Buddy (band)

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Buddy
Buddy performing in Salt Lake City, Utah on April 2, 2008.jpg
Background information
Origin Portland, Oregon & Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres Indie pop
Years active2005–present
LabelsIndependent, Stove Punchin'
MembersBuddy, Will Golden, Michael Jerome, Percy Haverson, Fil Krohnengold, Al Sgro

Buddy is an indie pop band from Los Angeles, formed in 2006 by lead singer and songwriter Buddy (full name needed). The band gained recognition with its debut album, "Alterations and Repairs" (2007), and has since developed its sound through subsequent releases. Known for melodic indie pop and collaborations with artists like Michelle Branch and Cary Brothers, Buddy's music has been featured in television series such as One Tree Hill and Ghost Whisperer.

Contents

History

The origins of the Los Angeles indie pop group's second album can be traced back to a period of creative reevaluation. Following the release of their debut album, Alterations and Repairs, in 2007, the band experienced a wave of positive reception. The group was formed in 2006 by Buddy, a Portland-born musician who moved to Los Angeles in 2002. It initially began as an acoustic project before transitioning into a full rock band. This evolution was shaped by their live performances, both in local LA venues and on national tours, after Buddy was invited to open for Tommy Stinson but required a backing band due to an injury that prevented him from playing guitar.

As Buddy began composing material for their second album, the distinction between his acoustic singer-songwriter roots and the band's rock-oriented sound became less clear, leading to uncertainty about the album's direction. In 2009, the group recorded an entire album, but after touring with Gomez in 2010, they decided to abandon the project and start anew.

Buddy has said: "The first record came together very naturally...But on this second record I felt like I was not as sure of myself or what I was doing. I felt like I was riding this wave of energy but not really sure how it felt at the end of the day. I liked the record but it didn't feel authentically me. I think we had an identity crisis. It was a hard decision to put it aside because we had spent a ton of time on it, but there was something missing. I had a responsibility to really stand behind something and focus on the longevity of the project. It should be the best we could do and this wasn't it. It was really risky. It stopped everything."

Buddy spent the next year feeling lost, uncertain of how to proceed with the band, and unsure of where to take the music, searching for a new beginning that felt organic to him as a musician. Collaboration became the key to restarting. Five tracks from the unreleased album eventually emerged in 2012 as the Campfire EP, but Buddy needed a new inspiration for his second album. In 2012, Buddy and Will started writing and recording together in Los Angeles, in a harmonious partnership, with Will leading the charge on much of the album's production. The songs were bigger and fuller, propelled by more electronic elements than Buddy had previously employed.

Will has said, "Buddy's songs are very personal to him and he puts so much of himself into them...So I understood why he felt like it wasn't working but at the end of the day I think we still learned a lot from it. It was really nice to get in and work together. It was late nights. We would just show up every day. We wrote over 30 songs. We could sift through those and decide what would work. It was simple and really easy. These songs represent Buddy really well and show how he's grown as a songwriter."

The album itself, Last Call For The Quiet Life, reflects Buddy's struggle and reconciliation with himself over the past few years. For him, the songs are a sort of confessional therapy, a place to channel the issues and ideas that plague his mind. One song, "Anchor," began as a poem Buddy had written, a new songwriting method for him. The album's title is derived from a line in the album's first track, embodying the idea that you never know how long the window of opportunity will be open. The music embraces a more up-tempo rock vibe reflecting Buddy's live performance, each instrument layering together to create a buoyant but introspective indie-pop vibe.

The disc features several guest musicians, including Michelle Branch, the Cary Brothers, and Holly Conlan, who lend their voices to the melodies. The duo finished recording the album in early 2013 and went to Seattle in February and March to mix it with Phil Ek at Avast Studios. The album was mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound in March 2013 in New York City. The album is a collection of songs.

Band members

Additional members

Discography

Albums

"Last Call For The Quiet Life" August 19, 2014. All Songs Written by – Buddy and Will Golden Produced by – Will Golden Recorded and Engineered by – Will Golden at The Chalet – Los Angeles, CA Drums Recorded and Engineered by – Clay Blair at Boulevard Recording – Los Angeles, CA Assisted by – Brian McPhillips Mixed by – Phil Ek at Avast! - Seattle, WA Mastered by – Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound – New York, NY Buddy – vocals, guitars, synths Will Golden – bass, guitars, synths, background vocals Additional Musicians: Guitars: Percy Mamikunian (tracks 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9), Phil Krohnengold (1, 4), Jeramy Koepping (1), Brandon Walters (7, 8) Synths: Michael Tritter (all tracks), Phil Krohnengold (2, 3, 6, 9), Nick White (10) Drums: Michael Jerome (1,3, 4, 5, 8), Frederick Bokkenheuser (2, 6, 7, 9, 10), David Palmer (10) Percussion: Al Sgro (all tracks) Bass: Joe Karnes (all tracks) Cellos: Oli Kraus (4, 8, 9) Vocals: Holly Conlan (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9), Michelle Branch (7, 8), Ian Ball (2, 4, 6), Cary Brothers (2, 3, 5) Group Vocals: Morgan Nagler (2, 4, 5), Jake Bellowes (2, 4, 5), Jiha Lee (2, 4, 5), Nick White (2, 4, 5), Percy Mamikunian (4), Graham Kurzner (4), Ever Golden (5) Cover art Illustrations by: Sprankenstein, London, UK. Layout by: Bait and Tackle Studios Los Angeles, CA.

  1. Weak Current
  2. Slow Light Down
  3. Fault Lines
  4. Boxing Elbows
  5. Behind It (Bad Advice)
  6. Anchor
  7. Anywhere You Go
  8. Stare Too Long
  9. Frames Per Second
  10. Scrap Metal

"Alterations and Repairs" Released June 26, 2007. Additional musicians/vocalists: Anna-Lynne Williams (Trespassers William), Ben Peeler (Alexi Murdoch), Meiko, Ollie (Sia, Tom McRae). Mixed by Bryan Cook (Inara George, The Bird & The Bee, Gary Jules) and mastered by Roger Siebel (Death Cab for Cutie/Plans). Artwork by PCP (The Postal Service).

  1. "Say a Lot"
  2. "Westgate"
  3. "Apologize (If You Tried)"
  4. "Blindsides"
  5. "Color Patterns"
  6. "11/22"
  7. "No Heart"
  8. "Never Timed Just Right"
  9. "If We Lived Here"
  10. "Silent Treatment"
  11. "Regular Time"
  12. "Last Call Waiting"
  13. "My Left Your Right (Feat. Meiko)" Japan LP Release only 2010, Single released digitally on iTunes 2012.

Singles and EPs

  1. "Braddock"
  2. "Make Believe In You"
  3. "Be Like This"
  4. "Salt Point"
  5. "Milkshake"
  6. "Valentine, Nebraska"
  7. "Regular Time"

Compilations and covers

Film and television

Press

Trivia

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