US band 17 PYGMIES was formed in 1982, initially consisting of Philip Drucker (aka Jackson Del Rey), Michael Kory and Debbie Spinelli. From an initial kind of progressive rock inspired sound the band developed towards a more distinct pop/rock sound in this formative phase. In 1983 Robert Loveless joined the band, just in time for the release of their first EP Hatikva, while Michael Kory left to explore other musical possibilities. The following year the band made their full length debut with Jedda By the Sea, a production considered as something of a masterpiece in the post-punk genre by a handful or so of dedicated fans of this style. In 1985 the second chapter of The Pygs musical exploits saw the light in the shape of Captured on Ice, an album notable for it's lack of popular individual tracks if one is to take the official band biography serious.
While obscurity is a great place to be in for artistic credibility it isn't for band stability, and when 17 Pygmies resurfaced again in 1988 with Welcome it was as a totally revamped band, Drecker and Loveless the only remaining members from the initial phase of the band's history. This turned out to be the last album by the band as an entity too, and 1991 saw the band hitting the pastures of hiatus following the odds and ends production Missyfish.
Just over a decade later various band members from their golden age of underground non-stardom decided that this band project really was too much fun to be involved with to let it rest any longer, and thus their second phase as non-stars in the realms of the obscure came to be. Since this reformation was decided they have been a fairly productive band too, with the double album 13 Blackbirds and the CD Ballade Of Tristram's Last Harping kicking off in 2007, followed by Celestina in 2008, The Outlaw J. D. Ray in 2009 and the second and third chapters in the science fiction based theme album series Celestina appearing as CII: Second Son in 2011 and CIII: Even Celestina Gets the Blues early in 2012.
Truly eager fans of the band might also hit the second hand market to hunt down a further curiosity by 17 Pygmies: The compilation CD Jedda by the Sea + Hatikva from 1995, assembling their two initial vinyl releases in a form and shape more easily accessible in a world where the LP player isn't a common item in households any longer. A description that, incidentally, can be applied to just about any album released by 17 Pygmies too.