Bill Taft

Bill Taft is an American rock musician living in Atlanta, Georgia.

Biography
Taft is the son of former Ohio state Senator William W. Taft, and a distant cousin of former United States President William Howard Taft. In 1982, Taft moved from Ohio to Atlanta to attend Emory University. His first band of note was The Chowder Shouters, whose instruments included garbage cans. They released a six-song vinyl record. After the demise of the Chowder Shouters, Taft joined The Opal Foxx Quartet, a group consisting of anywhere from 2 to 14 members at a time. They broke up in 1992 after the deaths of several members. They released a posthumous CD, which was largely produced by Michael Stipe.

Around 1988, Taft started An Evening with the Garbageman, a spoken-word open-mic variety show, which he hosted and that eventually morphed into The Jody Grind. The Jody Grind released two CDs before disbanding following the deaths of half their members. Drummer Robert Clayton and bassist Robert Hayes died in a horrific traffic accident which also claimed the life of performer Deacon Lunchbox. The accident occurred as the band was returning to Atlanta after performing in Montgomery, AL.

After The Jody Grind broke up in 1992, Taft formed Kick Me, with Allen Page (of Opal Foxx Quartet) and Kelly Hogan (of The Jody Grind). They recorded several songs that eventually came out on a compilation album called Hidden Tracks, released by Daemon Records. Kick Me broke up after Allen Page died of a drug overdose. . Smoke recorded two full-length CDs and several compilation tracks, playing until 1999 when lead singer Benjamin died of hepatitis C. A year after Benjamin died, Taft started Hubcap City. He has also started Another Evening with the Garbageman, an open-mic spoken word project similar to An Evening with the Garbageman.

Around 2017, Taft, along with Brian Halloran (cello) and Will Fratesi (drums) (of Smoke) started the band W8ing4UFOs. They released the album "Don't Let the Asshats Burn You" during the Coronavirus Pandemic in the fall of 2020.

Bands and Instruments

 * Dr. Dixon and the Operators: guitar
 * Crawling Kingsnakes guitar and vocals
 * The Chowder Shouters: guitar and vocals
 * Opal Foxx Quartet: guitar
 * The Jody Grind: guitar and vocals
 * Kick Me: guitar, vocals
 * Smoke: vocals, cornet, banjo
 * Hubcap City: vocals, guitar, cornet, banjo
 * W8ing4UFOs: vocals, guitar, banjo

The Chowder Shouters
.
 * Chowder Shouters vinyl (1986)
 * 1) Weather Report
 * 2) Little Wing
 * 3) Amazing Grace
 * 4) Instrumental
 * 5) The Arkansas Side
 * 6) The Old Tar River

Opal Foxx Quartet
Track 1 written by Tracy Snow. Track 2 written by Grady Cousins. Track 4 written by Debbey Richardson. Track 5 is Deacon Lunchbox sleeping in the back of a truck. Track 7 is The Mary Tyler Moore Show Theme Song, "Love is All Around." Track 10 is a medley of the song from Jesus Christ Superstar and the Billie Holiday song. Track 11 written and performed by Deacon Lunchbox.
 * The Love That Won't Shut Up CD (1994, LongPlay Records)
 * 1) Clean White Bed
 * 2) Frail Body
 * 3) Blue Exception
 * 4) Sleep
 * 5) Tub of Love Rumble
 * 6) Nightingale
 * 7) MTM
 * 8) Christmas
 * 9) Dirt
 * 10) I Don't Know How to Love Him/Strange Fruit
 * 11) Aliens

The Jody Grind

 * One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure CD (1991, DB Records)
 * 1) Peter Gunn
 * 2) One Man's Trash (Is Another Man's Treasure)
 * 3) Eight-Ball
 * 4) Mood Indigo
 * 5) Death of Zorba
 * 6) Blue and Far
 * 7) Governor of Hong Kong
 * 8) Just Because You Wear Big Shoes
 * 9) It Ain't Necessarily So
 * 10) Love, Love Alone
 * 11) Wishin' and Hopin'
 * 12) My Darlin'
 * 13) Florida Maine
 * 14) I'm a Fool to Want You


 * Lefty's Deceiver CD (1992, Ichiban)
 * 1) 3rd Of July
 * 2) Lounge Axe
 * 3) Funnel Of Love
 * 4) Friday
 * 5) Hands Of June
 * 6) Can't You See
 * 7) Promise Of Sleep
 * 8) Circle
 * 9) Driving At Night
 * 10) Superhero
 * 11) Rickie
 * 12) Carry You
 * 13) Blues For The Living

