Biography

Founded in Atlanta in 1978, The Swimming Pool Q's were among the first generation of Georgia's celebrated New Wave bands that included The B-52's, The Brains, Pylon and R.E.M. When original members Jeff Calder and Bob Elsey were joined by Anne Richmond Boston, the initial configuration of the Q's quickly established a reputation for superb musicianship and originality. With a barrage of East Coast and regional dates beginning in 1979 (including the Southern leg of the first major Police tour), The Swimming Pool Q's developed the confident live presentation they have maintained into the present era.

The Q's first full-length release, The Deep End [1981, DB 55], reissued in 2001 as a deluxe CD, was an immediate classic of the new creative pop sound being forged in Atlanta and Athens at the turn of that decade. The band signed with A & M Records in 1984 and released two highly acclaimed albums, The Swimming Pool Q's [A&M SP5015,1984], produced by David Anderle with Ed Stasium, and Blue Tomorrow [A&M SP5107, 1986], produced by Mike Howlett.

"Visionary pop eccentrics from Atlanta," noted Melody Maker. "Some of the most compelling rock sounds in all of America...lofty architectural style distinguished by the elegant and muscular guitar duets between Jeff Calder and Bob Elsey and [Anne] Boston's rhapsodic alto phrasings," said The Village Voice. In Rolling Stone, Kurt Loder wrote, "Overlaid with Calder's unusually literate songwriting sensibility, this musical melange is one of the freshest sounds coming out of the South." The Swimming Pool Q's were chosen as support act for Lou Reed on his New Sensations comeback tour.

Anne Richmond Boston departed in 1987, though she continued to provide her artistic and vocal expertise over the years, returning to the band in 1998. As a quartet, The Q's released their satire of televangelism, The Firing Squad for God EP [DB 87] and, in 1989, World War Two Point Five [Capitol/DB C1-91068]. In 2003, The Swimming Pool Q's delivered their cosmogonical magnum opus, Royal Academy of Reality, over 10 years in the making, and they were invited to perform on the 2004 Georgia Music Awards television broadcast.

In 1994, Calder augmented their sound by adding vibraphonist and percussionist, Neill Calabro who performed with them till 2004.

Robert Schmid, The Q's first drummer (who played on The Deep End), rejoined in 2010 on bass guitar. The band maintains an active performing and recording schedule, having completed several new songs at the legendary Southern Tracks studio in Atlanta.

They celebrate their 50th Anniversary in 2028.
- IMDb mini biography by: swimmingpoolqs