring fashion
Singles
1999| Year | Song Title | Highest Chart Positions | Corresponding Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Air |
US Main |
US Mod |
AUS |
FRA |
UK | |||
| 1992 | "Lost and Found" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Bill |
| 1993 | "My Umbrella" | — | — | 24 | — | — | — | |
| "Blown Away" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995 | "I Got a Girl" | 53 | 33 | 6 | 58 | 44 | 141 | I Am an Elastic Firecracker |
| "Piranha" | — | 35 | 32 | — | — | 72 | ||
| 1996 | "Trip Along" | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 1998 | "Waited a Light Year" | — | — | — | — | — | — | Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb |
| "Sonic Bloom" | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Bedhead" | — | — | — | — | — | — | "Non-album single" | |