Check out Bill Walsh's cool Limbs site here, which includes lyrics to all the songs

For Jim Parks' solo work, click here

A brief recording history of PHANTOM LIMBS

Romance (1983, Modern Masters). In 1982, the Phantom Limbs--guitarist
Jefferson Keenan, bass player Jim Parks and drummer Andrea Curtis--moved
from Tucson to test the bay area waters. They met Richard Kelly, operator of
Modern Masters Music and one of a group of New York emigrés involved in
founding the original Club Foot (and Club Foot Orchestra). The band moved
back to Tucson but returned, this time with drummer Howard Salmon, to San
Francisco to record Romance at Tom Mallon Recording. Kelly produced the
album and arranged additional parts for keyboards, horns and steel guitar.
The album made the top twenty of the then-fledgling college charts and
"Suicide" was the number one song on KXLU in Los Angeles. Press was
generally kind. The L.A. Weekly called the band "an excellent underground
combo," and the original Trouser Press Record Guide said, "This is great!"
The band toured occasionally in California, Texas and Arizona.

 

Train of Thought (1986, CD Presents). The same members return to San
Francisco to record Train of Thought, produced by Tom Mallon at his studio.
Original Sonic Youth drummer-turned-actor Richard Edson played trumpet, and
former Tucsonan Chris Cacavas of Green on Red played piano. Melody Maker
says, "Tucsonian Jeff Keenan of Phantom Limbs was born with a Dylanesque
deftness for yarn spinning in the most allegorical vein," and the New
Trouser Press Record guide calls Train of Thought "another very good record
from this talented band." Shortly after the album's release, the group
borrowed guitarist Gene Ruley and drummer Peter Catalanotte from Tucson's
River Roses, and toured a little in California, Texas and the east coast
with a couple of shows in Canada. This line-up remained intact until
Peter's departure in 1996. He returned to play drums for the band's last
show in 1998.

You can order the "Train of Thought" LP here at LPNOW

Not in So Many Words (2000, San Jacinto Records). Not in So Many Words features
Keenan, Parks, Ruley and Catalanotte, and was produced by David Slutes and
recorded by Phil Stevens in Tucson. It was mixed and engineered by Eric
Westfall in Tucson and Tom Mallon in San Francisco during a period from late
1994 to mid 1996. Howe Gelb of Giant Sand plays barely discernable piano
on the first song.

To purchase "Not In So Many Words," click here (for check and money order) or here (for Visa)

Jeff and Jim still perform with the Fraidycats, a honky-tonk outfit that
also features the legendary Al Perry and Jonathan Richman's moviestar/drummer, Tommy Larkins.

TROUSER PRESS REVIEW If Bob Dylan...were raised on a mixture of the Violent Femmes, Devo, the dBs and Stray Cats, he might sound like this excellent, offbeat trio... On "Romance," guitarist Jefferson Keenan's unmusical adolescent voice sings lyrics that casually mention Kierkegaard, paint detailed portraits of maladjustment and do a considerable amount of soul-bearing; the music is a well-played hodgepodge of folk-rock, rockabilly and ragtime. This much personality can be hard to take, but the jolly music keeps things light, and the intelligence obvious in the lyrics makes these guys sound like fascinating people. Keenan's artless adenoids are again the trio's featured organ on "Train of Thought," a distinctly Femmesy semi-acoustic rock record that boasts intriguing arrangements, excellent playing and delicately interwoven electic guitar instead of rampantly stylistic variety. Another very good record from this talented band.

 

PHOENIX NEW TIMES REVIEW Limb-O Rock: Proving that old Tucson rockers neither die nor fade away -- they just start making albums for San Jacinto Records -- the legendary Phantom Limbs have just released a new disc on the label, their first in more than a decade. The album, Not in So Many Words, is a terrific if hard-to-peg offering from the Old Pueblo quartet. The group, which once described its music as "analytical cowboy despair pop passing itself off as New Wave dance music," has stayed true to its off-kilter ethos, creating another idiosyncratic platter of desert roots. Produced by former Sidewinder/Sand Rubie David Slutes (who was responsible for one of last year's true pop joys, Maryanne's Your First, Your Last, Your Everything), the album is an engaging mix of singer Jefferson Keenan's "Dylan-meets-the-Chipmunks twang" and a crisp yet spare neo-surf guitar backing. Though the Phantom Limbs' discography -- 1983's Romance and 1986's Train of Thought -- is limited and their recent performances even more scarce, the group holds as prominent a place as Green on Red or Giant Sand in Tucson's illustrious early-'80s musical history. Unfortunately, San Jac owner (and Luminarios leader) Rich Hopkins says the Limbs have decided that the album will be a kind of swan song. The group, which had been active as late as last year, will no longer play live. Not in So Many Words is available at Zia Record Exchange and at www.sanjacintorecords.com.

"Letters" and "Burden of Proof" MP3 files here