Damon and Naomi

Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang have written some of the most important pages in the history of popular music in the last years: not only for their brilliant works as a two-piece, but also for having been part of one of the most respected and influential bands in the eighties decade: GALAXIE 500. The New York trio (our heroes plus Dean Wareham) left as a legacy three immaculate albums (“Today”, “On fire”, “This is our music”) and a ethereal, ghostly sound in which Kramer (producer and owner of Shimmy Disc and Noise New York studios) was also involved. That sound was a landmark in the history of American alternative pop music in the eighties, and they are still a very influential name for many current bands from the whole world, as it’s testified by the tribute Elefant Records released. On the contrary to most of their contemporaries, their albums are still in the shops; though Rough Trade released them originally, in the nineties Rykodisc reissued them and also released a very impressive four CD box set (the three albums plus a fourth with outtakes, live takes and cover versions) all wrapped in an exquisite design created by Naomi. Rykodisc also released a single CD with the best moments of the band (“The portable Galaxie 500”) plus a CD live in Copenhagen.

1990’s “This is our music” meant the swansong for GALAXIE 500. Dean Wareham leaves the band to start LUNA and follow an equally succesful career, to the point of being one of the most popular alternative rock acts of today. Meanwhile, Damon and Naomi firstly opt for leaving music aside and managing a book publishing company (Exact Change) in which they reissue classic and avant-garde books not very popular in the States, as Pessoa’s “Libro del desasosiego”.

But they weren’t able to forget music for too long: in 1991 they released a CD-Single under the name of PIERRE ETOILE, though all their following works would be signed as DAMON AND NAOMI. By the way, Elefant reissued that PIERRE ETOILE CD-Single in 1997. It served as a start for a smooth, humble career. Damon and Naomi live completely apart from the constantly changes of the sometimes fanciful musical trends and fashions; so they just re-appear now and then with a new handful of songs composed and rendered with the heart.

“More sad hits” (1992) was their first album, released in Kramer’s Shimmy Disc (and produced by him as well). It displayed the exqusite taste of its authors by using a beautiful Man Ray picture in the sleeve. The album was reissued by Subpop some years later, and this label would put out all the subsequent DAMON AND NAOMI albums: “The wondrous world of Damon and Naomi” (1995), “Playback singers” (1998) and “Damon and Naomi with Ghost” (2000), also released in Spain by Elefant. A very coherent, subterranean and fascinating career. Music that captivates due to its simpleness and its lack of artifice.

Apart from DAMON AND NAOMI albums, this couple has always loved working with other musicians, as in the MAGIC HOUR project. And that’s how a collaboration with GHOST was born. GHOST are a Japanese acid-folk band that has released six albums in American Drag City label.

In fact this is not the first contact between them, as they had already released a 1998 single -as “Damon&Naomi&Batoh&Kurihara” (the last two are GHOST’s guitarists)- with live renditions of Bob Dylan and CAN. By the way, that single was released by Grimsey Records, the American label that releases LE MANS and Ana D (both Elefant artists) in the States. Grimsey’s managing director, Andrea Troolin, was the coordinator of all the Rykodisc GALAXIE 500’s reissues.

In April 2001 Elefant releases a Double CD Tribute to GALAXIE 500. In Mayo Damon and Naomi play some Spanish dates, including a live 30 minute show for Spanish Channel 2 TV.

Discography:
“Pierre Etoile” (Rough Trade, 1991) EP (as PIERRE ETOILE)
“More sad hits” (1992 LP/CD Shimmy Disc; reissued by Subpop)
“The wondrous world of Damon and Naomi” (CD Subpop 1995)
“Playback singers” (CD Subpop 1998)
“Damon and Naomi with Ghost” (CD Subpop 2000)

Elefant discography:
ER- 306 “Pierre Etoile” CD-Single 1997
ER-1079 “Damon and Naomi with Ghost” CD 2000