Here is a music queston involving the NYC area that you might know the answer to--

In the late-80's Yo La Tengo was doing a cover of a song called "Balancing Act". Ira would always credit it to a NYC-area alternative band from the late 70's/early 80's. Do you know of the song and who the original band was? It was one of my favorite YLT covers (next to "Whole of the Law" and "Cast A Shadow").

Other than Gene's obvious post-dB's involvement with YLT, did the dB's have any interaction with them? Their cover of Will's "Tail Of A Star" was always super (it seemed like I used to have a tape of a show from L.A. with Peter guesting on it).

Thanks in advance for any "Balancing Act" info.

Might be by the Volcano Suns (ex-Mission Of Burma) from their mid '80s album Bright Orange Years -- although the timeline is slighly off from what you mention, and the Suns were from Boston unless they'd relocated to the NYC area. But they certainly played there a lot.

FM

Hmmm. I've been scouring what's left of my brain-pan to come up with an answer (secretly hoping, of course, that Will will come to my rescue), but I'd bet it's a song by either Information, Mofungo or The Scene Is Now. Information and Mofungo were bands we were pretty close to back in NYC. Will played with The Scene Is Now for at least an album, too. Those bands were so interesting as songwriters, musicians and people.

I've been trying to recall some of the lyrics (maybe that'll help). The opening line was "This is what happens when people meddle in my affairs..." and the chrous included "it matters, it matters, it matters...". in the trail-off of the chrous. The only other line I can (partially) recall is the lead-in to the chorus- "It's a balancing act that I can't balance and I can't act alone...".

Thanks for the help!

ps- I also remember Ira introducing it as being from a "Late-70's NYC punk band"...

It's "Balancing Act" off of the first Volcanos Suns LP THE BRIGHT ORANGE YEARS. Thanks for making me drag the record out, I forgot how great it is! Truth is stranger than fishing.

Connections: Volcano Suns drummer was ex-Mission Of Burma as was Clint Conley who produceed Yo La Tengo's first LP.

dB's connections off the top of my head: Gene Holder produced PRESIDENT YO LA TENGO and Chris Stamey played on a couple of songs on NEW WAVE HOT DOGS. And Yo La Tengo is backing up CS on his new record.

Cool. I guess I never thought of the Volcano Suns as being from NYC but from Boston....

The biggest connection is Chris' new album backed by Yo La Tengo, V.O.T.E. (He also played on a couple tracks on New Wave Hot Dogs).