Sky Cries Mary

Last updated
Sky Cries Mary
Sky Cries Mary - 2018 - 09 - Roderick Wolgamott (28885013988).jpg
Roderick Wolgamott, Sky Cries Mary, 2018
Background information
Origin Seattle, Washington, United States
Genres Psychedelic rock, trance, industrial, space rock
Years active1988–99, 2004–2009, 2013–2015, 2016–present
LabelsLively Art/New Rose Records, World Domination Recordings/Capitol Records, Warner Bros. Records, Collective Fruit Records, Hoodooh Music, Trail Records
MembersRodrick Wolgamott
Ben Ireland
Kevin Whitworth
Jack Endino
Curt Eckman
Debra Reese
Past members Kurt Danielson
Ron Nine
Ivan Kral
Anisa Romero
Jon "Juano" Davison
Jon Auer
Ken Stringfellow
Scott Mercado
Alfred Butler
Stephen Brian-Salit
Mark Ultra
Kevin McCoy
Jeff Guess
DJ Fallout (Todd "TR" Robbins)
Joe Skyward (Joseph E. Howard)
Marc Olsen
Gordon Raphael
Jeff Greinke
Jeremy Moss
Michael Cozzi
William Bernhard
Kent Halvorsen

Sky Cries Mary is an American psychedelic rock/trance musical group from Seattle, Washington, [1] [2] formed in the late 1980s by Roderick Wolgamott. [3]

Contents

Early band influences included European industrial music bands such as Einstürzende Neubauten, [4] Coil, and Test Department, and 1970s glam/punk artists including Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, and David Bowie.

Notable band alumni include Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow of The Posies, vocalist Anisa Romero, Michael Cozzi of Shriekback, Jon ‘Juano’ Davison (later of Yes and Glass Hammer), Ron Nine (Love Battery) on guitar, Kurt Danielson (TAD on bass) and Gordon Raphael (producer for The Strokes).

In 2018, guitarists Jack Endino and Kevin Whitworth, alongside bassist Curt Eckman and vocalist Debra Reese were invited to join the group. They have performed live several times in the Pacific Northwest, notably at Seattle Hempfest (2019). The most recent lineup recorded and released three studio albums on Trail Records. The newest release, Wandering in the Vastness is available digitally, or on CD. A vinyl pressing was expected in 2022.

History

The band's first album, from 1989, featured Roderick Wolgamott playing with Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow from The Posies. The second album, released in 1990, featured the same trio, joined by Scott Mercado, Alfred Butler, Stephen Brian-Salit, Mark Ultra, Kevin McCoy and Jeff Guess. [4] In 1991, the band became a septet with Roderick Wolgamott, Anisa Romero, DJ Fallout (a.k.a. Todd "TR" Robbins), Joseph E. Howard (a.k.a. Joe Skyward), Ben Ireland, Marc Olsen and Gordon Raphael. It was during this time they recorded A Return to the Inner Experience. [4] Cozzi replaced Olsen on the fifth through seventh albums. In 1994, Davison replaced Joe Howard. William Bernhard joined the band in 1998 after Cozzi left to pursue other projects.

Sky Cries Mary had broken up in 1999, shortly after the release of Seeds, because band members wanted to work on other projects. They regrouped in various configurations including Hana, which featured Anisa Romero, Jeff Greinke, and Ben Ireland, and No Futuro, an experimental musical project helmed by Roderick Wolgamott, William Bernhard, and Jeremy Moss. In 2004, the band (composed of Wolgamott, Romero, Ireland, Davison, Cozzi and Bernhard) regrouped after they won the rights to their music back from their old record company and subsequently released their first live album Here and Now. Two years later they followed it up with the release of Small Town.

In 2008, Sky Cries Mary's founder, Roderick Wolgamott and Anisa Romero were featured along with Sting and Russell Simmons on Lokah's debut release, The Ivy Ceiling.

Sky Cries Mary were one of the first bands to have an 'internet only' concert, an effort that was directed by former member McCoy. [5]

In 2012, bassist Jon Davison joined British progressive rock band Yes, performing as their lead vocalist. As a result, he was unavailable to rejoin the band when they reconvened in 2016.

