The Red Krayola
Red Krayola (originally Red Crayola) is an American avant rock band from Houston, Texas formed in 1966 by the trio of singer/guitarist Mayo Thompson, drummer Frederick Barthelme, and bassist Steve Cunningham. The group were part of the 1960s Texas psychedelic music scene and were signed to independent record label International Artists alongside the 13th Floor Elevators. Their confrontational, experimental approach employed noise and free improvisation. They released two albums in their early incarnation—The Parable of Arable Land (1967) and God Bless the Red Krayola and All Who Sail With It (1968)—to limited sales.
The band was resurrected in the late 1970s when Thompson moved to England to find the Red Krayola had a cult following among members of the emerging post-punk scene. He developed a close association with Rough Trade Records, releasing new albums as Red Krayola on that label as well as other European labels. He also worked with or produced for punk-era acts such as the Raincoats, Pere Ubu, X-Ray Spex, and Kleenex. In the mid-1990s, Thompson returned to the United States, signing with Drag City and releasing further albums under the group name with a rotating cast of members.
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