Nirvana is frequently hailed as the best band to come out of Seattle's music scene, and perhaps rightly so, but then again, they never cruised around in a 1983 Suburban with pink fenders or sang a song about eggs.
The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players have.
Taking slides they find at estate/garage/yard sales, the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players compose songs centered around the slides they find, telling the untold tales of anonymous people – a pursuit that often ends in hilarity – while flashing the slides on a screen behind them during their live shows.
Dad Jason is on guitar, keyboards and vocals, mom Tina Pina runs the slide projector, and daughter Rachel Pina – at a mere 10 years old (she started when she was 6) – plays the drums and harmonica, contributes vocals and even picks up a bass every now and then.
It all began a few years ago in Seattle when Jason was a struggling musician who ran a dog-walking business to pay the bills while playing at open mics on the side.
"I kind of fancy myself as the best songwriter," Jason says. "But I think every songwriter does. It's either that or you can think you're nothing and kill yourself. In a lot of ways people prefer Kurt Cobain and Elliot Smith. They never said they were all that. But it has to come out one way or another. I'm an egomaniac.
"You know, the music I listened to, in the '60s the best made it to the top. I kind of naively went into the '90s (thinking the same thing). But writing good songs wasn't enough anymore. Tina said, 'You've got to do something to distinguish yourself.'"
Tina suggested taking the family's own photos and putting them in the show (specifically "images of toothpaste, cellular phone antennas and car insurance," Jason says), but Jason wouldn't buy the idea.
And then it happened. Tina found an old slide projector at a garage sale.
"A big part of our reality is buying all of our stuff as second-hand sales," Jason says. "It was our entertainment. You can go out to Seattle and buy wristwatches, eyeglass wear and vintage clothing for 10, 15 cents. The same stuff in New York is $50 or $100."
After buying the slide projector and some slides for just a few bucks, the Trachtenburgs did the opposite of what was expected with their new purchases – nothing.
"Most of the stuff (we buy) is left in the closet and I never look at it," Jason says. "And then for some reason I decided to pull (the slide projector) out one day. So I turn it on and fortunately it all worked. If the blub had been broken I probably never would have replaced it. I put in the slide and it was called 'Mountain Trip to Japan 1959.' It was kind of interesting and then these oddball images were thrown in. This woman with her puppies, these Cocker Spaniels. I was like, 'Now this is thoroughly weird."
The now popular "Mount Trip to Japan 1959" was born that night (they've since made a music video for the song) and the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players began to take shape.
After receiving wild praise at various open mic nights around Seattle, the Trachtenburgs realized they truly had something on their hands, designated Rachel as the drummer and moved to New York City. They've been spreading their "indie vaudeville art" ever since.
The family is currently embarked on the fourth installment of their '83 Suburban Tour – "The beast keeps on moving," Jason says in reference to the vehicle – and Jason recently discovered a new slide that he believes is unsurpassable.
"I always said the ultimate slide would be of the Immaculate Conception or of the guy who killed Kennedy," Jason says. "I found one of the Immaculate Conception! I have proof that it really did happen. And I have a slide of Christ talking to God. It's a cartoon. Used for a bible class or something. I am so excited. If that's not the real thing, nothing is."
Among the songs that appear on the album, Vinage Slide Collections From Seattle, Vol. 1, are "Eggs" (they manage to mention Vietnam, Waterage and eggs in the same line), "Wendy's, Sambo's and Long John Silver's," "Let's Not Have The Same Weight In 1978 – Let's Have More" and Jason's personal favorite, "Opnad Contribution Study Committee Report, June 1977" – a six-song rock opera, its slides at one time used for a McDonald's corporate meeting.
"That's as good as it gets," Jason says about "Opnad," referring to it as "the Holy Grail."
"It has everything. It gives insight into the politics of a business. It's a period piece – it's from the '70s so you see the fashion. It shows how they were trying to profit for everything, and in America, that's OK."
the Trachtenburg family already has a second album written, they're just looking for someone to pick it up.
"Our first album was more Broadway song and dance," Jason says. "People didn't know how to listen to it. It was like they had never heard Broadway songs before. We said, 'We need to make it more accessible.'"
In the meantime, Tina has been designing new outfits for the band. Their fourth costume is in the works and Tina says it will be "very mismatched" compared to the glittery same-color creations they have worn in the past.
And while the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players are enjoying success they never imagined (they performed on "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" last year), there are still several things they would like to see happen for the family.
"That'd be pretty exciting if we got our own bus," Tina says. "I also want to open the Trachtenburg Family Restaurant. We love cooking. It would have really good vegetarian food."
Rachel's goals are a little loftier.
"I'd think it would be cool if we had our own TV show," Rachel says (who attends an alternative school in Seattle for a couple months of each year). "A tour bus would be great. We'd like to be on Conan O'Brien again. I'd like to stop animal testing. I also want to be an actress."
As for Jason?
"I would want to open a chain of women's hairdressing salons."
A noble goal for this fine family.
The Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players will perform at 8 p.m. on April 13 at Todd Wehr Hall, 1047 N. Broadway. Tickets are $8 advance, $10 day of show. Call 799-1917 for more information.