Smoke

 * Dirt 7" (1993, Colossal Records)
 * 1) Dirt
 * 2) Pretend
 * Heaven on a Popsicle Stick CD (1994, LongPlay Records)
 * 1) Hole
 * 2) Awake
 * 3) Freak (Winn's Song)
 * 4) The Trip
 * 5) Hank Aaron (lyrics by Dana Kletter)
 * 6) Luke's Feet
 * 7) Beeper Will
 * 8) The Pond
 * 9) I Do
 * 10) Ballet
 * 11) Guilt
 * 12) Abigail
 * 13) Curtains
 * Another Reason To Fast CD (1995, LongPlay Records)
 * 1) Trust
 * 2) Friends
 * 3) When It Rains
 * 4) Clean White Bed
 * 5) Shadow Box
 * 6) Dream
 * 7) Fatherland
 * 8) Train Song
 * 9) Debbey's Song
 * 10) Chad
 * 11) That Look
 * 12) I Don't
 * 13) Snake

Hubcap City
Tracks 1-8 recorded at WREK radio on 11/13/01. Tracks 9 and 12 recorded outside at Railroad Earth Studios 5/19/01. Track 10 recorded at Eyedrum 3/10/01. Track 11 recorded 12/30/01 at The Earl. Tracks 13-17 recorded 8/02/02 at Earthshaking Music.
 * EP 1 CD (2001, Self-released)
 * 1) Day Job
 * 2) My Punk Ass
 * 3) Paul's Boot
 * 4) My Wasted Friends
 * 5) Weegee
 * Live: 2001-2002 CD (2002, H.I.G. Records 004)
 * 1) Action!
 * 2) Breakfast at Taxi Driver's
 * 3) The Man Who Never Forgets
 * 4) Hubcap City
 * 5) Paul's Boot
 * 6) Reservoir
 * 7) Some Things
 * 8) Stomp/Atomic Fireball
 * 9) Faulkner's Typewriter
 * 10) Debby
 * 11) Vital Pimp Flash
 * 12) Ready to Serve
 * 13) Rahab
 * 14) Jack Henry
 * 15) The Top of the Hill
 * 16) Sandbox
 * 17) Beautiful and Fucked Up


 * EP 2 CD (2002, self-released)
 * 1) Reservoir
 * 2) Breakfast at Taxi Driver's
 * 3) Action
 * 4) Atomic Fireball
 * 5) Hubcap City


 * EP 3 CD (2004, self-released)
 * 1) Jack Henry
 * 2) Kiss Me, Arturo
 * 3) Left Eye Went the Wrong Way
 * 4) Sandbox
 * 5) Cat Hair on Rockabilly Dress
 * 6) Slug Party
 * 7) Door


 * More Songs For Dead Children CD (2004, self-released)
 * 1) Will's 4-Track
 * 2) Damaged
 * 3) Fried
 * 4) Hold On
 * 5) Slough of Despond
 * 6) Court
 * 7) Dumped
 * 8) Sassy Magazine Record Review #2: Dear Madonna
 * 9) One-Eyed Rapists Attack
 * 10) Unfinished Film Festival Song
 * 11) Beautiful and Fucked Up

.
 * Super Local 13 CD (2005, self-released)
 * 1) Staircase
 * 2) Hurrah Hurrah
 * 3) U Don't Know Me Stomp
 * 4) Message Received 2:34 AM Thursday
 * 5) Guest of Honor
 * 6) Five Slugs More Party Minutes
 * 7) 7 Zebra Heads 2 Plastic Skulls
 * 8) Yippie Yeah Yeah
 * 9) Message Received 2:51 AM Thursday
 * 10) Preacher
 * 11) Blackout
 * 12) Ham on Rye
 * 13) Snarl Baby Snarl

Hubcap City (from Belgium)

 * Deerhunter/Hubcap City Split 7" (2006, Rob's House Records)
 * 1) Hubcap City - Mad House
 * 2) Deerhunter - Grayscale


 * Five More Minutes b/w Sally 7" (2006, Ponce de Leon Records)
 * 1) Five More Minutes
 * 2) Sally

