A prolific and unconventional improvisor known for his work with guitar, banjo, and a self-invented instrument known as "The Rake" (a garden-variety lawn rake, amplified), Eugene Chadbourne originally began as a music journalist in Calgary, covering classical, contemporary rock, and jazz. He released his debut album, SOLO ACOUSTIC GUITAR, in 1975 and played with free jazz musicians such as Frank Lowe and Billy Bang. His conflation of styles as diverse as country and western, bluegrass, and avant-garde jazz won him accolades from downtown improvisors such as John Zorn and Tom Cora. In the '80s, Chadbourne formed an anarchic rockabilly trio, Shockabilly, with Mark Kramer and David Licht, and collaborated with alternative darlings Camper Van Beethoven as Camper Van Chadbourne.