Edie Brickell & New Bohemians
Biography
In the pantheon of late-'80s alternative rock success stories, few are as charmingly accidental as that of Edie Brickell & New Bohemians. What began as a spontaneous jam session in a Dallas club would eventually spawn one of the decade's most enduring radio staples and launch a career that has gracefully navigated the treacherous waters between commercial success and artistic integrity.
The story begins in 1985 when Edie Arlisa Brickell, a 19-year-old philosophy student at Southern Methodist University, wandered into a Deep Ellum club where a local band called New Bohemians was performing. On a whim—or perhaps guided by the same cosmic forces she'd later sing about—she jumped onstage and began improvising vocals over their groove-heavy instrumental jams. The chemistry was immediate and undeniable. Within weeks, she'd abandoned her studies to become the group's permanent frontwoman, joining guitarist Kenny Withrow, bassist Brad Houser, drummer Brandon Aly, and percussionist John Bush in what would become one of Texas's most successful musical exports.
The band's sound was a beguiling amalgamation that defied easy categorization. At its core lay a foundation of folk-rock sensibilities, but New Bohemians' rhythm section brought a distinctly funky, almost tribal pulse that set them apart from their contemporaries. Brickell's vocals floated above this rhythmic complexity with an ethereal quality that was both conversational and mystical, delivering stream-of-consciousness lyrics that seemed to channel the zeitgeist of a generation caught between cynicism and hope.
Their 1988 debut album, "Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars," became an unexpected phenomenon. The lead single "What I Am" captured something ineffable about the late-'80s cultural moment with its hypnotic groove and Brickell's memorable declaration that "philosophy is a walk on the slippery rocks." The song's success was meteoric—reaching number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 and becoming a defining anthem for college radio. The album itself climbed to number four on the Billboard 200, eventually achieving double-platinum status and establishing the band as unlikely MTV darlings.
The follow-up, 1990's "Ghost of a Dog," showcased a more mature and experimental approach, though it failed to match their debut's commercial impact. Songs like "Mama Help Me" and "Black & Blue" demonstrated Brickell's growing confidence as a songwriter, while the band's musical interplay became increasingly sophisticated. However, the pressures of sudden fame and the music industry's expectations began to take their toll.
By 1991, Brickell had stepped away from the band to focus on her personal life, including her marriage to Paul Simon—a relationship that began when New Bohemians opened for Simon's "Born at the Right Time" tour. This union with one of popular music's most celebrated songwriters inevitably influenced her artistic development, though she maintained her distinctive voice and perspective.
The band reunited sporadically throughout the 1990s and 2000s, releasing "Picture Perfect Morning" in 1994 and "Stranger Things" in 2006. These later works revealed a band that had retained their essential chemistry while incorporating the wisdom that comes with experience. Brickell's solo career flourished in parallel, with albums like "Picture Perfect Morning" and collaborations with various artists showcasing her evolution as a songwriter and performer.
Perhaps more significantly, Edie Brickell & New Bohemians helped pave the way for the alternative rock explosion of the 1990s. Their success demonstrated that radio audiences were hungry for something more authentic than the polished pop and hair metal that dominated the airwaves. Their influence can be heard in countless artists who followed, from the jam-band scene to indie folk revivalists.
The band's legacy was cemented with their induction into the Texas Music Hall of Fame, and "What I Am" continues to soundtrack films, television shows, and commercials decades after its release. In recent years, they've continued to tour and record, proving that their musical chemistry remains as potent as ever.
Today, Edie Brickell & New Bohemians stand as a testament to the power of spontaneous creativity and authentic expression. In an era of manufactured pop and algorithmic playlists, their story serves as a reminder that sometimes the most enduring music emerges from the most unexpected moments—when a philosophy student decides to jump onstage and see what happens.