.
 * Superlocalhellfreakride CD (2007, Xeric 112)
 * 1) Get Rid of Now
 * 2) Unexpected Guest
 * 3) Ring Around the Rosie
 * 4) Wind Blowing on a Sick Man
 * 5) Deer Hunting
 * 6) Sticks in the Graveyard
 * 7) Valley of Bones
 * 8) No Return
 * 9) When the President Sez
 * 10) Bottle of Rum
 * 11) He Brings the Hatchet in the Evening
 * 12) Rahab	2:39
 * 13) Boxcar Gamelan
 * 14) Guy on Street
 * 15) Hippest Trick
 * 16) More Guy on Street
 * 17) Arabella Sabotage
 * 18) The Anti-Christ is Alive...

with Kelly Hogan

 * The Mother of all Flagpole Christmas Albums CD (1992, Flagpole)
 * 1) Introduction - Deacon Lunchbox
 * 2) Santa's Hard - Follow for Now
 * 3) Thomas Tinsel's Holiday - Kevn Kinney
 * 4) Santa vs Magneto - Bliss
 * 5) Santa Baby - Michelle Malone
 * 6) Santa Claus - The Woggles
 * 7) Jingle Bells - Flat Duo Jets
 * 8) Learn to Love Again - Dreams So Real
 * 9) Papa's Home - Widespread Panic
 * 10) Here Comes Christmas - Daisy
 * 11) You're a Mean One Mr. Grinch - Labrea Stompers
 * 12) Santa Claus, Go Straight to the Ghetto - Seersucker
 * 13) Snowflakes Are Falling - Hear it Love it Dance it
 * 14) Christmas in August - BloodKin
 * 15) Just Think About Christmas (And Sing What You Want) - Five Eight
 * 16) O Magnum Mysterium - Kelly Hogan and Bill Taft
 * 17) No Vacancy - Marlee MacLeod
 * 18) On Christmas Day - Opal Foxx Quartet
 * 19) Candles and Miracles - Hetch Hetchy
 * 20) This Holiday Season - Porn Orchard
 * 21) Christmas With the Devil - Allgood
 * 22) White Christmas - Vic Chesnutt

Cake
Side a: Side b:
 * Low Life 17 LP (1993, RRRecords)
 * 1) Tinnitus - Seven Minutes or Less
 * 2) Cake (Tracy Snow) - Blue Moles
 * 3) Cake (Tracy Snow) - I Want to Sleep
 * 4) Freedom Puff - Visiting with the White Rock Girl
 * 5) Freedom Puff - 2 Dixie Cups and a String
 * 1) Murray Reams & Paul Hoskin - The Dispossessed
 * 2) Murray Reams & Paul Hoskin - Submission
 * 3) I See the Moon - Somnambulist Waltz
 * 4) I See the Moon - Snellville
 * 5) Dairy Queen Empire - The World
 * 6) Dairy Queen Empire - Burning

NOTE: Bill played banjo for Cake on this record.

Solo
Side 1 Side 2
 * The Soft-Spoken Beatnik Cousin of the Flagpole Christmas Albums cassette (1994, LongPlay Records)
 * 1) Gayle Danley - Just Like the Girl on Channel 17
 * 2) Chris Chandler - Just Say No But Spell it with a K
 * 3) Hillary Meister - Latkes at Chanukkah in America
 * 4) Gwen O Looney - Meditations for Women who Do Too Much
 * 5) Randy Blazak - Jump Around Santa
 * 6) Charlie Ginste - Flockogank
 * 7) Mudcat - Rudoplh's Party
 * 8) Copacetic Chris - A Holiday Poem
 * 9) David Oats - Shopping Prayer
 * 10) David Greenberger - Let Women Chase Me
 * 11) Blondie - The 12 Days of Christmas
 * 12) Murray Attaway - Up on the Housetop
 * 13) Sheila Doyle - Christmas Island
 * 1) Deadbeat Burt - Rudolph the Red Eyed Reindeer
 * 2) Douglas A. Martin - Undercover Empty Moon Gazing
 * 3) A.E. Stallings - A Winter Nursery Rhyme
 * 4) Vic Varney - True North
 * 5) Ripley - I Drank with the Devil
 * 6) R. Tod Smith - Christmas at Charter
 * 7) David Greenberger - Quincy Sore Throat
 * 8) Julie Thrasher - Cowboy Dreams
 * 9) Richard Fausset w/Neutral Platypus Uncollective - Under the Breath of The Salvation Army Santa
 * 10) Scott Royal - Joke
 * 11) Emory Laughing Wolf - Merry Grimace
 * 12) Todd Mortensen - Autumn's Prayer, Winter's Touch
 * 13) Bear Step and Joe Brennan - Bear and Joe's Wish List
 * 14) Bill Taft - Happy Birthday Baby Jesus

