Galaxie 500

Last updated

Galaxie 500
Galaxie500 promo low-res.jpg
Background information
Origin Cambridge, Massachusetts
Genres
Years active1987–1991
Labels
Past members

Galaxie 500 was an American alternative rock band that formed in 1987 and split up in 1991 after releasing three albums: Today , On Fire and This Is Our Music . [4]

Contents

The band membership comprised guitarist/vocalist Dean Wareham, drummer Damon Krukowski and bassist and vocalist Naomi Yang.

History

Guitarist Dean Wareham, drummer Damon Krukowski and bassist Naomi Yang had met at the Dalton School in New York City in 1981, but began playing together during their time as students at Harvard University. [5] [6] [7] [8] Wareham and Krukowski had formed a series of punk-influenced student bands, before Wareham returned to New York. [8] When he returned in 1987 he and Krukowski formed a new band, with Yang joining the group on bass guitar, the new group deciding on the name Galaxie 500, after a friend's car, a Ford Galaxie 500.

The band began playing gigs in Boston and New York City, and recorded a demo which they sent to Shimmy Disc label boss and producer Mark Kramer, who agreed to produce the band. [5] With Kramer at the controls, the band recorded the "Tugboat" single in February 1988, and the "Oblivious" flexi-disc, and moved on to record their debut album, Today, which was released on the small Aurora label. [6] The band toured the United Kingdom in late 1988 and in 1989, then signed to Rough Trade and released their second album, On Fire, which has been described as "lo-fi psychedelia reminiscent of Jonathan Richman being backed by The Velvet Underground", [6] and is considered the band's defining moment. [5] On Fire reached number 7 in the UK Indie Chart, and met with much critical acclaim in the United Kingdom, but was less well received by the US music press, who cited Wareham's 'vocal limitations' as a weakness. [9] [10]

Galaxie 500 recorded two sessions for John Peel's BBC Radio 1 programme, these later released on the Peel Sessions album. Their cover of Jonathan Richman's "Don't Let Our Youth Go To Waste" was also voted into number 41 in 1989's Festive 50 by listeners to the show. [11]

The band split up in the spring of 1991 after the release of their third album, This Is Our Music. Wareham, who had already moved back to New York, quit the band after a lengthy American tour, as preparations were underway for a tour of Japan. [6] [7] [12] [13] As Wareham later said, "Galaxie 500 broke up because it was time. We broke up as a result of internal contradictions. Columbia Records was interested in signing us, but the making of the previous album had been very difficult--and clearly we weren't getting along--so why should we continue to sit in a room and make music together?" [12] Their last performance was on April 5, 1991, at Bowdoin College for the campus radio station, WBOR. [14]

Galaxie 500's records were released in the US and UK on the independent Rough Trade label. When Rough Trade went bankrupt in 1991, Krukowski and Yang purchased the masters at auction, reissuing them on Rykodisc in 1996 as a box set containing all three albums and another disc of rarities. [15]

Musical style and influences

Galaxie 500 used fairly simple instrumental techniques enhanced with an atmospheric production style. The Velvet Underground and Jonathan Richman have been identified as key influences. [6] [9] In interviews on the Galaxie 500 DVD Don't Let Our Youth Go to Waste, Wareham cites Spacemen 3 as another key inspiration.

Post-Galaxie 500 activities

After leaving Galaxie 500, Wareham tried his hand at production, working with Mercury Rev. He released a solo single, "Anesthesia," in February 1992, and formed a new band, Luna. Krukowski and Yang continued to record under the moniker Pierre Etoile (French for "Rock Star"), and then Damon and Naomi (whose first two releases were also produced by Kramer), and as members of Magic Hour. [6] They also began the avant-garde press Exact Change. [16]

In June 2010 Wareham announced on his website that he would be going on an autumn tour under the moniker "Dean Wareham plays Galaxie 500," where he would, as the moniker suggests, only play Galaxie 500 songs. [17]

Influence

Galaxie 500's music had an influence on many later indie music groups, including Low. [9] Their music has been covered and referenced by several well known artists. In Liz Phair's song "Stratford-on-Guy", she sings, "And I was pretending that I was in a Galaxie 500 video." In Xiu Xiu's song "Dr. Troll", Jamie Stewart sings, "Listen to On Fire and pretend someone could love you." On Neutral Milk Hotel's debut album, On Avery Island , the song "Naomi" was written about Naomi Yang, and includes the line "There is no Naomi in view/She walks through Cambridge stocks and strolls"; in 2011, Yang created a music video for the song, including an anecdote recounting how Neutral Milk Hotel member Julian Koster gave her a copy of the album and told her the song was written about her. [18] The Brian Jonestown Massacre's And This Is Our Music was titled in reference to the group's album This Is Our Music (which itself was titled after Ornette Coleman's album This Is Our Music ). [9] Sonic Youth frontman Thurston Moore has cited Galaxie 500's album Today as "the guitar record of 1988". [19]

