Pela
Encyclopedia
Pela was an American indie rock
band from Brooklyn
known for their intense live performances.
ist Billy McCarthy met Christopher Herb. As best friends they worked at a mall together after dropping out of high school
, and then traveled around the world together playing music in various cities. Herb and McCarthy began a folk project called Igloo Gazelle in New York City
in 2001. In Early 2002, Herb had a chance meeting with Eric Sanderson on a subway platform at 7th avenue in Brooklyn
where Herb was busking
. Sanderson was invited to a practice session and joined the band shortly thereafter.
In late 2002, Herb abruptly moved to Australia
for four years. Sanderson & McCarthy soon broke up Igloo Gazelle and teamed with guitarist Nate Martinez. Martinez and Sanderson met as roommates in college (in upstate New York) and played in many bands together both during and after theirs schooling. Both schoolmates are classic
ally trained musicians in multiple genres of music. After a succession of drummers, they found Tomislav Zovich who remained in the band for the duration.
On September 18, 2009, the band announced on their website and facebook site that they have broken up citing difficulties with record labels and personal injuries.
Guitarist Martinez now has a solo project named Thieving Irons.
In 2010, singer/songwriter Billy McCarthy and bassist Eric Sanderson formed a band called Augustines. Due to a trademark conflict, they renamed the band to We Are Augustines
and relaunched their website in December 2010.
in 2005 on Brassland label, owned by Brooklyn/Cincinnati band The National, and a download-only EP Exit Columbia Street, in 2006. In 2007 the group signed with independent label
Great Society, who released their debut full-length, album, Anytown Graffiti, in April 2007. The group has played with Sonic Youth
, The Flaming Lips
, The Decemberists
, Norah Jones
, Sleater-Kinney
, The National
, Mission of Burma
, Gaslight Anthem, Gossip
, Devendra Barnhart, British Sea Power
, and Feist.
Pela severed ties with Great Society in 2008.
Anytown Graffiti, recorded with Dan Long
, was met with wide acclaim and landed itself on over 35 “Best Of” Lists for 2007 including Yahoo!
and the KEXP
Listeners Poll. As well, in October 2008, Pela’s Anytown Graffiti was voted #112 in KEXPs countdown of the Top 903 Albums Of All Time.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band from Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
known for their intense live performances.
History
Pela's history goes back to the early ’90s when lead vocalist and guitarGuitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
ist Billy McCarthy met Christopher Herb. As best friends they worked at a mall together after dropping out of high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, and then traveled around the world together playing music in various cities. Herb and McCarthy began a folk project called Igloo Gazelle in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 2001. In Early 2002, Herb had a chance meeting with Eric Sanderson on a subway platform at 7th avenue in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
where Herb was busking
Busking
Street performance or busking is the practice of performing in public places, for gratuities, which are generally in the form of money and edibles...
. Sanderson was invited to a practice session and joined the band shortly thereafter.
In late 2002, Herb abruptly moved to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
for four years. Sanderson & McCarthy soon broke up Igloo Gazelle and teamed with guitarist Nate Martinez. Martinez and Sanderson met as roommates in college (in upstate New York) and played in many bands together both during and after theirs schooling. Both schoolmates are classic
Classic
The word classic means something that is a perfect example of a particular style, something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality. The word can be an adjective or a noun . It denotes a particular quality in art, architecture, literature and other cultural artifacts...
ally trained musicians in multiple genres of music. After a succession of drummers, they found Tomislav Zovich who remained in the band for the duration.
On September 18, 2009, the band announced on their website and facebook site that they have broken up citing difficulties with record labels and personal injuries.
Guitarist Martinez now has a solo project named Thieving Irons.
In 2010, singer/songwriter Billy McCarthy and bassist Eric Sanderson formed a band called Augustines. Due to a trademark conflict, they renamed the band to We Are Augustines
We Are Augustines
We Are Augustines is an American indie rock group based in Brooklyn, New York and consisting of guitarist Billy McCarthy, bassist Eric Sanderson and drummer Rob Allen.-History:...
and relaunched their website in December 2010.
