Sunny Day Real Estate
Encyclopedia
Sunny Day Real Estate is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington. In the 1990s, the group expanded upon the grunge
style that was popular in the local scene to make a more melodic sound. While not the first band to be classified as emo, they were instrumental in establishing the genre. In 1994, the band released their debut album Diary on Sub Pop Records
to critical acclaim. However, shortly after releasing their second album LP2, the band broke up with members Nate Mendel and William Goldsmith joining the Foo Fighters
and Jeremy Enigk embarking on a solo career. In 1997, they regrouped long enough to record two more studio albums and a live album, but ultimately disbanded once again in 2001. The band has reunited once again in 2009. Bassist Nate Mendel, who chose to remain with the Foo Fighters during the previous reunion in 1997, is now taking part in this reunion.
(guitar
, vocals), Nate Mendel
(bass
), and William Goldsmith
(drums
). They released a demo tape under the name "Empty Set". Post-release, the band changed their name from Empty Set to Chewbacca Kaboom, upon realization that a band with the name Empty Set already existed. However, when another demo tape was released, the new name earned them little attention, and it was yet again subject to change, this time to 'One Day I Stopped Breathing'. During that same time, Mendel took a break to tour with another band. Hoerner took over the bass, and the group was joined by Jeremy Enigk
, a high school friend of Goldsmith. Before long, Enigk ascended to become the permanent frontman of the band. Where Hoerner's vocal style had been in the rougher, hardcore
vein, Enigk's higher-pitched, somewhat strained vocal style arguably added a greater emotional depth to the band's songs. When Mendel returned, the complete band settled on the name Sunny Day Real Estate, and with the new name a 7" called Flatland Spider was released. Sunny Day Real Estate released another 7-inch, Thief, Steal Me a Peach in 1993.
There are many plausible origins of where the name of the band really came from, the most commonly believed story being a quip from Nate Mendel. He felt that since the band's outlook on the world saw that every possible thing was becoming a commodity to be bought and sold, it was possible that one day, people would even start selling sunny days.
Two other popular stories are that the band's name came from a line from a Talking Heads
song or that it is from a T. S. Eliot
poem. Mendel has said that the name came from the Talking Heads song "(Nothing But) Flowers
".
label Sub Pop
in 1994, was greeted with numerous positive reviews. That September, the band performed lead single "Seven" on an episode of The Jon Stewart Show
. A few days later, they taped several songs for MTV
's 120 Minutes
. Through November and December, the band undertook a US tour with Shudder to Think
and Soul Coughing
in support of the album.
The band projected an enigmatic presence to the public. While supporting Diary, the band allowed only one publicity photo and granted just a single interview (though, strangely, the band posed for an advertisement for department-store chain Nordstrom
). In a 1998 interview with Norm Arenas of Texas Is the Reason
, Hoerner explained that the band made up a fake band name and brought in a fake lead singer for the ad shoot, only to have the store stick their real band name on the ad. For most of its early days, the band also refused to play a show in California
, for reasons that were never fully explained. When the band was asked to perform at the 1994 Almost Acoustic Christmas
in Los Angeles
for radio station KROQ
, Hoerner refused to join them, leaving Enigk, Mendel, and Goldsmith to perform the show as a trio.
After finishing their 1994 US tour, the band regrouped to begin recording the follow-up to Diary. While the events surrounding the sessions have not been publicly discussed, the band was clearly enduring internal conflict. Rumors abounded that the root cause was Enigk's sudden conversion to Christianity
. In early 1995, the band announced that it was disbanding, with Goldsmith and Mendel leaving to join Dave Grohl's fledgling Foo Fighters
.
There was much talk but little really known about the reasons for the break-up. While many fans focused on Enigk being a reborn Christian
, Enigk and other band members later downplayed that aspect. In a letter addressed "To Seth and other readers", Enigk responded to rumors regarding his faith. Dismissing the connection between his conversion and their break-up, Enigk wrote, "I took a shot on calling upon God. He answered me. My pain was gone. I was full of joy. I had hope again. I must say that the true God is the one who is in the Bible, Jesus Christ," and, "I would be a fool to say that he hasn't worked miracles in my life."
In November 1995, Sub Pop released the band's second album, bearing only the label Sunny Day Real Estate
. The album was released without cover art or liner notes, and was distributed by Sub Pop as LP2. It has also occasionally been referred to as "The Pink Album", a reference to its solid pink cover. When Sub Pop contacted the band for artwork for the release, the band had nothing to offer, so Goldsmith suggested that they "make it pink". The album included the songs recorded during the brief sessions, as well as tracks such as "Rodeo Jones" that were recorded during the sessions for Diary.
Enigk confessed in an interview in December 2008 that because the band had already broken up during the recording of LP2, he and Hoerner never sat down to complete the lyrics. "We broke up and we just felt like we were done. We put no energy into the artwork or into anything. On a lot of songs, there aren’t lyrics! In a lot of cases, we never sat down to write them, because we just wanted to get it out of the way as fast as possible. So I just sang a lot of gibberish, which makes it really quirky. My favorite is the Japanese translations."
After the breakup, Enigk pursued a solo career, releasing his first solo album in 1996. Hoerner moved out to a farm in rural Washington, while Mendel and Goldsmith continued with the Foo Fighters
. In 1997, following a dispute with Grohl during the sessions for the second Foo Fighters record, Goldsmith departed the band, but Mendel remained.
soundtrack. Given that there wasn't quite a full album worth of material, the band decided to regroup to record a few new songs. While working on the songs, the quartet realized that whatever had driven them apart was behind them, and decided to continue working on new material, eventually signaling to Sub Pop that they wanted to release a full new album. Initially, Mendel intended to quit the Foo Fighters to rejoin Sunny Day full-time, but hedged for several months on actually quitting. Just before starting the recording sessions for the album, Mendel turned down the opportunity, noting that he didn't want to leave what he had with the Foo Fighters for a potentially tenuous reunion.
