Neptune (American band)

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Neptune
Neptune Band.jpg
Current band lineup. Photo by Lindsay Metivier, 2008.
Background information
Origin Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Genres Noise rock, Avant-garde, Industrial, No wave, Experimental, Electronic, Improvisation
Years active1994–present
Labels Table of the Elements, Northern Spy Records, Wrong Way Archival Bureau, Magnetism Crafts, Golden Lab, 100% Breakfast, Mister Records, Hiddenbirdhouse, Distile, Archenemy Record Company, NO=FI, Les Potagers Natures
MembersJason Sidney Sanford
Mark William Pearson
Daniel Paul Boucher
Past membersGregory Kenney
Douglas Last
Darryl Blood
Carl Wieting
Jessica Rylan
Malcolm Felder
Adrianne Jorge
Adam Scotto
Christopher Huggins
Joel Hamburger
Justin Kaiden
John Douglas Manson
Mary Staubitz
Kenneth Wagner Linnehan
Farhad Ebrihimi
Kevin Emil Micka
Martina Rossi
Jesse Gallagher
Justin Earl Kipp
David Gerhard Utzinger
Regina Greene
Website neptune-band.com

Neptune is an experimental / industrial noise rock band originally hailing from Boston, Massachusetts. Throughout its 30+ year history, the band has largely operated as a collective, not only by employing a rotating membership, but also often collaborating with other musicians and artists both live and on record. They are noted for having built their custom-made instruments out of scrap steel and other found-object and recycled materials. The instruments themselves can be heavy and foreboding "self-made from antiquated machines and scrap metal, forged at extreme angles like props from a German expressionist film." [1] A reviewer once said of the band: "Neptune really do accurately approximate in their music the tragic and violent desolation of the auto graveyards from which they draw their raw materials." [2] While another wrote: "Neptune's closest comparison could only be themselves." [3]

Contents

Band history

Neptune's origins trace to 1994 [4] as a sculpture project by Boston artist/musician Jason Sanford, who forged the band's haphazard guitars and reluctant drums from scrap steel and found objects. Over the years the instruments have evolved to incorporate oscillators and other electronic devices as band "have integrated some really smart looking industrial class synthesizer gear" [5] into their noise-making arsenal. Twelve (+) lineups, Thirty-three releases [6] and hundreds of instruments later, the band continues to wrench its sound spatter on self-built instruments to often confounded audiences around the world. As of 2024, the band has played over 700 shows, [7] with a recent US tour in June 2023. [8]

Having toured extensively, Neptune has shared stages with "a variety of artists such as The Ex, Mission of Burma, Ut, Oneida, Lightning Bolt, The Flaming Lips, Blonde Redhead, Melt-Banana, Charles Hayward, Liars, Black Dice, James Chance & the Contortions, Gang Gang Dance, Six Finger Satellite, Wolf Eyes.", Enon, Deerhunter, Erase Errata, Arab on Radar and Parts & Labor. [9]

As of 2020, Neptune again consists of Sanford along with long-time Neptune collaborators Mark William Pearson and Daniel Paul Boucher.

Personnel

Current members

Past members / frequent collaborators

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Mini-albums

EPs

Singles

Videos

Live Videos

References

  1. ↑ Crock, Jason. "Neptune - Gone Lake review". Pitchfork. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved April 29, 2008.
  2. ↑ Tangari, Joe. "Intimate Lightning Review". Pitchfork. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved June 20, 2004.
  3. ↑ Stas, Ben (July 7, 2023). "Neptune Played The Midway - 6/24". Noise Floor. Yardhawk. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
  4. ↑ Strunk, Christoper (August 9, 2023). "Seminal Boston Noise Rock Band, Neptune, Returns". Boston Compass. Boston Compass Newspaper. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  5. ↑ Torrone, Phillip. "Neptune – Scrap Metal Instruments". Make. makezine.com. Retrieved April 3, 2006.
  6. ↑ "Neptune Discography". Discogs. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  7. ↑ Boucher, Daniel Paul. "Neptune Show Archive". Neptune Band Website. Neptune. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Neptune at The Apohadion Theater - June 25, 2023". Portland Old Port. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  9. ↑ "Spy Music Festival: Rhys Chatham, Extra Life, Neptune". Issue Project Room. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
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