Recording
They released a physical EPExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
in 2005 on Brassland label, owned by Brooklyn/Cincinnati band The National, and a download-only EP Exit Columbia Street, in 2006. In 2007 the group signed with independent label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
Great Society, who released their debut full-length, album, Anytown Graffiti, in April 2007. The group has played with Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
, The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips
The Flaming Lips are an American alternative rock band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1983.Melodically, their sound contains lush, multi-layered, psychedelic rock arrangements, but lyrically their compositions show elements of space rock, including unusual song and album titles—such as "What...
, The Decemberists
The Decemberists
The Decemberists are an indie folk rock band from Portland, Oregon, United States, fronted by singer/songwriter Colin Meloy. The other members of the band are Chris Funk , Jenny Conlee , Nate Query , and John Moen .The band's...
, Norah Jones
Norah Jones
Norah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress.In 2002, she launched her solo music career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album Come Away With Me, which was certified a diamond album in 2002, selling over 20 million copies...
, Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney was an alternative rock band from Portland, Oregon that formed in 1994. Originally formed in Olympia, Washington, the group's name is derived from Sleater-Kinney Road, Interstate 5 off ramp #108 in Lacey, Washington, the location of one of their early practice spaces. They were a...
, The National
The National (band)
The National is an indie rock band formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1999 and currently based in Brooklyn, New York. The band's lyrics are written and sung by Matt Berninger, a baritone...
, Mission of Burma
Mission of Burma
Mission of Burma is an American post-punk band formed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1979. The band was formed by Roger Miller , Clint Conley , Peter Prescott and Martin Swope...
, Gaslight Anthem, Gossip
Gossip
Gossip is idle talk or rumour, especially about the personal or private affairs of others, It is one of the oldest and most common means of sharing facts and views, but also has a reputation for the introduction of errors and variations into the information transmitted...
, Devendra Barnhart, British Sea Power
British Sea Power
British Sea Power are an indie rock band based in Brighton, England, although three of the band members originally come from Kendal in Cumbria. Critics have likened their sound to a variety of groups, from The Cure and Joy Division to the Pixies and Arcade Fire. The band are famed for their live...
, and Feist.
Pela severed ties with Great Society in 2008.
Anytown Graffiti, recorded with Dan Long
Dan Long
Dan Long is an Australian music producer from santas workshop, recording engineer, and mixer. With Alex Lipsen and Scott Norton, he founded Headgear Studio in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where artists such as the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, TV on the Radio, David Bowie, Son Volt, and The All-American Rejects...
, was met with wide acclaim and landed itself on over 35 “Best Of” Lists for 2007 including Yahoo!
Yahoo!
Yahoo! Inc. is an American multinational internet corporation headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, United States. The company is perhaps best known for its web portal, search engine , Yahoo! Directory, Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, advertising, online mapping ,...
and the KEXP
KEXP
KEXP-FM is a public radio station based in Seattle, Washington, that specializes in alternative and indie rock programmed by its disc jockeys. Its broadcasting license is owned by the University of Washington, which operates the station in a partnership with Paul Allen's Experience Music Project...
Listeners Poll. As well, in October 2008, Pela’s Anytown Graffiti was voted #112 in KEXPs countdown of the Top 903 Albums Of All Time.
Discography
- All in Time EP (BrasslandBrassland RecordsBrassland is an artist-operated independent record label started in 2001 by Alec Hanley Bemis and Aaron and Bryce Dessner. On their 10th anniversary, The Guardian said of it that it is at "the centre of New York's other music scene."...
, 2005) - Exit Columbia Street EP (download-only, 2006)
- Anytown Graffiti (Great Society, 2007)
Members
- Nate Martinez - guitar, keyboards, vocals
- Billy McCarthy - vocals, guitar
- Eric Sanderson - bass, keyboards, vocals, percussion
- Tomislav Zovich - drums, vocals
External links
- Official website
- Myspace
- Tour Blog (active when band is on tour)
- Studio Blog (active when band is in the studio)
- We Are Augustines website (Billy McCarthy & Eric Sanderson)
- Thieving Irons website (Nate Martinez)