Soledad Brothers (band)

Last updated
Soledad Brothers
Soledadbrothers.jpg
Background information
Origin Maumee, Ohio
Genres Garage rock, blues rock, rock and roll, punk blues
Years active1998–2006
Labels Italy, Estrus, Loog, Alive, Cass
Associated acts The White Stripes, Jack White, Meg White, The Greenhornes, Static Rituals, Cut In The Hill Gang, Henry and June
Past membersBenjamin Swank
Johnny Walker
Henry Oliver

The Soledad Brothers were an American garage rock trio from Maumee, Ohio. Taking strong influence from blues rock, the band consisted of Ben Swank on drums, Johnny Walker on guitar and vocals, and Oliver Henry (formerly of The Greenhornes and who was recruited just before the release of their second album) on sax and guitar. The band produced four albums: Soledad Brothers (2000), Steal Your Soul and Dare Your Spirit to Move (2002), Voice of Treason (2003), and The Hardest Walk (2006).

Contents

History

Taking their name from a trio of convicted members of the Black Panther PartyGeorge Jackson, Fleeta Drumgo, and John Clutchette— incarcerated at Soledad Prison, the Soledad Brothers formed in 1998 in their hometown of Maumee, Ohio (near Toledo).

The band's foundations began with Johnny Walker (Johnny Wirick) joining the punk blues band Henry And June, in which Benjamin "Swank" Smith was already performing as drummer. Henry and June existed from 1994 until 1996. Wirick continued playing with drummer Doug Walker in the two-piece blues outfit 'Johnny Walker'. The Soledad Brothers began in early 1998 after guitarist/vocalist Johnny Wirick (a.k.a. Johnny Walker) asked drummer Ben Smith (a.k.a. Ben Swank) if he wanted to play a show. When traveling north to Detroit for a few gigs, the duo was approached by Italy Records owner Dave Buick. The label recorded the band, releasing the single "Sugar and Spice", which attracted Estrus Records. This led to the release of "The Gospel According to John" single along with a number of others, the success of which prompted Estrus Records to put out the band's first full-length album.

The self-titled album was engineered by Jack White of The White Stripes, who also produced their second single. Meg White performs some percussion on this album. While both the Soledad Brothers and the White Stripes were Detroit bands heavily influenced by blues, the relationship between the two was also personal. Ben was Jack's roommate for some period of time, and Johnny played slide guitar on two songs from The White Stripes' debut album, as well as teaching Jack how to play slide. Oliver Henry and Meg White had a long-term relationship while the Soledad Brothers were still together.

The band followed up with the 2002 album, Steal Your Soul and Dare Your Spirit to Move. The blues influence is still very prevalent, but also saw the introduction of the heavier '60s and '70s Brit-rock influence.

The Soledads' third release came in 2003, Voice of Treason, on Loog Records in the UK. It saw the band expand their sound with some jazz influence, and some strange atmospheric sounds. The bulk of the album still retained their distinctive blues-rock style.

Their fourth album The Hardest Walk, released in 2006 on Alive Records in the US and Loog in the UK, transcends the rampant garage blues that had so characterized the band's previous work by taking in a diverse range of influences, from Dr John and Albert Ayler to Syd Barrett and early Neil Young, with some Britpop melodies and soul grooves added.

It was announced within weeks of the album's release, however, that the band was breaking up. Upcoming shows were cancelled and the band's final gigs were at the Magic Stick in Detroit and the Southgate House (The birthplace of the Tommy Gun) in Newport, Kentucky.

Post break-up: Cut in the Hill Gang

Walker is now playing in a band called Cut in the Hill Gang, based in Covington, Kentucky. The band released their debut, a vinyl single on Little Room Record Co. This marks the first release of Little Room Record Co. The tracks on the single are "Quixotic Dream" and a White Stripes cover, "Sugar Never Tasted So Good". The single became available February 12, 2008. There were 500 7-inch records pressed on black vinyl. A full-length LP was released by the Little Room Record Co. on May 19, 2009.

Henry Oliver reclaimed his real name Brian Olive and released a solo CD for Alive in 2009 self-titled as Brian Olive.

Johnny Walker founded the trio All-Seeing Eyes in 2013, who recorded a 45rpm record that was released in 2016 by Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation. [1]

Ben Swank became one of the co-founders of Jack White's Third Man Records along with Dirtbombs drummer Ben Blackwell and White himself in 2009. Third Man is dedicated to "bring[ing] tangibility and spontaneity back into the record business and issue releases that leave no doubt in the minds of listeners that music is indeed sacred."

Soledad Brothers discography

Albums

Singles

Compilation appearances

Music videos

Appearances

Related Research Articles

<i>The White Stripes</i> (album) 1999 studio album by The White Stripes

The White Stripes is the debut studio album by American rock duo the White Stripes, released on June 15, 1999. The album was produced by Jim Diamond and vocalist/guitarist Jack White, recorded in January 1999 at Ghetto Recorders and Third Man Studios in Detroit. White dedicated the album to deceased blues musician Son House.

Whirlwind Heat was a three-piece band from the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Although they are avid genre-hoppers, they are often categorized as indie rock.

The Von Bondies American alternative rock band

The Von Bondies are an American alternative rock band.

