Lucky Dragons

Last updated
Lucky Dragons
Lucky Dragons combined image.jpg
Background information
Origin Los Angeles, California
Years active1999–present
LabelsMarriage, Upset The Rhythm, Glaciers of Nice.
MembersLuke Fischbeck
Sarah Rara
Website luckydragons.eqbal

Lucky Dragons is an experimental music group consisting of Luke Fischbeck and Sarah Rara. Based in Los Angeles, California, the band are noted for their unusual sound, described as having the ability to make "'everyday sounds' become alluringly other". [1]

Contents

Lucky Dragons' performances include live music, video projection, and sounds created in collaboration with the audience. They have performed at the Smell, Echo Curio, Dublab, KCHUNG at major international art institutions and at the 2008 Whitney Biennial. [1] [2]

History

Lucky Dragons were formed in 1999 and have created 19 albums as of November 2008. [1] As well as making music as part of the Lucky Dragons, the band also run a "weekly collaborative drawing society" called Sumi Ink Club and an internet community called Glaciers of Nice. [1]

Fischbeck explained that the duo were a band before they began creating just sounds. He said, "everything we've done since the beginning was to change the simple thing of what it means to be a band. This often, but not always, means making or rearranging sounds." [1]

Style

Though their songs have been described as having "entered the postsong age", Rara said that she felt music was "still very much in a song age" as "very few people are making work without a specific duration or end point". Rara said that the structure of Lucky Dragons' songs were very different, with some songs lasting only for "a few sputters" and with others that "revolve around shepherd tones and expand for hours". She stated that many of their songs "begin with improvisation" and said it was "like a game where the only rule is that each action must generate a kind of response or new action". The improvisation enables them to "keep moving in several new directions at once". [1]

Fischbeck said "a song in my mind is something that is completed once it is distributed and can come back in a changed form through a listening reaction" and was the element that enabled him to continue to call the band's music songs, as opposed to what he called "the much more technologically neutral 'tracks,' which [don't] imply any human interaction at all". [1]

The Stranger described two of the band's older albums, Norteñas and Future Feeling, as "employ[ing] a scrappy indietronica approach that sounds like Icelandic cuties Múm if they were raised on UK post-punk spazzes Swell Maps and hit "record" while buzzed on Jolt." Fischbeck noted that he felt the band's music was "maybe a mix between political and healing—meditative punk..." [1]

Music production

Rara stated that Lucky Dragons sometimes create two albums simultaneously, each with "completely different sensibilities", and upon completion decide which is better and release only that one. [1] Fischbeck said that he liked "newness and creative reuse and multiple points of view" as the band edit sound to "isolate and amplify these aspects of everyday sounds." [1]

The band use acoustic instruments to produce all of their sounds, though "the more 'pure' electronic sounds are processed recordings rather than generated from scratch". [1]

For a project entitled, Make a Baby, Luke Fischbeck attached a number of wires together so that when two people hold two different wires and touch, it creates sound. The project was said to be "like when Tom Hanks jumps on the keyboard steps in Big. Or when you go to the aquarium for the first time and you realize that's what a starfish feels like, self discovery, science and a taste of natural sorcery." [3]

Live performances

Rara said that the band's live performances are created with the idea that they should "generate equal power-sharing situations between members of the audience and ourselves." [1] This technique was described as "radical" as it was said to "encourage connections between show-goers over the standard-issue connection between a band and their creation and the audience's emotions". [4]

Discography

Albums

EPs and singles

Splits

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gorillaz</span> British virtual band

Gorillaz are an English virtual band formed in 1998 by musician Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett, from London. The band primarily consists of four fictional members: 2-D, Murdoc Niccals, Noodle, and Russel Hobbs (drums). Their universe is presented in music videos, interviews, comic strips and short cartoons. Gorillaz' music has featured collaborations with a wide range of featured artists, with Albarn as the only permanent musical contributor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joy Division</span> 1970s English rock band

Joy Division were an English rock band formed in Salford in 1976. The group consisted of vocalist Ian Curtis, guitarist/keyboardist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nirvana (band)</span> 1980s and 1990s American rock band

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, and then recruited Dave Grohl in 1990. Nirvana's success popularized alternative rock, and they were often referenced as the figurehead band of Generation X. Their music maintains a popular following and continues to influence modern rock culture.

<i>Bleach</i> (Nirvana album) 1989 studio album by Nirvana

Bleach is the debut studio album by American rock band Nirvana, released on June 15, 1989, by Sub Pop. After the release of their debut single "Love Buzz" on Sub Pop in November 1988, Nirvana rehearsed for two to three weeks in preparation for recording a full-length album. The main recording sessions for Bleach took place at Reciprocal Recording in Seattle, Washington between December 1988 and January 1989. It is the only Nirvana album released on the Sub Pop label and their only album to feature drummer Chad Channing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed O'Brien</span> English musician

Edward John O'Brien is an English guitarist, songwriter and member of the rock band Radiohead. He releases solo music under the name EOB.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Lukather</span> American guitarist, singer and songwriter

Steven Lee Lukather is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, arranger and record producer, best known as the sole continuous founding member of the rock band Toto. His reputation as a skilled guitarist led to a steady flow of session work beginning in the 1970s that has since established him as a prolific session musician, recording guitar tracks for more than 1,500 albums spanning a broad array of artists and genres. He has also contributed to albums and hit singles as a songwriter, arranger and producer. Notably, Lukather played guitar on Boz Scaggs' albums Down Two Then Left (1977) and Middle Man (1980), and was a prominent contributor to several studio albums by Michael Jackson, including Thriller (1982). Lukather has released eight solo albums, the latest of which, I Found the Sun Again, was released in February 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">DragonForce</span> British power metal band

