Blood Circus | |
---|---|
Origin | Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
Genres | Sludge metal, [1] grunge |
Years active | 1988–1989, 1992, 2007 |
Labels | Sub Pop |
Past members | Michael Anderson (vocals, guitar) Geoff Robinson (guitar) Tracy "T-Man" Simmons (bass) Doug Day (drums) |
Blood Circus was a short-lived band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1988 that has been described as sludge metal [1] or grunge. [2] Rock journalist Ned Raggett writing in AllMusic describes the band's music as "rough and ready, sludgy guitar rock with a bad attitude". [3]
The band's first release was a single, 1988's "Two Way Street"/"Six Foot Under", on Sub Pop. Both Mudhoney and Nirvana performed their first shows in Seattle opening for Blood Circus at the Vogue in 1988. [4]
In 1989 Sub Pop released the band's first and only album, a five-track EP called Primal Rock Therapy which, despite being now recognised as a milestone record of that time and place, was at the time panned by the critics and ignored by the public. This contributed to the split of the band in 1989 after a North American tour with the French band Les Thugs. [5] Both bands played in San Francisco in June 1989.
They briefly reformed in 1992, when Sub Pop re-released Primal Rock Therapy on CD with five additional unreleased tracks. [2] The rerelease comprised almost all of the band's recorded output, except for the song "The Outback", which can be found on the Sub Pop 200 compilation. The band also briefly appeared in the 1996 film Hype! , a documentary about the rise of the Seattle scene.
Blood Circus performed a one-off reunion show at Seattle's Crocodile Cafe in 2007. [6]
In April 2012 Geoff Robinson conducted a comprehensive audio interview with Music Life Radio about Blood Circus, and his life.
In May 2017 "Six Foot Under" was included on the deluxe reissue of Singles: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack .
Nirvana was an American rock band formed in Aberdeen, Washington, in 1987. Founded by lead singer and guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic, the band went through a succession of drummers, most notably Chad Channing, before recruiting Dave Grohl in 1990. Nirvana's success popularized alternative rock, and they were often referenced as the figurehead band of Generation X. Despite a short mainstream career spanning only three years, their music maintains a popular following and continues to influence modern rock culture.
Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto. Cornell switched to rhythm guitar in 1985, replaced on drums initially by Scott Sundquist, and later by Matt Cameron in 1986. Yamamoto left in 1989 and was replaced initially by Jason Everman and shortly thereafter by Ben Shepherd. The band dissolved in 1997 and reformed in 2010. Following Cornell's death in 2017 and a year of uncertainty regarding the band's future, Thayil declared in October 2018 that Soundgarden had disbanded once again, though they did reunite in January 2019 for a one-off concert in tribute to Cornell.
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the grunge movement. They are often credited with helping popularize grunge music. The label's roster includes Fleet Foxes, Tad (band), Beach House, The Postal Service, Sleater-Kinney, Flight of the Conchords, Foals, Blitzen Trapper, Father John Misty, clipping., Shabazz Palaces, Weyes Blood, Guerilla Toss, Bully, Low, METZ, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, Kiwi Jr., TV Priest and The Shins. In 1995, the owners of Sub Pop sold a 49% stake of the label to the Warner Music Group.
Incesticide is a compilation album by the American rock band Nirvana. It consists of their 1990 non-album single "Sliver", B-sides, demos, outtakes, cover versions, and radio broadcast recordings, and as such is not the official follow-up to the band's breakthrough album, Nevermind. The album was released on December 14, 1992, in Europe, and December 15, 1992, in the United States. It eventually reached number 39 on the Billboard 200.
Green River was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984. Considered one of the first grunge bands, Green River is most well known for being the precursor to multiple key early 1990s rock bands, most notably Pearl Jam, Mudhoney, Mother Love Bone, Temple of the Dog, and Love Battery. Green River reunited for several live shows between 2008 and 2009.
Fastbacks are a Seattle, Washington, punk rock band. Formed in 1979 by songwriter/guitarist Kurt Bloch, and friends Lulu Gargiulo and Kim Warnick, they disbanded in 2001 but have reunited multiple times. Their sound mixes a generally punk rock approach to vocals and sound textures with poppy tunes and strong musicianship.
Tad was an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1988 by Tad Doyle. They are often recognized as one of the first bands of the grunge era.
Rehab Doll is the only studio album by the American rock band Green River, released in June 1988 through Sub Pop Records.
With the Lights Out is a box set by the American rock band Nirvana, released on November 23, 2004. It contains three CDs and one DVD of previously rare or unreleased material, including B-sides, demos, and rehearsal and live recordings. The title comes from the lyrics of Nirvana's 1991 single "Smells Like Teen Spirit".
"Blew" is a song by American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It is the first song on the band's debut album Bleach, released in June 1989 by Sub Pop.
"Love Buzz" is a song by Dutch rock band Shocking Blue. It was written by Robbie van Leeuwen and first released on the group's 1969 album At Home. The original song is notable for its psychedelic rock style and its extensive use of the sitar, played by Leeuwen.
Sub Pop 200 is a compilation released in the early days of the Seattle grunge scene. It features songs from Tad, the Fluid, Nirvana, Steven "Jesse" Bernstein, Mudhoney, the Walkabouts, Terry Lee Hale, Soundgarden, Green River, Fastbacks, Blood Circus, Swallow, Chemistry Set, Girl Trouble, the Nights and Days, Cat Butt, Beat Happening, Screaming Trees, Steve Fisk, and the Thrown Ups.
Seaweed was an American band from Tacoma, Washington, who were active throughout the 1990s. Their style of music was a combination of different rock subgenres, including post-hardcore and punk rock. They were signed to various notable record labels, such as Sub Pop Records, Merge Records, and Hollywood Records. The band released six albums between 1989 and 1999, followed by a hiatus that lasted until 2007. They then disbanded a second time in 2014.
Feedtime is an Australian noise rock band from Sydney, New South Wales, that was initially formed as a duo in 1979 by Rick Johnson on guitar and vocals and Allen Larkin on bass guitar and vocals. They soon became a trio with various drummers until 1982, when they were joined by Tom Sturm. This line-up issued four albums, Feedtime, Shovel, Cooper-S and Suction, before disbanding in February 1989. They reunited in 1995 with Johnson and Larkin joined by the latter's younger brother, John Larkin, on drums for another album, Billy, before disbanding again in 1997. The Rick-Al-Tom line up reunited again, in 2011.
The Last Drive is a Greek punk garage rock group, which was formed in 1983, broke up in 1995, and reunited in January 2007.
Primal Rock Therapy is an EP by Seattle grunge band Blood Circus, released in 1989 by Sub Pop. It was reissued on CD in 1992 with seven additional 1989 tracks: the band's first non-album single and five unreleased tracks. It was produced by grunge producer and Skin Yard guitarist Jack Endino. Music photographer Charles Peterson shot the cover image.
Les Thugs were a punk band from France. Their records are distributed in North-America by Sub Pop Records.
The Nirvana bootleg recordings are a number of recordings of musical performances by the American rock band Nirvana, which were previously not officially released by the band, or under any other legal authority. The recordings consist of both live performances and outtakes from studio sessions unavailable as a legal release.
"Dive" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic. It was released as the B-side to the band's second single, "Sliver" in September 1990. The same version was re-released as the opening track on the compilation album The Grunge Years in 1991, and again on the Nirvana rarities compilation, Incesticide, in December 1992.
"Spank Thru" is a song by the American rock band Nirvana, written by vocalist and guitarist Kurt Cobain. It appears on the compilation album Sub Pop 200, released in December 1988.