In 2016, founder Roderick Wolgamott premiered a new line-up, alongside original drummer Ben Ireland, guitarist Ron Nine (Love Battery) and bassist Kurt Danielson (Tad).

In 2017, the band co-wrote and digitally released "War Song", a new single co-written by Wolgamott and Ron Nine. The band recorded several new songs, at Sound House with Jack Endino, who engineered Nirvana's Bleach , and Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger . Later in 2017, Jack Endino along with Curt Eckman (The Walkabouts), and Kevin Whitworth (Love Battery) joined the group. In September 2017, they headlined at Psychfest in Seattle. Together, the band recorded more songs, including re-releases of some very early Sky Cries Mary material.

A studio album, Thieves and Sirens, included songs from their most recent collaborations and was released digitally in 2017. A vinyl and CD release of Thieves and Sirens was issued in 2018 following live appearances in March and April.

On March 25, 2020, Secrets of a Red Planet was released on Trail Records. [6] In January 2022, Wandering in the Vastness was released on Trail Records.[ citation needed ]

Discography

Their song "The Elephant Song" was featured on the soundtrack for the movie The Harvest . Their song "Shipwrecked" was featured on the soundtrack for the movie Tank Girl . Their song "Cornerman" was featured in the movie Higher Learning, playing from a jukebox.

Related Research Articles

Shriekback are an English rock band formed in 1981 in Kentish Town by Barry Andrews, formerly of XTC and the League of Gentlemen (keyboards/synthesizers/vocals), and Dave Allen, formerly of Gang of Four, with Carl Marsh, formerly of Out on Blue Six (guitars/vocals) soon added to the line-up. The band's early music was a funk-influenced version of new wave and post-punk, later moving towards art rock and always featuring "insidiously weird vocals".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sweet 75</span> American rock band

Sweet 75 was a band formed by Krist Novoselic in 1994 after the break-up of Nirvana. The band released one self-titled album before splitting up in 2000.

The Long Winters are an American indie rock band based in Seattle, Washington.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Endino</span> American producer and musician

Jack Endino is an American producer and musician based in Seattle, Washington. Long associated with Seattle label Sub Pop and the grunge movement, Endino worked on seminal albums from bands including Mudhoney, Soundgarden and Nirvana. He was also the guitarist for Seattle band Skin Yard, which was active between 1985 and 1992. Endino currently manages a studio in Seattle called Soundhouse Recording.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dry Riser</span> 1994 single by Kerbdog

"Dry Riser" is a song by Kerbdog and a single released in 1994, taken from their self titled debut album, recorded at Rockfield Studios, Wales by Jack Endino. The single was released on four different formats, two CDs, and two 7" vinyls. CD1 was released as a limited edition Digipak and one of the 7" singles was released as a limited edition, pressed on clear vinyl as opposed to the usual black. The single climbed to number sixty on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Walkabouts</span> American rock band (1984–2015)

The Walkabouts were an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984. The core members were vocalist Carla Torgerson and vocalist and songwriter Chris Eckman. Although the rest of the line-up changed occasionally, for most of the time the other members were Michael Wells, Glenn Slater and Terri Moeller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Auer</span> American musician

Jonathan Paul "Jon" Auer is an American musician who co-founded the power pop band The Posies, along with Ken Stringfellow. Auer and Stringfellow also participated in the rejuvenated Big Star and in 2003 released Private Sides, a six-song split EP. Auer played guitar on the 2004 William Shatner record Has Been which was produced and arranged by Ben Folds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rick Boston</span> Canadian musician, composer and producer

Richard Wallie Boston is a Canadian musician, composer and producer based in Los Angeles. He is known for his roles in Low Pop Suicide and for producing Rickie Lee Jones' album, Ghostyhead.

<i>Amazing Disgrace</i> 1996 studio album by The Posies

Amazing Disgrace is the fourth album by the Seattle alternative rock band the Posies, released in 1996. It was their final release for DGC Records.

