Sweet Water (band)

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Sweet Water
Origin Seattle, Washington, United States
Genres Alternative rock, punk rock, new wave, grunge, hard rock
MembersAdam Czeisler
Cole Peterson
Chris Friel
Rich Credo
Website www.sweetwaterrocks.com

Sweet Water is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington.

Contents

Sweet Water live Sweet Water.jpg
Sweet Water live

History

Originally known as S.G.M., the majority of Sweet Water's members met while students at The Bush School. S.G.M. had garnered acclaim as second generation punk pioneers in the Seattle scene, playing with Nirvana, the Accused, The Rejectors, Melvins, and more. Bruce Pavitt called the original S.G.M. demo "Young, loud and crazy. Better than Soundgarden and Green River put together. Better than Led Zep and the Stooges even." [1]

Photo of Sub10 Review Photo of Sub10 Review.jpg
Photo of Sub10 Review

S.G.M. evolved into Sweet Water as the band lineup changed in 1990. The original Sweet Water included Adam Czeisler (vocals), Rich Credo (rhythm guitar), Cole Peterson (bass guitar), Dudley Taft (lead guitar), and Paul Uhlir (drums). Garnering acclaim for their 1992 debut on New Rage Records, Sweet Water (aka Ter), the band was signed later that year by Jason Flom of Atlantic Records and released its second self-titled album in 1993, produced by Don Gilmore (Linkin Park, Dashboard Confessional, Lit, Pearl Jam) and mixed by Tim Palmer (Mother Love Bone, Pearl Jam, Tin Machine, Robert Plant). [2] [3] The band were then signed to Elektra Records subsidiary East West, and they recorded a follow-up record, Superfriends, in 1995, with Dave Jerden (Alice in Chains, Jane's Addiction) producing. Guitarist Taft was fired during the recording of Superfriends and a new Sweet Water sound took shape with Rich Credo as sole guitarist. Jerden called the band "Mott the Hoople meets the 90's" [4]

Jerden returned to produce Suicide for Tom Zutaut of EMI imprint The Enclave. Suicide was eventually released in conjunction with Good-Ink records in 1999. [5]

Members of the band engaged in various side-projects as well, including Peterson's work as bassist for Calm Down Juanita with Tyler Willman and Kevin Guess on their eponymous first studio album, Calm Down Juanita, released in 1998. [6] [7] The band spent 2000–2006 on a self-imposed hiatus, releasing no new music and playing no shows. 2007 saw their return to the stage and various rock websites reported an album in the works.

In 2009, the band released Clear The Tarmac on Golden City Records, the label run by guitarist Rich Credo. [8] Clear the Tarmac sold well and represented what most fans and critics considered to be a return to form. A video for its single "Rock Steady" garnered national airplay. [9]

Notable Seattle drummer Chris Friel replaced Paul Uhlir in 2009, and has been a mainstay in the group since that time.

2012 and 2013 saw more creative output from the band, with the 2012 release of a single entitled "Hey Living" with the B-side "Get High Clover" and an accompanying video for the B-side. The five-song Dance Floor Kills EP followed in April 2013. Both releases were on the dual Fin Records/Golden City Records imprint, with Fin handling physical product and Golden City handling digital. [10]

In November 2015, Sweet Water returned to the stage with a one-off performance at Seattle's Benaroya Hall. The show was the band's first performance with a full orchestra, and was notable for the unique on-stage collaboration with Seattle singer Shawn Smith. [11] [12]

Summer of 2018 saw the release of the "Galer Street" single (with a supporting video) and two sold-out shows at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle with Green Apple Quick Step and Candlebox. In November, the band released the five-song Firebird EP on Golden City Records. They played several shows on the West Coast in support of the release of Firebird. [13]

The band continues to record and perform select shows.

Discography

Album TitleRelease DateRecord Label
Sweet Water1992New Rage Records
Sweet Water1993 Atlantic Records
Superfriends1995 East West / Elektra Records
Suicide1999 EMI/Good-Ink Records
Clear The Tarmac2009Golden City Records
Dance Floor Kills (EP)2013Golden City Records
Firebird (EP)2018Golden City Records

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References

  1. Pavitt, Bruce (1987). "Sub10". The Rocket.
  2. Cross, Charles (13 September 1995). "Wham Bam Thank You Glam". The Rocket (213).
  3. "Record Reviews". Livewire. Vol. 3, no. 9. 1995.
  4. Cross, Charles (13 September 1995). "Wham Bam Thank You Glam". The Rocket (213).
  5. "Sweet Water is Back". The Rocket (277). 13 May 1998.
  6. Calm Down Juanita (CD Liner). Seattle, Washington, US: Echo Records. 1998. inside front cover.
  7. The Stranger. Vol. 7, no. 32. 7 April 1998.{{cite magazine}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  8. Clear the Tarmac (CD Liner). Seattle, Washington, US: Golden City Records. 2009. inside sleeve.
  9. True, Chris. "Sweet Water Biography". All Music Guide. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  10. Hey Living (CD Liner). Seattle, Washington, US: Golden City Records. 2013. inside sleeve.
  11. Chloe Dancer/ Crown of Thorns by Shawn Smith & Sweet Water Seattle Symphony Orchestra. Grunge StoryTellers. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2020 via YouTube.
  12. Sweet Water - New - Paramount Theatre - Seattle - 7-22-2018. The Attitude. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2020 via YouTube.
  13. Firebird (CD Liner). Seattle, Washington, US: Golden City Records. 2019. inside sleeve.