Talking Tunes, Zines, & More With Pam Berry Of Black Tambourine
Haven't heard of Black Tambourine yet? Here's the lowdown: The late ‘80s/early '90s cult D.C. band known for creating reverb-soaked pop songs breeds rabid obsession. With a super-short history — only one self-titled full-length album, plus a few compilations in barely as many years) — the band could be just another microscopic blip in the music history books. But the fuzzy, dreamy sound championed by the band — comprised of singer Pam Berry, Brian Nelson, Archie Moore, and Slumberland Records honcho Mike Schulman — influenced a bevy of acts that came after them, despite their own short-lived run.
Why are we revisiting our band crush now, you ask? While Black Tambourine was born out of the D.C. ‘burbs of Silver Spring and College Park, its members haven’t been in a room together in nearly two decades. However, tomorrow and Saturday, they’re reuniting at the Artisphere in Arlington to celebrate 20 years of
Chickfactor, a zine that Berry co-founded with pal Gail O’Hara. We spoke to Berry about Black Tambourine’s enduring influence, the possibility of fresh material, and the “twee” label (Spoiler alert: She is not a fan.).
Photo: Courtesy of Black Tambourine
First things first: Why a Black Tambourine reunion show now? And how stoked are you?
“It came about because of the Chickfactor 20-year anniversary shows. We’d been asked a few times to play again, especially after the Complete Recordings release a couple of years ago, to mark 20 years of Slumberland, but with all of us living so far away from each other and having young families and limited time off work and not being sure we even should play after so long, it never happened. But the Chickfactor shows are special, Gail [O’Hara, co-founder of the zine] is one of our oldest friends, and the folks we’d be playing with were some of our fave live acts and friends from back when we all lived in the area. I’m so excited about seeing everyone again, I might burst! It’s going to be a real treat to catch up with and see these folks play!”
We love zines at Refinery29. Can you tell us more about Chickfactor? “Chickfactor was one of the most fun projects I’ve ever been a part of, and doing the mag together gave me and Gail an excuse to yap with people we revered, tell people about records we were digging, set up shows with a gazillion bands on the same bill, and keep in touch after she left Washington City Paper, where we worked, and moved to NYC. The all-night assembly sessions, the visits to New York — chocka with shoe browsing and Chickfactor parties and very little shut-eye — are the things I miss the most about doing a fanzine with Gail!”
The members of Black Tambourine haven’t played a show together in 21 years. Are you at all nervous? Rusty?
“I can’t speak for the others, but yes, I’d say I’ve got a good case of the nerves about playing after so long. And of course we’re going to be rusty — we were something approaching rusty two decades ago! But we have kept in touch over the years, and the fellas have played together a few times over the last couple of years when Mike’s flown to the East Coast to record with Archie and Brian. And we’ll get a couple of practices in before the shows. It’s going to be a great time!”
Photo: Courtesy of Black Tambourine
First things first: Why a Black Tambourine reunion show now? And how stoked are you?
“It came about because of the Chickfactor 20-year anniversary shows. We’d been asked a few times to play again, especially after the Complete Recordings release a couple of years ago, to mark 20 years of Slumberland, but with all of us living so far away from each other and having young families and limited time off work and not being sure we even should play after so long, it never happened. But the Chickfactor shows are special, Gail [O’Hara, co-founder of the zine] is one of our oldest friends, and the folks we’d be playing with were some of our fave live acts and friends from back when we all lived in the area. I’m so excited about seeing everyone again, I might burst! It’s going to be a real treat to catch up with and see these folks play!”
We love zines at Refinery29. Can you tell us more about Chickfactor? “Chickfactor was one of the most fun projects I’ve ever been a part of, and doing the mag together gave me and Gail an excuse to yap with people we revered, tell people about records we were digging, set up shows with a gazillion bands on the same bill, and keep in touch after she left Washington City Paper, where we worked, and moved to NYC. The all-night assembly sessions, the visits to New York — chocka with shoe browsing and Chickfactor parties and very little shut-eye — are the things I miss the most about doing a fanzine with Gail!”
The members of Black Tambourine haven’t played a show together in 21 years. Are you at all nervous? Rusty?
“I can’t speak for the others, but yes, I’d say I’ve got a good case of the nerves about playing after so long. And of course we’re going to be rusty — we were something approaching rusty two decades ago! But we have kept in touch over the years, and the fellas have played together a few times over the last couple of years when Mike’s flown to the East Coast to record with Archie and Brian. And we’ll get a couple of practices in before the shows. It’s going to be a great time!”
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