Hovercraft was an American instrumental experimental rock group that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1993. It was co-founded by its core duo of guitarist/samplist/tape looper Ryan Shinn, and bassist Beth Liebling. Liebling and Shinn would use the pseudonyms "Sadie 7" and "Campbell 2000", respectively, throughout the duration of the band's history. Hovercraft has been cited as one of the most abrasive, non-commercial sounding bands ever to receive major-label distribution for its albums. Though somewhat overlooked and sometimes heavily criticized because of the band's early association with Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder, the group was largely well respected and well received by critics and developed a cult following.

Kidneythieves are an American industrial rock duo from Los Angeles, California. It was founded in 1997 by vocalist Free Dominguez and guitarist/engineer Bruce Somers, and throughout their existence have worked with a revolving door of session musicians and live bandmembers. After releasing two albums, Trickster (1998) and Zerøspace(2002), Kidneythieves went on hiatus in late 2004, but regrouped again in late 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jon Davison</span> American musician (born 1971)

Jon Davison is an American singer, musician and songwriter who has been the lead vocalist of progressive rock band Yes since 2012.

<i>Trail of Stars</i> 1999 studio album by The Walkabouts

Trail of Stars is the ninth studio album by American alternative country band The Walkabouts released on August 2, 1999 through Glitterhouse Records. It's their return album to Glitterhouse, formerly Sub Pop Europe, after a two album detour with major label Virgin.

<i>Until the Grinders Cease</i> 1989 studio album by Sky Cries Mary

Until the Grinders Cease is the debut album of Sky Cries Mary, released in 1989 through Lively Art.

<i>Dont Eat the Dirt...</i> 1990 EP by Sky Cries Mary

Don't Eat the Dirt... is an EP by Sky Cries Mary, released in 1990 through Lively Art.

<i>Exit at the Axis</i> 1992 EP by Sky Cries Mary

Exit at the Axis is an EP by Sky Cries Mary, released on May 19, 1992 through Capitol Records.

<i>A Return to the Inner Experience</i> 1993 studio album by Sky Cries Mary

A Return to the Inner Experience is the second album by the American band Sky Cries Mary, released in 1993 through Capitol Records. "Gone" was released as a single.

<i>This Timeless Turning</i> 1994 studio album by Sky Cries Mary

This Timeless Turning is an album by Sky Cries Mary. It was released in 1994 through World Domination Recordings.

<i>Moonbathing on Sleeping Leaves</i> 1997 studio album by Sky Cries Mary

Moonbathing on Sleeping Leaves is the fourth album by Sky Cries Mary, released in 1997 through Warner Bros. Records. It was the band's first album for a major label.

The Joy Thieves is a musical supergroup, consisting of current, former, and touring members of bands such as Ministry, Stabbing Westward, The Rollins Band, Killing Joke, Pigface, Revolting Cocks, <PIG>, David Bowie, Machines of Loving Grace, Marilyn Manson, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, KMFDM, Naked Raygun, Foetus, My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult, Blue October, Pegboy, Nitzer Ebb, Die Krupps, White Zombie, and many more. The band incorporates elements of industrial, industrial rock, hard rock, alternative, and punk into their music. Along with their original releases, The Joy Thieves have also done official remixes for many other artists, including Chris Connelly, <PIG>, Consolidated, Drownd, I Ya Toyah, Blue Eyed Christ, Machines With Human Skin, DogTablet, A Covenant of Thorns, Death Pop Radio, Sapphira Vee, Stoneburner, and more.

References

  1. Thompson, Dave. "Small Town". Allmusic. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
  2. Alden, Grant (2007). "Sky Cries Mary". Trouser Press . Retrieved March 30, 2013.
  3. Thompson, Dave. "Biography & History". AllMusic . Retrieved July 28, 2019.
  4. 1 2 3 Colin Larkin, ed. (2000). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Nineties Music (First ed.). Virgin Books. pp. 358/9. ISBN   0-7535-0427-8.
  5. Strauss, Neil (November 22, 1994). "Rolling Stones Live on Internet: Both a Big Deal and a Little Deal". The New York Times . Archived from the original on 18 Jul 2012. Retrieved 2007-02-25.
  6. "Sky Cries Mary – Secrets of a Red Planet". Discogs. Retrieved 6 April 2020.