Beachwood Sparks
Encyclopedia
Beachwood Sparks are an American
alternative country
band from Los Angeles
. A Daily Telegraph article on America's underground psychedelic pop scene described Beachwood Sparks as "country through a kaleidoscope
".
Brent Rademaker and guitarist
Christopher Gunst who met in the 1990s when both were members of Los Angeles
indie-rock group Further
. Guitarist Dave Scher and drummer
Jimi Hey (who played with Gunst in Strictly Ballroom) were recruited before the band's first show in June 1997.
Hey suggested the band's name by combining Sparks Street, where Brent Rademaker lived in Burbank, with Beachwood Street, which runs parallel and adjacent to Sparks. Hey left after a few shows and was replaced by Tom Sanford. At around the same time, the group was also joined by Pete "Sleigher" Kinne on percussion and another former Further member, guitarist Josh Schwartz.
They released the "Desert Skies"/"Make It Together" single on Bomp! in October 1998. Sanford left and was replaced by Aaron Sperske
, drummer with Lilys
, whose first reecording with the band was on the Sub Pop
singles club release "Midsummer Daydream"/"Windows 65" issued in April 1999. Kinne and Schwartz left shortly after.
In spring 2000, they released their first album, Beachwood Sparks
. The "shimmering twang-pop melodies and gorgeous harmonies" drew comparisons to the late 1960s' Laurel Canyon country-rock of The Byrds
, Buffalo Springfield
and Gram Parsons
as well as to contemporaries Elephant 6.
The single "Once We Were Trees" (featuring a jangly cover of The Everly Brothers
' "Wake Up, Little Suzie" on the B-side) was released on the Spanish label Houston Party Records, previewing the mellower sound that featured on the band's second album, also called Once We Were Trees
, which was released in the second half of 2001.
A single from the album, a cover of Sade
's "By Your Side", was released in the United Kingdom
and enjoyed some chart success. The video, directed by Chad Misner, was selected for the 2002 South by Southwest
Film Festival and featured footage of Aaron Sperske and Autumn de Wilde
's wedding. The song was later featured on the soundtrack for the 2010 feature film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
.
For the 2002 EP, Make the Cowboy Robots Cry
, Sperske was replaced on drums by the returning Jimi Hey. Strictly Ballroom's Jimmy Tamborello, aka Dntel, contributed to the EP. Tamborello also worked with Scher and Gunst at Loyola Marymount University
's radio station, KXLU
.
Since 2002, the band has mostly concentrated on other projects. Gunst formed Mystic Chords of Memory
. Brent Rademaker, sometimes with Gunst and Scher, plays in The Tyde
and also in Frausdots
. Hey and Scher released an album as All Night Radio
. In March 2007, Scher was recruited as touring keyboard player for New York indie rockers Interpol
. Sperske joined Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti.
Beachwood Sparks reunited in 2008 to play at SB20, the celebration of Sub Pop's 20th anniversary. A small number of dates were played on the West Coast and the East Coast, including July 19 at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur, California. The reunion line-up was Gunst, Rademaker, Sperske, Ben Knight, Jen Cohen and Dan Horne. Scher also played at four of the West Coast shows.
Singles
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
alternative country
Alternative country
Alternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
band from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. A Daily Telegraph article on America's underground psychedelic pop scene described Beachwood Sparks as "country through a kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope
A kaleidoscope is a circle of mirrors containing loose, colored objects such as beads or pebbles and bits of glass. As the viewer looks into one end, light entering the other end creates a colorful pattern, due to the reflection off the mirrors...
".
Biography
The band was formed by bassistBassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Brent Rademaker and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Christopher Gunst who met in the 1990s when both were members of Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
indie-rock group Further
Further (band)
Further was a United States indie rock band from Los Angeles, California, that evolved from an earlier band, Shadowland. They released several albums during the 1990s.-History:...
. Guitarist Dave Scher and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Jimi Hey (who played with Gunst in Strictly Ballroom) were recruited before the band's first show in June 1997.
