Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
Encyclopedia
History
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir was formed in 2001 by two college graduates with degrees in music. Despite the name, none of the members are from Scotland YardScotland Yard
Scotland Yard is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service of London, UK. It derives from the location of the original Metropolitan Police headquarters at 4 Whitehall Place, which had a rear entrance on a street called Great Scotland Yard. The Scotland Yard entrance became...
or London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and they do not play gospel music
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
. Matthew Kerstein and Elia Einhorn initially released a four track recording, "Do You Still Stick Out in the Crowd", then expanded to a four-piece by adding Ellen O'hayer and Sam Koentopp before releasing the single "Jennie That Cries". The group began playing locally in Chicago, soon opening for Arcade Fire, Of Montreal
Of Montreal
Of Montreal is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. It was founded by frontman Kevin Barnes in 1996, named after a failed romance with a woman "of Montreal." The band is one of the bands of the Elephant 6 collective...
, The Walkmen
The Walkmen
The Walkmen are an American indie rock band, with members based in New York City and Philadelphia. The band formed in 2000 with three members from Jonathan Fire*Eater—Paul Maroon , Walter Martin , and Matt Barrick —and two from The Recoys, Peter Bauer and Hamilton Leithauser . All but Bauer...
, The Fiery Furnaces
The Fiery Furnaces
The Fiery Furnaces are a U.S. indie rock band formed in 2000 in Brooklyn, New York. The band's primary members are Matthew and Eleanor Friedberger. The siblings are originally from Oak Park, Illinois, a near-western suburb of Chicago.- Band biography :...
, and Jay Bennett
Jay Bennett
Jay Walter Bennett was an American guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, engineer, producer, and singer-songwriter, best known for his work with the band Wilco.-Early life and work with Wilco:...
. Their debut album was released late in 2003, called "I Bet you Say That To All The Boys". In 2005, co-founder Matthew Kerstein and Sam Koentopp left the band to begin Brighton, MA. Elia continues to front SYGC with their sophomore release on Bloodshot Records
Bloodshot Records
Bloodshot Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois which specializes in roots-inflected indie rock, punk blues, and a Chicago brand of outlaw country...
in 2007.
On September 24, 2009 the band was involved in a major automobile accident while on tour.
Their tour van's tire split and the vehicle rolled several times. All members survived, but the band is now dealing with substantial medical bills. To offset costs, the band and their label have held benefit concerts and set up a donation fund.
Members
- Elia Einhorn - vocals, guitar
- Mary Ralph - guitar, vocals
- Ethan Adelsman - violin, vocals, guitar
- Jay Santana - drums
- Mark Yoshizumi - bass
- Alison Hinderliter - keys
- Sam Johnson - trumpet, vocals
- Matt Priest - trombone, vocals
Former
- Sam Koentopp - drums
- Ellen O'Hayer - cello, bass, vocals
- Matthew Kerstein - guitar, vocals
- Devon Bryant - bass
Discography
- "Jennie That Cries"/"Not Helicopters" (Fashion Brigade, 2002)
- "I Never Thought I Could Feel This Way for a Boy"/"A Good Kind of Crazy" (Fashion Brigade, 2003)
- I Bet You Say That to All the Boys (Fashion Brigade, 2003)
- Scotland Yard Gospel Choir (Bloodshot RecordsBloodshot RecordsBloodshot Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois which specializes in roots-inflected indie rock, punk blues, and a Chicago brand of outlaw country...
, 2007) - ...And the Horse You Rode In On (Bloodshot RecordsBloodshot RecordsBloodshot Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois which specializes in roots-inflected indie rock, punk blues, and a Chicago brand of outlaw country...
, 2009)