Beautiful Freak Tour 1995/1996

Band personnel

On the road in 1995

After the Los Angeles based singer-songwriter called E (real name: Mark Oliver Everett) got released from his record contract with Polydor Records, he and his touring drummer Jonathan Norton soon teamed up with multi-instrumentalist Tommy Walter. They met Tommy at an open mic night at The Mint in Los Angeles and together they formed a band called EELS. The trio is one of the first musical acts to get signed by the (then) new Dreamworks label. At the very end of 1995 EELS plays a couple of try-out gigs and radioshows. Nothing special. Just a way to get to know each other and to get familiar with the songs that E had already written for his third album.

U.S.A. 1996 - Warm-ups and Showcases

With the album Beautiful Freak nearly in the shops, it's time for the 'new' band to finally hit the road for real. In the meantime E does zillions of interviews. He mentions in several of those (well... almost in every interview, actually) that if the "band thing" had not come along, Beautiful Freak would have been his third solo album.

U.S.A. and CANADA 1996 - Leg 1

The album Beautiful Freak is received very well, especially in Europe, and features a healthy mix of intelligent pop music and intriguing lyrics. The EELS' debut single Novovaine For The Soul becomes a small Indie hit on both sides of the Atlantic. The band starts touring the U.S.A. opening for acts such as Poe and Luscious Jackson.

EUROPE 1996

By the time the tour got to Europe, EELS were one of the most 'hot' new bands of 1996. In Europe, that is. So fans lined up to see them opening for artists such as Screaming Trees and to see them play at festivals like the travelling Inrock Festival in France and (broadcast live over Europe) the German Rockpalast.

U.S.A. and CANADA 1996 - Leg 2

To finish off the year a few shows are played for radiostations and some headlining shows are booked as well: