Updated January 2002

This FAQ was compiled by fans of The Recipe. Please submit corrections, additions or more questions to info@porchparty.com

Index:

Section 1 - The band: who, what and how

Section 2 - Music

Who is The Recipe?

The Recipe is a seven-piece band from Morgantown, West Virginia. Self-described as ìAppalachian Roots Rock,î The Recipeís sound is exemplified by catchy, danceable tunes which owe a lot to their quirky and imaginative lyrics, and their unique male/female harmonies. The Recipe has gained a sizable following within the "Jam Band/Groove Rock" genre on the east coast over the past few years, selling out large venues and attracting thousands to their self-titled festivals, The Recipe Family Cookout, in the summers of 1999, 2000 and 2001.

The Recipe is:
Julie Edlow: vocals
Chris Q: bass
Kris Kehr: guitar, madolin, banjo, etc.
Gregg Lowley: drums
Joe Prichard: guitar, vocals
Rus Reppert: guitar
Tom Whelan: percussion
 

TimelineóA brief history of the band:

1995:
The original members met in Morgantown, WV, the home of WVU , when a thriving local music scene was at its height in the mid-1990ís. Joe Prichard started jamming with other local musicians as he ran the open mike at the quintessential Morgantown institution, Terrapin Station, and The Recipeís predecessor was born. "Party People In A Can" consisted of Prichard, singing and strumming, fiddle player Mark Rapson and percussionist Tom Whelan, and they played their first show in January 1995. After a short infancy playing casual and impromptu gigs at Terrapin, they acquired bassist Bill Cooper, drummer John Chismar and finally, vocalist Kristen Wolverton. The year was 1995, they changed their name and The Recipe was born.

Lineup from 1995:
Joe Prichard: guitar, vocals
Tom Whelan: percussion
Mark Rapson: fiddle
John Chismar: drums
Bill Cooper: bass
Kristen Wolverton: vocals

Mid-1996:
ìLove Marble Hoe Down,î their first album, was released.

1996-1997, personnel changes: T
he Recipe said farewell to Tom Whelan, Bill Cooper and John Chismar. They welcomed guitarist Tom Batchelor and drummer Gregg Lowley. Orville Wheale sat in on bass temporarily, until Tim Page joined the lineup on bass. Tom Whelan eventually returned on percussion.

June 1, 1998:
ìNight of the Porch People,î their second album, was released. This recording featured a seven-piece lineup:

Joe Prichard: guitar, vocals
Tom Whelan: percussion
Mark Rapson: fiddle
Kristen Wolverton: vocals
Gregg Lowley: drums
Tom Batchelor: guitar
Tim Page: bass

Fall 1998: 
Bass player Tim Page leaves the band on July 19, 1998.  Various musicians sat in on bass temporarily--Donovan Monday played bass for one show on July 21, 1998 and The Recipe's current manager, Walt Sarkees, played July 23 through October 17, 1998. Rus Ruppert, formerly of another seminal Morgantown band, The Barefeet and Company, joined on bass permanently on October 22, 1998.

Read a show review from October 1998

Spring 1999: 
Rus Ruppert and Mark Rapson left The Recipe on April 18, 1999. Various musicians shared bass duties--Eric Lewis (of Once Hush), Mark Sebly, Rick Kline, Donovan Monday and Walt Sarkees--until Mike Vitale became a permanent member in July. "Fiddlin'" Phil Swaby and Jason Crosby (of Solar Circus, Freudian Slip and God Street Wine) each played a handful of shows on fiddle (Crosby doubled on keys) until Hannah Ross joined in June.

September  10, 11, 12, 1999:
The Recipe hosts their first annual Recipe Family Cookout at Trip and Brady's Farm (now Sunshine Daydream), Albright, WV. 

Fall 1999:
Guitar player Tom Batchelor leaves the band. A decision is made not to replace him and to remain with just one guitar.

Summer 2000:
Banjo player Amos Ross, brother of fiddle player Hannah, joins the band as a permanent member.

Winter 2000-01:
Bass player Mike Vitale leaves the band. Jim Kuras, formerly of Hypnotic Clambake, joins the band.

March 17, 2001:
Kristen Wolverton leaves the band. Her last show was in Teaneck, NJ. Julie Edlow, formerly of Black-Eyed Susan, joins the band on vocals on April 27.

Fall 2001:
Amos Ross leaves the band.

Spring 2002:
Julie Edlow, Jim Kuras and Hannah Ross leave the band.
Cameron Lewis, Chris Q and Russ Reppert join the band.

Summer 2002:
Julie Edlow returns to the band and Kris Kehr joins on bajo, mandolin, guitar, etc.
 

2. The Music

Albums:

The Recipe has 3 studio albums: "Love Marble Hoe Down," (1996), "Night of the Porch People," (1998) and "Geode," (2000).

