Lively Ox Records

About Us

LivelyOx Records, based in Winnetka, Illinois, is devoted to harvesting great music for those who love prideful displays of inspired talent. Our catalogue reaches back to 1990, spans a half-dozen acts, and currently represents a fraction of the music that will eventually be packaged for release. Stay tuned. The archives are deep and great new tunes keep coming.

Roster

History

January 2008

The Way We Was, is now available on CD or for download at CD Baby, and should be on the iTunes Music Store and many other download services within a few weeks. And while samples are coming soon here on the site, why not listen right now at CD Baby?

To the many of you who've had so many good things to say about The Way We Was: thank you!

While we're enjoying the great response, we're also laying the groundwork for the next one – out with the old, in with the new. We're shufflin' equipment and papers and drawers, upgradin', installin', configuratin', and vettin' the next batch of tasty tunage from Joey's bottomless vault – all in the name of keeping you, dear listener, speechless, pantless, and breathless.

December 2007

Praise Jebus! It's finally here! The Yolles Brothers' latest, The Way We Was, has just arrived from the manufacturer! It should be available on CD Baby within a few days, and on the iTunes Music Store and many other download services within a few weeks. Of course, if you need it NOW, please contact us.

We'll have a revamped site up soon with samples, and more details. Spread the word!

July 2007

Well, well, well...you thought we'd forgotten about you. Well, we did!

No, no, no – neither busy schedules nor herniated disks can keep us from our ultimate goal – that is to mercilessly & sonically de-pants each and every one of you, and right soon at that!

Anyway. CD titles come and go, artwork concepts ebb and flow, tweaks to the mixes heave and ho...and wouldn't you know? Still ain't quite finished here folks. ¡Ay, mierda!

But once it is released (and, yes, it's a Full Length Release), what great joy will be unleashed! So, don't give up on us quite yet, there's a 15-song CD just around the bend that will fill you with country pride! Probably with key bits available for free downloads at a revamped website...

And remember, there's nothing greater than to be loved in excess of one's true worth.

JJY of the Yolles Brothers

June 2006

Ah, summer has arrived, and with it, images of depilatory products dancing through our heads … but let us get to the heart of the matter — where is this CD of new Yolles Brothers music with which we've been repeatedly threatened??? Just what is it that goes on up in that poorly-ventilated studio in Winnetka, on those long and lonely nights?

Alas, it (the CD, that is) is so close to completion, you can almost taste it from your computer screen – and if you can't, well, let just say it's a bit like the flavor of a francheezie being lovingly washed down with some fortified wine — yummy! That's some tasty Yolles Brothers!!! About 13 to 15 servings servings worth....

Yes, we're into the final stretch marks here — so get a firm grasp on your pantaloons; because it will be yours, all yours, before the summer is over and we all go back to doing whatever it is we do when the summer is over.

November 2005

With the approaching autumn chill, cold and bird flu season is upon us and wreaking havoc on many, including Joey, our favorite part-time counter-tenor (despite some of us being strappingly healthy lads with cast iron stomachs and a steely ... demeanor). Regardless, Do You 4 Boys Take These 2 Girls to Be Your 7 Brides? moves forward.

Many tunes are pre-mixed and awaiting only the finishing touches (background vocals, nose flute trios, whatnot). For some of this and other unmentionable dirty work, we've flown in a "ringer": the oft daft, yet of perfectly firm pitch, Owen of lower New Jersey.

Our previous prediction that we all would see our glorified, shiny coasters in time for the holidays now seems a bit optimistic. But we're not slowing down – it only looks that way if you are unfortunate enough to not live in our pants.

And CD Baby has been tirelessly expanding our horizons. Let It Breathe is now available through Best Buy. Just type yolles or yolles brothers in the Search CD Baby field and click Go.

July 2005

Who knows where the time goes…? Well, that certainly was a year of business and busiosity – but now summer is upon us and we’re back in the studio happily toiling away at our hopeful masterpiece.

The name of the Once And Future CD keeps changing (today, it’s Do You 4 Boys Take These 2 Girls to Be Your 7 Brides?) and each session seems to hatch a new angle on an unfinished number – which results in more work and/or the ceremonial throwing away of previous work, but it’s all in the loving service of the God of Really Good Songs – so, we firmly believe it’s worth it.

So, we’ll keep you posted on our progress. We remain optimistic that we should have Finished Yolles Brothers Product before the holiday season is upon us. There are even rumors of and deep longings for putting together some sort of live unit to perhaps perform some of these original lovelies at a musical theater near you.

