Group
Sun City Girls
- From
- Phoenix, United States
- Active
- 1981–2007
- Rating
- ★ 4.5
- Releases
- 94
- experimental rock
- avant-folk
- avant-garde
- experimental
- noise rock
About
Sun City Girls was an American experimental rock band formed in 1979 in Phoenix, Arizona. From 1981, the group consisted of Alan Bishop (bass guitar, vocals), his brother Richard Bishop (guitar, piano, vocals), and Charles Gocher (drums, vocals). Their name was inspired by Sun City, Arizona, an Arizona retirement community. In 2007, Gocher died following a long battle with cancer, bringing an end to the group. In a 26-year career, they produced 50 albums, 23 cassettes, 6 feature-length videos, and many other recordings.
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Operating in indie rock and underground music circles, Sun City Girls recorded numerous critically acclaimed albums, released in small editions by labels like Placebo, Majora, Eclipse Records, Amarillo Records, and their own Abduction Records, and has garnered a devoted cult following. Their music was hugely eclectic and varied, spreading across genres such as spoken word, free improvisation, jazz and rock, along with a recurring interest in world music. Their records typically incorporated lyrics that rely heavily on their interests in mysticism, paranormal topics (especially UFOs), religious cults and other esoterica, often also manifested in their song titles and album art. Performances by the group were often wildly unpredictable, sometimes verging on performance art, with elaborate costumes, kabuki-inspired makeup, and the creation of a festive, ritualistic atmosphere with audience participation.
Critic Steve Leggett writes, "Throughout its history SCG has remained a challenging, unpredictable, and eclectic musical unit, operating outside the commercially driven aspirations of the mainstream recording industry, and the group has become somewhat of a beacon to independent musicians and artists everywhere." Writing in the Village Voice, Ted Hendrickson argues, "They've never made any sense, conventionally speaking, and that's what makes them them."
Members
Discography
Albums
-
Sun City Girls
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Exotica on 5 Dollars a Day
-
Fruit of the Womb
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Polite Deception
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Grotto of Miracles
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Midnight Cowboys From Ipanema
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Cloaven Theatre #1
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To Cover Up Your Right to Live
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Bleach Has Feelings Too!
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Horse Cock Phepner
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Fresh Kill of a Cape Hunting Dog
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Hatchet Rain
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Cloaven Theatre #2
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Folk Songs of the Rich and Evil
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The Palm Leaves of Victory
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Famous Asthma
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Superpower
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Tibetan Jazz 666
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Cloaven Theatre #3
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The Multiple Hallucinations of an Assassin
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That Old Western Sieve
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Extra Sensory Defection
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The Audio Letter To Mitch Myers
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Grave Robbing in the Future
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The Great North American Tricksters
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Torch of the Mystics Apple Music
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Dawn of the Devi Apple Music
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Bright Surroundings Dark Beginnings Apple Music
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Valentines From Matahari Apple Music
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Kaliflower
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Jacks Creek Apple Music
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Dante’s Disneyland Inferno
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330,003 Crossdressers From Beyond the Rig Veda Apple Music
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Carnival Folklore Resurrection, Volume 3: Superculto
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Carnival Folklore Resurrection, Volume 1: Cameo Demons and Their Manifestations
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Carnival Folklore Resurrection, Volume 2: The Dreamy Draw
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Carnival Folklore Resurrection, Volume 4: A Bullet Through the Last Temple
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Carnival Folklore Resurrection, Volume 5: Severed Finger With a Wedding Ring
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Carnival Folklore Resurrection, Volume 6: Sumatran Electric Chair
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Carnival Folklore Resurrection, Volume 7: Libyan Dream
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Carnival Folklore Resurrection, Volumes 9 & 10: High Asia / Lo-Pacific
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Carnival Folklore Resurrection, Volume 8: The Handsome Stranger
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Flute and Mask
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Wah Apple Music
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Carnival Folklore Resurrection, Volumes 11 & 12: Carnival Folklore Resurrection Radio
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Carnival Folklore Resurrection, Volume 13: 98.6 IS DEATH
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Piano Bar + For Drummers Only
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Carnival Folklore Resurrection, Volume 14: Static From the Outside Set
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Djinn Funnel
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Funeral Mariachi Apple Music
EPs
Singles
Live
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Live At The Sky Church - September 3rd, 2004
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Live at the Sit & Spin Apple Music
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Montreal Pop
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Live Room Apple Music
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Piano Bar
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Fresh Kill of a Cape Hunting Dog / Def in Italy
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The Burning Nerve Ending Magic Trick
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Live From the Land of the Rising Sun City Girls
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Live at C.O.N. Artists
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Live From Planet Boomerang
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Pelican 92
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Def in Italy
Compilations
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The Palm Leaves of Victory / Audio Letter to Mitch Meyers
-
Cloaven Theatre / That Old Western Sieve
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Extra‐Sensory Defection / Graverobbing in the Future
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Famous Asthma / Tibetan Jazz 666
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Eye Mohini: Sun City Girls Singles, Volume 3
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Gum Arabic
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Fruit of the Womb / Polite Deception
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Napoleon & Josephine (Sun City Girls Singles Volume 2)
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You're Never Alone With a Cigarette: Sun City Girls Singles, Volume 1
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Folk Songs of the Rich and Evil / Exotica on $5 a Day
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Bleach Has Feelings, Too! / To Cover Up Your Right to Live
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God Is My Solar System / Superpower
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Singles Collection
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Box of Chameleons
Links
Listen
Official
Social
Concerts
Tags
- weird america
Identifiers
- MusicBrainz
- f0303341-cd61-4a2c-a0dc-edae98853a06
- ISNI
- 0000000470776453
Data from MusicBrainz, saved 12 Nov 2026. Photo from Wikimedia Commons, covers from the Cover Art Archive and Apple Music.