Idaho (band)
Encyclopedia
Idaho is a rock band formed in 1992
in Los Angeles
, California
, founded as a duo by high school friends Jeff Martin and John K. Berry. They were signed to Caroline Records
in December 1992 by Brian Long, then released the The Palms EP and Year After Year full-length in 1993. Idaho drew frequent comparisons to American Music Club
and Red House Painters
due to vocal, lyrical, and instrumental similarities. Idaho toured the U.S. with similar-minded artists like Red House Painters, Half String, Low
, and Cranes
in 1993-1995. Dan Seta joined as a multi-instrumentalist on Three Sheets to the Wind, the band's third album, along with Terry Borden - bass (later of the Pete Yorn
band) and Mark Lewis (West Indian Girl
) on drums. Seta and Lewis had previously been in the band Pet Clarke together, along with Geoff Gans and former Let's Active
touring bassist Janine Cooper, who went on to join Downy Mildew. Idaho have played dates in Europe with Lali Puna
and Dirty Three
Martin had recorded some solo songs (including "Never Back Again") in 1984 in the U.K., but a solo career never materialized. Idaho's music is traditionally categorized as slowcore or sadcore
. The band has released seven full-length albums, as well as numerous EPs and singles, dating back to 1992. Idaho became primarily the vehicle of singer-songwriter Martin, who has performed the most recent of Idaho's albums almost entirely on his own. To this day, he remains the band's sole songwriter and principal musician. His foreboding four-string tenor guitar
playing (he has had several such guitars custom-made for him) is a hallmark of most Idaho albums, though later releases rely more heavily on piano. 1998 album Alas featured vocals on a few songs by Melissa Auf der Maur
.
Idaho's sonic stylings range from existentially introspective songs to cathartic screaming, though their music falls in the first category the majority of the time. Their release, The Lone Gunman, often eschews the traditional song structure for more instrumental experimentation.
In December 2008 Idaho contributed their track "Santa Claus Is Weird" to an Indiecater Records festive compilation titled An Indiecater Christmas.
Martin has recently done music for U.S. television shows. films and documentaries.
Idaho released You Were A Dick On June 28, 2011.
1992 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1992.-January–February:*January 11**Nirvana's Nevermind album goes to #1 in the US Billboard 200 chart, establishing the widespread popularity of the Grunge movement of the 1990s....
in 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...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, founded as a duo by high school friends Jeff Martin and John K. Berry. They were signed to Caroline Records
Caroline Records
Caroline Records started out as a subsidiary of Richard Branson's Virgin Records label during the early to mid 1970s. The label originally specialized in putting out budget price LPs by mainly progressive rock and jazz artists generally not considered to have a great deal of 'mainstream' or...
in December 1992 by Brian Long, then released the The Palms EP and Year After Year full-length in 1993. Idaho drew frequent comparisons to American Music Club
American Music Club
American Music Club is a San Francisco-based alternative rock band led by singer-songwriter Mark Eitzel.-History:Although born in California, Eitzel spent his formative years in Okinawa, Taiwan, Great Britain and Ohio before returning to the Bay Area in 1981...
and Red House Painters
Red House Painters
Red House Painters were an alternative rock group formed in 1989 in San Francisco, California by singer-songwriter Mark Kozelek.-History:While in Atlanta, Georgia, Ohio-born Kozelek became friends with Anthony Koutsos, a drummer. He then moved to San Francisco, California, adding guitarist Gorden...
due to vocal, lyrical, and instrumental similarities. Idaho toured the U.S. with similar-minded artists like Red House Painters, Half String, Low
Low (band)
Low is an American indie rock group from Duluth, Minnesota, formed in 1993. As of 2010, the group is composed of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker , both founding members, and Steve Garrington ....
, and Cranes
Cranes (band)
Cranes are a British music group formed in 1986, whose style has been described as "gothic minimalism".-History:Formed in 1986 in Portsmouth, England by siblings Alison and Jim Shaw, and named after the many mechanical cranes around the city's docks, Cranes are best known for the childlike,...
in 1993-1995. Dan Seta joined as a multi-instrumentalist on Three Sheets to the Wind, the band's third album, along with Terry Borden - bass (later of the Pete Yorn
Pete Yorn
Peter Joseph Yorn is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist who first gained international recognition after his debut record, Musicforthemorningafter, was released to critical acclaim in 2001.-Early history:Yorn's father is a dentist and his mother is a former concert pianist who worked as a...
band) and Mark Lewis (West Indian Girl
West Indian Girl
West Indian Girl is a rock band from Los Angeles.The band's name comes from a type of lysergic acid that was popular in the early 60s. The initials are also a reference to Robert James' and Francis Ten's previous band, "WIG"- History :...
