The Colorblind James Experience: I’m Considering a Move to Memphis

It is not always easy to pull songs out of thin air for these song of the day posts, but I have already started to do a Funky Friday post and a Sunday Jazz post. These themes help me focus in on music to select. Starting today, Saturday will be Lost Classics day with a focus on great songs that aren’t very well-known. I’ve noticed that I don’t often select songs from the ’80s (because that is my wheelhouse so searching for new music from that decade is a tough endeavor), so we’ll kick off this new theme with one of my favorite songs that I discovered as a deejay in college. The Colorblind James Experience were an indie band from Rochester, NY. Formed by “Colorblind” James Charles (Chuck) Cuminale, the band presented a unique sound that fused rock, rockabilly, country, jazz, blues, polka, and any other style that they felt like utilizing. Their self-titled 1987 debut and their 1989 album Why Should I Stand Up? were modestly popular on American college radio, but they were even more popular in the UK. Their 1989 Peel Sessions release showcased their appearances on John Peel’s radio program – appearances that provided them with hits on the UK Indie charts. Their UK indie chart success didn’t translate into hits in the States, but they had enough of a following to tour the college circuits for a while. The Colorblind James Experience were just one of hundreds of bands from the late ’80s who fused Americana and roots music into a new type of indie music that was soon to die during the grunge explosion of the early ’90s. They released several memorable tunes, including “A Different Bob” and “Dance Critters,” but their classic “Considering a Move to Memphis” will always be their most beloved song. The song is a joyous epic groove of mixed styles with lyrics that can’t help but make one smile. Their success faded in the early ’90s, and Cuminale died tragically in 2001, but this one song will live on forever as it is discovered by generation after generation.

To learn more about The Colorblind James Experience, check out their Wikipedia page.

To listen to all of the songs of the day, check out the Radio Faux Show Song of the Day playlist.

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