CHAPTER ONE: Paul Wallfisch's gypsy past has taken him to 40 countries, including performances of various sorts in in China, Finland, Indonesia and Guinea--where he became an overnight sensation lip-synching on the only TV show in the land. In the last year of the last century, the international piano man and erstwhile Firewater maracas virtuoso assembled a posse of illustrious friends including legendary bass goddess Abby Travis, (Beck, KMFDM), drummer extraordinaire Ivan Knight, (Friends of Dean Martinez), Daniel Ash, (Bauhaus), Frankie Infante, (Blondie) & Kid Congo Powers, (Nick Cave, Cramps), and recorded what would become Botanica's debut album "Malediction" (Checkered Past Records). Botanica is a band named for those mysterious stores stocking spells, potions and artifacts of ritual. Botanica contributed the track "Broken Bicycles" to the Tom Waits tribute album New Coat of Paint, (Manifesto Records and also featuring Screaming Jay Hawkins, Carla Bozulich, Lydia Lunch and Sally Norvell accompanied by Paul at the ivories). Botanica's music has been used in several films including "Men Cry Bullets" (Phaedra), and The Takedown(Dimension/Miramax). Botanica, (with ex-Jesus Lizard David Sims), is featured in Greg Pritikens film "Dummy" (Artisan Entertainment), starring Adrien Brody and Milla Jovovich. Paul also scored the film. (Soundtrack on Jellybean/SONY). Gogol Bordello guitarist Oren Kaplan joined the touring band and recorded album number two: "With All Seven Fingers," improbably featuring Maroon 5 member and Botanica's Drummer Emeritus Matt Flynn. We crisscrossed America a couple times; came to Europe with 16 Horsepower; and then it was time for…
CHAPTER TWO: Planning insurrections from our new home in New York City, lineup 2.0 of the Botanica Conspiracy enlisted guitarist, singer and deputy sherriff John Andrews, (who moonlights in Peter Murphy's combo, among other assignments). We hear he might be running for sherriff. The unique mix of Paul's ancient, decrepit--ah yes, "vintage," keyboards with John's distinctly unheroic brilliance is the secret to Botanica's unmistakable sound. Drummer Dave Berger and bassist Jason Binnick joined the party, often augmented and upgraded by ex-Calexico violinist Anne de Wolff and Vienna string superstar Miriam Eicher. Recent incarnations, represented on several cuts from Botanica's 6th studio album "Who You Are" and the live album "americanundone," feature queen bee Dana Schechter, (Bee & Flower, American Music Club); and Mark Stepro, (Ben Kweller). After drummer number four followed Rick Parnell's example and spontaneously combusted, we finally found our match with the incomparable Brian Viglione, (Dresden Dolls, World Inferno, Nine Inch Nails). "Botanica vs. the Truth Fish," Botanica's 3rd album and the first on Germany's Rent A Dog label, featured a cover courtesy of renowned British painter Dexter Dalwood and led to a full-length concert appearance on the legendary German music show Rockpalast. The German half of the band's next album, "Berlin Hi-Fi," (recorded in Kreuzberg and Brooklyn), was produced by the the most positive man in music and Deutschland's best known creator of the rock, Herr Moses Schneider. Botanica 2.1 performs more on the eastern shores of the Atlantic these days. We make punk-rock chamber music for the 21st century. We've written a lot of stories. John and I sing them. And we're still moving.
