The Leaving Trains were an American indie rock band from Los Angeles , California . The Leaving Trains were founded in 1980 by singer Falling James Moreland, who became known for her chaotic performances and (prior to coming out as a trans woman) penchant for cross-dressing. Falling James had previously been a member of punk rock bands the Mongrels and the Downers before assembling the group with guitarist Manfred Hofer, bassist Tom Hofer, keyboardist Sylvia Juncosa and drummer Hillary Laddin. They played locally for three years before releasing their first album, Well Down Blue Highway , in 1984.
7-590: Following their Kill Tunes LP (1986) for SST Records , Mike Barnett and Eric Stringer replaced the Hofer brothers in the group's lineup. Next came Fuck (SST, 1987), Transportational D. Vices (SST, 1988), and the Loser Illusion EP. In 1989 Falling James was married to Courtney Love for a short while. In 1991 Moreland briefly disbanded The Leaving Trains to form The Power of Sky. Along with Power of Sky's bassist, Whitey Sims, Moreland reassembled Leaving Trains with
14-564: A new lineup including Bobby Belltower (who had briefly played in the previous incarnation of the band) and Lenny Montoya. This lineup produced the album The Lump in My Forehead (recorded 1992, released 1993), but later in 1992 Chaz Ramirez (also known as a producer of such bands as Social Distortion and Stryper ) and Dennis Carlin took over on bass and drums, respectively. Ramirez died on December 2, 1992 (of injuries sustained when an attic floor collapsed underneath him—some of his recordings with
21-508: Is apt; Mr. Moreland writes the songs, then the band assaults them with well-placed jabs, hard riffing, chaotically celebratory vocals and sheer energy"; Palmer later listed Kill Tunes as the third best album of 1986. The Providence Journal opined that " Kill Tunes does smack of revival, but not of stale rehash." AllMusic wrote that "the album mixes soft ballads, high-octane rave-ups, and furious rock played with endearing jangle, roaring bar chords, and catchy pop hooks." Spin listed
28-576: Is the second album by the American indie rock band Leaving Trains . It was released in 1986 via SST Records . The band supported the album with a North American tour. "Private Affair" is a cover of a song by the Saints . Kill Tunes is the last album on which the Hofer brothers played. "10 Generations" addresses themes of authenticity and selling out. Trouser Press wrote that frontman Falling James Moreland "displays his boozehound-next-door humor for
35-592: The Trains were posthumously released in 1994 on the album The Big Jinx ), and Moreland was subsequently kicked out of the group. She went on to form a new band under the same name with Melanie Vammen on keyboards, Jimmy Green on Bass, and Allen Clark on drums. This lineup yielded Smoke Follows Beauty in 1997. The Leaving Trains' last studio album, Emotional Legs, features a variety of musicians: Melanie Vammen (now on guitar), Dennis Carlin, Maddog Karla, Miss Koko Puff, Andrew Buscher, Allen Clark, and Jimi Green. Emotional Legs
42-566: The first time on “A Drunker Version of You,” and it provides a welcome respite from the vitriol sprayed elsewhere." The Los Angeles Times thought that "it's one narrow line between convoluted and eclectic, and Leaving Trains walks it, bends it and ties it into knots." The Reno Gazette-Journal determined that "the guitar attack is reminiscent of the Clash in their heyday." Robert Palmer , in The New York Times , declared: "The album title
49-599: Was released on Steel Cage Records in 2001. The Leaving Trains, that same year, would also do their final live performance at The Knitting Factory in Hollywood as a backup band for Australian punk pioneer Rob Younger , performing songs Younger had done with Radio Birdman and The New Christs . In 2005, Steel Cage Records released a live Leaving Trains album called Amplified Pillows. Moreland occasionally wrote for L.A. Weekly until 2020 and no longer performs music. "Terry Bag Graham" - Drums Kill Tunes Kill Tunes
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