Greg Cartwright

Gregory Johnathon Cartwright, also known by his stage name Greg Oblivian (born March 18, 1972), is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Memphis, Tennessee. From 2001 to 2022 he fronted Reigning Sound which was signed to Merge Records. After moving away from Memphis in the mid-2000s, he has since lived with his family in Asheville, North Carolina.

Cartwright is also a founding member of the Memphis '90s garage bands The Compulsive Gamblers, The Oblivians and Greg Oblivian & the Tip Tops.

, Cartwright has reformed his past band Greg Oblivian & the Tip Tops and is playing shows.

Aside from also playing occasional solo performances (including one that led to his solo record "Live at Circle A"), Cartwright also plays in The Parting Gifts, a band also featuring Lindsay "CoCo" Hames of The Ettes and Patrick Keeler of The Raconteurs and The Greenhornes, and a guest appearance from Dan Auerbach of the Black Keys. The band's debut album, "Strychnine Dandelion," was released in September 2010 on In the Red Records.

Cartwright has also played in a handful of other bands, including guitarist in The Detroit Cobras and as drummer for '68 Comeback. He has also collaborated with The Deadly Snakes, contributing to their album I'm Not Your Soldier Anymore.

In 2007, he wrote songs and co-produced Dangerous Game, a comeback album by Mary Weiss of The Shangri-Las.

Early years Born in 1972, Cartwright was raised in Frayser, Memphis – a neighborhood located on the north side of Memphis. His last two years of high school were spent in the suburbs after his family relocated outside of the city. His father was a factory worker, employed by the Firestone tire company in Memphis.

With his parents' busy work schedule, Cartwright spent his summer vacations and weekends at his grandmother's Memphis home. This is where he was first introduced to musical instruments.

During the summer and fall of 2009 The Compulsive Gamblers played two reunion shows in Memphis, TN. One show was an Antenna Club Reunion Show (a tribute to the defunct Memphis rock venue). The other show was at GonerFest 6, an annual punk rock festival hosted by Goner Records.

Oblivians Cartwright's next band, again with Yarber, and with the addition of Eric Friedl, was the garage-rock outfit, The Oblivians. Formed in 1993 out of the ashes of the Compulsive Gamblers, the Oblivians took a more primitive, punk-influenced approach to rock and roll. Each member served as singer, guitarist, and drummer, switching between instruments and vocal duties during performances. In 1995 the band released its first album, Soul Food. This was followed in 1996 by Sympathy Sessions, a compilation album featuring a collection of songs recorded with Doug Easley for the record label Sympathy for the Record Industry. The Oblivians released their second album, Popular Favorites, in 1996, and their third and final album...Play Nine Songs with Mr. Quintron, in 1997. In 2009, The Oblivians reunited for a European tour with The Gories. The bands kicked off the tour in their hometowns, Memphis and Detroit, they also played at the VICE Garage Fest in Lawrence Kansas in Oct 2010.

Greg Oblivian and the Tip Tops During the breakup of the Oblivians in 1997, Cartwright released 1997's "Head Shop" LP under the moniker Greg Oblivian & the Tip Tops. The album, which featured Cartwright's wife Esther on drums and guest spots by Jack Yarber, is a lo-fi record that featured the first, more mellow version of The Oblivians fan-favorite "Bad Man." The song "Twice as Deep" is featured in the cult zombie film Wild Zero.