DragonForce are a British power metal band from London, England. The band was formed in 1999 by guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman, and are known for their long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-themed lyrics and retro video game-influenced sound. DragonForce's current lineup comprises Li, Totman, vocalist Marc Hudson, drummer Gee Anzalone and bassist Alicia Vigil. The band have been through several lineup changes throughout their career; longtime members in vocalist ZP Theart, keyboardist Vadim Pruzhanov, drummer Dave Mackintosh and bassist Frédéric Leclercq are among the former members of the band.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Rapture (band)</span> American rock band

The Rapture is an American rock band from New York City, formed in 1998. The band currently consists of Luke Jenner, Vito Roccoforte, and Gabriel Andruzzi. The classic lineup (1999-2009) added Mattie Safer playing bass and sharing lead vocal duties with Jenner. Safer and Jenner's harmonized choruses became part of the signature sound of the band, featuring on several of the band’s more well known songs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dntel</span> American electronic musician and DJ

James Scott "Jimmy" Tamborello, also known by his stage name Dntel, is an American electronic music artist and DJ. Aside from his main solo project, Tamborello is also known as a member of the groups The Postal Service, Headset, and Figurine, where he is sometimes cited as James Figurine.

<i>The Unforgettable Fire</i> 1984 album by U2

The Unforgettable Fire is the fourth studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois, and released on 1 October 1984 by Island Records. The band wanted to pursue a new musical direction following the harder-hitting rock of their previous album, War (1983). As a result, they employed Eno and Lanois to produce and assist in their experimentation with a more ambient sound. The resulting change in direction was at the time the band's most dramatic. The album's title is a reference to "The Unforgettable Fire", an art exhibit about the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Kooks</span> English indie rock band

The Kooks are an English pop-rock band formed in 2004 in Brighton. The band consists of Luke Pritchard, Hugh Harris and Alexis Nunez (drums).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)</span> 1983 single by Journey

"Separate Ways " is a song performed by Journey, recorded for their album Frontiers and released as a single on January 5, 1983. It peaked at #8 for six consecutive weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and spent four weeks at No. 1 on the Top Tracks chart. The song is also well known for its use in the film Tron: Legacy and in season 4 of Stranger Things.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beach House</span> American dream pop duo

Beach House is an American musical duo formed in Baltimore, Maryland in 2004. The band consists of Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marriage Records</span>

Marriage Records is a small, independent record label formed in Portland, Oregon. It was founded in 2001 by Curtis Knapp and Adrian Orange. The label has released a number of albums by musicians such as Adam Forkner, Dirty Projectors, Little Wings, Lucky Dragons, Tune-Yards, Yacht, and Karl Blau. Artists on the label frequently collaborate and swap members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Gaslight Anthem</span> American rock band

The Gaslight Anthem is an American rock band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, formed in 2006. The band consists of Brian Fallon, Alex Rosamilia, Alex Levine, and Benny Horowitz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dublab</span> Non-profit internet radio station

dublab is a non-profit music public broadcasting internet radio station based in Los Angeles. They have also been involved with art exhibition, film projects, event production, and record releases. These Shows are archived and downloadable on the dublab website. dublab also broadcasts on KLDB-LP on 99.1 FM in Los Angeles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tame Impala</span> Australian psychedelic music project

Tame Impala is the psychedelic music project of Australian multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker. In the recording studio, Parker writes, records, performs, and produces all of the project's music. As a touring act, Tame Impala consists of Parker, Dominic Simper, Jay Watson, Cam Avery, and Julien Barbagallo. The group has a close affiliation with fellow Australian psychedelic rock band Pond, sharing members and collaborators, including Nick Allbrook, formerly a live member of Tame Impala. Originally signed to Modular Recordings, Tame Impala is now signed to Interscope Records in the United States and Fiction Records in the UK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucky Man (Emerson, Lake & Palmer song)</span> 1970 single by Emerson, Lake & Palmer

"Lucky Man" is a song by the English progressive rock supergroup Emerson, Lake & Palmer, from the group's 1970 self-titled debut album. Written by Greg Lake when he was 12 years old and recorded by the trio using improvised arrangements, the song contains one of rock music's earliest instances of a Moog synthesizer solo. "Lucky Man" was released as a single in 1970 and reached the top 20 in the Netherlands. The song also charted in the United States and Canada. The single was re-released in 1973 and charted again in the U.S. and Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yacht (band)</span> American dance-pop band

Yacht is an American dance-pop band from Portland, Oregon, currently based in Los Angeles, California. The core group consists of Jona Bechtolt and Claire L. Evans, and when touring expands to include Bobby Birdman.

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

Givers is an indie pop group from Lafayette, Louisiana. The band is made up of vocalist and percussionist Tiffany Lamson, vocalist and guitarist Taylor Guarisco, and bassist and guitarist Josh LeBlanc. The band's origins date to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which displaced Lamson and Guarisco from their New Orleans apartment and school, leading them to return to Lafayette with little to do. The duo began playing music together, and they recruited the other members shortly before a last-minute performance at a local pub in 2008. The band came together as the result of the unplanned, improvised jam.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Segal, Dave (2008-11-18). "Fantastic Fragments - Lucky Dragons' Miniaturized Electronic Exotica". The Stranger . Retrieved 2008-11-20.
  2. ↑ Dalton, Trinie. "Lucky Dragons - Upsetting the usual band-audience interaction". whitney.org. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
  3. ↑ "Fader TV: Lucky Dragons Makes Us A Baby". The Fader. 2008-09-06. Retrieved 2008-11-24.
  4. ↑ Bussolini, Brandon (2008-11-11). "Lucky Dragons - Upsetting the usual band-audience interaction". San Francisco Bay Guardian . Retrieved 2008-11-20.
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.