Urban Verbs
| Urban Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Washington, D.C. |
| Genres | New wave music |
| Years active | 1977-1981, 1995, 2008 |
| Labels | Warner Bros. Records |
| Past members | Robert Goldstein Roddy Frantz Robin Rose Danny Frankel Linda France Billy Swann |
The Urban Verbs was an American new wave band from Washington, D.C. The band was fronted by Roddy Frantz, brother of Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz.
In 1977, the Urban Verbs rehearsed in the Atlantic Building at 930 F Street in NW Washington, D.C. Robert Goldstein (December 6, 1949 – October 7, 2016) began to book bands in a derelict bar in the Atlantis Club, which was where the Urban Verbs played their first shows and became a nexus of the DC new wave and punk rock scene. In 1980, the Atlantis became the 9:30 Club.
The Urban Verbs played at the CBGB club in 1978 with the Cramps.. Producer Brian Eno was in the audience. Eno offered to record several of the band’s songs ("The Next Question" and "Pensive Lives") which have never been officially released.
The band received numerous positive reviews in the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the City Paper among others. Urban Verbs became the darlings of the DC avante garde art scene playing numerous shows at the Washington Project for the Arts, DC Space, the Pension Building and the Corcoran School of Art.
In late 1978, Urban Verbs returned to CBGB to perform with Cleveland band Pere Ubu. Urban Verbs played the Peppermint Lounge and various NY clubs as well as numerous DC shows. In early 1979, the Urban Verbs shared the stage with the B-52's at the Corcoran School of Art.
Warner Brothers executive Bob Krasnow signed the band to a two-record contract. The band's eponymous first album was recorded with Mike Thorne (producer of Wire, Soft Cell and Bronski Beat) in 1979 and released in early 1980. The cover of the album pictures single photos of each band member in plastic bags partially filled with a clear liquid, presumably water.
Urban Verbs were scheduled to tour with Joy Division in May 1980. Arriving in Toronto for the first show, the band found the tour was canceled due to the suicide of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis.
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