Like so many disaffected teens with a jones for new music, I spent some time working in music retail…and one of the many bands I discovered during this era (1989 – 1994, with some time off to attend college) was the Gunbunnies. Signed to Virgin Records back in the days when the label was flooding stores with promotional copies of albums by their new artists, we scored both cassette and CD promos of their debut album, Paw Paw Patch, and it’s clear Virgin had high hopes for these guys.
Their single, “Stranded,” was picking up quite a bit of college radio airplay, and the critics were loving the fact that the album was produced by the legendary Jim Dickinson (Big Star, the Rolling Stones, the Replacements). Plus, the band’s lead singer and songwriter, Chris Maxwell, had put together 10 songs that could hold their own with bands like Guadalcanal Diary, House of Freaks, and the like…and although he had a highly competent band behind him, Maxwell was practically a one-man band; he played guitar, harmonica, trumpet, and electric sitar on the album!
Poised for success…? Yeah, not so much.
The Gunbunnies disappeared after Paw Paw Patch…and I mean really disappeared. Not only was there no follow-up album on Virgin, there was no follow-up, period. Maxwell didn’t even go solo; he just vanished.
Well, okay, he didn’t vanish vanish; if AllMusic.com can be trusted (and they usually can), he left music altogether for about five years, then returned to play bass for They Might Be Giants and to do some production work for artists like the Lunachicks…but, of course, that’s if this is the same Chris Maxwell. Can anyone confirm or deny…?
Posted in: Artists, Lost Bands, Rock
HEY!! I love the gunbunnies, and wish they had done more. My best friend and I were avid followers up until the “disappearance”. Thanks for the “possible news” and if you get any updates…….
Wow…I’m glad I happened upon this site. It’s nice to see such a recent remark about the Gunbunnies. I was actually looking for info about “Stranded.” Yes…keep us posted
I played bass for the Gunbunnies. I left right before the record deal came through. Chris moved to NYC and joined Skeleton Key (a radical departure from the ‘bunnies pop style) and later went on to form the Gleaners who put out a fantastic pop cd a couple of years ago. I highly recommend it. He’s been doing a lot of production, management, jingle writing, etc. I know he’s worked with TMBG and the Lunachicks and many others but I doubt it was as a bass player….
http://www.eleganttoo.com
Thanks for the update. Went to McHS and graduated with Chris. Been wondering where he ended up after the Gunbunnies.
Hi everyone. I have listened to the Gunbunnies since an early age. The reason being that he is my cousin. I have been looking for a new copy of this cd(destroyed by accidentally). I am close to his father(Paul Dee) and will ask him about current music projects. Will post a followup if i find anything out. I know that he has been a member of the band Skeleton Key. I will try to find more current info an keep everyone posted.
I love the Gunbunnies. I used to see them and Chris’ earlier band, Jubilee Dive, while in college at Arkansas. David Jukes, Gunbunnies guitarist, did a cd in 1998,”Goshen” as The Magic Cropdusers, produced by Jim Dickinson.
I need lyrics to the Gunbunnies’ song “Drinkin’ Days” so I can cover it in my band. I can’t decipher them all.
Mike, I don’t have the cd w/me, but could probably fill in any blanks for you if you’ll email me what you’ve got (doc1rc@yahoo.com). I’ll trade you that for the chords!
I saw the gunbunnies live in one of their few gigs after that record came out, at the New Music Seminar in NYC in 1990 (before SXSW took over that “debutante” scene).
They were great! Those guys and the Chickasaw Mudd Puppies were awesome at NMS. Hothouse FLowers (remember them?) sucked royally, OTOH.
Besides the fact that GUnbunnies seemed more attitude-free than a lot of the “alternative rockers” at the time…I rememebr the lead singer looked like Gene Wilder.
I hung out with them when they came to Houston way long time ago.
Fun Time
Who is B that left ‘right before the record deal’?? Brent Smith, credited as Brent Adam on the record, was bass player quite a while before the record deal and I was just curious who you are??
