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Skeleton Key is a rock
Rock music

Rock music is a loosely defined genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the mid 1950's. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rhythm and blues, country music and other influences....
 band
Band (music)

In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform songs. The following articles concern types of musical bands:...
 based in New York City
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
. The band is the brainchild of bassist and singer Erik Sanko, who is the only constant member of the band. His vision was to create a sound "luxurious, yet affordable," using antique microphones, primitive guitars, and unconventional percussion.

996 the band released an eponymous EP on Motel Records that Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone is a United States-based magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J....
 said "shows how pop culture and high culture can bring everyone to the same place." Soon after, they inked a deal with Capitol Records
Capitol Records

Capitol Records is a major United States-based record label owned by EMI and located in Hollywood, California and New York City as part of Capitol Music Group....
 and put out the critically acclaimed Fantastic Spikes Through Balloon in 1997, which was nominated for a Grammy
Grammy Awards of 1998

The 40th Grammy Awards were held on February 25, 1998. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year.Unlike many Grammy award ceremonies, which are often criticized for being too boring, the 1998 Grammys had several memorable and shocking moments....
 for its artwork, that featured a booklet with holes punched through it in a grid pattern.






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Encyclopedia


Skeleton Key is a rock
Rock music

Rock music is a loosely defined genre of popular music that entered the mainstream in the mid 1950's. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rhythm and blues, country music and other influences....
 band
Band (music)

In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform songs. The following articles concern types of musical bands:...
 based in New York City
New York City

The City of New York is the List of United States cities by population in the United States, while the New York metropolitan area ranks among the List of urban areas by population....
. The band is the brainchild of bassist and singer Erik Sanko, who is the only constant member of the band. His vision was to create a sound "luxurious, yet affordable," using antique microphones, primitive guitars, and unconventional percussion.

History

In 1996 the band released an eponymous EP on Motel Records that Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone is a United States-based magazine devoted to music, politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J....
 said "shows how pop culture and high culture can bring everyone to the same place." Soon after, they inked a deal with Capitol Records
Capitol Records

Capitol Records is a major United States-based record label owned by EMI and located in Hollywood, California and New York City as part of Capitol Music Group....
 and put out the critically acclaimed Fantastic Spikes Through Balloon in 1997, which was nominated for a Grammy
Grammy Awards of 1998

The 40th Grammy Awards were held on February 25, 1998. They recognized accomplishments by musicians from the previous year.Unlike many Grammy award ceremonies, which are often criticized for being too boring, the 1998 Grammys had several memorable and shocking moments....
 for its artwork, that featured a booklet with holes punched through it in a grid pattern. The band then toured the US and Europe with a diverse assortment of acts including The Melvins
The Melvins

The Melvins are an American sludge metal band that usually perform as a power trio. Aside from the 1984 incarnation which included Buzz, Mike Dillard on drums, and Matt Lukin, Singer/guitarist Buzz Osborne and drummer Dale Crover are constant members....
, Girls Against Boys
Girls Against Boys

Girls Against Boys are an indie rock/post-hardcore band, originally forming in Washington, D.C. in 1988 and currently based in New York City.The group began as a side project of Eli Janney and Fugazi drummer Brendan Canty....
, Cibo Matto
Cibo Matto

Cibo Matto was a New York City-based band formed by two Japan women, Yuka Honda and Miho Hatori, in 1994. The lyrics in their songs are primarily concerned with food, possibly used as a metaphor....
, The Jesus Lizard
The Jesus Lizard

The Jesus Lizard is an alternative rock band formed in 1987 in Chicago, Illinois.After the breakup of Jesus Lizard's first incarnation, Scratch Acid, singer David Yow relocated from Texas to Chicago and teamed up with former Cargo Cult guitarist Duane Denison....
, They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants

They Might Be Giants is a Grammy Award-winning Music of the United States alternative rock band which began as a duo of John Flansburgh and John Linnell, and currently also includes Marty Beller, Dan Miller , and Danny Weinkauf....
, Morphine
Morphine

Morphine is a highly potent opiate analgesic Medication, is the principal active agent in opium, and is considered to be the prototypical opioid....
, Brainiac
Brainiac (band)

Brainiac was an influential United States synthpunk band formed in 1992 and disbanded after the sudden death of lead singer Tim Taylor in 1997....
, and Primus
Primus (band)

Primus is an United States Rock music band currently composed of singer and bass guitar Les Claypool, guitarist Larry LaLonde, and drummer Tim Alexander....
 before headlining their own US tour. After 2 grueling years on the road and a half-finished album recorded, original members Chris Maxwell and Rick Lee departed, leaving the future of Skeleton Key in jeopardy.