That is all…

Okay, a couple more things. Let It Breathe is now available at a few more download sites. For you choosy mothers, the Flash clip player at AudioLunchbox will play all the sample clips in sequence. Less clicking for you! And you AOL/MusicNet mavens can now get it there, too! It's also available at CatchMusic, Cingular's Music Store for you cell phone listeners, Etherstream (search for “yolles”), Mperia, MSN Music, MusicMatch, opMusic, and RuleRadio. Spread the word!

July 2004

If you want Let It Breathe but you'd rather buy the downloads, you can get it now at the iTunes Music Store and at Napster! And we expect that it'll soon be available on these other fine services: AliveAudio, AudioLunchbox, BuyMusic, CatchMusic, DiscLogic, EMEPE3, eMusic, Etherstream, GraniteRocks, Lindows, Music4Cents, MusicIsHere, MusicMatch, MusicNet, NetMusic, Puretracks, QTRnote, Rhapsody, RuleRadio, Sony Connect, and Viztas. Spread the word.

Many late nights have been spent “Martin-izing” (as in George) several of the tunes on Ablution Time. Lots of tinkering twiddlings twaddled to get it just ever so. Still more to do, but soon: on to solos and singing.…

Summer 2004

Work begins in earnest on this neglected batch of sea ditties. The closest to being done are such unknown classics as “Contribution to The Cause”, “Whoppertunities Ahead”, “Goose”, “Beyond Repair”, “I Should’ve Seen It Coming”, “Temptation Airlines”, “Our Feature Presentation” & “Mother Waltz”. A few harken back to the days when we were a wee bit funky (or as we like to say – fonky). Others look forward to the rewarding “Golden Days” when many of us will be lovingly toothless…

Next time, we will explain the origins of title of the forever changing “Brad Pitt, Secret Chimp.”

Spring 2004

Joe goes back to school! So there is a short hiatus on studio work…for now.

Winter 2004

Many fine folks seem to love the latest. Meanwhile, more work on the Ablution Time numbers; more drums get trackulated, new sections are added to existing songs, lyrics continue being written at what can only be described as a glacial pace. There is much (semi-)productive bickering over tempo choices, guitar sounds, and arrangements in general – almost all of them started by Lawrence.

December 2003

We finally receive the finished CD, with each box lovingly stamped “The Yolles Brothers – LET IT BREATH”– which causes a brief panic, but then we realize it was just misspelled on the invoice, not on the artwork. We are happy, we are proud, we are tired. Apparently, some folks have trouble distinguishing betwixt “breath” and “breathe”. But I hope you notice the difference now…

November 2003

After a few weeks of real life, we have finally shipped all materials off to the replicators. We should have a zillion copies ready for you by early December! But the better news is we've begun tracking the next disc, tentatively titled It’s Ablution Time. Lawrence has laid down four great performances (would you really expect less?), with more to come.

September 2003

It's done! The last of the mastering for Let It Breathe is finally done. And Haragraph (the alterego of the lovely Ms. Loraine) has designed some beautiful packaging.

Summer 2003

Joe and Bruce are mastering Let It Breathe for The Yolles Brothers. Apparently the Slimmer Twins moniker has been taken. And a recent favorite, "Spruce Street Records" has fallen out of favor. So the entire site and the Studios have all been rechristened under the name, “Lively Ox”. And Llary’s basement is now one more fun place to play.

Spring 2003

Interesting how “finishing touches” turn into bold new directions. Work slowed only a little as the world threw bitter news toward us at every scale. We can only move forward diminished, but with hope to grow.

Fall 2002

Joe and Bruce are hard at work putting the finishing touches on the debut release for The Yolles Brothers. Several ADAT tunes have been imported to ProTools. They're sounding great. Meanwhile, Lawrence, ever eager to return from injured reserve, is hard at work rehabbing his new home with his lovely love, Loraine. We look forward to having Lawrence back in top form in January or February, and to jamming in his new spacious basement!

Summer 2002

Tracking guitars and vocals new tunes resumes in earnest as Lawrence injures his elbow, necessitating a 6-month recovery. This team is now officially injury-prone!

Fall 2001 & Winter & Spring 2002

Many troubles, obligations & distractions slow progress dramatically. But our good Mr. Llary wed the dear Ms. Loraine. And all are happy about that!

Summer 2001

Work begins converting Slimmer Twins Studios to ProTools Mix Plus. Special Thanks to Mr. Perry Curtis for giving the old equipment a good home. Joe tracks guitar, bass & piano and Bruce tracks some piano at Roofless Records.

Winter & Spring 2001

Tracking commences on several great new Joey tunes. Lawrence lays down some fine tracks at Roofless Records.

2000

Much of 2000 is spent struggling with a D8B and 16 ADAT tracks. Many great tunes and live sessions are tracked at Slimmer Twins Studios.