Smoke
The lineup on this song was Benjamin, Bill Taft, Brian Halloran, and Todd Butler. This CD was a benefit compilation.
 * ? CD (1992)
 * 1) Smoke - Dog


 * Radio Oddyssey Volume 2: The Georgia Music Show CD (1997 Altered Records/Ichiban)
 * 1) The Rock*A*Teens - Black Ice
 * 2) The Continentals - Please, Please
 * 3) Pineal Ventana - Dark Cloud
 * 4) DQE - Mermaid And The Sailor
 * 5) #1 Family Mover - Hey Soul
 * 6) Bob - Ants
 * 7) Velvet Overkill Five - Pillow Talk
 * 8) The Goodies - Live On WRAS-FM
 * 9) Tweezer - Sucking Midgets
 * 10) Marcy - Driver
 * 11) Heinous Bienfang - Stay Behind The Cones
 * 12) Babyfat - Redd Lobster
 * 13) Frontstreet - Scandinavian Pamphlet (Sex Book)
 * 14) 17 Years - Doing Wrong
 * 15) Smoke - Hamlet
 * 16) Benjamin - Big Daddy Story and Other Saucy Tales
 * Rudy's Rockin' Kiddie Caravan CD (1997 Bloodshot Records)
 * 1) Susie Honeyman - Bus
 * 2) Schoolly D - This Old Man
 * 3) Smoke - Old Joe Clark
 * 4) Calexico - The Man on the Flying Trapeze
 * 5) The Waco Brothers - Them Bones
 * 6) Giant Sand - Blow the Man Down
 * 7) Anne Richmond Boston - What Can the Matter Be?
 * 8) D. L. Menard & the Louisiana Aces - J'ai Passe Devant Ta Porte?
 * 9) Zydeco Elvis - The ABC Song
 * 10) Sally Timms - Hush Little Baby
 * 11) New Orleans Klezmer All Stars - Nokas for the Kinder
 * 12) The Chiselers - Playmate
 * 13) The Rock*A*Teens - She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain
 * 14) Moonshine Willy - Skip to My Lou
 * 15) Kelly Hogan - The Great Titanic
 * 16) The Black Mama Dharma Band - A Frozen Road
 * 17) Mekons - Oranges & Lemons
 * 18) New Kingdom - John Henry
 * 19) Rob Gal - Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
 * 20) Blacktop Rockets - Froggy Went A-Courtin'
 * 21) Vic Chesnutt - Home on the Range
 * 22) The Grifters - The Muffin Man


 * Hidden Tracks CD (2000, Daemon Records)


 * 1) Kick Me - Arms
 * 2) Smoke - Midnight
 * 3) DQE - Ivytwine
 * 4) Parlour - The Cold Snap
 * 5) Kick Me - Black Coat
 * 6) Kick Me - Blue Midnight
 * 7) Parlour - Baby Doll
 * 8) Bill Taft & Neil Fried - Old West
 * 9) Smoke - Pretend
 * 10) Palookaville - Seventh Day
 * 11) Long Flat Red - Eighty-Six Days
 * 12) Railroad Earth - Keep Seeing That Soul
 * 13) Kick Me - Lucky Nights
 * 14) The Hollidays - Miles Away

Guest appearances
Indigo Girls - Shaming of the Sun CD (1997, Daemon Records) 12. Hey Kind Friend Taft played cornet on this song, written about his friend Benjamin.

The Rock*A*Teens - The Rock*A*Teens (January 23, 1996) 13. Arm in Arm in the Golden Twilight We Loitered On Taft played cornet on this track.

Greg Connors - Full Moon Flashlight CD (2009, Scared Records) 4. Two Women and A Flood (Sweet Distraction) 9. September Baby, a cover of a song written by Joseph Arthur Taft played cornet on both these tracks.

Adventure Time "Blue Magic", written by Jack Pendarvis, sung by Kelly Hogan, with guitar performance by Bill Taft.