Sweet Water (band)

Last updated
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. SGM 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 SGM 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

SGM 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 debut on New Rage Records, Sweet Water, the band was subsequently signed in 1992 by Jason Flom of Atlantic Records and released its second self-titled album, Sweet Water 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 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 5 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 Sweet Water's first performance with a full orchestra, and was notable for the unique on stage collaboration with Seattle singer Shawn Smith. [11] [12] Summer 2018 saw the release of the "Galer Street" single (with supporting video) and two sold-out shows at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle with Green Apple Quick Step and Candlebox.

2019 saw the release of the "Galer Street" single, closely following in 2019 by the release of the Firebird EP on Golden City Records. The band played several west coast shows 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 Kills2013Golden City Records
Galer Street (Single)2018Golden City Records
Firebird2019Golden City Records

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sub Pop</span> American record label

Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Sub Pop achieved fame in the early 1990s for signing Seattle bands such as Nirvana, Soundgarden, and Mudhoney, central players in the grunge movement. They are often credited with helping popularize grunge music. The label's roster includes Fleet Foxes, Beach House, The Postal Service, Sleater-Kinney, Flight of the Conchords, Foals, Blitzen Trapper, Father John Misty, clipping., Shabazz Palaces, Weyes Blood, Guerilla Toss, Bully, Low, METZ, Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever, TV Priest and The Shins. In 1995, the owners of Sub Pop sold a 49% stake of the label to the Warner Music Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Kingsmen</span> 1960s American rock band

The Kingsmen are a 1960s American rock band from Portland, Oregon. They are best known for their 1963 recording of R&B singer Richard Berry's "Louie Louie", which held the No. 2 spot on the Billboard charts for six weeks and has become an enduring classic.

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

The Sonics are an American garage rock band from Tacoma, Washington that formed in 1960. Their aggressive, hard-edged sound has been a major influence on punk and garage music worldwide, and they have been named inspirations to the White Stripes, LCD Soundsystem, Nirvana and other musical artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Doe (musician)</span> American singer, songwriter, actor, poet, guitarist and bass player

John Nommensen Duchac, known professionally as John Doe, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, poet, guitarist and bass player. Doe co-founded LA punk band X, of which he is still an active member. His musical performances and compositions span rock, punk, country and folk music genres. As an actor, he has dozens of television appearances and several movies to his credit, including the role of Jeff Parker in the television series Roswell.

Green Apple Quick Step, often abbreviated as GAQS, is an American rock band from Seattle. Their sound was described as hard-edged, post-grunge rock. The band began as Inspector Luv and the Ride Me Babys in Tacoma, Washington before becoming Green Apple Quick Step, in Seattle, by 1992. The initial lineup under the new name consisted of lead vocalist Tyler Willman, guitarists Daniel Kempthorne and Steve Ross, singer-bassist Mari Ann Braeden, and drummer Bob 'Mink' Martin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Thayil</span> American guitarist and songwriter

Kim Thayil is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist of the Seattle-based rock band Soundgarden, which he co-founded with singer Chris Cornell and bassist Hiro Yamamoto in 1984. Cornell and Thayil remained as the original members of the band until Cornell's death in 2017, and the band's subsequent split in 2018. Thayil was named the 100th greatest guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone in 2010, and the 67th greatest guitarist of all time by SPIN in 2012. Thayil has won two Grammy Awards as a member of Soundgarden.

<i>When You Land Here, Its Time to Return</i> 1997 studio album by Flake Music

When You Land Here, It's Time to Return is a full-length album released by indie rock band Flake Music before changing their name to The Shins. The album was recorded in 1997 and was released on Omnibus Records.

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

Skerik, is an American saxophonist from Seattle, Washington. Performing on the tenor and baritone saxophone, often with electronics and loops, he is a pioneer in a playing style that has been called saxophonics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Touch Me I'm Sick</span> 1988 song by Mudhoney

"Touch Me I'm Sick" is a song by the American alternative rock band Mudhoney. It was recorded in April 1988 at Seattle's Reciprocal Recording studio with producer Jack Endino. "Touch Me I'm Sick" was released as Mudhoney's debut single by independent record label Sub Pop on August 1, 1988. The song's lyrics, which feature dark humor, are a sarcastic take on issues such as disease and violent sex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruce Pavitt</span> Founder of Sub Pop

Bruce S. Pavitt is the Chicago-born co-founder of independent record label Sub Pop. He attended Evergreen State College where he hosted a show on Evergreen's KAOS radio station before founding Sub Pop.

