(Translated from my original Italian text by ChatGPT and Piero Scaruffi)
Bill Mumy and Rob Haimer formed Barnes & Barnes in the early 1970s. It was another novelty project, which in their case leaned toward perverse satire in a Zappa-style.
Voobaha (Rhino, 1980 Oglio, 1996) is a continued celebration of mischief, executed with the most psychotic and demented spirit, ranging from the grotesque Boogie Woogie Amputee with garage-surf organ, the driving rocknroll anthem of alienation Pumped Out Blues, the parody of 1950s gospel-soul Party In My Pants, the childrens rhyme Clip Clop worthy of Zappas silliest gags, the cartoon-soundtrack-style chorus of Fish Heads, a Parisian street song complete with fatalistic accordion (Gumby Jaws Lament), a vaudeville chant with murderous lyrics (I Hope She Dies), and a ridiculous, over-the-top blues (Sewey Hole).
Bill Mumys first solo album (1980) appeared quietly. The duos second album was never released, though some songs later surfaced on the late Loozanteen (1991). Meanwhile, the pair helped Wildman Fisher compose and release Pronounced Normal (Rhino, 1981), as well as Nothing Scary (Rhino, 1984) and the collection of unreleased tracks Its a Hard Business (Rhino, 1986).
The third album, Spazchow (Rhino, 1981 Oglio, 1997), added another couple of vignettes from their repulsive music hall style (Spooky Lady On Death Avenue, Swallow My Love).
The absurd single Soak It Up (1983) kept the attention alive. When it finally came out, Amazing Adult Fantasy (Rhino, 1984) turned out to be their most commercial album (featuring the pseudo-hits I Dont Remember Tomorrow and Dont You Wanna Go To The Moon).
Sicks (Rhino, 1986) presented their new heroic-comic masterpieces: Pineapple Princess, Pizza Face, and Pussy Whipped.
(Original English text by Piero Scaruffi)
Loozanteen (Rhino, 1991) contains a few leftovers, including tracks
from the unreleased second album and the 1989 single Touch Yourself.
After the Dinosaur Album (Rhino, 1993) and
This Land is Our Land (Rhino, 1993), neither credited to them but both
recorded by them, the duo ceased to exist.
Yeah (Oglio, 2000) is an anthology of the career, including songs from
their unreleased second album.
Mumy was active throughout the 1990s with all sorts of side projects:
The Golden Age (Beat Brothers, 1990), The Jenerators (Asil, 1993)
a collaboration with Sarah Taylor,
I've Got Some Presents For Santa (Rhino, 1994), and finally his
solo albums:
Dying To Be Heard (Infinite Visions, 1997),
In the Current (Renaissance, 1999),
Pandora's Box (Renaissance, 2000).
Rob Haimer died in 2023.
