Childhood friends Thomas Hardy Morris and Walker Howle have played together since high school in Augusta, Georgia and along with Morris's brother Dawson hooked up with Jason Scarboro and Brantley Senn to form Redbelly in college in 1997.[2]
Redbelly's original lead singer Dawson Morris left and the band eventually went on to release its self-titled debut in October 2003 (recorded in Augusta in December 2002).[3][4] At this point the band was primarily a southern rock-influenced jam band whose songs would often be 20 or 30 minutes long and were styled between Neil Young and Pink Floyd.[5][6] Drummer Jason Scarboro later commented that the band had had its "share of playing 20- and 30-minute songs and really, it sucked—It's something that gets really old";[7] Senn also commented that "We knew we were making music that didn’t match the music we were into. We were going nowhere".[8]
A turning point for the band came when the members relocated to Atlanta, where John Watkins joined them and they renamed themselves The Redbelly Band. The Redbelly Band released an EP entitled Underbelly in 2004[9] and what would become the Redbelly Band's last album, Petition To The Queen (recorded at Transduction Studios in Athens) in 2006.[10] The album featured the first version of the Senn-penned track The Rat, which was intentionally tighter than the band's previous looser, more improvised material.[7]
In late 2006, the members relocated to Athens, where Morris and Senn attended college. Taking themselves more seriously and writing tighter, more song-based material, they renamed the band Dead Confederate. When questioned about the new name, frontman Morris commented that it "sounded like we did; a bit dark, a bit militant, a bit southern";[11] Senn later commented that the Redbelly Band was "a terrible name".[12] After beating hundreds of bands to win the Open Mic Madness battle of the bands competition in Atlanta, the band was given the prize of two days' free recording at the city's Nickel and Dime Studios, where they produced a four-song demo.[13]
In 2007, former Capitol Records president Gary Gersh, who had previously signed Sonic Youth and Nirvana to Geffen Records signed Dead Confederate as the first band on his new label TAO.[14] Radio DJ and record company scout Scott Register had seen the band play in Birmingham, Alabama[15] and had played the band's demo to Gersh. On January 22, 2008, the band released its self-titled debut EP, which was a collection of early recordings.[16][17] The new EP and an appearance at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas resulted in some national exposure.[18]
On September 16, 2008, the band released its first LP, Wrecking Ball, on the TAO label.[19] The band recorded the album earlier that year with producer Mike McCarthy in Austin.
In 2009, the band signed a deal with Kartel in the UK and Europe, which saw "Wrecking Ball" released on October 26, 2009, with a selection of the tracks from the band's debut EP as bonus material.[23]
The band released its second LP, Sugar, in North America on October 24, 2010,[24] and in the UK and Europe on September 13.[25] The album was recorded with producer John Agnello in Hoboken, New Jersey, during record-setting snowfall, a factor that influenced the album's title.[26][27] Morris described the album as being "more upbeat and psychedelic" than Wrecking Ball and revealed that the band deliberately didn't work on the arrangements for the songs until just days before entering the studio.[27]
In the summer of 2010, the band co-headlined a US tour with Alberta Cross—the "DC/AC" tour, and also toured Europe and England in February 2011 as co-headliners with UK and Europe label mates The Whigs.
In a February 2011 interview, Senn stated that the band was working on EP of b-sides from the Sugar album sessions,[28] however this was never released.
Following a number of live dates with different drummers, the band announced in August 2011 that found member, drummer Jason Scarboro had left the band to "start a family".[29] The band set to work on their third studio album in early 2012 with Andy LeMaster and Drive-By Truckers producer David Barbe at Chase Park Transduction in Athens. The album In The Marrow was released in April 2013 via the band's own Redeye Distribution distributed Spiderbomb Records,[30] which according to Morriss is a "kind of a culmination of all the stuff we’ve done"[31] and features new drummer JJ Bower[32] and guests Thayer Sarrano and Matt Stoessel.[33] In December 2012, the band released the EP Peyote People featuring tracks recorded following the album sessions digitally though their official website. The EP features guest musicians in addition to the band, and was potentially going to be released not as Dead Confederate but as Peyote People.[34]
Post-split
The band's guitarist Walker Howle has concentrated on his artwork and work in architecture[35] as well as headlining local shows under several names including PigMan and Tia Madre.[36][37]
Bassist Brantley Senn has gone into web development and digital marketing.[38]
Keyboardist John Watkins has since performed locally with the likes of The Honey Sliders and Houston In The Blind.[39][40]
Morris as well as playing solo gigs as T. Hardy Morris and The Outfit[41] has formed Diamond Rugs with Deer Tick singer John McCauley and Black Lips guitarist Ian Saint Pé.[42]
In March 2013 it was announced that Morris had signed to Dangerbird Records and release his debut solo album Audition Tapes in summer 2013 as T. Hardy Morris and The Outfit.[43] He released follow up album Drownin on a Mountaintop in 2015.[44]
The band's original drummer Jason Scarboro now works as an electrician.
Keith Morris is an American singer and songwriter known for his role as frontman of the hardcore punk bands Black Flag, Circle Jerks, and Off!. Born and raised in Hermosa Beach, California, he formed Black Flag at the age of 21 with guitarist Greg Ginn and performed on the band's 1979 debut EP Nervous Breakdown. Shortly after leaving Black Flag in 1979, he formed the Circle Jerks with guitarist Greg Hetson; the band released seven albums between 1980 and 1995 and have broken up and reformed on numerous occasions. In 2009 Morris formed the supergroup Off! with guitarist Dimitri Coats, bassist Steven Shane McDonald, and drummer Mario Rubalcaba. Morris has also appeared as a guest vocalist on several albums by other artists.