The band, which had been reduced to a lone Sanko, signed with Mike Patton
Mike Patton

Michael Allan Patton is an United States singer, songwriter, composer, lyricist, multi-instrumentalist and video game voice actor, best known as the lead singer of the rock band Faith No More....
's Ipecac Recordings
Ipecac Recordings

Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in Orinda, California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 in music by Greg Werckman and Mike Patton in Alameda, California....
 to release Obtainium
Obtainium

Obtainium is an album by Skeleton Key , released in 2002 by Ipecac Recordings....
 in 2002. With a revamped lineup including drummer Matthias Bossi and percussionist Tim Keiper, the band hit the road again, playing several successful tours with bands such as Tomahawk
Tomahawk (band)

Tomahawk is an experimental rock heavy metal music/alternative rock Supergroup from the United States. They formed in 2000 when Fant?mas , ex-Mr....
, The Melvins
The Melvins

The Melvins are an American sludge metal band that usually perform as a power trio. Aside from the 1984 incarnation which included Buzz, Mike Dillard on drums, and Matt Lukin, Singer/guitarist Buzz Osborne and drummer Dale Crover are constant members....
, Alien Ant Farm
Alien Ant Farm

Alien Ant Farm is an United States rock band that formed in the southern California city of Riverside, California in 1995. Their name comes from an idea guitarist Terry Corso had about aliens and the earth--"I was daydreaming at my dull desk job with my feet up, and I thought to myself, 'Wouldn't it be cool if the human species were placed o...
, Cessation Bustle and Sleepytime Gorilla Museum
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum is an United States experimental rock band, formed in 1999 in Oakland, California....
. After touring in support of Obtanium, Bossi left the group to join Sleepytime Gorilla Museum
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum is an United States experimental rock band, formed in 1999 in Oakland, California....
 and Keiper departed as well. Sanko and LeBlang recruited members Benjamin Clapp and Sean Sankey and the band released a five song EP
Extended play

An extended play is a vinyl record, Compact disc, or music download which contains more music than a Single , but is too short to qualify as an LP album....
, titled The Lyons Quintette on Do Tell Records. In fall 2007, Skeleton Key had yet another member change and premiered new drummer Bob Vaccarelli on tour in support of U.S.S.A.
U.S.S.A.

U.S.S.A. are a rock music group formed by bassist/programmer/Record producer Paul Barker and guitarist/composer Duane Denison . After their initial collaboration, Barker and Denison recruited vocalist Gary Call and drummer Johnny Rabb....
 and Chemlab
Chemlab

Chemlab is a coldwave and industrial rock band formed in Washington D.C., USA, in 1989 by Dylan Thomas More, Joe Frank , and Jared Louche . Influenced by the pioneers of the Industrial genre, such as Throbbing Gristle, Chemlab mixed rough, experimental sounds with Rock and Roll and Metal to create their music....
.

Band Members


Current members

  • Erik Sanko – Bass guitar
    Bass guitar

    The electric bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a plectrum.The bass guitar is similar in appearance and construction to an electric guitar, but with a larger body, a longer neck and Scale length, and usually four strings tuned to the same pitches as those of the double bass, whic...
    , vocals
  • Craig LeBlang – Guitar
    Guitar

    The guitar is a musical instrument with ancient roots that is used in a wide variety of musical styles. It typically has six Strings , but Tenor guitar, Seven-string guitar, Eight-string guitar, Ten-string guitar, Eleven-string guitar, Twelve-string guitar, Thirteen-string guitar and doubleneck guitar string guitars also exist....
  • Benjamin Clapp – "Junk" percussion
  • Bob Vaccarelli – Drum kit
    Drum kit

    A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and sometimes other percussion instruments, such as cowbell s, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single drummer....


Former members

  • Chris Maxwell – Guitar
  • Rick Lee – "Junk" percussion
  • Matthias Bossi – Drum kit
  • Sean Sankey – Drum kit
  • Tim Keiper – "Junk" percussion
  • Steve Calhoon
    Pretendo

    Pretendo is a New York City-based indie rock trio formed in 2004 of ex-/present members of Enon, Skeleton Key , Creedle, The Rugburns, Mono Puff, Morricone youth, Little Jack Melody and The DaoSon For....
     - Drum kit/Junk percussion


Discography

  • Human Pin Cushion Single (1995, Dedicated Records)
  • Skeleton Key EP (1996, Motel Records)
  • Fantastic Spikes Through Balloon (1997, Capitol Records
    Capitol Records

    Capitol Records is a major United States-based record label owned by EMI and located in Hollywood, California and New York City as part of Capitol Music Group....
    )
  • Obtanium (2002, Ipecac Recordings
    Ipecac Recordings

    Ipecac Recordings is an independent record label based in Orinda, California. It was founded on April 1, 1999 in music by Greg Werckman and Mike Patton in Alameda, California....
    )
  • The Lyons Quintette EP (2005, Do Tell Records)


External links