10,000 Maniacs’ Playing Favorites
Live Jam
Even after 35 years, every time 10,000 Maniacs hit the stage it’s further proof they’re far from slowing down. Their live album, Playing Favorites, originally released on CD in in 2016, and then on LP for RSD 2024, is now widely available on vinyl and serves as a love letter to their devoted fans and a tribute to their well-deserved legacy. Recorded in their hometown of Jamestown, NY, in September of 2014, the album captures the warmth and intimacy of a band that always passionately connects with their audience.
The 14-track collection is a career-spanning setlist of hits and fan favorites, brought to life by the band made up of Jerome Augustyniak, Dennis Drew, Jeff Erickson, Steven Gustafson, John Lombardo, and Mary Ramsey. But the magic doesn’t stop there - strings, horns, and backing vocalists elevate their already lush sound to something truly transcendent. Tracks like “These Are Days” and “Trouble Me” shimmer with new vitality, while deeper cuts remind us why the Maniacs remain a cornerstone of alternative folk rock.
Playing Favorites doesn’t just deliver the songs you know and love, it delivers an experience. The full-color package brings the energy of the night to life, a nice reminder of the band’s ability to capture audiences both musically and visually. And the celebration didn't end with the album as 10,000 Maniacs continue to grace stages across the country, sharing their special blend of meaningful lyricism and intricate musicianship with audiences new and old.
For a band that’s spent decades sharing their dreams and tugging at heartstrings, Playing Favorites is a nice reminder of it all. It shows that 10,000 Maniacs are as timeless as the music they’ve been making for over three decades. And thanks to this album you can relive the magic one track at a time, as many times as you’d like.
10,000 Maniacs is an American alternative rock band formed in 1981 in Jamestown, New York. Known for their distinctive blend of folk rock, new wave, and post-punk influences, the band achieved widespread success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Their music often features introspective lyrics, jangly guitars, and the powerful, emotive vocals of lead singer Natalie Merchant.
The group was originally formed by guitarists John Lombardo and Rob Buck, bassist Steve Gustafson, drummer Jerome Augustyniak, and vocalist Natalie Merchant, who joined soon after. The band’s early music was a mixture of folk, rock, and art-punk, with a unique sound that set them apart from their contemporaries in the indie rock scene.
Their debut album, The Seventy-Plus Minutes of 10,000 Maniacs (1982), was a self-released effort that showcased their early, raw style. However, it was their 1987 album In My Tribe that truly brought them national attention. The album included hits like Like the Weather, What’s the Matter Here?, and Trouble Me. The success of In My Tribe marked the beginning of their rise to prominence, with the album receiving critical acclaim and selling over a million copies. The band's signature sound, characterized by poetic lyrics and Merchant’s distinctive voice, helped establish them as one of the leading acts in the alternative rock genre.
In 1989, the band released Blind Man’s Zoo, which continued their success with tracks like These Are the Days and Hey Jack Kerouac. Blind Man’s Zoo solidified their place in the alternative rock scene and helped them gain a dedicated following. The album reached the top 20 on the Billboard 200 and showcased the band’s continued growth both musically and lyrically.
However, the group underwent a significant change in the early 1990s when Natalie Merchant decided to leave the band in 1993 to pursue a solo career. Merchant's departure marked the end of the band’s most commercially successful era.
She was replaced by Mary Ramsey, who took over vocal duties and also played viola. The band released Our Time in Eden in 1992, which became their highest-charting album but lacked the commercial impact of their previous work without Merchant at the helm.
Despite the lineup changes, 10,000 Maniacs continued to release music and tour throughout the 1990s and 2000s, though their commercial success dwindled. The band went on hiatus in the mid-1990s, and Merchant's solo career flourished with albums like Tigerlily (1995), which went multi-platinum.
In the years that followed, 10,000 Maniacs regrouped with a new lineup, including original members Gustafson and Augustyniak, as well as Ramsey. They toured and recorded sporadically, releasing albums like Love Among the Ruins (2001) and Seating in the Sky (2004), though they did not regain the mainstream success they had in the 1980s and early 1990s.
10,000 Maniacs is known for their introspective lyrics, melodic songs, and blend of folk, rock, and alternative sounds. Despite lineup changes and a long gap between major releases, the band maintains a loyal fan base and remains a respected figure in the alternative rock world. Their influence is evident in the way they blended different genres and their ability to craft thoughtful, memorable songs that still resonate today.