56 (More) Lines About Marc Campbell—David Kaufman Responds!
Ravers/Nails keyboardist and “88 Lines About 44 Women” co-songwriter responds to my Marc Campbell tribute—offering his perspective on the band’s history.
Yep, we already used this photo! Original caption: “Marc Campbell getting Nailed onstage by a Flying V bass.” From the desk of Jello Biafra: “The Flying V bassist is Jon Cormany. Leader Phil Gammage later moved the Covairs to NY, and rebranded as Certain General; releasing albums with Cormany under both names.” (📸 Pic courtesy of Marc Campbell’s Facebook page.)
David Kaufman, Ravers/Nails keyboardist and co-writer of “88 Lines About 44 Women” reached out with these corrections and additional thoughts regarding my recent tribute to Marc Campbell. In the interest of fairness, I’m sharing his full response here, with minor edits for clarity and professionalism. While I’ve included notes where clarification was needed, my original article aimed to present a balanced view of differing perspectives on Marc’s history.
Hi Tim,
Thank you for your article on Marc. I appreciate the effort you put into covering his story. However, I wanted to address a few factual inaccuracies and add some clarification.
Regarding the history of “88 Lines About 44 Women”
You mention that the song “floated in on a Casiotone-and-primitive-drum-machine slice of new wave, reminiscent of German outfit Trio’s minimalist 1982 hit ‘Da Da Da.’” However, the Hotel for Women EP, which contained the original “88 Lines,” was released in December 1981—before “Da Da Da.”
[NOTE—Regarding David’s point: Describing “88 Lines About 44 Women” as reminiscent of “Da Da Da” wasn’t about a direct influence or a timeline of who came first. Musical elements—minimalist synths, drum machines, vocal delivery—can be reminiscent of each other without implying one copied the other. If I’d said it was "inspired by" or "a direct precursor to," that would be different. But “reminiscent” just means it has a similar feel.]
Additionally, you wrote that Marc met me through a bulletin board notice I posted seeking musicians for a reggae band. While that’s close to accurate, I actually connected with Jon Cormany, who then invited me to the first rehearsal, where I met Marc.
Regarding Jim Reynolds’ statements
Jim Reynolds stated:
“I produced the Hotel For Women record that included the original (and best) version of ‘88 Lines About 44 Women’ through my spec deal at Media Sound Studios in NYC.”
This is misleading. The Nails produced the original version of “88 Lines” at our home studio and insisted it be included on the Hotel for Women record, which Jim and his engineer, Doug Epstein, co-produced.
[NOTE—Regarding this dispute: Kaufman’s own Facebook post, which was quoted in the original article, describes how “88 Lines About 44 Women" was recorded at home but was notably different from the “big studio sound” of the other songs on Hotel for Women. His statement reinforces the contrast between the home-recorded track and the studio work, which aligns with Reynolds’ description of his involvement. The original article presented both perspectives to reflect the differing accounts of the song’s production.]
Additionally, the concept of a “spec deal” may not be familiar to all readers and could have been briefly explained. And while Jim considers the original version the “best,” the RCA version is the one most widely recognized by listeners.
Regarding Reynolds’ claim that The Nails regrouped in their loft studio to create Corpus Christi—this is not accurate. The band continued without me (David Kaufman) and Douglas Guthrie (saxophone). This is even documented in The Nails’ Wikipedia entry. Around 1990, they performed live without us, with Mark Bosch added on guitar.
[NOTE—Regarding this point: In Kaufman’s original Facebook post, which was quoted in the article, he stated: “I did not participate in the Corpus Christi sessions, but rehearsed and played with the band for the release party at the NYC Tramps nightclub in 1993, which was well received.” This suggests that while he was not involved in recording Corpus Christi, he did later perform with The Nails at an event celebrating its release. The original article accounted for this distinction.]
On the mention of my brother, George Kaufman
In your article, you referenced “the bass player” when discussing financial struggles. My brother, George Kaufman, played bass in The Nails, and I feel it would have been more appropriate to mention him by name. George played a crucial role in the recording of Corpus Christi, using an 8-track recorder he personally purchased. While none of us were wealthy at the time, he was not “struggling financially.”
Additionally, regarding royalty payments: mechanical royalties are required by law when a song is recorded on an album. “88 Lines” was published by The Nails’ publishing company, Citybeat Music, but Citybeat never received payments from Safe House, Jim Reynolds’ label, which released Corpus Christi. At one point, I considered hiring a lawyer to audit Safe House, but ultimately, it wasn’t worth pursuing. That’s why The Nails’ official website advises against purchasing that release.
Regarding Jim Reynolds’ characterization of the “Kaufmans”
Jim stated that Marc was “much better without the Kaufmans, but they were like a musical crutch for Marc.” I disagree with this characterization. The way he framed it makes it sound as though my brother and I were an impediment, rather than collaborators. “Home of the Brave,” a song Marc and I co-wrote, is the second most-streamed Nails song after “88 Lines.” There was no internal “competition” or struggle within the band—we all contributed to its music and history.
[NOTE—On this point: Jim Reynolds was expressing his personal opinion about Marc’s musical evolution, rather than making a factual claim. The original article included this statement as part of presenting different perspectives on The Nails’ history.]
Final thoughts
I appreciate the opportunity to provide these clarifications. I also would have loved to see links to songs like “Real Proof,” which I posted on Facebook. [NOTE—Okay, here’s the link to “Real Proof!”] Thanks for including the link to the project with Al Leis—I hadn’t known about that!
Best regards,
David Kaufman
Thank you, David, for helping keep the record accurate. Oh, and here’s a correction from Jello Biafra!
Friend Of The ‘Stack Jello Biafra reached out with a clarification regarding Ravers manager Rick Stott’s role in The Immortal Nightflames:
BIAFRA: Rick Stott was NEVER in the Nightflames. He was not a performer, except later in courtrooms.
In my original article, I wrote: "Manager Rick Stott returned to Boulder that fall and became the driving force behind The Immortal Nightflames, before he split again in late 1979."
To clarify, I never stated that Stott was a performer, but I see how my wording could have been misinterpreted. My source, Rocky Mountain Low, states: "Manager Rick Stott returned to Boulder in the fall of 1977 and was instrumental in assembling and subsequently managing The Immortal Nightflames, before departing again in late 1979."
In my effort to avoid directly quoting Rocky Mountain Low verbatim, I reworded this passage, but in doing so, I unintentionally made it less precise. Apologies for any confusion!
Tomorrow: James Baker, Part 2
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