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Sofa (Canadian band)
Encyclopedia
Sofa was a Montreal
-based band that was active from 1993 to 1997. The group is best remembered for being the first group to release material on post-rock record label
Constellation Records
; bandmember Ian Ilavsky (later a member of Re: and Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band) was a co-founder of the label.
, after which they were discarded. The band was made up of four members. They self-released two albums on cassette and with Constellation Records
had two more releases (one 7" and one CD). The full-length, Grey, received positive reviews from several Canadian press outlets. One member of the band, Ian, is also the co-founder (along with Don) of Constellation Records, an independent record label
.
Six months after the release of the full-length Grey, the group disbanded. The song "String of Lights" was included on the Constellation compilation disc Song of the Silent Land
; one reviewer noted the song's "delicate emotion reminiscent of the Dirty Three
".
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
-based band that was active from 1993 to 1997. The group is best remembered for being the first group to release material on post-rock record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
Constellation Records
Constellation Records
Constellation Records is an influential Montreal, Quebec independent record label known for its contributions to experimental genres of music. It is most famous for releasing the albums of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band, and Do Make Say...
; bandmember Ian Ilavsky (later a member of Re: and Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band) was a co-founder of the label.
History
Most of Sofa's songs were written and played in a 10' x 10' room and were later presented in live showsConcert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
, after which they were discarded. The band was made up of four members. They self-released two albums on cassette and with Constellation Records
Constellation Records
Constellation Records is an influential Montreal, Quebec independent record label known for its contributions to experimental genres of music. It is most famous for releasing the albums of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band, and Do Make Say...
had two more releases (one 7" and one CD). The full-length, Grey, received positive reviews from several Canadian press outlets. One member of the band, Ian, is also the co-founder (along with Don) of Constellation Records, an independent record 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:...
.
Six months after the release of the full-length Grey, the group disbanded. The song "String of Lights" was included on the Constellation compilation disc Song of the Silent Land
Song of the Silent Land
Song of the Silent Land is the second various-artists compilation album from Constellation Records, and their first to feature unreleased and rare tracks from the label roster: 13 of the 14 tracks were previously unreleased.-Track listing:...
; one reviewer noted the song's "delicate emotion reminiscent of the 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...
".
Members
- Scott Clarkson - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Ian Ilavsky - guitarGuitarThe 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...
, organOrgan (music)The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal... - Keith Marchand - drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s - Brad Todd - voiceVocal musicVocal music is a genre of music performed by one or more singers, with or without instrumental accompaniment, in which singing provides the main focus of the piece. Music which employs singing but does not feature it prominently is generally considered instrumental music Vocal music is a genre of...
, tapeTape loopIn music, tape loops are loops of prerecorded magnetic tape used to create repetitive, rhythmic musical patterns or dense layers of sound. Contemporary composers such as Steve Reich and Karlheinz Stockhausen used tape loops to create phase patterns and rhythms...
Discography
- Test Tone (self-release/Rhyzome Records; 19941994 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1994.-January–February:*January 25 – Alice in Chains release their Jar of Flies album which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming the first ever EP to do so....
) - Town Unsafe (self-release; 19951995 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1995.- January–February :*January 18 – Jerry Garcia crashes his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California, USA, but is not injured in the accident....
) - Record (self-release; 19951995 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1995.- January–February :*January 18 – Jerry Garcia crashes his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California, USA, but is not injured in the accident....
) - New Era Building (Constellation Records; 19971997 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy...
) - includes two songs from 'Record' - Grey (Constellation Records; 19971997 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy...
)
External links
- Official website
- Sofa at Constellation RecordsConstellation RecordsConstellation Records is an influential Montreal, Quebec independent record label known for its contributions to experimental genres of music. It is most famous for releasing the albums of Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & Tra-La-La Band, and Do Make Say...