Reformation of the Gamblers In 1999, Cartwright and Yarber reformed the Compulsive Gamblers, this time as a three piece, with Rod Thomas on drums. In this incarnation they released the 1999 album Bluff City. With the addition of keyboardist Brendan Lee Spengler and bassist Jeff Meier, the group released the studio album Crystal Gazing Luck Amazing and the live album Live & Deadly: Memphis-Chicago before again disbanding. These songs would eventually become the basis for his next band, Reigning Sound, a more R&B-focused act. The original version of the band consisted of Cartwright, Alex Greene (guitar/keyboards, vocals), Jeremy Scott (bass, vocals), and Greg Roberson (drums). With Reigning Sound, Cartwright released the 2001 album, Break Up, Break Down and the 2002 album Time Bomb High School. In 2004, Reigning Sound released Too Much Guitar, an album recorded live at Cartwright's Memphis record store Legba Records, which harkened back to Cartwright's earlier, harsher Oblivians sound. Reigning Sound released Love and Curses (In the Red Records) on August 10, 2009. This was the first studio album featuring the new lineup of members, and was mainly recorded in Asheville, NC. In 2010 Reigning Sound contributed a cover of "Mind Over Matter" for the Daddy Rockin Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & The Diablos (The Wind Records / Norton Records). Cartwright, a Nolan Strong fan, previously covered "I Want to Be Your Happiness," another Strong cover, on The Compulsive Gamblers "Crystal, Gazing, Luck, Amazing" LP.

Cartwright, along with CoCo Hames of The Ettes, collaborated and formed The Parting Gifts. The band shares songwriting duties and recorded an album, "Strychnine Dandelion" (In the Red Recordings). The band's debut single, "Walking Thru The Sleepy City," a Rolling Stones cover, was released in October 2010 by Norton Records.

In a June 8, 2022, message on the group's Facebook page, Cartwright formally announced the end of Reigning Sound. He wrote, "It was my intention with A Little More Time to come full circle, reunite the original lineup of the band, and finish where we started. I thought we could support the album with some touring and go out on a high note, but Covid has proven to be a long-lasting concern and more difficult to navigate than anyone could have anticipated. Rather than compromise ourselves or our fans, I have decided this is the right time to dissolve the band."

Solo performances Cartwright began playing periodic solo performances at venues around 2003. A 2006 performance at the Circle A, a small club in Milwaukee, was recorded and released by Dusty Medical Records in 2009 as Greg Cartwright: "Live at the Circle A". The album, like many of his performances, features songs from each of Cartwright's bands, and some cover songs. The album came about by chance after Cartwright was already in Milwaukee recording an album for The Goodnight Loving. The vinyl album, which is also available for digital download came accompanied with a free vinyl 7-inch, featuring The Goodnight Loving acting as Cartwright's backing band.

Producer Cartwright has acted as producer for a number of bands since his solo career began. He has produced albums by The Ettes, Mary Weiss, Mr. Airplane Man, Porch Ghouls, The Cuts, Detroit Cobras, The Horrors, The Deadly Snakes, Goodnight Loving, and Andre Williams.

Legba Records For a time, Cartwright was the owner of Legba Records, an independent music store in the Cooper-Young District of Memphis. Legba Records served as a makeshift studio for the recording of the Reigning Sound's album, Too Much Guitar. When Cartwright relocated to Asheville, North Carolina, Legba Records changed hands and became a Goner Records store, home to the independent record label of former Oblivians bandmate Eric Friedl.

Discography

As the Compulsive Gamblers Singles Joker 7" (Boiler Room, 1992, cat.no.?) Church Goin' 7" (Lemon Peel Records, 1992, LP001 – LP002) Goodtime Gamblers 7" (Boiler Room, 1995, BR 002)

Albums Gambling Days are Over CD (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 1995, SFTRI 372) Bluff City LP/CD (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 1999, SFTRI 570) Crystal Gazing Luck Amazing LP/CD (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2000, SFTRI 572) Live & Deadly: Memphis-Chicago 2xLP/CD (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2003, SFTRI 698) (Appear on one song on): Andre Williams Is The Black Godfather LP/CD (In The Red, 2000, ITR 065)

As the Oblivians Singles Call The Shots 7" (Goner Records, 1993, 2Gone) Sunday You Need Love 7" (Crypt, 1994, CR-044) Now for the Hard Of Hearing From ... "Blow Their Cool" 7" (Estrus, 1994, ES 756) Static Party 7" (In The Red, 1994, ITR 018) Go!Pill-Popper! 7" (Drug Racer, 1996, 001) Strong Come On 7" (Crypt, 1996, CR-053) Kick Your Ass 7" (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 1996, SFTRI 412)

