Homegrown Gothic: Vigil
One Baltimore-area band to almost hit it big in the 80s was Vigil; I think they were actually based in Glen Burnie. The quartet of Jo Connor, Andy Reynolds, "X Factor" and Gregg Maizel had gained a local following under the moniker "Here Today," releasing a 12-inch single of "Whistle in the Yard," an enigmatic, gothic-tinged song that never quite resolves. I saw Here Today at the Wax Museum in Southeast D.C.; that was a cool venue, with what is now called "stadium seating" but back then was just called "seating." In its brief existence I got to see several great shows there: Eurythmics, Thompson Twins, Root Boy Slim, New Models, and Men Without Hats (eh...) to name a few. Actually, I think that's all I saw there. Here Today was the opening act the night I saw them, and I don't remember who the headliner was, but it was one of the bands I just listed. As for Here Today, their Wikipedia entry says they
signed to CBS records, changed their name to Vigil and were promptly dropped. Vigil was quickly signed by Chrysalis Records and recorded their debut lp in glorious digital. It came out and sold enough copies to allow them to record another lp but only one track was officially released "Therapist" on the Nightmare on Elm Street 4 soundtrack. They recorded their eponymous debut album on Chrysalis Records in 1987. As of 2007 it is out of print.
Before the debut album came out there was a 12-inch single of "I Am Waiting." That song is pretty good, but it was the first song on the B-side, "I Love You Equinox," that got played on WHFS and created a buzz. When Jo Connor sings, "You can set your watch by her cycles 'cause she bleeds like clockwork," don't get grossed out, because it turns out he is singing about the moon, so it's OK, see?
That song always reminds me of Rush for some reason. The Vigil CD was a big deal because it was one of the first rock albums to have been recorded and mixed digitally, so it got the elusive DDD label on the back. I never got the CD, though, just the vinyl LP and the 12-inch; this is a rip from the 12-inch.
As for the second album, the Vigil MySpace page (on which you can hear "Whistle in the Yard") notes: "Eventually the second album was released on cassette only as Onto Beggar and Bitter Things." The band released it themselves when the record company wouldn't. I saw a copy once, my friend Mark Harp had it, but I never heard it! I sure hope that turns up on a sharity blog someday. Jo Connor is still making music, and has his own MySpace page as well.
Vigil must be in the zeitgeist right now, a 1986 live performance of "I Love You Equinox" has just shown up on YouTube, recently enough that I was viewer number 7:
Hey, there's "Whistle in the Yard," too!
I was viewer number 3 for that one.
And there's more! Its a veritable Vigil bonanza!
