Alison's Halo

Last updated
Alison's Halo
Alison's Halo - Band Shot - Polaroid.jpg
Background information
Origin Tempe, Arizona
Genres Dream pop, shoegaze
Years active1992–1998, 2009–present
Labels Independent Project Records, Burnt Hair Records, Manufactured Recordings
MembersCatherine Cooper
Adam Cooper
Roger Brogan
Past membersLynn Anderson
Thomas Lanser
Scott Macdonald
David Rogers
Website Official site

Alison's Halo is a band from Tempe, Arizona. Their sound, distinguished by dreamy vocals and loud, spacey guitars, is often also associated with shoegaze and dream pop.

Contents

History

Alison's Halo formed in Tempe, Arizona, in October 1992. The original lineup included vocalist/guitarist Catherine Cooper, guitarist Adam Cooper and bassist Lynn Anderson; they dubbed their Alesis SR-16 drum machine "Alison". Their debut gig was at an old Odd Fellows hall with Jimmy Eat World opening. [1] The band quickly obtained opening slots for international touring acts like Ultra Vivid Scene, Curve, the Verve, the Boo Radleys, Bailter Space, and Stereophonics, [1] performed at several music festivals (including CMJ Music Marathon and South by Southwest) and recorded two demo cassettes, Slug and Halo. They added drummer Thomas Lanser prior to recording their debut single, "Dozen", released in early 1995 on Independent Project Records. The lineup changed again, with bassist David Rogers (also of Half String [2] ) and drummer Roger Brogan replacing Anderson and Lanser. During 1997, the band added Scott McDonald (formerly of Closedown [3] ) as a third guitarist.

Their first album, Eyedazzler 1992–1996, a CD compilation of songs the band created between 1992 and 1996, was released in 1998 on Burnt Hair Records. [4]

After the dissolution of Alison's Halo in the late 1990s, Adam and Catherine Cooper relocated to Chicago and recorded Burt Bacharach-influenced pop at their home Jetpack Studios under a variety of band names. As the Pastry Heros, they self-released the five-song Horn Rim Fury CD EP in 1998 on their own Submersible Recordings. [5] As Kitten Factor, they released the "Nite Lite" single on the Rainbow Quartz International label in 1998, and the three-song "Surround" 7-inch EP in 1999 on Sunday Records. [6] In 1999, they changed names again to Insta, re-releasing Horn Rim Fury under that name on Sunday Records. [7] Insta released a full-length album, Checklist for Love, in 2002 on Sunday. [8]

Adam Cooper also records as the solo ambient guitar project Signals Into Space. [9] Drummer Brogan joined Sonic Boom's band Spectrum in 2008 and also recorded with the Idaho Falls, Frausdots, the Vacant Lots and Britta Phillips. [10]

In 2009, the Coopers reactivated Alison's Halo and released several digital compilations of old material via their website, including three live albums and the Jetpacks for Julian demos EP. [11]

The Alison's Halo song "Dozen" was included on the Still in a Dream: A Story of Shoegaze 1988–1995 box set compilation, released January 29, 2016, by Cherry Red Records. [1]

On April 13, 2016, the band self-released a digital single, "Some Heaven"/"The Hardest Part", both tracks being Eyedazzler-era demos from the 1990s. [12]

An expanded reissue of Eyedazzler finally materialized in 2017, released by Manufactured Recordings in CD, vinyl and digital formats as part of that label's The Shoegaze Archives reissue project. [13] It included remastered tracks from Eyedazzler 1992–1996, both sides of the "Dozen" single and three unreleased demos from the Eyedazzler sessions. Three videos were released to coincide with the reissue: "Dozen" (which debuted on The Big Takeover ), [14] [15] "Slowbleed" [16] and "Sunshy". [17]

Discography

Singles and EPs

Compilation albums

Live albums

Compilation appearances

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Slowdive</span> British shoegaze band

Slowdive are an English rock band that formed in Reading, Berkshire, in 1989. The band consists of Rachel Goswell, Neil Halstead, Christian Savill (guitars), Nick Chaplin (bass), and Simon Scott, all of whom played on the band's debut studio album, Just for a Day (1991). Halstead is the band's primary songwriter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pale Saints</span> English alternative rock band

Pale Saints were an English alternative rock and shoegazing band formed in 1987 in Leeds by singer-bassist Ian Masters, guitarist Graeme Naysmith and drummer Chris Cooper.

Medicine are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1990 by guitarist/keyboardist Brad Laner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cranes (band)</span> British rock band

Cranes are a British rock band formed in 1985.

Tattle Tale was an American musical group that existed between 1992 and 1995. Composed of Jen Wood and Madigan Shive, they were active in the grrrl pop scene, playing what was later to be termed folk punk.

Anything Box is an electronic/synth-pop musical group originally from Paterson, New Jersey, and now based in Long Beach, California. Formed in 1986, they are best known for their 1989 single "Living in Oblivion". They also garnered some attention for releasing an album entirely in MP3 format in 2003. With a current lineup consisting solely of Claude Strilio, the past lineups have included long-time members Dania Morales and Paul Rijnders, as well as Carlos Pacheco, Mike Zacek, Gary Strilio, Dave South and Barry Bunch.

Lovesliescrushing is an American ambient and shoegaze band from East Lansing, Michigan, United States, formed in 1991. The two primary members of the band are Melissa Arpin-Duimstra (vocals) and Scott Cortez.