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, were an American alternative rock band from Austin, Texas, formed in 1994. The band's earliest stable lineup consisted of Conrad Keely, Jason Reece, Kevin Allen and Neil Busch, though for most of the band's history Keely and Reece were the core members with other musicians serving for varying lengths of time. Trail of Dead gathered a hardcore of fans and were well known for their energetic and protracted live performances. Between 1998 and 2023, the band released eleven studio albums and five EPs along with one live album and twenty-two singles. The artwork for all of the albums was created by Keely using various media. This artwork has strong and recurring mythical and historical themes.
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes are a punk rock supergroup and cover band that formed in San Francisco in 1995. The band's lineup consists of Spike Slawson, Fat Mike, Joey Cape, and Dave Raun. Chris Shiflett is a former member.
Swingin' Utters is a Californian punk rock band that formed in the late 1980s. After a seven-year hiatus, the band reformed in 2010 and have since released four more records.
Magnapop is an American rock band based in Atlanta, Georgia. Formed in 1989, the band has consistently included songwriting duo Linda Hopper as vocalist and Ruthie Morris on guitar. Magnapop first achieved recognition in the Benelux countries of Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg through the festival circuit and have remained popular in Europe throughout their career. After modest success in the United States in the mid-1990s with the singles "Slowly, Slowly" and "Open the Door" and a series of albums produced by Michael Stipe, Bob Mould, and Geza X, the band went on an extended hiatus due to the dissolution of their record label. They returned with a new rhythm section in 2005 on the Daemon Records release Mouthfeel. The band has continued to perform and record since this reunion and have self-released two more albums. Magnapop's musical style is noted for blending the pop vocals and melodies of Hopper with the aggressive, punk-influenced guitar-playing of Morris and her back-up vocal harmonies.
Agent Orange is an American punk rock band formed in Placentia, California, in 1979. The band was one of the first to mix punk rock with surf music.
The music of Athens, Georgia includes a wide variety of popular music and was an important part of the early evolution of alternative rock and new wave. The city is well known as the home of chart-topping bands like R.E.M., Widespread Panic, The B-52's and the Indigo Girls. and several long-time indie rock groups. Athens hosts the Athens Symphony Orchestra and other music institutions, as well as prominent local music media, such as the college radio station WUOG. Much of the modern Athens music scene relies on students from the large University of Georgia campus in the city. The University sponsors Western classical performances and groups specializing in other styles.
The Whigs are an American garage rock band from Athens, Georgia, consisting of lead singer and guitarist Parker Gispert, drummer Julian Dorio and bassist Timothy Deaux.
Born Ruffians are a Canadian indie rock band based in Toronto. Officially founded in 2004 in the Georgian Bay town of Midland, Ontario, the band is composed of frontman Luke Lalonde, bassist Mitch DeRosier, and drummer Steve Hamelin. During the 2010s, they were also joined by Andy Lloyd (guitar/keyboards) and Adam Hindle (drums). Born Ruffians released their debut album Red, Yellow & Blue in 2008, and have since released seven albums in total, including their two most recents records, Juice and Squeeze, both released in 2020.
Star Fucking Hipsters is an American punk rock band from New York City who have released albums on Fat Wreck Chords and Alternative Tentacles records. They have been called a "punk supergroup" and feature members from numerous notable bands including Leftöver Crack, Ensign, and The Ergs!
Wrecking Ball is the first full-length album from the band, Dead Confederate. It was recorded in Austin, TX with producer Mike McCarthy in January 2008.
Dead Confederate is the eponymous debut EP by Georgia-based psychedelic rock band Dead Confederate.
Dirty Ammo is a live EP by the band Dead Confederate released by The Artists Organization. All of the songs on Dirty Ammo (EP) were recorded in Atlanta, GA at the Earl on May 27, 2009. Dirty Ammo includes five original songs, including one previously unreleased song called "Guns," and two cover songs. Dead Confederate donated one dollar for every copy sold to help rebuild the Georgia Theater, which was destroyed in a fire in 2009.
Sugar is the second full-length album from Athens, Georgia based band, Dead Confederate. It was recorded in Hoboken, NJ with producer John Agnello in early 2010.
Futurebirds are an American indie rock band formed in 2008 from Athens, Georgia, United States. Their first album, Hampton's Lullaby, was released via the Aquarium Drunkard imprint, Autumn Tone Records, on July 27, 2010. Their self titled EP was re-released in February 2011 and their second EP, Via Flamina, was released in April 2011.
Five Eight is a band from Athens, Georgia, USA.
The Obvious is an American independent alternative/punk rock band that was formed in Asbury Park, New Jersey, United States, in mid-2005. The band currently consists of frontwoman Surojanie "Angie" Sugrim, Dan Astorri, and Biff Swenson (bass). The band has shared a similar style to other punk/alt-rock bands such as early Nirvana, Hole, and the Afghan Whigs. The Obvious has developed itself to be one of the most prominent punk rock acts to come out of the mid-2000s revival of the Asbury Park music scene.
Thayer Sarrano is a singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and visual artist. Besides her solo work, she has collaborated with numerous bands as a touring member or session player, and is strongly affiliated with the music scene of Athens, Georgia. She has released five albums, all of which have received positive reviews, with her music being referred to as shoegaze, psychedelic folk and Southern Gothic.
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References
↑ Mincher, Chris. "Dead Confederate". The A.V. Club 16 September 2008. 23 October 2008.
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