Saw the Gunbunnies millions of times when I lived in LR, Jubilee Dive as well. Was a huge fan of the band and Chris, Brent, Judd and Dave. I practically lived at Juanita’s.
Click the B above or send an email and ye shall see 😉 Anyway…that was a long time ago. I was with the ‘bunnies for a bit over three years, from ’86 to late ’89 or maybe early ’90?. I know I left just before the second time they played SXSW, whenever that was. I do not know Brent well but he is very good at what he does and was always gracious to me. Anyway, I am curious as to who you are as well. I’m sure I must have seen you around.
b is bruce ….. right???? i remember. i worked at pizza d with some of the bunnies. still love them
Ahh… the Gunbunnies, I remember playing tunes from Paw Paw on our pirate station back then. Is a great disc, wish there was more from that talent pool.
Yes…B is for Bruce. I don’t recall a Candy at Pizza D’ but that’s not surprising given that I’m older now and have far fewer of my wits about me. Click here to drop me a line sometime…would love to hear from you. Thanks!
would like to hear from anybody that knows where i can get a copy of paw paw patch.. thanks
I still listen to GBunnies quite often…Saw Yall at Juanita’s, Beale Street(god what a weather disaster 17 feet of rain, I think, but yall played on and it was still a blast, mud and all…several other places, can’t really remember…
you can get a copy thru B’s page above…just click the B
bought 2 new cd’s just now, thru the gunbunnies link at B’s site. One for me one for lissa.
Didn’t the guitarist for the Gunbunnies form Sparklehorse?
My bad, Sparklehorse was founded by a forming member of Dancing Hoods, not Gunbunnies. The two cassettes from my misspent youth sometimes mingle in my mind.
My wife and I were watching the Kennedy Center Honors tonight and George Jones was one of the honorees. Garth Brooks was chosen to perform “The Race Is On.” The band played kinda loose and easy with it, which was driving me crazy, since it’s a sinewy, tight song. I turned to my lovely wife and said, “The single best cover of this song I EVER heard was by the Gunbunnies at the DMZ Club in Little Rock about 21 years ago.” Thanks, Brent and Chris!
I’m late to the party, but if anybody is still interested, I just posted a bunch of unreleased stuff on myspace.com/gunbunniesofarkansas.
It was nice to read down the comments. It was a helluva lotta fun.
I’m so glad I stumbled in here today. After nearly two decades, Paw Paw Patch hasn’t lost any of its punch or appeal. Great songs and an unimposing production.
Chris, the tracks on MySpace are a thrill!
Many thanks to y’all,
Joe
I first saw Chris in the Patios, warming up for Wall of Voodoo at some unlikely venue in Little Rock in the summer of 1984. Maybe the Hall of Industry? I’m like, “Who ARE these guys — covering Adrian Belew … in Arkansas?” (Little did I realize I was seeing the start of a great little scene that stayed lively for many years to come.) Followed Chris through Jubilee Dive, and then became friends with him and the rest of the Gunbunnies when they played gigs in NW Arkansas, most notably at the late, great Icehouse. Lost track of him after Skeleton Key. … Great to see a talented artist and genuinely good guy continuing to thrive.
-Don
Twenty-year-old “new” old stuff is now available on iTunes and elsewhere. It’s better than “Paw Paw Patch.”
I got the paw paw patch CD for one $ at Doller Store long ago most like back in mid 90s some time. I use to play it all the time. I just found it again and put it on my I-pod.
Gunbunnies fan – I’m happy there is stillbuzz about them on the Internet.
I saw the Gunbunnies a couple of times in Kansas City back in the early 90’s. They were one of my favorite live bands. Paw Paw Patch is still a great CD. I have a 5 yr. old and a 3 yr. old and one of their favorite songs is Down in the Dark.
The Gunbunnies were a great band. Equally good were Loud Lucy and Lifter. These bands also made only one cd. For a bit more hard rockin’ sound try Spot.
