Biography
The Wild Oats originated in 1990 with a founding roster that included Eben Brooks on guitar, vocals, bodhràn, and songwriting duties, alongside Allison Lonsdale handling guitar and vocals, Enrique Acosta contributing percussion and vocals, Fawn Patton on guitar and vocals, and Laurie Flieder on flute. These players first connected through their mutual involvement in the Society for Creative Anachronism, crossing paths at an SCA gathering in Pomona, CA, and this initial configuration remained active for roughly two years before dissolving.
A subsequent regrouping kept Eben Brooks and Allison Lonsdale while incorporating Perry Dockins on percussion and vocals, Martin Brooks on vocals (unrelated to Eben), Rachel Amov on fiddle, and Merisa Bissinger on flute, yet this assembly appeared for only a single performance prior to its 1992 dissolution.
Reassembly occurred once more in late 1993, bringing back Eben Brooks and Allison Lonsdale and introducing Craig Kozeluh, who supplied vocals along with bones, doumbek, didjeridu, bodhràn, additional percussion, and songwriting. Marc Biagi joined on vocals and woodwinds in early 1994, followed in mid-1995 by Suzie Cavaness on vocals, Katie Weatherup on vocals and doumbek, and Wolf Klauschie on vocals, didjeridu, saz, and gusle; Klauschie’s desire to integrate his array of uncommon instruments into the ensemble’s sound prompted his participation.
Further shifts took place in 1996 with Cavaness’s departure for Tahoe, followed by Lonsdale’s exit in 1997 and her replacement by Laura Kate Barrett, who handled vocals, bodhràn, and songwriting. Marc Biagi stepped away in 1999 to pursue voice acting, succeeded briefly by Melissa McConnell on woodwinds until she departed after launching her own enterprise. Liz Hostetter’s arrival in 1999 on vocals, recorders, pennywhistles, and flute restored a woodwind presence.
Eben Brooks’s earliest instrument was guitar, which he started in 1980 yet did not master until 1990; he also played piano from 1983 to 1991, abandoning it after relocating and losing access to the instrument. Formal training as a bass vocalist supplemented lessons in piano, voice, arrangement, and composition, though he largely regards himself as self-taught. Prior to the Wild Oats he participated in high-school chorus and musical theater, then joined a folk group immediately after graduation, crediting his mother—a singer—and his first girlfriend with sparking his engagement with Celtic music.
Katie Weatherup commenced on clarinet between 1985 and 1993, later remarking wryly, “Mercifully, I stopped.” An elementary- through high-school band participant, she also pursued musical theater during those years; despite voice lessons she considers herself chiefly self-taught, with her introduction to Celtic music occurring in 1994 through college friends connected to the SCA.
Although Craig Kozeluh received saxophone and accordion instruction in childhood, he identifies guitar as his primary instrument. He performed in junior-high band and took part in both a rock ensemble and musical theater in high school. Percussion entered his practice with a drum set acquired in 1992, followed by bones and other drums in 1994 soon after he joined the band; he remains self-taught across all percussion. His interest in Celtic music arose directly from his involvement with the Wild Oats.
Wolf Klauschie’s initial instrument was the saz, taken up in 1975, with didjeridu added in 1991 and numerous eclectic instruments accumulated thereafter through self-instruction. Celtic music drew him in because Craig Kozeluh is his son and Klauschie sought to contribute some of his distinctive instruments to the Wild Oats’ sound.
Beyond her vocal contributions, Laura Kate Barrett is recognized as a poet and songwriter whose ballad “The Selkie Queen” enjoys particular popularity at science-fiction and fantasy conventions.
Liz Hostetter has studied voice, piano, and classical guitar, yet woodwinds constitute her primary and most sustained focus; like several other members, her path to the Wild Oats followed from SCA involvement.
Among preferred performance spaces are Twiggs Tea and Coffee in San Diego, CA, and the twice-yearly SCA Potrero War in Potrero, CA. The group has appeared at numerous San Diego venues including Lestat’s Coffeehouse, Claire de Lune, JavaBar, Garden Café, and Thomas Paine’s Coffeehouse, in addition to Comic-Con International.
