The Red Krayola

The Profile

The Red Krayola is an American experimental rock group formed in 1966 in Houston, Texas by Mayo Thompson. From the psychedelic upheaval of The Parable of Arable Land to post‑punk abrasion on Soldier‑Talk and later Drag City releases, the project has remained a restless force in avant‑rock, often collaborating with artists tied to the Art & Language collective.

Originally called The Red Crayola, the group changed its name to The Red Krayola following a trademark complaint; led by Mayo Thompson since 1966; associated with experimental and psychedelic rock; long-running collaborations with Art & Language; released later work via Drag City.

Four DeBaser reviews chart The Red Krayola from Houston’s 1967 psychedelic shockwaves to post-punk abstractions and Drag City-era oddities. The Parable of Arable Land is hailed as a unique, disorienting masterpiece. God Bless… is praised as a gem of experimental rock and crooked acid-folk. Soldier-Talk links the group’s harsh, no-wave-adjacent rigor to Pere Ubu. Blues, Hollers and Hellos spotlights Mayo Thompson with Chicago collaborators.