Syd Butler

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Syd Butler
Born (1972-08-15) August 15, 1972 (age 51)
Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Occupation(s)Bass Player in Les Savy Fav, Owner and Founder of Frenchkiss Records
Spouse Amy Carlson (2004–present) [1]
Children2

Syd Butler (born August 15, 1972) is an American musician who is the bassist and co-founder of the indie rock and post-hardcore band Les Savy Fav. A few years later Butler became the owner and founder of Frenchkiss Records. Butler is also a current member of The 8G Band from the show Late Night with Seth Meyers . He currently has two children with his wife actress Amy Carlson.

Contents

Early life

Syd Butler was born on August 15, 1972, in Memphis, Tennessee, to Syd and Kay Butler. Despite being born in southwest Tennessee, Butler spent most of his adolescent years growing up in Washington, D.C. Butler grew up in the 1980s during the height of Dischord Records, who later became an influential factor that led to his creation of Frenchkiss. After graduating high school, Butler continued his education at the Rhode Island School of Design, where he later met his bandmates of Les Savy Fav.

Music career

Les Savy Fav

Butler formed Les Savy Fav while studying film and video at the Rhode Island School of Design in Providence, Rhode Island, along with his now bandmates. [2] The energy and idiosyncrasies of their live performances soon attracted a following, and the band started playing shows and touring across the United States and Europe.

Frenchkiss Records

Butler started Frenchkiss in 1999 from an office in the Meatpacking District of New York City. The label's first purpose was to release Les Savy Fav's second full-length album The Cat and the Cobra . [2] Although they eventually did release The Cat and the Cobra, Frenchkiss also started discovering and signing a wide array of bands. Some of these bands include The Hold Steady, Local Natives, The Dodos, Bloc Party and Passion Pit. [3] It wasn't until then that Frenchkiss started gaining the exposure that they needed in order to be taken seriously in the tenacious industry they were in. Slowly they started to sell some records and they continued to sign quality artists who were ready for the challenge of making it in the music industry.

Butler directed some of the music videos for Frenchkiss bands including Ex Models's "Sex Automata", S Prcss's "Our Bikes Are Silver", Smoke and Smoke's "Into The Smoke And Smoke", The Dodos' "Winter", as well as his own band's videos for "Patty Lee" and "Rodeo."

LSF photoshoot.jpg

Frenchkiss' future was looking bright. In April 2010, Butler formed a partnership with BMG/Chrysalis and started Frenchkiss Publishing, signing bands such as Gauntlet Hair, Dana Boy, Les Savy Fav and Exitmusic. Then in December 2011, Billboard released a story stating that Frenchkiss had signed a new, all-encompassing agreement with The Orchard for U.S. and international distribution, both digitally and physically. The following January, Frenchkiss Label Group formed as a hands-on boutique distributor, for smaller labels like ATP Recordings, Cavity Search, Cult, Godmode, Holiday Friends, JAXART, Pendu Sound, Underwater Peoples, White Iris, etc. When March 2013 rolled around, Butler partnered with actor-comedian David Cross and The Orchard Video Network to launch FKR.TV.

FKR.TV's focus was to create original creative content with new shows weekly. This would also include music videos, rare live performances by FKR artists, and unique content from the Frenchkiss archives.

Side Projects

Les Savy Fav Playing in Houston.jpg

Butler has performed in various musical side projects such as Juiced Elfers, with Nicholas Thorburn of Islands, and on Desiderata with Amanda McKaye. In November 2012, it was announced that he, Les Savy Fav bandmate Seth, and Amy Carlson had formed a short-term band called Office Romance and released their Holiday EP, I Love The Holidays via Frenchkiss. As avid hockey fan, it was an exciting for him when he was a guest celebrity blogger for the National Hockey League during the Playoffs. [4]

Late Night with Seth Meyers

The 8G band is the house band for Late Night with Seth Meyers, formed by Butler's long-time friend Fred Armisen. One day Butler got a text from Armisen, asking to join the band. He along with Armison, Eli Janney, Marnie Stern, Les Savy Fav guitarist Seth Jabour make up the current roster of the 8G band. [5] There are special guest each episode on the drums and some notable alumni include Kenny Aronoff, Matt Cameron, Patrick Carney, and Dave Lombardo.

Editorial

On April 22, 2012, Butler's book, Who Farted Wrong?, a collection of humorous drawings and anecdotes, was published via Write Bloody Publishing.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Les Savy Fav</span> American indie rock band

Les Savy Fav is an American indie rock band based in New York City. Their style is influenced by art punk and post-hardcore. The group is known for the stage presence of lead singer Tim Harrington. The band is signed to Frenchkiss Records, which is owned by the band's bassist, Syd Butler.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fred Armisen</span> American comedian, actor and musician (born 1966)

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<i>The Cat and the Cobra</i> 1999 studio album by Les Savy Fav

The Cat and the Cobra is the second album by Les Savy Fav. It was the first CD released by Frenchkiss Records, bassist Syd Butler's label. The vinyl LP was released by Self-Starter Foundation.

<i>Go Forth</i> 2001 studio album by Les Savy Fav

Go Forth is the third album by Les Savy Fav, released in 2001 via Frenchkiss Records. It was mixed in June 2001 at Magic Shop, Manhattan, and was mastered by John Loder at Abbey Road Studios, London.

