Pavlov’s Dog was formed in University City, Missouri in 1973. While performing in hometown venues the band earn quite a remarkable reputation for themselves. Their first break came when Pavlov’s Dog opened for a punk act called the New York Dolls. The performance cemented its reputation as a potent concert force, and by late 1974, the group obtained a recording contract with ABC Records. A deal that still stands as one of the largest in the history of the music business.
Sparked by the talents of the bands electrifying singer/ guitarist David Surkamp, the mighty Dog proved to be an even more formidable musical force of the Progressive Rock music scene, the first album “Pampered Menial” was ranked 27th in MOJO magazine 2005 edition of “Most Important Progressive Rock Albums of All Times”.
In 1975, the bands first album, Pampered Menial made its appearance in Billboard and immediately started moving up the charts. While the album was still on the rise, CBS bought the bands contract from ABC and released the same album with basically the same cover. Then, something incredible happened. ABC still had thousands of its prints in stores. Because it did, the ABC and CBS versions of Pampered Menial were selling for both labels with equal vigor and climbing the charts simultaneously, something that had never happened before or since.
To support the album heavy touring as an opening act followed its release after which the band went back into the studio to record At the Sound of the Bell. In 1976, the second album hit the record racks and was received with an enthusiasm equal to the first, gaining Pavlov’s Dog new fans in Europe, Great Britain, Japan and Australia as well as establishing the band across North America. This time when the band toured, it was as a headline act.
But touring and problems with management were beginning to take their toll. Nevertheless, in 1977, the band recorded a third album, Has Anyone Here Seen Siegfried?, which was never released except as a bootleg. For all intents and purposes, by the time the album was finished, so was Pavlov’s Dog.
David Surkamp relocated to Seattle, where he and Douglas Rayburn formed Madshadows, which recorded an album for Janus Records. Later, after Surkamp and British vocalist Ian Matthews worked on a television special for PBS together, they formed HI-FI and released Demonstration Album and Moods for Mallards. In 1984, Surkamp returned to St. Louis and for the next 10 years was a pop music reviewer for the Post-Dispatch during which time he married his wife, Sara. In 1989, David reformed Pavlov’s Dog with Douglas Rayburn and recorded the album “Lost In America” which continues to sell well world wide. On a trip to support the new Pavlov’s Dog CD in Australia, the band was presented with a Platinum Record for their sales of “Pampered Menial” in Australia alone.
In 2001, he recorded Roaring With Light, a tour-de-force solo album of his compositions and on which he performed all the instruments. Sara Surkamp arranged and performed all the background vocals, as well as the art design on the CD. That same year, Surkamp and Sara were invited to perform as a duo in Europe, something they do weekly in the St. Louis area.
In 2004 the band got together for a 30 year reunion concert in St. Louis which was a enormous success, with fans coming from all over the globe. This was the kick off of the rebirth of todays, Pavlov’s Dog featuring and led by David Surkamp the song writer and singer of almost all of the Pavlov’s Dogs music. With two successful European tours under their belt in 2005, and 2006 the “Dog” and David Surkamp are definitely back, and with the release of their newest CD “Dancing On The Edge Of A Teacup” they are better than ever!!
For further information please contact: Sara Surkamp at Customtele@aol.com
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