World Entertainment War was an American funk rock band, formed in 1986. They recorded four records before disbanding in 1993, and then played reunion concerts in 2000 and 2001, and again in 2009. The band describes itself as “a benevolent media virus programmed to prevent the entertainment criminals from stealing your imagination."

The Heads are an English psychedelic rock band formed in Bristol in 1990 consisting of Paul Allen (vocals/guitar), H. O. Morgan (bass), Wayne Maskell (drums), and Simon Price (vocals/guitar).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dudley Taft</span> American musician (born 1966)

Dudley S. Taft is an American musician. Taft is a blues/rock musician who fronts the Dudley Taft Band and was a songwriting member of Seattle band Sweet Water and member and chief songwriter of Seattle, Washington-based rock band Second Coming. He is the great-great-grandnephew of United States President William Howard Taft.

Kevtone is an American musician, percussionist, and songwriter from Seattle, Washington. Performing live and in studio, his rhythm style may best be described as improvisational, melodic, progressive, and bluesy, over a wide variety of styles; reflecting influences from many genres of music.

Calm Down Juanita is a Seattle, Washington studio band writing partnership between vocalist Tyler Willman and drummer Kevin Guess, catalyzed and engineered by Steve Wilmans, that has featured several other notable players. Their sound is progressive psychedelic alternative rock. They recorded and released two albums in the late 1990s and early 2000s, with different bass players and multiple guests on each album. The band was described as "acid-y, slinky and soulful," and as having a style somewhere between The Flaming Lips and later-period Marvin Gaye.

Tyler Willman, also known as Ty Willman, is an American guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter who lives in Seattle, Washington. He is probably best known for his work with the Seattle-based band Green Apple Quick Step. He briefly fronted the band Devilhead and helped form Calm Down Juanita.

<i>Calm Down Juanita</i> (album) 1998 studio album by Calm Down Juanita

Calm Down Juanita is the eponymous first album by psychedelic rock group Calm Down Juanita, released in 1998 through Echo Records. The album was recorded entirely at the Fremont House in Seattle, Washington on 4-track cassette. Ty Willman played keyboard and guitar and sang vocals, while Kevin Guess played drums, keyboard, and loops.

<i>Undertown</i> (album) 2002 studio album by Calm Down Juanita

Undertown is the second album by psychedelic rock group Calm Down Juanita, released in 2002.

<i>The Kingsmen Volume 3</i> 1965 studio album by The Kingsmen

The Kingsmen Volume 3 is the third album by the rock band the Kingsmen, released in 1965.

Peter Charles Blecha is an American historian, curator, essayist, author, musician, and director of the Seattle-based Northwest Music Archives. He is primarily known for research related to aspects of Pacific Northwest musical history. In addition to his books, essays, and album liner notes, Blecha has also served in multiple consulting and curatorial positions.

References

  1. Pavitt, Bruce (1987). "Sub10". The Rocket.
  2. Cross, Charles (Sep 13, 1995). "Wham Bam Thank You Glam". The Rocket (213).
  3. "Record Reviews". Livewire (Vol 3 # 9). 1995.
  4. Cross, Charles (Sep 13, 1995). "Wham Bam Thank You Glam". The Rocket (213).
  5. "Sweet Water is Back". The Rocket (277). May 13, 1998.
  6. Calm Down Juanita (CD Liner). Calm Down Juanita. Seattle, Washington, US: Echo Records. 1998. inside front cover.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  7. "no title". The Stranger (Vol 7 # 32). Apr 7, 1998.{{cite journal}}: Cite uses generic 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 Nov 29, 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". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved Nov 29, 2020.
  12. "Sweet Water - New - Paramount Theatre - Seattle - 7-22-2018". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21. Retrieved Nov 29, 2020.
  13. Firebird (CD Liner). Seattle, Washington, US: Golden City Records. 2019. inside sleeve.