Splits Split CS with Impala (Goner Records/Power Of Bob, 1993, 0Gone/POB 103) Split 7" with Two Bo's Maniacs (Hate Records, 1997, hate 7) Split 7" with the Crime Kaisers (Active Detective, 1998, active detective record #1)

EP's Never Enough 10" (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 1994, SFTRI 304) Six of the Best 10" (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 1996, SFTRI 383) Walter Daniels Plays With Monsieur Jeffrey Evans & The Oblivians at Melissa's Garage 10" (Undone, 1995, UDR-0008-10)

Albums Soul Food LP/CD (Crypt, 1995, CR-055) Live in Atlanta 8.19.94 LP (Negro Records, 1995, negro records 001) Sympathy Sessions CD (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 1996, SFTRI 406) Popular Favorites LP/CD (Crypt, 1996, CR-065) ...Play Nine Songs with Mr. Quintron LP/CD (Crypt, 1997, CR-082) 17 Cum Shots LP (Bootleg, 1997, cat.no.?) Best of the Worst: 93–97 2xLP/CD (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 1999, SFTRI 584) On The Go LP (Goner Records, 2003, 12Gone) Barristers 95 [Live] (In the Red, 2009, ITR 182) Desperation LP/CD (In The Red, 2013, ITR 238)

As Greg Oblivian and the Tip Tops Singles Pretty Baby 7" (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 1998, SFTRI 534)

Albums Head Shop LP/CD (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 1998, SFTRI 513)

As Greg Cartwright and the Young Seniors Singles Moola Man 7" (Ghost Highway Recordings, 2010, GHR-07)

As Reigning Sound Singles Two Sides To Every Man 7" (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2001, SFTRI 656) If Christmas Won't Bring You Home 7" (Norton Records, 2004, 45–121) I'll Cry 7" (Slovenly Recordings, 2005, 702–50) Reigning Sound in Memphis 7" (Norton Records, 2006, 45–128)

Splits Split 7" with the Henchmen (Norton Records, 2003, 9642)

Albums Break Up, Break Down LP/CD (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2001, SFTRI 654) Time Bomb High School LP (In The Red, 2002, ITR 084) Too Much Guitar LP/CD (In The Red, 2004, ITR 107) Home For Orphans LP/CD (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2005, SFTRI 736) Live at Maxwell's LP (Spoonful Records, 2005, LP-SR-005) Live at Goner Records 6.26.05 LP/CD (Goner Records, 2005, 21Gone) Love and Curses LP/CD (In The Red, 2009, ITR 155) Abdication ... For Your Love EP (Scion, 2011) Shattered LP/CD (Merge, 2014) A Little More Time With Reigning Sound LP/CD (Merge, 2021) Memphis In June LP (Merge, 2022)

Compilations Root Damage 2xLP/2xCD (Sympathy for the Record Industry, 2003, SFTRI 713) track: As Long As You Come Home Revolver Sampler Winter 2003 CD (Revolver, 2003, cat.no.?) track: Straight Shooter Broad Daylight Soundtrack CD (Guerrilla Monster Films, 2003, #12300) track: Medication Superfuzz CD (Lowfly Records, 2005, LF 061) track: I'll Cry Static Disaster The U.K.: In The Red Records Sampler CD (In The Red, 2005, ITR 1313) track: Drowning Daddy Rockin Strong: A Tribute to Nolan Strong & The Diablos (The Wind / Norton Records, 2010, TWR002 LP) track: Mind Over Matter

Greg Cartwright 'Singles' Live At WMSE 7" (with Goodnight Loving) (Dusty Medical Records, 2009, DMR-18) Tin Ten 7" (Dusty Medical Records, 2017, DMR-50)

'Albums' Live At Circle A LP (Dusty Medical Records, 2009, DMR-18) *accompanied by 7" (same catalog number)

with Deadly Snakes 'Albums' I'm Not Your Soldier Anymore (In The Red, 2001, ITR 77)