Tina Root, also now known as Tina Minero, is an American classically trained female vocalist and songwriter from Los Angeles, California, perhaps most famous for her work performing as the lead singer of Switchblade Symphony during the mid- to late 1990s. Her latest work included a solo performance and recording project, Tre Lux, and a partnership project, called Small Halo, with guitarist and fellow songwriter George Earth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laughing Hyenas</span> Michigan rock group active 1985–1995

Laughing Hyenas was an American post-hardcore band from Ann Arbor, Michigan, that existed from 1985 to 1995, fronted by Negative Approach vocalist John Brannon. According to AllMusic, "At first, the band specialized in dirges overlaid with the tortuous, throat-shredding vocals of frontman John Brannon. As time passed, their blues connections became more and more explicit". Though they played with many of the era's most notable acts, including Mudhoney, Dinosaur Jr., and Sonic Youth the band failed to achieve any level of commercial success, breaking up in the mid-90s due to personal issues.

Audra is an Arizona-based post-punk band formed in 1991 in Mesa, Arizona by brothers Bret and Bart Helm. Audra broke out onto the national scene in 2000 when they signed with indie label Projekt Records. They have since released four full-length albums, with the most recent released in 2019.

Seven Storey Mountain is an American rock group from Phoenix, Arizona. The group's music is heavily influenced by the early Washington, D.C. post-hardcore scene.

Burnt Hair Records was a record label involved with Michigan's space rock alternative music scene in the 1990s. The label is said to have been most responsible for cultivating the Detroit sound of this period. Burnt Hair recorded artists in various experimental genres also known by appellations such as indie pop, indie rock, ambient music, drone music, dream pop and electronica. The label was founded by Larry Hofmann in Dearborn. Burnt Hair released recordings by artists and bands including Windy & Carl, Hopewell, Mahogany, Ten Second Dynasty, Miss Bliss, Tomorrowland, DELTA WAVES, Starphase 23, Füxa, Auburn Lull, Monaural (Band), Gravity Wax, Asha Vida, Flowchart and Alison's Halo.

Astrobrite is an American shoegaze project by Scott Cortez (lovesliescrushing) which has included members of Mahogany, Majesty Crush, Paik, Xebec, Coaltar of the Deepers (Narasaki), Airiel, Gel Set, Fauvely, Melissa Arpin-Duimstra, Jason Baron and many others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacob Cooper</span> American musician

Jacob Alonzo Cooper, also known as Jacob Safari, is an American musician, remixer, record producer, songwriter, and occasional DJ. Cooper has been a drummer of the bands Wavves, The Mae Shi, Cold Showers, Har Mar Superstar, and previously had a band called Bark Bark Bark. He currently has a project called Heaven, which first appeared in 2012.

Tribes of the City is a shoegaze, dreampop band from Riga, Latvia. The band was formed in 2003 and as of 2019 has recorded four full-length albums. They have gained a nationwide success and were nominated for MTV Europe Music Awards 2007 as the best Baltic act. The band received an Austra's Award for their 2019 record Rust and Gold named Best Album of 2019 in Latvia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steel Pole Bath Tub</span> American rock band

Steel Pole Bath Tub was an American rock band, formed in 1986 in Bozeman, Montana, United States, by Mike Morasky (guitar/vocals) and Dale Flattum (bass/vocals).

An April March was a Canadian alternative rock band formed in Kitchener, Ontario, in 1989. The band's last incarnation consisted of singer/guitarist Danella Hocevar, guitarist Chris Perry and drummer Michael Klüg. The band "An April March" is not to be confused with April March, or Russian and French bands called by similar names.

Warning Light is an American ambient/drone recording project primarily featuring multi instrumentalist Drew Haddon. The band has existed in various forms since 2003, and though formerly based out of Asheville, North Carolina is now in Atlanta, Georgia.

Die Laughing are an English goth band formed in 1986 by John Berry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whirr</span> American shoegaze band

Whirr is a shoegaze band from Modesto, California. The group formed in 2010, originally as Whirl, but had to legally change its name after a woman performing acoustic covers of Black Sabbath songs trademarked the name and threatened a lawsuit. Whirr's shoegaze sound is often compared to My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive. Founding guitarist Nick Bassett also played in the band Deafheaven surrounding and including the release of their 2011 album Roads to Judah.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Tom, Reardon (18 March 2016). "Tempe Shoegaze Band Alison's Halo Added to Seminal Shoegaze Box Set". No.  Phoenix New Times . Retrieved 24 February 2017.
  2. "David Rogers". Discogs.
  3. "Scott McDonald". Discogs.
  4. Dale T. Nicholls. "Artist Biography". Allmusic.com. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  5. "The Pastry Heros". Discogs.
  6. "Kitten Factor". Discogs.
  7. "Insta – Horn Rim Fury". Discogs. 2002.
  8. "Insta – Checklist For Love". Discogs. 2002.
  9. "Signals Into Space". Signals Into Space.
  10. "Roger Brogan". Discogs.
  11. "Jetpacks for Julian – EP, by Alison's Halo". Alison's Halo.
  12. "Some Heaven / The Hardest Part / Demos, by Alison's Halo". Alisonshalo.bandcamp.com. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  13. Harris, Ashley (May 19, 2017). "Now You Can Own Eyedazzler by Alison's Halo on Vinyl". Phoenix New Times .
  14. "Alison's Halo – Dozen (Official)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  15. "Video Premiere: "Dozen" by Alison's Halo". The Big Takeover.
  16. "Alison's Halo - Slowbleed (Official)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  17. "Alison's Halo – Sunshy (Official)". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 14 August 2019.