I just discovered the Gunbunnies. I’m loving it! Chris, thanks for the post with the unreleased songs. Enjoying now.
I’m way late to this party, but am now having serious flashbacks… Went to the Whitewater Tavern to hear Jubilee Dive, supposedly the best band in LR at the time, this guy (who I later learned was Chris) gets up and says sorry if you came to see Jubilee Dive, we’ll be them tomorrow night, but tonight we’re a new band, the Gunbunnies! I was hooked. Saw them at a crazy show at the Oyster Bar, when there was a foot of snow and LR was shut down. Saw them every Thursday night at Cafe Lugano for, what, a year? Juanita’s, yeah, and some place in West LR I can’t remember the name of. All that had a huge influence on my life now.
If any of you boys are still out there hit me up on facebook hope your all doing well I miss you folks David you still doing hunanns on x mass and whats Judd up to these days? Chris hope your doing well! sometime we should all get together and have a sing-toe over egg drop soup LOL
And yes Don IT was the Hall of Industry by the way does anyone still have any Patio cassetts left? all my archives were stolden years ago hope to hear fron you folks Later Ric E.
Wow, just had to do a search for Brent and I stumble here. I used to live quite close to him and he once told me, “Bill, guitar players are a dime a dozen, if you play bass you’ll never be out of a job.” So I did and have never regretted it. Even thanked him in the liner notes in my band’s first CD.
Cheers!
Bill
Square One Nation
Yep. Gunbunnies played Memphis it seems like once a month for a while there. The South End. Antenna. Always a great show. I’d get my ass up off the couch to go see ’em again. That’s saying something.
Never got to hear them as the Patios but never missed Jubilee Dive or Gunbunnies in Little Rock. Heard some great music at Juanita’s, SOBs, etc. Cafe Lugano..forgot about that place. Fun times…from what I remember.
Hey Chris, remember the gig with my band, Doktors for “Bob” at the S.O.B. in Little Rock? The infamous TOMATO INCIDENT. Those were the daze … when music could still result in VIOLENCE.
Gunbunnies rocked Little Rock! Also worked at Pizza d Action. Loved this guys. Awesome original rock! Find their music!
I too am lookin’ for the C.D. I got into the Little Rock music scene because I had friends that were in a group call The Big Nap. Love my friends, but saw the Gunbunnies about 7 0r 8 times, and they rocked. Last time i saw them they had new material, I swore they were going places and then they vanished.
Hey Sterno Dox, I do remember the tomatoes. I remember those SOB days very clearly. I’ve never experienced anything like Iike it. The Doktors, the Caterwaulers, the Rythm Method, the blue Dogs Of France, Rob O, women of UALR decorating the bar (Kathy Strause, Karen Worthen…) well I can’t remember all of it but it was an insane collection of talent. To bad there’s nothing documenting that time.
I loved The Gunbunnies’ music. Our cover band even added one. I came here to see if I could spot the song title. I have the cassette buried in a box somewhere at the house I guess… I hope..It better be there. Spoke to them on the indie radio station around St Louis when they came through and I was working overnights. Sounded like a down to earth bunch o’ guys.
Sorry, I am also very late to the party. Chris – JH once gave me a demo tape he was shopping around. It had Watertower, My Favorite Waste Of Time, and Wonderview (although a very different version than the one you posted on MySpace) on it, along with the best version of The Backstabbers I have ever heard — including the original. Any chance you could find a copy and post that one? Also, how could I purchase a copy of all of the unreleased material? It was really great stuff!
Chris – I just found Great Big Diamond on iTunes and purchased it. Alas, ‘The Backstabbers’ is not on the track list. Any chance you’ll ever release it?
Great to know there are still people out there that remember this GREAT band. Sitting in my garden here in London and listening to Paw Paw Patch. Can still remember seeing them in a bar in LR April/May 1990 while I was in training there. One of the many reasons that LR remains one of my top 3 best places I’ved lived.