"Tugboat" has been covered by many artists, including The Submarines, who recorded it with indie rock producer Adam Lasus for their iTunes Live Session EP, British Sea Power, on Rough Trade compilation Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before... , Welsh lo-fi band Joanna Gruesome, and Portastatic, Kiwi Jr., for a planned concert of Galaxie 500 covers at Rough Trade Brooklyn set to coincide with Record Store Day and the release of Galaxie's Copenhagen on vinyl. In 2010 the bands Cloudland Canyon and Citay, appeared on a 7-inch EP together wherein they both covered Galaxie 500, the former taking on "Temperature's Rising" and the latter doing a version of "Tugboat". English artist World Of Fox covered "Flowers" in his 2011 release on Where It's At Is Where You Are Records.[ citation needed ]

In 2012 the song "Tugboat" was featured in the film The Perks of Being a Wallflower , directed by Stephen Chbosky and based on his book of the same name. [20]

Discography

Studio albums

Compilations

Post-split releases

Singles

Promotional videos

DVDs

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Young Marble Giants</span> Welsh post-punk band

Young Marble Giants were a Welsh post-punk band formed in Cardiff, Wales, in 1978. Their music was based around the vocals of Alison Statton along with the minimalist instrumentation of brothers Philip and Stuart Moxham. Their early sound was a sharp contrast with the more aggressive punk rock that dominated the underground at the time. Young Marble Giants released just one studio album, Colossal Youth, in 1980. They also released two EPs and recorded a John Peel session.

<i>On Avery Island</i> 1996 studio album by Neutral Milk Hotel

On Avery Island is the debut studio album by American rock band Neutral Milk Hotel, released on March 26, 1996, by Merge Records. At the time, Neutral Milk Hotel was a solo project of American musician Jeff Mangum, who recorded the album with producer Robert Schneider from February to May 1995. On Avery Island is an indie rock and psychedelic folk album, with a lo-fi sound.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luna (1990s American band)</span> American rock band

Luna is an American rock band formed in 1991 by singer and guitarist Dean Wareham after the breakup of Galaxie 500. Described by Rolling Stone as "the best band you’ve never heard of," Luna combine intricate guitar work, traditional rock rhythms, and poetic lyrics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Television Personalities</span> English post-punk band

The Television Personalities are an English post-punk band formed in 1977 by London singer-songwriter Dan Treacy. Their varied, volatile and long career encompasses post punk, neo-psychedelia and indie pop; the only constant being Treacy's songwriting. Present and former members include Chelsea childhood mates 'Slaughter Joe' Joe Foster, one time best friend Ed Ball and Jowe Head, with Jeffrey Bloom from 1983-94. The threesome of Treacy, Head, and Bloom formed the longest unchanged line-up and as a result is considered by many to be the definitive line-up, performing hundreds of gigs around the world and recording many of the band's most popular songs like "How I Learned to Love the Bomb", "Salvador Dali's Garden Party" and "Strangely Beautiful". Despite this, the Television Personalities are best known for their early single "Part Time Punks", a favourite of John Peel's.

Swell Maps were an English experimental DIY, early punk and post-punk rock group from Birmingham, England active in various forms between 1972 and 1980. Influenced by bands such as T. Rex and German krautrock groups such as Can and Faust, they went on to be influential to many others in the post-punk era.

<i>Today</i> (Galaxie 500 album) 1988 studio album by Galaxie 500

Today is the debut studio album by American indie rock band Galaxie 500, released in 1988 on Aurora Records.

<i>On Fire</i> (Galaxie 500 album) 1989 studio album by Galaxie 500

On Fire is the second studio album by American indie rock band Galaxie 500, released in 1989 on Rough Trade Records.

<i>This Is Our Music</i> (Galaxie 500 album) 1990 studio album by Galaxie 500

This Is Our Music is the third and final studio album by American indie rock band Galaxie 500, released in 1990 on Rough Trade Records.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dean Wareham</span> American musician and actor (born 1963)

Dean Wareham is an American musician and actor who co-founded the band Galaxie 500 in 1987. He departed from Galaxie 500 in April 1991 and went on to establish the band Luna. Following Luna's dissolution in 2005, Wareham has collaborated on albums with fellow Luna band member Britta Phillips, forming the duo known as Dean and Britta. They have also ventured into film composition, notably contributing to the soundtracks of Noah Baumbach's films The Squid and the Whale and Mistress America. In 2014, Wareham released a self-titled album and in 2015, he reformed Luna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damon & Naomi</span>

Damon & Naomi are an American dream pop/indie folk duo, formed in 1991 by Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang, formerly of Galaxie 500.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naomi Yang (musician)</span> American singer

Naomi Yang is an American musician, graphic designer, photographer and filmmaker. She was a member of the dreampop band Galaxie 500, psychedelic rock band Magic Hour and is half of the psychedelic folk duo Damon and Naomi. She has also made videos for a wide number of artists including Future Bible Heroes, Waxahatchee and Julia Holter.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damon Krukowski</span> American musician and writer

Damon Krukowski is an American musician, poet and writer. He was a member of the dreampop band Galaxie 500 and the psychedelic rock band Magic Hour, and is half of the psychedelic folk duo Damon and Naomi. He is also a published poet and writer.

