Loud Family

I really want a copy of Lolita Nation / Tinker to Evers to Chance / some other long out of print Game Theory album. Where can I get them, and will they ever be back in print?
This is the most frequently asked question of them all, and sadly, the answer is: the only way you'll be able to get a copy of Lolita Nation nowadays is by paying lots of money for the CD on eBay, or by stumbling across one in a used record store (which may take incredible persistence, since they're awfully scarce). All of Game Theory's albums are out print; the easiest ones to find are 2 Steps From the Middle Ages, because it was the band's best seller, and the discs that were reissued by Alias in the mid-1990s (Big Shot Chronicles, Real Nighttime and Distortion of Glory, a compilation of the band's first album and EPs). Since Scott Miller's music has never exactly caught on with the general public, it's unlikely there will be a full-scale reissue program in the future, but one never knows. (By the way, Scott Miller does not own the rights to Game Theory's recordings, so it's not up to him.)

How can I mail an item to Scott Miller or another member of the Loud Family?
Many people have inquired about sending books, tapes, etc. to Scott or other members of the band. Unfortunately, their old P.O. box in San Francisco (the address which appeared in old GT and LF sleeve notes) has been closed. Feel free to send items to Sue Trowbridge, PO Box 6031, Alameda CA 94501, and I will make sure they are passed along in a timely manner to the appropriate person.

Who were the REAL Loud Family?
For seven months, the William Loud family of Santa Barbara, CA, allowed their lives to be filmed, day in and day out. Three hundred hours of film were edited down into WNET's famous 12-part series, An American Family. During the seven months of filming, son Lance Loud (who died on Dec. 22, 2001) came out as a homosexual and Pat and William's 20-year-old marriage ended. Unfortunately, the series is not currently available on video; however, An American Family: A Televised Life by Jeffrey Ruoff is available from University of Minnesota Press. The Louds now have their own official web site at thelouds.com.

Where can I find guitar tablature and chords for Game Theory and Loud Family songs?
The Game Theory/Loud Family Guitar Archive is maintained by Matthew Amster-Burton. Keep in mind that most of the chords were contributed by Scott fans making their best guesses, and not by the man himself, so accuracy may vary.

Do Rayon Drive / Hyde Street / etc. really exist?
Rayon Drive is fictional, but Hyde Street, Van Ness Avenue, and many other of the place names referred to in Scott Miller's lyrics are 100% real. For more information, see the Locations page.

Is there a Loud Family mailing list?
Yes, there is. It's called loud-fans, and provides a great way to meet like-minded people who want to chat about Scott Miller's music past and present. However, be forewarned that volume on the list can be heavy and most of the discussion is "off topic," ranging from depleted uranium to the current cinema.

Send a message to loud-fans-request@smoe.org with the word "subscribe" in the body.

For a low-traffic, just-the-facts alternative, subscribe to loud-news. Just send a note to majordomo@smoe.org with subscribe loud-news in the body.

Was Scott in a band before Game Theory? / What were Alternate Learning and Lobster Quadrille?
Lobster Quadrille and Alternate Learning were two of Scott's earliest bands. Lobster Quadrille never released any albums, although they did record several songs, including "Christmas Moog." Alternate Learning lasted from 1979-1981, and self-released two recordings: the ALRN 7" EP (1979) and an album called Painted Windows (1981). These are so rare they make Lolita Nation look like Thriller by comparison. Former Game Theory, Loud Family and Thin White Rope member Joe Becker played drums in the first lineup of Alternate Learning; none of the other members (Kern Scott Gallawa, Carolyn O'Rourke, Byl Miller and Eric Landers) have gone onto fame and fortune, though O'Rourke and Landers did play in a band called Fifteen Minutes with future Dream Syndicate leader (and Scott Miller college buddy) Steve Wynn.

Which bands have performed cover versions of Scott Miller songs?
Vancouver-based twee-pop band Gaze, whose most famous member is Rose Melberg of Softies/Tiger Trap/Go Sailor quasifame, covers Distortion gem "Nine Lives to Rigel Five" on its second album, Shake the Pounce (1999). New York City trio Sleepyhead recorded "Like a Girl Jesus" for the B-side of its 1992 7" single, "Punk Rock City U.S.A"; the band has since released several albums and EPs. "Girl Jesus" was also covered by the Hamilton, Ont. band the Killjoys on their album Gimme Five, but unfortunately it appears to be out of print in both the U.S. and Canada. Members of the loud-fans mailing list created a tribute CD called Friends of the Family, which is currently unavailable.

Which artists have Scott Miller produced? Which albums by other artists has he appeared on?

PRODUCTION:

Anton Barbeau: "All I Need is Everything" from The Horse's Tongue (Idiot, 1993); "Little Daisy" from 17th Century Fuzzbox Blues (Frigidisk, 2000); and "Third Eye" from A Splendid Tray (Frigidisk, 1999).

Daddy In His Deep Sleep: Alone With Daddy LP (Restless, 1987).

Hello Kitty: "Curse of the Frontier Land," from the Friends of the Family tribute CD.

The Impatients: Kickball (Skillet, 1995).

Tris McCall: If One Of These Bottles Should Happen To Fall: Jersey Songs by Tris McCall (self-released, 2000).

Regular Einstein, Robots Helping Robots: Unreleased.

Swan Plastic Swan: Unreleased.

Thin White Rope: "Munich Eunuch" from Spoor (Frontier, 1985). Also appears on Moonhead Plus (Diablo, 1997).

The Veil: 1000 Dreams Have Told Me EP (1983).

Vinyl Devotion: Scott produced and performed on several tracks, including "Sorry Isn't Good Enough" and "Hold Your Breath Until October," as well as the If They Know You're Trying EP (Widely Distributed, 1994).

MIXING:

Jill Olson: The Gal Who Would Be King (eggBert, 1996).

GUEST PERFORMANCES:

Anton Barbeau: "The Banana Song" from A Splendid Tray (Frigidisk, 1999). Backing vocals.

Belle Da Gama: "Three Cornered World" and "The Mozart Defect" from Garden Abstract (125 Records, 2001). Guitar and vocals.

Pledge Drive: "My Lagan Love" from I Gave At The Office (self-released, 1999). Vocals.

Who is that other Scott Miller?
Yes, there are (at least) two musicians named Scott Miller. The one most frequently confused with the Loud Family/Game Theory Scott is the V-Roys' Scott Miller, who has a band called the Commonwealth and has released several albums, including Thus Always To Tyrants (2001) and Citation (2006). The Other Scott Miller frequently tours, while the LF/GT Scott does not (he does a show or two a year in the San Francisco area and that's about it). So if you see a listing for a Scott Miller show in, say, Chicago or Nashville, it's definitely The Other Scott Miller.