Man or Astro-man? American surf rock group

Man or Astro-man? is an American surf rock group that formed in Auburn, Alabama in the early 1990s and came to prominence over the following decade.

Electric Frankenstein is an American band from Whippany, Clifton, and other areas of New Jersey, founded by Sal Canzonieri. Their music is generally considered punk rock, but includes elements of hard rock and heavy metal as well. Because of this, they have sometimes been referred to as AC/DC meets The Dead Boys - high energy punk rock and roll that combines the raw and energetic sounds of Punk Rock and Garage Punk with elements of hard rock played by bands like MC5, Stooges, AC/DC, Kiss, Mott the Hoople, Alice Cooper, and so on.

The Dirtbombs American garage rock band

The Dirtbombs are an American garage rock band based in Detroit, Michigan, notable for blending diverse influences such as punk rock and soul while featuring a dual bass guitar, dual drum and guitar lineup. The Dirtbombs were formed by Mick Collins as a side project and started recording songs by 1995.

Nikki Sudden English singer-songwriter and guitarist (1956–2006)

Adrian Nicholas Godfrey, known as Nikki Sudden, was a prolific English singer-songwriter and guitarist. He co-founded the post-punk band Swell Maps with his brother, Epic Soundtracks, while attending Solihull School in Solihull.

Sympathetic Sounds of Detroit is a compilation album of American garage rock and punk bands from Detroit, released in 2001. Put together by Jack White of the White Stripes, it featured bands such as the Von Bondies, the Dirtbombs, and the Detroit Cobras. It was recorded in the home of Jack White, and he, along with nephew and the Dirtbombs drummer Ben Blackwell can be heard singing backup on "Shaky Puddin'," a Soledad Brothers track.

The Greenhornes American garage rock band

The Greenhornes were an American garage rock band from Cincinnati, Ohio, formed in 1996 by vocalist/guitarist Craig Fox, bass guitarist Jack Lawrence and drummer Patrick Keeler. They released their debut album Gun For You in 1999, followed by a self-titled album in 2001. A third studio album, Dual Mono, was released in 2002, with the band taking a small hiatus. The Greenhornes returned in 2005 to release a new EP, East Grand Blues, and a compilation album, Sewed Soles. During this time, Lawrence and Keeler formed The Raconteurs with Detroit musicians and personal friends Jack White and Brendan Benson, leaving very few performances and interaction with Fox. In 2010, the band reunited once again to record a studio album, Four Stars, their first in eight years.

The Gories are an American garage rock trio that formed in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in 1986. They were among the first 1980s garage rock bands to incorporate overt blues influences. The band features Mick Collins, Dan Kroha on guitar and vocals, and Peggy O'Neill on drums.

Federation X or "FED X" is an American rock band, originally formed in Bellingham, Washington, though it now shares members between Bellingham, Seattle, and New York, New York. Founded by Ben Wildenhaus (guitar), Bill Badgley, and Beau Boyd (drums) in 1998. The band has toured the US, and has had two European tours.

The Apemen is a Dutch surf rock band, comprising band-members from Tilburg and Rotterdam, with their base remaining in Tilburg.

Greg Cartwright, also known by his stage name Greg Oblivian, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist from Memphis, Tennessee. He currently fronts Reigning Sound and is signed to Merge Records. After moving away from Memphis in the mid-2000s, he has since lived with his family in Asheville, North Carolina.

Jack Yarber, also known by his stage name Jack Oblivian, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist based in Memphis, Tennessee. He was a founding member of the garage bands The Compulsive Gamblers, and The Oblivians and currently fronts Jack O & the Tennessee Tearjerkers.

Walter Daniels is an American musician and harmonica player noted for introducing the instrument into a number of styles of music not usually associated with the harmonica, including punk rock, and avant-garde free improvisation.

Italy Records is an independent record label founded in Detroit, Michigan in 1997, by self-confessed "record geek" Dave Buick. The label released its first 7" by Rocket 455 on October 31, 1997. shortly after Buick released a single by the Dirtys. Dirtys lead singer Joe Burdick claimed this was the reason Buick founded Italy Records in the first place. The label went on to release the notable 7"s from Detroit rock & roll bands, from the garage rock scene including the first two 7"s by The White Stripes, the debut release from the Soledad Brothers ("Soledad), and the first single from The Greenhornes. In its first incarnation, Italy Records released eleven 45 rpm singles and a single mini-LP called Hentch-Forth by The Hentchmen with Jack White of The White Stripes. Out of its twelve releases, Jack White featured in the production or performing of at least six.

The Immortal Lee County Killers (ILCK) were an American rock band from Auburn, Lee County, Alabama. Playing in the punk blues style, as well as garage punk, the band consisted of Chetley "Cheetah" Weise on vocals/guitar, plus assorted musicians over its roughly three incarnations.

"Suzy Lee" is a love song by the American rock band The White Stripes from their 1999 self-titled album.

The Hooten Hallers

The Hooten Hallers are an American blues/ rock'n'roll band that formed in Columbia, Missouri in 2007.

Mr David Viner is an English folk and blues musician from London, England, described by "Glorious Noise" online music magazine as "an accomplished guitarist, a roguish vocalist and a skillful lyricist".

References

  1. "All-Seeing Eyes 7" Release Party". Cincy Ticket.

Further reading