Hey suggested the band's name by combining Sparks Street, where Brent Rademaker lived in Burbank, with Beachwood Street, which runs parallel and adjacent to Sparks. Hey left after a few shows and was replaced by Tom Sanford. At around the same time, the group was also joined by Pete "Sleigher" Kinne on percussion and another former Further member, guitarist Josh Schwartz.
They released the "Desert Skies"/"Make It Together" single on Bomp! in October 1998. Sanford left and was replaced by Aaron Sperske
Aaron Sperske
Aaron Sperske is an American drummer, who has played in several bands, including Beachwood Sparks, Lilys, The Miracle Workers, Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, and The Pernice Brothers. He also played drums on the Elliott Smith song "Coast to Coast" which was featured on the From a Basement on the...
, drummer with Lilys
Lilys
Lilys are an American indie rock band formed in Washington, D.C in 1988. The only constant member is Kurt Heasley, with the line-up changing regularly...
, whose first reecording with the band was on the Sub Pop
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
singles club release "Midsummer Daydream"/"Windows 65" issued in April 1999. Kinne and Schwartz left shortly after.
In spring 2000, they released their first album, Beachwood Sparks
Beachwood Sparks (album)
Beachwood Sparks is the eponymous debut album by American alternative rock band Beachwood Sparks, released in 2000.Neal Casal, of Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, lists Beachwood Sparks as one of his favourite albums of all time.- Track listing :...
. The "shimmering twang-pop melodies and gorgeous harmonies" drew comparisons to the late 1960s' Laurel Canyon country-rock of The Byrds
The Byrds
The Byrds were an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles, California in 1964. The band underwent multiple line-up changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn remaining the sole consistent member until the group disbanded in 1973...
, Buffalo Springfield
Buffalo Springfield
Buffalo Springfield is a North American folk rock band renown both for its music and as a springboard for the careers of Neil Young, Stephen Stills, Richie Furay and Jim Messina. Among the first wave of North American bands to become popular in the wake of the British invasion, the group combined...
and Gram Parsons
Gram Parsons
Gram Parsons was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and pianist. Parsons is best known for his work within the country genre; he also mixed blues, folk, and rock to create what he called "Cosmic American Music"...
as well as to contemporaries Elephant 6.
The single "Once We Were Trees" (featuring a jangly cover of The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers are country-influenced rock and roll performers, known for steel-string guitar playing and close harmony singing...
' "Wake Up, Little Suzie" on the B-side) was released on the Spanish label Houston Party Records, previewing the mellower sound that featured on the band's second album, also called Once We Were Trees
Once We Were Trees
Once We Were Trees is the second album by American indie rock band Beachwood Sparks, released in 2001.-Track listing:#"Germination"#"Confusion Is Nothing New"#"The Sun Surrounds Me"#"You Take the Gold"#"Hearts Mend"#"Let It Run"#"Old Manatee"...
, which was released in the second half of 2001.
A single from the album, a cover of Sade
Sade Adu
Helen Folasade Adu OBE , is a British singer-songwriter, composer, and record producer. She first achieved success in the 1980s as the frontwoman and lead vocalist of the Brit and Grammy Award winning English group Sade.-Biography:Sade was born in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria...
's "By Your Side", was released in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and enjoyed some chart success. The video, directed by Chad Misner, was selected for the 2002 South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
Film Festival and featured footage of Aaron Sperske and Autumn de Wilde
Autumn de Wilde
Autumn de Wilde is an American photographer best known for her portraiture and commercial work photography of musicians.-Early life:...
's wedding. The song was later featured on the soundtrack for the 2010 feature film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a 2010 comedy film directed by Edgar Wright, based on the graphic novel series Scott Pilgrim by Bryan Lee O'Malley. The film is about Scott Pilgrim , a young Canadian musician, meeting the girl of his dreams, Ramona Flowers , an American delivery girl...
.
For the 2002 EP, Make the Cowboy Robots Cry
Make The Cowboy Robots Cry
Make the Cowboy Robots Cry is an EP by American indie rock band Beachwood Sparks, released in 2002, which featured the return of drummer Jimi Hey.-Track listing:#"Drinkswater" – 7:12#"Hibernation" – 3:27#"Ponce de Leon Blues" – 6:55...
, Sperske was replaced on drums by the returning Jimi Hey. Strictly Ballroom's Jimmy Tamborello, aka Dntel, contributed to the EP. Tamborello also worked with Scher and Gunst at Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
's radio station, KXLU
KXLU
KXLU is an FM radio station broadcasting out of Loyola Marymount University in southwest Los Angeles, California. It was first on the air in 1957, and recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. It is a non-commercial college radio station that plays many styles of music broadly classified under...
.
Since 2002, the band has mostly concentrated on other projects. Gunst formed Mystic Chords of Memory
Mystic Chords of Memory
Mystic Chords Of Memory are an American alternative rock band formed by sometime Tyde drummer and Beachwood Sparks frontman Christopher Gunst....
. Brent Rademaker, sometimes with Gunst and Scher, plays in The Tyde
The Tyde
The Tyde are an American indie rock group. Tracing their roots to early 1990s LA indie band Further, formed by Darren Rademaker and brother Brent, The Tyde cite Felt, The Beach Boys and The Byrds as major influences....
and also in Frausdots
Frausdots
Frausdots is a band from Los Angeles, California, USA. The band consists of Brent Rademaker, formerly of The Tyde and Beachwood Sparks, and Michelle Loiselle, a former backing singer for Guns N' Roses, Carl Tapia, Roger Brogan, Exiquio Talavera and David Baum....
. Hey and Scher released an album as All Night Radio
All Night Radio
All Night Radio was an American indie rock band formed in Los Angeles, California.-History:Dave Scher and Jimi Hey, hail from Los Angeles, California, and have known each other since 1995, when a 16 year-old Hey would call Scher's late-night radio program on KXLU requesting Six Finger Satellite on...
. In March 2007, Scher was recruited as touring keyboard player for New York indie rockers Interpol
Interpol (band)
Interpol is an American indie rock and post-punk revival band from New York City. Formed in 1997, the band's original line-up consisted of Paul Banks , Daniel Kessler , Carlos Dengler and Greg Drudy . Drudy left the band in 2000 and was replaced by Sam Fogarino...
. Sperske joined Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti.
Beachwood Sparks reunited in 2008 to play at SB20, the celebration of Sub Pop's 20th anniversary. A small number of dates were played on the West Coast and the East Coast, including July 19 at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur, California. The reunion line-up was Gunst, Rademaker, Sperske, Ben Knight, Jen Cohen and Dan Horne. Scher also played at four of the West Coast shows.
Discography
Albums/EPs- Beachwood SparksBeachwood Sparks (album)Beachwood Sparks is the eponymous debut album by American alternative rock band Beachwood Sparks, released in 2000.Neal Casal, of Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, lists Beachwood Sparks as one of his favourite albums of all time.- Track listing :...
(2000 Sub PopSub PopSub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
) - Once We Were TreesOnce We Were TreesOnce We Were Trees is the second album by American indie rock band Beachwood Sparks, released in 2001.-Track listing:#"Germination"#"Confusion Is Nothing New"#"The Sun Surrounds Me"#"You Take the Gold"#"Hearts Mend"#"Let It Run"#"Old Manatee"...
(2001, Sub Pop) - Make the Cowboy Robots Cry EPMake The Cowboy Robots CryMake the Cowboy Robots Cry is an EP by American indie rock band Beachwood Sparks, released in 2002, which featured the return of drummer Jimi Hey.-Track listing:#"Drinkswater" – 7:12#"Hibernation" – 3:27#"Ponce de Leon Blues" – 6:55...
(2002, Sub Pop)
Singles
- "Desert Skies"/"Make It Together" (1998, Bomp Records)
- "Midsummer Daydream"/"Windows 65" (1999)
- "Once We Were Trees"/"Wake Up, Little Suzie" (2000)
- "By Your SideBy Your SideBy Your Side is the eighth album in the live praise and worship series of Praise & Worship by Hillsong Church.-Making of the album:By Your Side was recorded live at the Hills Christian Life Centre building by Darlene Zschech and the Hillsong team.-Album design:By Your Side cover artwork features...
"/"Sun Surrounds Me"/"Quietly Be"/"Close the Door Lightly When You Go" (2001 Sub Pop)