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:: History of Geography - pt. 3
By 1987, Tony Maimone and Jim Jones were playing with Ubu frontman David Thomas' Wooden Birds. A compilation of early Pere Ubu singles had been released earlier and had done surprisingly well. It was beginning to seem like Pere Ubu had unfinished business that could be tended to.

Krauss made overtures, and in 1987 Pere Ubu was reborn. The core band that had recorded "History and Geography," would form the core of Pere Ubu for that band's next four albums ("The Tenement Year," "Cloudland," "Worlds in Collision," and "Story of My Life").

With Pere Ubu demanding progressively more of Krauss' attention, Home and Garden began to fade into the background. Christyson left the group. Linda Wheeler occasionally sat in. The band continued on as a four piece composed of Krauss-Morrison-Temple-Wheeler, and continued to record and play out, but by 1990 had pretty well stopped.

As Pere Ubu was preparing to embark on its 1993 tour to promote "Story of My Life," Maimone left the group, replaced by Michele Temple. In 1994, during the recording sessions that would lead to 1995's "Raygun Suitcase," Krauss, unhappy with the direction the band was taking, opted to leave. Thomas invited Robert Wheeler to join.

Krauss restarted Home and Garden as a studio-only project with ideas he had written for Pere Ubu. With contributions from Temple, Vivians' vocalist Diane Duncan, Tony Maimone and other luminaries of the Cleveland music scene, Home and Garden had come full circle. This version of Home and Garden recorded an album's worth of material - yet to be released - some of which has seen the light of day on Cleveland music compilations.

In the new century, Home and Garden transformed into Homeless Gardens, primarily a live vehicle featuring Krauss, Rick Kallister (who had worked with Krauss in Peter Laughner's pre-Ubu, pre-Rocket From the Tombs band Cinderella Backstreet), Michael Hronek, J.P. Gamiere, and occasional contributions from Warren Levert and Tony Maimone. Returning to Home and Garden's roots, this version played largely improvised instrumental grooves.

With the pending reissue of "History and Geography" on the horizon, a new iteration of Home and Garden has appeared - featuring the reunion of Krauss and Maimone - joined by Robert Wheeler on synths (again), Ryan Weitzel on guitar, and Keith Kornajcik on vocals. Original Pere Ubu guitarist Tom Herman has sat in from time to time (reuniting the core of the classic "Modern Dance"/"Dub Housing" Pere Ubu line-up).

Certainly eclipsed by Pere Ubu's shadow, Home and Garden could be seen as just a "side-project," but to the people who created the music - it was a driving force - an entity unto itself - never a "side-project." Their music is as vibrant, vital, and strangely beautiful as ever.

Popular music seems to go in cycles, the same can be said for the underground. Much of the ground forged on "History and Geography" (and other H&G releases), such as mixing vintage electronics with live instruments, is today being explored by modern groups to varying degrees of success. If this were a new band coming out of Brooklyn, they would be hailed as the next big thing. Home and Garden staked this territory 20+ years ago.

Thankfully, we can all listen once again.

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