Kramer (musician)

Mark Kramer (born November 30, 1958, in New York City, United States), known professionally as Kramer, is a musician, composer, record producer and founder of the New York City record label Shimmy-Disc. He was a full-time member of the bands New York Gong, Shockabilly, B.A.L.L. and Bongwater; has played on tour (usually on bass guitar) with bands such as Butthole Surfers, Ween, Half Japanese and The Fugs (1984 reunion tour); and has performed regularly with John Zorn and other improvising musicians of New York City’s “downtown scene” of the 1980s. Kramer’s work as a producer has been with bands such as Galaxie 500 (whose entire oeuvre he produced), Low (whom he discovered and produced), Half Japanese, White Zombie, Gwar, King Missile, Danielson Familie, Will Oldham, Daniel Johnston, and Urge Overkill, including their hit cover of “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon”. Early music career Kramer’s first experience in the New York music scene came when he played in the band New York Gong, led by Daevid Allen, in 1979 and 1980. Kramer played organ on one song on their 1979 album About Time. In 1980, Kramer joined the band The Chadbournes, led by Eugene Chadbourne, which also included David Li