The band has received the SCA L’honneur de la Chançon and the Royal Recognition of Excellence, both Kingdom of Caid honors. Its music appears in the documentary video In Service to the Dream about the SCA, and the song “Mirror” has been entered in the Songs Inspired by Literature competition organized by the SIBL Project (http://www.siblproject.org).
A subsequent regrouping kept Eben Brooks and Allison Lonsdale while incorporating Perry Dockins on percussion and vocals, Martin Brooks on vocals (unrelated to Eben), Rachel Amov on fiddle, and Merisa Bissinger on flute, yet this assembly appeared for only a single performance prior to its 1992 dissolution.
Reassembly occurred once more in late 1993, bringing back Eben Brooks and Allison Lonsdale and introducing Craig Kozeluh, who supplied vocals along with bones, doumbek, didjeridu, bodhràn, additional percussion, and songwriting. Marc Biagi joined on vocals and woodwinds in early 1994, followed in mid-1995 by Suzie Cavaness on vocals, Katie Weatherup on vocals and doumbek, and Wolf Klauschie on vocals, didjeridu, saz, and gusle; Klauschie’s desire to integrate his array of uncommon instruments into the ensemble’s sound prompted his participation.
Further shifts took place in 1996 with Cavaness’s departure for Tahoe, followed by Lonsdale’s exit in 1997 and her replacement by Laura Kate Barrett, who handled vocals, bodhràn, and songwriting. Marc Biagi stepped away in 1999 to pursue voice acting, succeeded briefly by Melissa McConnell on woodwinds until she departed after launching her own enterprise. Liz Hostetter’s arrival in 1999 on vocals, recorders, pennywhistles, and flute restored a woodwind presence.
Eben Brooks’s earliest instrument was guitar, which he started in 1980 yet did not master until 1990; he also played piano from 1983 to 1991, abandoning it after relocating and losing access to the instrument. Formal training as a bass vocalist supplemented lessons in piano, voice, arrangement, and composition, though he largely regards himself as self-taught. Prior to the Wild Oats he participated in high-school chorus and musical theater, then joined a folk group immediately after graduation, crediting his mother—a singer—and his first girlfriend with sparking his engagement with Celtic music.
Katie Weatherup commenced on clarinet between 1985 and 1993, later remarking wryly, “Mercifully, I stopped.” An elementary- through high-school band participant, she also pursued musical theater during those years; despite voice lessons she considers herself chiefly self-taught, with her introduction to Celtic music occurring in 1994 through college friends connected to the SCA.
Although Craig Kozeluh received saxophone and accordion instruction in childhood, he identifies guitar as his primary instrument. He performed in junior-high band and took part in both a rock ensemble and musical theater in high school. Percussion entered his practice with a drum set acquired in 1992, followed by bones and other drums in 1994 soon after he joined the band; he remains self-taught across all percussion. His interest in Celtic music arose directly from his involvement with the Wild Oats.
Wolf Klauschie’s initial instrument was the saz, taken up in 1975, with didjeridu added in 1991 and numerous eclectic instruments accumulated thereafter through self-instruction. Celtic music drew him in because Craig Kozeluh is his son and Klauschie sought to contribute some of his distinctive instruments to the Wild Oats’ sound.
Beyond her vocal contributions, Laura Kate Barrett is recognized as a poet and songwriter whose ballad “The Selkie Queen” enjoys particular popularity at science-fiction and fantasy conventions.
Liz Hostetter has studied voice, piano, and classical guitar, yet woodwinds constitute her primary and most sustained focus; like several other members, her path to the Wild Oats followed from SCA involvement.
Among preferred performance spaces are Twiggs Tea and Coffee in San Diego, CA, and the twice-yearly SCA Potrero War in Potrero, CA. The group has appeared at numerous San Diego venues including Lestat’s Coffeehouse, Claire de Lune, JavaBar, Garden Café, and Thomas Paine’s Coffeehouse, in addition to Comic-Con International.
The band has received the SCA L’honneur de la Chançon and the Royal Recognition of Excellence, both Kingdom of Caid honors. Its music appears in the documentary video In Service to the Dream about the SCA, and the song “Mirror” has been entered in the Songs Inspired by Literature competition organized by the SIBL Project (http://www.siblproject.org).
Albums