Love Marble Hoe Down:

1. In Season (Prichard)
2. Litha (Prichard, Wolverton)
3. Aurora Borealis (Words: Wolverton. Music: Chismar)
4. Scary Wish (Prichard, Wolverton)
5. (Holy Shit) Drink The Wine (Words: Prichard, Wolverton, Stacie, John and Scott Yoak. Music: Prichard)
6. Freeze (Prichard)
7. Take Time (Prichard)
8. Goldmine (Prichard)
9. Rise (Prichard, Wolverton)
10. Spill (Prichard. Guest appearance: Kim Monday on piano)
11. Out of the Rain/The Almanac (Out of the Rain--Words and music: Prichard. Music: Chismar, Wolverton. The Almanac--Words and music: Wolverton. Music: Prichard, Rapson. Guest appearance: Ray Proctor on vocals )

Recorded at Frozen Sound Studio, Morgantown, WV

See the album cover and read lyrics from Love Marble Hoe Down

1. Affected Specimen (Wolverton, Prichard)
2. Playground Bellyflop (Prichard, Wolverton, Chismar)
3. A Little Yellow Pepper (Wolverton, Prichard)
4. Luna Parade (Prichard, Wolverton)
5. Wrecking Ball (Prichard, Wolverton)
6. Bonemeal (Prichard, Wolverton)
7. Sibling Revelry (Prichard, Wolverton)
8. Amoonda (Prichard, Wolverton)
9. Clothesline (Wolverton, Prichard)
10. Marigold (Prichard, Wolverton)
11. World Swirl (P. Gerraro and N. Ferraro)
12. Duke of Stealey (Prichard, Domko)
13. Whiskey Pickle (Prichard, Wolverton)

*Aural Soundscapes by The Recipe
*Special Guest: Stacie Yoak on flute for "A Little Yellow Pepper"
Recorded at Frozen Sound Studio, Morgantown, WV

Read a review of Night of the Porch People or
See the album cover and read lyrics from Night of the Porch People

1. Real Wilde Cinema
2. Honeybee
3. Cajun Rose
4. Witch Hazel
5. For Houdini
6. Pinwheel
7. For Houdini
8. Stardust Lovers
9. The Garden
10. The Seed

Produced by Joe Prichard and Randy Heatherington; recorded at Midtown Recording, Erie, PA.

These are some of the covers that The Recipe has performed in the past.

The Beatles: A Day in the Life, Help!, I am the Walrus, She Said, She Said
Johnny Cash: Folsom Prison Blues
June Carter Cash: Ring of Fire
Dave Matthews Band: Dancing Nancies, Tripping Billies
John Denver: Country Roads
The Joint Chiefs: Grow
The Doobie Brothers: Blackwater
Bob Dylan: Hurricaine
Fleetwood Mac: Gold Dust Woman
Grateful Dead: Dire Wolf, Franklin's Tower, Friend of the Devil, They Love Each Other, U.S. Blues
Paul Henning and Curt Massey: Petticoat Junction
Jethro Tull: Hymn 43
Janis Joplin: Little Piece of My Heart
Jefferson Airplane: White Rabbit
Bill Monroe: Rocky Top
John Prine: Don't Bury Me
Queen: Another One Bites the Dust
Peter Rowan with Old and In the Way: Midnight Moonlight
Soft Cell: Tainted Love
War: Low Rider

What is Whiskey Pickle about? (Read the Whiskey Pickle lyrics)
Whiskey Pickle's Johnny Mack is a real person who the band knew from their early days in Morgantown, WV. We heard that Johnny actually had a big smelly jar full of pickles that were soaked in whiskey that he used as a pickup device. This may be one of his "dirty little tricks" referred to in the song. Eating a whiskey pickle can get you drunk really fast. But that apparently didn't fool Deb and Darla, who we heard were real girls that Johnny tried to charm, but there's no word on whatever happened to them. Sunnyside, which is referred to in the song, is a neighborhood in Morgantown, home to Terrapin Station, hippies, dogs running freely in the streets and dilapidated student housing. The Recipe was born there and many great Recipe shows have taken place there, at the Headroom (a.k.a. The Sunnyside Sound Garden, a.k.a. The Sunnyside Music Emporium), or at The Cornerpocket Saloon. When Joe sings, "It was late at night out at the farm when he asked me for a ride," he is referring to Rich Farms, a outdoor festival venue some 15 miles away from Morgantown, where The Recipe played at several Morgantown Music Festivals. "Well its a long walk back to Sunnyside, that we're really sure," is an accurate statement.

Who is Amoonda? (Read the Amoonda lyrics)
Amoonda is a girl named Amanda who the band knows, and whose quirky and unique personality inspired the song. We don't know much about her, but apparently she was out of the country for a while climbing mountains (according to an introduction to the song at a show) then returned and was spotted by Kristen at another show.

Who is Duke of Stealey? (Read the Duke of Stealey lyrics)
We heard Duke of Stealey was an old dog, from a town called Stealey, but we don't know where that is or how Duke inspired this song, which we heard was written by Joe before he was in The Recipe.

Who wrote World Swirl? (Read the World Swirl lyrics)
World Swirl, one of the most beloved songs performed by The Recipe, was actually not written by The Recipe. It was written by  Paul and Nicki Ferraro of The Earthworms, a band originally from Pittsburgh.

Who wrote Grow?
Grow was written by members of the popular Morgantown funk-soul band The Joint Chiefs.

What is Real Wilde Cinema? (Read Real Wilde Cinema lyrics)
Real Wilde Cinema is an old cable TV show  that Joe said Kristen used to watch late at night. It featured old and creepy B-movies.