If you haven’t heard the Coctails, they were an instrument-swapping pop-jazz ensemble, with songs ranging from slow delicate instrumentals to raucous novelty singalongs. It doesn’t make sense at first, but the more Coctails you listen to, the more you need to keep listening.
The Coctails came to Chicago from Kansas, and became Lounge Ax regulars from 1988-95. They ran their own vinyl label and put out records by Dump, Brokeback and Dianogah. Their first reunion was 25 years ago this January as the final act to play Lounge Ax before it closed. Then their late 2004 reunion was to celebrate the release of the great “Popcorn Box” compilation, released on Chicago’s Carrot Top, run by the same people who own Saki. After this Hideout gig, the Coctails played two nights at the Aragon opening for the Pixies, then hopped up to Hoboken where I caught them opening for Yo La Tengo, off to Japan for a week, then back to Chicago in January 2005.
Aadam’s Coctails recordings to date: