Consolidated (band)
Encyclopedia
Consolidated was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radical activist recording and performing group, formed in 1988 and best known in the early 1990s as an alternative dance/industrial
Industrial music
Industrial music is a style of experimental music that draws on transgressive and provocative themes. The term was coined in the mid-1970s with the founding of Industrial Records by the band Throbbing Gristle, and the creation of the slogan "industrial music for industrial people". In general, the...
music band. They were distinguished by left-leaning political activism and politically radical lyrics, as well as their innovative sonic collages which blended industrial and hip-hop styles. An entry on a previous version of Consolidated's official website noted that all their albums have combined to sell over 500,000 copies.
Between 1989 and 1994, their instrumental style evolved from industrial, to hip-hop, to hard rock and funk with mixtures of 'live' instruments and electronic instruments. Their music often focused upon the following topics: vegetarianism
Vegetarianism
Vegetarianism encompasses the practice of following plant-based diets , with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat...
, women's rights
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
, animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
, fighting racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
and homophobia
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
, the unity of oppression, World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and the Holocaust, the dangers of capitalism
Capitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
, and the evils of American Nationalism
American nationalism
American nationalism refers to nationalism among the people of the United States. Nationalism is the correct and recognized term for the associated ideology and political movements, within the present United States, and during its history.-Origins:...
.
Although often criticized as having strident and confrontational lyrics, Consolidated tempered the intensity of their songs with many instances of self-deprecating humor. They admitted to their own struggles with addressing complex social issues within the constraining structures of pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
, an artistic form they referred to as "a neutralized medium," but explained that they did so because they felt that it might be their only chance to reach a mass audience with progressive messages of social justice.
Their signature song, "Consolidated", contained the mission statement "Consolidated is not even a consumer product... yet. This is no rock and roll band. It is a unique creative vision of a small isolated group of individuals. A team that's skilled and dedicated. Searching for the knowledge that will enable them to improve the quality of their lives and the lives of those around them".
Band members
Consolidated's original line-up consisted of Adam SherburneAdam Sherburne
Adam Sherburne is the former lead guitarist, vocalist, and music director for Consolidated, a radical Left industrial band from San Francisco, California that played music covering many hot political topics, including vegetarianism, women's rights, animal rights, the unity of oppression, World War...
(guitar and vocals), Mark Pistel
Mark Pistel
Mark Pistel is a producer, engineer, programmer, remixer and song writer, who has been working in the genres of Electronic music, Experimental music, Break Beat, Hip-Hop, and Dance, since 1988....
(samples, sequencers and keyboards/synths), and Philip Steir
Philip Steir
Philip Steir is a musician, remixer, composer and music producer.- Life and career :As a drummer, he played in the critically acclaimed band Consolidated he co-founded, which was signed to Nettwerk Records and later London Records. Consolidated released five albums between 1990-1996...
(drums). Consolidated's subsequent line-ups have consisted of Adam Sherburne, Todd Bryerton (drums), Michael Dunne (bass), and Kevin Carnes (drums) with some mixing and engineering by Mark Pistel.
After 1994, the original line-up went their separate ways. Since that time, the project has been mainly under the direction of Adam Sherburne, with peripheral involvement by Mark Pistel (primarily mixing and engineering the albums). Following the split of the original line-up, Consolidated has continued to evolve musically through styles reminiscent of West Coast hip-hop, R&B, rock, and jazz similar to Miles Davis
Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III was an American jazz musician, trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Miles Davis was, with his musical groups, at the forefront of several major developments in jazz music, including bebop, cool jazz,...
's early 1970s experimentation. Initially known for their strident, lyric-heavy albums, their most recent recordings have been almost entirely instrumental improvisations.
Co-founders Mark Pistel (programming/vocals) and Philip Steir (programming/vocals) continued to do many remix projects after leaving the band. Mark Pistel made one album under the name Pistel, and has also played with the live/touring incarnation of Meat Beat Manifesto
Meat Beat Manifesto
Meat Beat Manifesto, often shortened to Meat Beat or MBM, is an electronic music group originally consisting of Jack Dangers and Jonny Stephens formed in 1987 in Swindon, UK...
as well as a group called Electronic Dub Collective. Philip Steir co-owns a recording studio called Toast. Drummer Todd Bryerton of the band's later line-up performs with Kneel Cohn
Kneel Cohn
Kneel Cohn in The Bronx, New York is the primary songwriter, lead singer and guitarist for The Dead Stars On Hollywood, known for the songs "Prozac Smile" and "Flaunt it Like This"...
in the NYC post-glam band The Dead Stars On Hollywood
The Dead Stars On Hollywood
The Dead Stars on Hollywood are an American rock band based in New York City, that incorporates elements of glam, new wave and goth into their alternative rock sound...
.
Adam Sherburne had previously been the lead singer of a band called Until December
Until December
Until December was a San Francisco-based rock band active in the early to late 1980s. The band released four 12" singles in 1985 on 415 Records / CBS. A self-titled album Until December was released in 1986 by 415 Records / CBS, which contained their biggest hit "Heaven"...
.
Live performances
Consolidated were notable for including in each of their live performances a period of time in which microphones were passed among audience members, who could then discuss, rebut, argue or elaborate upon the topics of Consolidated's songs. Consolidated devised these interactions as a way to subvert the typically passive experience of watching a band perform, empowering the audience members to respond and articulate their own opinions on issues addressed in the song lyrics or even the nature of the performance itself. Consolidated recorded many of these interactions and sampled excerpts of them to be included on their albums. In some cases, these samples were arranged and featured as short interludes between songs, while in other cases they were worked into the sonic collages of the songs themselves (e.g., "Crusading Rap Guys" on the 1991 LP Friendly Fa$cism.)Consolidated's live performances featured video montages that were either projected onto large screens, or featured on multiple television sets positioned along the perimeter of the stage. The video footage included their promotional music video clips for their singles, as well as video art composed of found footage which corresponded to the lyrical topics of specific songs (e.g., myths of male sexuality, sexist depictions of women in mass media, and the inhumane treatment of animals in laboratories and slaughterhouses).
Local, regional and national activist groups were invited by Consolidated to set up tables and information kiosks at their shows while they were on tour.
Discography
- Consolidated!Consolidated!Consolidated! is the debut EP of industrial/hip hop artists Consolidated which was released in 1989.-Track listing:# "Consolidated " – 5:57# "Howie Livin'" – 2:42# "Consolidated " – 3:18# "Mishima" – 6:10...
EP (Zoth Ommog | Muzic Research | Nettwerk, 1989) - The Myth of RockThe Myth of RockThe Myth of Rock is the first full-length album by industrial/hip hop artists Consolidated which was released in 1990.-Track listing:# "Product" – 4:26# "This Is A Collective" – 3:24# "America Number One" – 4:25# "Weakness " – 0:53...
(Nettwerk | I.R.S., 1990) - DysfunctionalDysfunctional (disambiguation)Dysfunctional refers to abnormality in behaviour.Dysfunctional may also refer to:*Dysfunctional *Dysfunctional...
EP (Nettwerk | I.R.S., 1990) - This is a Collective EP (Nettwerk | I.R.S., 1990)
- Friendly Fa$cism (Nettwerk | I.R.S., 1991)
- Brutal Equation EP (Nettwerk | I.R.S., 1991)
- Unity of Oppression EP (Nettwerk | I.R.S., 1991)
- This is Fascism EP (Nettwerk | I.R.S., 1991)
- Play More MusicPlay More MusicPlay More Music is the third full-length album by industrial/hip hop artists Consolidated which was released in 1992.During its concerts, Consolidated placed microphones in the crowd, so that audience members could interact with the band between songs...
(Nettwerk | I.R.S., 1992) - Tool and Die EP (Nettwerk | I.R.S., 1992)
- You Suck / Crackhouse EP (Nettwerk | I.R.S., 1992)
- Warning: Explicit LyricsWarning: Explicit LyricsWarning: Explicit Lyrics is an EP by industrial/hip hop artists Consolidated which was released in 1993. It consists of remixes of several tracks from earlier albums.-Track listing:# "Guerrillas In The Mist " – 4:24...
EP (Nettwerk | I.R.S., 1993) - Business of PunishmentBusiness of PunishmentBusiness of Punishment is the fourth full-length album by industrial/hip hop artists Consolidated which was released in 1994.-Track listing:# "Cutting" – 5:09# "Business of Punishment" – 5:50# "Born of a Woman" – 4:01...
(LondonLondon RecordsLondon Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
/Polygram, 1994) - Butyric AcidButyric acidButyric acid , also known under the systematic name butanoic acid, is a carboxylic acid with the structural formula CH3CH2CH2-COOH. Salts and esters of butyric acid are known as butyrates or butanoates...
12" (LondonLondon RecordsLondon Records, referred to as London Recordings in logo, is a record label headquartered in the United Kingdom, originally marketing records in the United States, Canada and Latin America from 1947 to 1979, then becoming a semi-independent label....
/Polygram, 1994) - DroppedDroppedDropped is the fifth full-length album by industrial/hip hop artists Consolidated, which was released in 1998. The title could be a reaction to having been "dropped" by London Records because of poor album sales, but in some interviews Adam Sherburne explained that the title is a general reference...
(Sol 3, 1997) - Tikkun (survivor demos) (Orchard Records, 1998)
- The End of MeaningThe End of MeaningThe End of Meaning is the sixth full-length album by industrial/hip hop artists Consolidated, which was released in 2000.-Track listing:# "Momentary Illusion of Autonomy" – 0:36# "I Don't Live Today" – 4:52# "Tragedat at Neah Bay" – 5:52...
(Consolidated Artists, 2001) - Free Music or Stockpiled Death? (2003)
- Free Music! Stop America! (2005)