Savage Republic

Savage Republic (originally named Africa Corps) is an American, Los Angeles–based post-punk band, formed in the early 1980s and known for lengthy songs with an emphasis on percussion and droning guitars.

The group reformed in 2002 and remains active with a different lineup.

The band was originally named Africa Corps, and was formed by UCLA students Bruce Licher (guitar) and Mark Erskine (drums/percussion).^[1] They were joined by Philip Drucker (aka Jackson Del Rey), Robert Loveless, and Jeff Long.^[1][2] Shortly before the release of debut album Tragic Figures in 1982 (on Licher's own Independent Project label) they changed their name to Savage Republic.^[3] Licher was also responsible for the group's sleeve designs, which were hand-letterpressed and numbered by him.^[3]

In early 1983, they issued a single, "Film Noir", backed with a version of "O Andonis" by Greek composer Mikis Theodorakis (from the Costa-Gavras film Z), which garnered international attention.^[4]

The group split up towards the end of 1983 with a second album partially completed; Loveless and Drucker completed it and it was released as an album (Jedda by the Sea) by their side project 17 Pygmies.^[2] Tragic Figures was issued in Europe in 1984 on the Sordide Sentimental label.^[1] A 7-inch EP of material recorded in 1981, Tragic Figure, was also issued that year.

The band returned in 1985 with the album Ceremonial, followed in 1986 with the Trudge EP.^[1] A live double album was released in 1987.^[1] Brad Laner joined prior to the 1988 album Jamahiriya Democratique et Populaire de Sauvage, and a further studio album (Customs) was released prior to the band splitting up in 1990.^[1]

Licher continued to run his label, and received a Grammy nomination for the artwork for For Against's debut album.^[3] He formed Scenic in the mid-1990s, a group that also featured Loveless and former Shiva Burlesque member James Brenner.^[1] Laner went on to form Medicine.^[1]

Savage Republic reformed in 2002 with original member Licher and members from the mid-1980s including Greg Grunke, Thom Fuhrmann and Ethan Port, although Licher left after a first tour. The remaining members recorded the album 1938, released by Neurot Recordings in 2007.^[3]

The band's music has been called industrial, with AllMusic's Richie Unterberger describing it as music that "grafted tribal percussion, industrial drones, and raga-like guitar lines together".^[3] Unusual percussion was a large part of their sound, incorporating oil cans and metal pipes.^[3] Trouser Press described the debut album as "a combination of industrial drone with deep machine-like swaths of dragging bass, Halloween horror-movie screams and some of the most delightfully tribal and tropical percussion found on disc".^[2] When the band reformed in 1985 they incorporated more Arabic influences.^[2] Later work also incorporated Greek influences.^[2] The band's music was described in Music USA: The Rough Guide as "hypnotic post-modern raga-rock instrumentals" and "clattering noise-rock jams".^[5]

• Thom Fuhrmann – bass, guitars, vocals, trombone, keyboards (1984–1989, 2002–present)
• Ethan Port – percussion, guitar, 12-string guitar, percussion, maracas, metal horn, vocals (1984–1988, 2002–present)
• Alan Waddington – drums, backing vocals (2006–present)
• Kerry Dowling – bass, guitar, keyboards, vocals (2008–present)

• Bruce Licher – guitar, 12-string guitar, bass, percussion, vocals (1980–1983, 1984–1990, 2002)
• Mark Erskine – drums, percussion, vocals (1980–1983, 1984–1987)
• Jackson Del Rey (Philip Drucker) – guitar, vocals, percussion, keyboards, saz (1980–1983, 1987–1989) (died July 16, 2022)
• Jeff Long – bass, vocals, guitar (1981–1983)
• Robert Loveless – keyboards, guitar, bass, mandolin, percussion (1982–1983, 1985–1986, 2002)
• Greg Grunke – bass, guitar, vocals, dulcimer, recorder, cümbüs (1984–1990, 2002–2008)
• Brad Laner – drums, percussion, vocals, keyboards, tapes (1987–1989)
• Joel Connell – drums (2002)
• Sterling Fox – drums (2005–2006)
• Val Haller (Adrian Osborne) – bass, melodica (2007)
• Jack Housen – bass (2007–2008)

• Kendra Smith – percussion, bass guitar (1981)

• Louise Bialik – vocals (1985) (on Ceremonial (1985), track "Andelusia")
• Nicola Pitchford – vocals (1988) (on Jamahiriya (1988), track "Jamahiriya")
• Bryan Taylor – drums (2007, 2022) (on Siam EP (2007), track "Heads Will Roll"; 1938 (2007), track "Song For Rikki", For Free Ukraine! (2022), track "Stingray (Tonight Show Version)")
• Julia Zuker – violin (2007) (on 1938 (2007), tracks "Caravan", "White Ginger", "Peking")
• Tara Tavi – yang qin (2007) (on 1938 (2007), track "Peking")
• John Crawford – shakers, (2007) (on 1938 (2007), track "Torpedo"), doumbek (2013) (on Aegean (2014), track "Omonoia")
• Stella Papandreopoulo – vocals (2011) (Aegean (2014), track "Aegean")
• Blaine Reininger – violin (2013) (Aegean (2014), tracks "The Arab Spring" and "Salanika")
• Emad Gabra – oud (2013) (Aegean (2014), tracks "The Arab Spring" and "Barbizon Exposure")
• Hayden Ortiz – trumpet (2013) (Aegean (2014), tracks "Victory" and "Pio Pico")
• Adrian Carrillio – trombone (2013) (Aegean (2014), tracks "Victory" and "Pio Pico")
• Robert Verdugo – trombone (2018, 2022) (on God & Guns / Tranquilo (2018)/Meteora (2021), track "God & Guns"; For Free Ukraine! (2022), track "Stingray (Tonight Show Version)")
• Carlos Jimenez – trumpet (2018, 2022) (on God & Guns / Tranquilo (2018)/Meteora (2021), track "God & Guns"; For Free Ukraine! (2022), track "Stingray (Tonight Show Version)")
• Laura Mace – vocals (2022) (on For Free Ukraine! (2022), track "Meteora (For Ukraine Version)")
• Gino Munoz – trumpet (2022) (on For Free Ukraine! (2022), track "Stingray (Tonight Show Version)")

• Official Savage Republic website
• Savage Republic at Mobilization Records
• Savage Republic at LTM Recordings