) on drums. Seta and Lewis had previously been in the band Pet Clarke together, along with Geoff Gans and former Let's Active
Let's Active
Let's Active was an American rock musical group formed in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 1981.-History:The principal songwriter and sole continuous member of Let's Active was Mitch Easter, who kept the band active through most of the 1980s. The band's musical style is sometimes referred to as...
touring bassist Janine Cooper, who went on to join Downy Mildew. Idaho have played dates in Europe with Lali Puna
Lali Puna
Lali Puna is an experimental electropop band from Weilheim, Germany . Founded in 1998 by Korea-born Valerie Trebeljahr , other members include Markus Acher , Christoph Brandner and Christian Heiß . The latter joined Lali Puna in 2003, after keyboard player Florian Zimmer had left the band...
and Dirty Three
Dirty Three
Dirty Three are an instrumental trio consisting of Warren Ellis , Mick Turner and Jim White , originating from Melbourne, Australia. Since the Dirty Three formed in 1992, they have spent a lot of time overseas...
Martin had recorded some solo songs (including "Never Back Again") in 1984 in the U.K., but a solo career never materialized. Idaho's music is traditionally categorized as slowcore or sadcore
Sadcore
Slowcore is a subgenre of alternative and indie rock.The music of slowcore artists is generally characterized by bleak lyrics, downbeat melodies, slower tempos and minimalist arrangements. Slowcore is often used interchangeably with the term sadcore....
. The band has released seven full-length albums, as well as numerous EPs and singles, dating back to 1992. Idaho became primarily the vehicle of singer-songwriter Martin, who has performed the most recent of Idaho's albums almost entirely on his own. To this day, he remains the band's sole songwriter and principal musician. His foreboding four-string tenor guitar
Tenor guitar
1932 Martin 0-18 T Sunburst Tenor Guitar|thumb|rightThe tenor guitar or four-string guitar is a slightly smaller, four-string relative of the steel-string acoustic guitar or electric guitar. The instrument was developed so that players of the four-string tenor banjo could double on the guitar...
playing (he has had several such guitars custom-made for him) is a hallmark of most Idaho albums, though later releases rely more heavily on piano. 1998 album Alas featured vocals on a few songs by Melissa Auf der Maur
Melissa Auf der Maur
Melissa Auf der Maur is a Canadian rock musician from Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Her career has included 5 years as bassist with the band Hole and she later toured with The Smashing Pumpkins for their 2000 tour. Her second solo album, Out of Our Minds, was released on March 30, 2010. She is also a...
.
Idaho's sonic stylings range from existentially introspective songs to cathartic screaming, though their music falls in the first category the majority of the time. Their release, The Lone Gunman, often eschews the traditional song structure for more instrumental experimentation.
In December 2008 Idaho contributed their track "Santa Claus Is Weird" to an Indiecater Records festive compilation titled An Indiecater Christmas.
Martin has recently done music for U.S. television shows. films and documentaries.
Idaho released You Were A Dick On June 28, 2011.
Albums
- Year After Year (1993, Caroline)
- This Way Out (1995, Caroline) (recorded in 1994)
- Three Sheets To The Wind (1996, Caroline)
- Alas (1998, Buzz)
- Hearts Of Palm (2000, Idaho Music)
- Levitate (2001, Idaho Music)
- The Lone Gunman (2005, Retrophonic)
- You Were A Dick (2011)
Compilations, Live
- People Like Us Should Be Stopped (Live, Volume 1) (2000, Idaho Music) (Recorded Dec. 11, 1993 at Downtown Performing Arts Center in Tucson, AZ)
- We Were Young And Needed The Money (compilation of rare and previously unissued songs from '92 to '00) (2002, Idaho Music)
- Vieux Carré (compilation released in Germany) (2004, Kalinkaland)
EPs, Singles
- "Skyscrape" (b/w "Star") 7" (1993, Ringer's Lactate)
- The Palms (1993, Caroline)
- "Fuel" (b/w "Hail Mary") 7" (1993)
- Drive It (1994, Quigley)
- Bayonet (released with extra tracks in its 10" vinyl format) (1995, Fingerpaint)
- "Pomegranate Bleeding" (b/w "The Right Escape") 7" (1996, Caroline)
- The Forbidden (1997, Buzz)
External links
- Idaho
- slidingpast.com, the official Idaho archive
- Trouser Press entry
- [ Idaho at the Allmusic ]
- An Indiecater Christmas