Giant Sand, originally The Giant Sandworms, is an American rock band, based in Tucson, Arizona (although Los Angeles, California was its home for many years). Overseen by singer-songwriter-guitarist-pianist Howe Gelb, its membership has shifted over the years -- at times with each album -- though for a long while the drum and bass duties were handled by John Convertino and Joey Burns, who went on to form Calexico. Other members have included keyboardist Chris Cacavas (of Green on Red), bassist Paula Jean Brown (a late-period Go-Go, and married to Gelb at the time) and drummer Tom Larkins (afterward a Jonathan Richman sideman). Guest artists -- though it is hard to tell at times where the band leaves off and the guests begin -- have included Victoria Williams, Neko Case, Juliana Hatfield, PJ Harvey, Vic Chesnutt, Steve Wynn, Vicki Peterson, Rainer Ptacek, nearly all of Poi Dog Pondering and regular cameos from Gelb and Brown's daughter, Indiosa Patsy Jean. This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Nickname: The Old Pueblo Location in Pima County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: Country United States State Arizona Counties Pima Government  - Mayor Bob Walkup (R) Area  - City  195. ... Los Angeles and L.A. redirect here. ... Calexico is an indie rock band known for playing an eclectic variety of music. ... Singer, guitar player and songwriter in the Tucson, Arizona band Calexico. ... For the city, see Calexico, California. ... Green on Red were an American rock band, formed in the Tucson, Arizona punk scene, but based for most of its career in Los Angeles, California, where it was loosely associated with the Paisley Underground. ... For the 1960s band, see The Go-Gos (1960s). ... Jonathan Richman (born May 16, 1951), musician, is an American proto-punk icon and one of the progenitors of indie rock. ... Victoria Williams (born December 23, 1958) is a singer/songwriter, originally from Shreveport, Louisiana but for the length of her career a resident of Southern California. ... Neko Case (born September 8, 1970 in Alexandria, Virginia) is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her solo career and as a member of the New Pornographers. ... Juliana Hatfield, c. ... PJ Harvey in concert. ... Vic Chesnutt (born 1964 in Jacksonville, Florida) is a singer-songwriter resident in Athens, Georgia. ... Steve Wynn (born February 21, 1960) is a songwriter based in New York (born in California). ... Vicki Peterson - Victoria Anne Theresa, (born 11 January 1958, Burbank, California) is a US pop musician (guitar, vocals). ... Rainer Ptacek (June 7, 1951 – November 12, 1997) was a Tucson, Arizona-based guitarist, singer, and songwriter. ... Categories: Possible copyright violations ...

Side projects, which are more extensions of than alternatives to Giant Sand, include the country-oriented The Band of Blacky Ranchette, OP8 (a collaboration with Lisa Germano), and Gelb's solo albums. Guests on Blacky Ranchette albums have included Lucinda Williams, Kurt Wagner (of Lambchop), Neko Case and Chan Marshall. OP8 are the musical collaboration of the multi-instrumentalist Lisa Germano; Howe Gelb, the man behind the rock band Giant Sand; Joey Burns and John Convertino, who form the band Calexico together and have both been members of Giant Sand. ... Lisa Germano, promotional shoot for Happiness (1994). ... Lucinda Williams (born January 26, 1953) is an American rock, folk, and country music singer and songwriter. ... Lamb chop has several meanings: For the television sock-puppet character, see Lamb Chop. ... Neko Case (born September 8, 1970 in Alexandria, Virginia) is an American singer-songwriter, best known for her solo career and as a member of the New Pornographers. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Arizona Amp And Alternator (AAAA) is Gelb's newest project with a self-titled album. The homepage states that AAAA has no members.

Just as the personnel shifts, so does the sound of the records, which -- like those of one of Gelb's obvious models, Neil Young -- range from barely audible acoustic fingerpicking to quasi-metallic electric guitar skronk, sometimes within the same song. There are also bursts of Thelonious Monk-inspired piano jazz (from Gelb), played with the ragged approach that characterizes most all of this work. Neil Percival Young[1] OM (born November 12, 1945, Toronto, Ontario) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, guitarist, and film director. ... Thelonious Sphere Monk (October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was a jazz pianist and composer. ...

Discography (excluding live albums and compilations)

Giant Sand

• Valley of Rain (1985)
• Ballad of a Thin Line Man (1986)
• Storm (1987)
• The Love Songs (1988)
• Long Stem Rant (1989)
• Swerve (1990)
• Ramp (1991)
• Center of the Universe (1992)
• Purge and Slouch (1993)
• Stromausfall (1993)
• Glum (1994)
• Backyard Barbeque (1996)
• Chore of Enchantment (2000)
• Rock Opera Years (2000)
• Unsungglum (2001)
• Cover Magazine (2001)
• Infiltration of Dreams (2002)
• Too Many Spare Parts... (2002)
• ...Is All Over...The Map (2004)

Cover Magazine is an album released by the American band Giant Sand on Thrill Jockey Records in 2001. ...

Howe Gelb

• Dreaded Brown Recluse (1991)
• Hisser (1998)
• Down Home (1998)
• Down Home 2000 (2000)
• Confluence (2001)
• Lull (some piano) (2001)
• The Listener (2003)
• Down Home 2002 (2003)
• Ogle Some Piano (2004)
• The Listener Coffee Companion (2004)
• Down Home 2004 (2004)
• 'Sno Angel Like You (2006)

The Band of Blacky Ranchette

• The Band of Blacky Ranchette (1985)
• Heartland (1986)
• Sage Advice (1990)
• Still Lookin' Good to Me (2003)

OP8

• Slush (1997)

Slush is the experimental 1997 debut album by OP8 a band formed from Lisa Germano, Howe Gelb of Giant Sand, and Joey Burns and John Convertino of Calexico and Giant Sand. ...

Arizona Amp And Alternator

• Arizona Amp and Alternator (2005)

Filmography

• This Band Has No Members (2006) – Howe Gelb solo concert film of Japan Tour 2005
• Looking For A Thrill: An Anthology Of Inspiration (2005) – Howe Gelb interviewed
• Drunken Bees (1996) – Giant Sand documentary by Marianne Dissard
• High And Dry: Where The Desert Meets Rock and Roll (2006) documentary featuring music and interviews with Giant Sand members

Giant Sand, originally The Giant Sandworms, is an American rock band, based in Tucson, Arizona (although Los Angeles, California was its home for many years). ... Giant Sand, originally The Giant Sandworms, is an American rock band, based in Tucson, Arizona (although Los Angeles, California was its home for many years). ...

External links

• Howe Gelb Home Page & Blog
• Giant Sand website
• Howe Gelb interview in The Guardian, September 2004, by Sylvie Simmons
• Arizona Amp And Alternator
• Interview with Howe Gelb, May 2006 in crookedrain.co.uk
• Giant Sand collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive
• High And Dry: Where The Desert Meets Rock and Roll Official Movie Site
• Concert photos by Laurent Orseau
• Concert photos of Howe Gelb & Band & Gospel Choir by Laurent Orseau