<i>3/5</i> (album) 1997 studio album by Les Savy Fav

3/5 is the first album by Les Savy Fav. It was released in 1997 by Self-Starter Foundation. The LP release came in a pack of shower caps and is fairly difficult to find, sometimes fetching high prices on eBay. Coincidentally, only three-fifths of the line-up on this album, the band's first, remain in the present-day line-up, as drummer Patrick Mahoney was replaced by Harrison Haynes before the group's second album, The Cat and the Cobra, and guitarist Gibb Slife left before the recording of the Emor: Rome Upside Down EP.

<i>Inches</i> (album) 2004 compilation album by Les Savy Fav

Inches is an album by Les Savy Fav. Initial pressings of the CD came with a DVD featuring live performances, music videos and photos.

<i>Emor: Rome Upside Down</i> 2000 EP by Les Savy Fav

Emor: Rome Upside Down is the only EP by Les Savy Fav, released in 2000. It was released by Southern Records.

Detachment Kit is an American indie rock band formed in 1999.

<i>New York Noise</i> American TV series or program

New York Noise is a one-hour indie-rock music video television program which aired from 2003–2009 on NYC Media in New York and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut. It was created, produced, and edited by Shirley Braha and funded by New York City under the Bloomberg administration. The show was "devoted to music videos, live footage, and high jinx from bands that ride the L train." According to The New York Times, it is "a groundbreaking show that has attracted a loyal following among musicians It is no longer in production since the station's rebranding in 2010, despite a petition and campaign which attempted to save it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frenchkiss Records</span> Independent record label based in New York, New York

Frenchkiss Records is an independent record label based in New York City. The label was started in 1999 by Syd Butler, bassist and founder of Les Savy Fav. The label's first purpose was to release Les Savy Fav's second album The Cat and The Cobra, but has since been the label responsible for discovering a varying array of artists such as The Hold Steady, The Antlers, The Dodos, Local Natives and Passion Pit. The label has recently added a music publishing side as well, Frenchkiss Publishing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amy Carlson</span> American actress (born 1968)

Amy Lynn Carlson is an American actress known for her roles as Linda Reagan in the CBS police procedural Blue Bloods, as Alex Taylor on the NBC drama Third Watch, and Josie Watts in the NBC daytime soap opera Another World.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marnie Stern</span> Musical artist

Marnie Stern is an American musician, singer-songwriter, and guitarist. She has garnered acclaim for her technical skill and tapping style of guitar play. Stern was a member of The 8G Band from the show Late Night with Seth Meyers.

<i>Lets Stay Friends</i> 2007 studio album by Les Savy Fav

Let's Stay Friends is the fourth full-length album by Les Savy Fav. It was released on September 18, 2007. The album was #5 in NME albums of the year list, #16 on Rolling Stone's list of the Top 50 Albums of 2007, and #44 on Pitchfork's list.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Schulz</span> American drummer

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<i>After the Balls Drop</i> 2008 live album by Les Savy Fav

After the Balls Drop is a live album by the New York-based rock band Les Savy Fav. It was recorded at the band's New Year's Eve show in the early morning hours of January 1, 2008, at New York City's Bowery Ballroom.

<i>Root for Ruin</i> 2010 studio album by Les Savy Fav

Root for Ruin is Les Savy Fav's fifth studio album. Its scheduled release date was September 14, 2010, but after the album leaked in late July it was given a digital release on August 3, 2010.

<i>Late Night with Seth Meyers</i> American late-night talk show

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Harrington (singer)</span> American lead singer of Les Savy Fav band

Tim Harrington has been the lead singer of New York indie rock band Les Savy Fav since they formed while together at Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in 1995. He is notable for his energetic stage performances which often include multiple changes of clothing and performing in his underwear. He describes his style as "acting entirely by my own desire and what moves me. I've always felt like the only real people I'm particularly trying to entertain are the rest of the guys in the band and myself". He fronted a video series called "Beardo" on Pitchfork Media.

The 8G Band is the house band for Late Night with Seth Meyers. The band is led by Saturday Night Live alumnus Fred Armisen. He assembled the 8G Band, named for the studio where the show is taped, just two weeks before the test show. He texted friends Seth Jabour, Syd Butler, and Eli Janney, then found first drummer Kimberly Thompson through an audition. Jabour and Butler are members of the Brooklyn rock and roll band Les Savy Fav, and Butler also owns Frenchkiss Records. Guitarist Marnie Stern later joined as well.

Kimberly Ilana Thompson is an American drummer and music educator.

References

  1. ↑ "Where is Blue Bloods' Linda Reagan star Amy Carlson now?". Daily Express. August 17, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  2. 1 2 Simmonsen, Derek (September 9, 2004). "'Inches' of beautiful noise; Les Savy Fav's art-punk concept". The Washington Times archived by goliath.ecnext.com. Retrieved on June 19, 2009.
  3. ↑ Frenchkiss Records bands. frenchkissrecords.com. Retrieved on June 19, 2009.
  4. ↑ News Headlines for Syd Butler. NHL.com. Retrieved on June 19, 2009.
  5. ↑ "Seth Meyers Taps Fred Armisen, Les Savy Fav for 'Late Night' Band". Spin . February 10, 2014.
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