Miracle Fortress is a Canadian indie rock band based in Montreal, Quebec. The band's studio work is primarily a solo, project of songwriter Graham Van Pelt, who is accompanied by the rest of the band during live shows.

Nancy Harrow is an American jazz singer and songwriter.

<i>Uncollected</i> 2004 compilation album by Galaxie 500

Uncollected is a compilation album by Galaxie 500, originally released in 1996 as a part of the Galaxie 500 box set. It was later reissued as a single disc in 2004 by Rykodisc Records

<i>Peel Sessions</i> (Galaxie 500 album) 2005 compilation album by Galaxie 500

Peel Sessions is a compilation album of live BBC radio sessions by Galaxie 500.

<i>The Portable Galaxie 500</i> 1998 greatest hits album by Galaxie 500

The Portable Galaxie 500 is a compilation album by the rock band Galaxie 500. It was released in 1998 on Rykodisc.

Magic Hour were an American psychedelic rock band from greater Boston, Massachusetts, USA and were made up of former Crystalized Movements members Wayne Rogers and Kate Biggar and former Galaxie 500 members Damon Krukowski and Naomi Yang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Listen, the Snow Is Falling</span> 1971 single by Yoko Ono

"Listen, the Snow Is Falling" is a song written by Yoko Ono and recorded by Ono and the Plastic Ono Band that was first released as the B-side of John Lennon's 1971 single "Happy Xmas ." A version of the song was later released on a reissue of Lennon and Ono's Wedding Album and was covered by Galaxie 500.

<i>More Sad Hits</i> 1992 studio album by Damon & Naomi

More Sad Hits is the debut studio album by Damon & Naomi, released in 1992 by Shimmy Disc.

References

  1. ↑ McGonigal, Mike. "Temperature's Rising: Galaxie 500, An Oral History". Pitchfork. May 3, 2010.
  2. ↑ Richardson, Mark (March 30, 2010). "Galaxie 500: Today / On Fire / This Is Our Music". Pitchfork Media . Retrieved December 28, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Galaxie 500: Uncollected | Album Reviews". Pitchfork. August 2, 2004. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  4. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (March 11, 2010). "Galaxie 500: Today/On Fire/This Is Our Music". The Guardian. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  5. 1 2 3 Ankeny, Jason. "Galaxie 500 Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved March 25, 2008.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Strong, Martin C. (1999). The Great Alternative & Indie Discography . Canongate. ISBN   0-86241-913-1.
  7. 1 2 Larkin, Colin (1992). The Guinness Who's Who of Indie and New Wave Music. Guinness Publishing. pp. 120/1. ISBN   0-85112-579-4.
  8. 1 2 Thompson, Dave (2000) Alternative Rock, Miller Freeman Books, ISBN   0-87930-607-6, p.380-381
  9. 1 2 3 4 Buckley, Peter (2003). The Rough Guide to Rock. Rough Guides. pp.  408–409. ISBN   1-84353-105-4.
  10. ↑ Lazell, Barry (1997). Indie Hits 1980–1999. Cherry Red Books. ISBN   0-9517206-9-4.
  11. ↑ "Keeping It Peel : Galaxie 500". Keeping It Peel. BBC. Retrieved March 25, 2008.
  12. 1 2 McGonigal, Mike (May 10, 2010). "Temperature's Rising: Galaxie 500". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  13. ↑ Andy on April 5, 2021 (April 5, 2021). "GALAXIE 500 have split (30 years on)". A Head Full of Wishes. Retrieved October 25, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ↑ "A dream pop legend dies at Bowdoin College". September 19, 2014.
  15. ↑ Rosen, Craig. (October 5, 1996). "Galaxie 500 Catalog Rises again with Rykodisc Box." Billboard, pp. 14, 15, 19, volume 108, number 40.
  16. ↑ "Frame.HTML". Archived from the original on January 15, 2010. Retrieved January 15, 2010.
  17. ↑ "Dean & Britta » Blog Archive » D&B band plays Galaxie 500 shows". September 10, 2010. Archived from the original on September 10, 2010.
  18. ↑ "Watch: Galaxie 500's Naomi Yang Makes a Video for Neutral Milk Hotel's "Naomi" | News". Pitchfork. November 15, 2011. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
  19. ↑ Bollig, Ben (October 2004). "Galaxie 500 "Uncollected" (review)". No Ripcord. Retrieved March 25, 2008.
  20. ↑ Jagernauth, Kevin (August 2012). "'Perks Of Being A Wallflower' Soundtrack Features Sonic Youth, Galaxie 500, David Bowie, The Smiths & More". IndieWire. Retrieved January 21, 2019.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.