Founded in 1981 by drummer, composer, and producer Anton Fier (born in Cleveland, Ohio on June 20, 1956), The Golden Palominos was a critically acclaimed experimental avant-garde rock group. Inspired by New York’s experimental no wave movement from the late 1970s, the group’s first line-up featured Anton Fier joined by avant-garde icons John Zorn (saxophone), Bill Laswell (bass), and Fred Frith (guitar / violin). The group’s membership remained fluid throughout their career with Fier being the only core member appearing on every album. The Golden Palominos would also bring in guest musicians and vocalists to perform on their albums including Michael Stipe (R.E.M.), John Lydon (Sex Pistols / Public Image Ltd.), Jack Bruce (Cream), Syd Straw, Arto Lindsay, Nicky Skopelitis, Richard Thompson (Fairport Convention), Chris Stamey (The dBs), Henry Kaiser, Peter Blegvad (Slapp Happy), Peter Holsapple (The dBs), Don Dixon, Matthew Sweet, and many others. The Golden Palominos’ 1983 self-titled album was a critical success and was followed by 1985’s Visions of Excess, which earned significant press and radio attention thanks to R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe singing on “Boy (Go)” and “Omaha.” While initially an avant-garde group, The Golden Palominos’ music was embraced by the alternative rock crowd by the time 1986’s Blast of Silence (Axed My Baby for a Nickel) was released. In 1989, they released the album A Dead Horse, which featured musical assistance from guitarist Mick Taylor (The Rolling Stones), singer Amanda Palmer and keyboardist Jeff Bova. In 1991, The Golden Palominos released the album Drunk With Passion, which featured their only chart hit, “Alive and Living Now,” which reached Number 14 on Billboard’s Alternative Rock Singles chart. The group continued to go through personnel and musical changes and by the release of Dead Inside (1996), their music began to lean towards an edgier industrial sound. Anton Fier put The Golden Palominos on hold while he and his bandmates pursued other musical interests. In 2012, he revived the group with a new cast of players – including vocalist Kevn Kinney (Drivin’ N Cryin’) – for one more album, A Good Country Mile, before putting the group on ice again. Anton Fier died on September 14, 2022, at the age of 66.
