Tomata du Plenty facts for kids

David Xavier Harrigan, known to many as Tomata du Plenty, was an American singer. He was born on May 28, 1948, and passed away on August 21, 2000. Tomata was famous for being the lead singer of The Screamers, an electropunk band from Los Angeles in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He also started a unique performance group in Seattle called Ze Whiz Kidz. Later in his life, Tomata became a talented painter.

Early Life of Tomata du Plenty

Tomata du Plenty was born David Xavier Harrigan on May 28, 1948, in New York. His parents had moved there from Ireland. When he was nine, his family moved to Montebello, California. Tomata decided to move to Hollywood on his own at age 15.

In 1968, he traveled to San Francisco. There, he met members of a famous performance group called the Cockettes. He even appeared in one of their early shows. Soon after, he moved to Seattle. In Seattle, he started his own theater group, which he named Ze Whiz Kidz.

Tomata du Plenty's Early Career

Ze Whiz Kidz: A Unique Performance Group

From 1969 to 1972, Tomata led Ze Whiz Kidz in Seattle. This group combined funny counterculture ideas with drag theater. They put on nearly 100 musical shows. The cast included performers like Satin Sheets and Co Co Ritz.

New York City Adventures

In the fall of 1973, Tomata moved to New York City. He went with Fayette Hauser, who was a founding member of the Cockettes. They wanted to bring their unusual comedy to clubs like CBGB's in the East Village. They worked with bands that were just starting out, such as the Ramones and Blondie. Tomata once said, "I used to do Pat Suzuki between their sets."

Other performers like Gorilla Rose and Sweet Pam Tent joined them. In 1972 and 1973, Tomata and his friends put on two Palm Casino Revues. These shows were held at the Bouwerie Lane Theater.

Forming The Screamers

Tomata returned to Seattle in 1974. There, he formed a band called The Tupperwares with Melba Toast. The band later moved to Los Angeles and reformed in 1975.

By 1976, the band included drummer K. K. Barrett and keyboardist David Brown. They also got a new name: The Screamers. Paul Roessler later replaced David Brown. The Screamers were more than just a rock band; they were a theater group too. They didn't use guitars. Instead, they had two keyboards, a drummer, and powerful lyrics. Tomata mostly wrote and sang these songs. Their sound was ahead of its time, predicting the electronic rock music of the early 1980s. Their look was also very unique, with tall hair and ripped clothes.

Tomata du Plenty's Later Career

The Screamers' Popularity

From 1977 to 1981, The Screamers were a very popular punk band in Los Angeles. They often sold out shows at top music places like the Whisky a Go Go and the Roxy Theatre. Even with many offers, the band never signed a record deal. Their last show was in 1981 at the Whisky a Go Go.

The Screamers were also pioneers in music video. Two years before MTV started, they combined music videos with their live performances. Much of their film was later used in a movie called Population: 1. This film was directed by Rene Daalder. It featured many musicians and artists from Los Angeles, including a young Beck Hansen. Population: 1 was shown at film festivals in 1986 and later released in Europe and Japan. In 2008, it became available on DVD in the United States.

Stage and Film Work

Tomata was a very creative person. He produced many stage shows, wrote plays, and wrote lyrics for songs. He created many songs, plays, and short performances.

In 1985, he wrote and performed The Weird Live Show. This was a series of unusual shows in Los Angeles. In the late 1980s, he directed short films with filmmaker Kevin Kierer. These included Mr. Baby and Pick Up on Olivera Street. He even convinced the 1950s horror-movie host Vampira to appear in some of his performances and films.

Tomata's Art Career

Tomata began his art journey in 1983. He had his first solo art show at the Zero One Gallery in Hollywood. It featured his watercolor portraits. Three years later, in 1986, his first paintings on canvas were shown at the Cheap ... Gallery in Los Angeles.

In 1987, he won an award for his set design for a stage show. He also directed a performance at L.A.'s MOCA museum that same year. His art was shown in other galleries too. In 1988, he had an exhibit called "Knock Out!" which showed portraits of boxers. He also worked as an art critic on a TV show and gave talks at the Fashion Institute of Los Angeles.

Later Years and Legacy

Tomata continued painting after moving to Miami's South Beach in 1989. He showed his art in many different places, like bars, restaurants, and small galleries. His exhibits often had a single theme, celebrating his favorite poets, TV stars, or singers. Tomata painted people he admired, from historical figures to his friends from the punk music scene. His painting style was very emotional. He was proud to be an "outsider artist." He once said he would rather sell 100 pictures for $25 each than one picture for $2,500.

In the mid-1990s, he moved his art studio to New Orleans. He would travel several times a year to show his art in California, New York, and Florida. In January 1999, he was even featured in a CNN interview. This interview showed his paintings of pop culture icons like Lucille Ball and Elvis Presley.

Tomata du Plenty passed away on August 21, 2000, in San Francisco, at the age of 52. His ashes are buried at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.

In 2012, an art critic named Gordon W. Bailey donated many of Tomata's portraits to the Georgia Museum of Art. These paintings honored the founding members of the band R.E.M.. The museum then organized an exhibition called Boxers and Backbeats: Tomata du Plenty and the West Coast Punk Scene. This show ran from October 2014 to January 2015. In 2014, a special event called Big Hair: The Life and Times of Tomata du Plenty was also held in Los Angeles, celebrating his life and work.