In September 1998, the band released How It Feels to Be Something On
. For the album, the remaining trio replaced Mendel with Jeff Palmer, formerly of the Mommyheads
. Palmer left the band after a short time, and he was replaced by Joe Skyward. Fans were surprised by the mellower, more mature vibe presented on the record in songs such as the title track and "Every Shining Time You Arrive". These songs were intended for Enigk's second solo album, but later became Sunny Day Real Estate songs. On the album, Hoerner took the opportunity to write about his environmental concerns in "100 Million".
While supporting the album, Sub Pop approached them about the possibility of filming the band for a live release. Two shows were documented, one on video and one on audio, in the form of Live
. In the weeks after their release, the band noted its displeasure with the video and CD, complaining that Sub Pop did not allow them final approval on the artwork or on the final mixes. Having fulfilled their contractual obligations, the band left the label.
The search for a new label was a lengthy and arduous process. Several major labels were eager to sign the band, but the division within the band between remaining true to their indie roots and signing up for the big leagues wrecked the process. The situation was so difficult that it resulted in the departure of long-time manager Greg Williamson. Finally, the band signed with Time Bomb Recordings
, an independent label distributed by BMG
. With Time Bomb, the band hoped to have the best of both worlds: the freedom of an indie label backed by the wider distribution of a major label.
The band joined with long-time Hüsker Dü
sound engineer Lou Giordano
to record The Rising Tide, released in June 2000. The band had high hopes for the release, and subsequently undertook a lengthy US tour. At the end of the tour, the band expressed its desire to finally reach out to its Europe
an fans by undertaking its first overseas tour. However, on the eve of the tour, Time Bomb pulled its tour funding, claiming that they simply could not afford to support the band overseas. It turned out that the label had invested a substantial amount of money in supporting Peter Searcy
's Could You Please and Thank You, and the album had performed so poorly that the label was almost completely broke. Not only could they not support Sunny Day Real Estate overseas, they could no longer fund the band at all. Some weeks later, the label ceased operations. Disillusioned and disappointed, the band retreated home, and subsequently announced their disbanding.
on tracks for Dashboard Confessional
.
In 2001, Enigk and Goldsmith reunited with Mendel to form a new band, called The Fire Theft
, releasing their first self-titled album in 2003. While they had the option of retaining the Sunny Day Real Estate name, the trio decided that it was time to leave the past behind them and start fresh. Mendel remained with the Foo Fighters
, joining The Fire Theft when his schedule allowed it.
In 2006, Enigk reignited his solo career by recording and releasing the LP World Waits
on his own label, Lewis Hollow Records. Following the October 17 release, Enigk embarked upon a supporting solo tour of the U.S. using material from his 2006 release, as well as his decade-prior solo album, Return of the Frog Queen
.
from 107.7 The End. The band toured the United States
and Canada
on September and October 2009, and Australia in February 2010 as part of the Soundwave Festival. The band's first show was a surprise secret show on September 16, 2009 at Hell's Kitchen in Tacoma, Washington
. To coincide with the new tour, the band's first two albums were remastered and reissued with bonus tracks and newly written liner notes.
For their 2009 reunion tour, the band frequently played a newly-written song called "10".
On September 29, 2009, the band performed the song Seven on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
. The band also performed at the 2010 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
, and went on to play their first ever European gig on May 29 at Barcelona
's Primavera Sound. After that, they played at the HMV Forum in London
for their debut UK gig on May 31. They were also scheduled to play at the punk festival Groezrock
in Belgium
as part of a European tour, but had to cancel their date due to the volcanic ash situation.
As of 2009, the band had been making statements from the stage implying that new recorded material may be on the way. In early 2010, Dan Hoerner confirmed in an interview with Australian music website FasterLouder that the band is currently writing a new album. However, as of 2011, no new material or tour dates have been announced, and Mendel has returned to recording and touring with Foo Fighters.
, having sold more than 231,000 copies.
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
style that was popular in the local scene to make a more melodic sound. While not the first band to be classified as emo, they were instrumental in establishing the genre. In 1994, the band released their debut album Diary on Sub Pop Records
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
to critical acclaim. However, shortly after releasing their second album LP2, the band broke up with members Nate Mendel and William Goldsmith joining the Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
and Jeremy Enigk embarking on a solo career. In 1997, they regrouped long enough to record two more studio albums and a live album, but ultimately disbanded once again in 2001. The band has reunited once again in 2009. Bassist Nate Mendel, who chose to remain with the Foo Fighters during the previous reunion in 1997, is now taking part in this reunion.
Early years
Sunny Day Real Estate formed in 1992, originally under the name Empty Set. At that time, the band consisted of Dan HoernerDan Hoerner
Dan Hoerner is the guitarist and former lead vocalist for the band Sunny Day Real Estate. However, the band was not yet named Sunny Day Real Estate at the time he was lead vocalist....
(guitar
Guitar
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...
, vocals), Nate Mendel
Nate Mendel
Nathan Gregor "Nate" Mendel is an American bassist for the bands Foo Fighters, The Jealous Sound, Sunny Day Real Estate, and The Fire Theft.-Biography:...
(bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), and William Goldsmith
William Goldsmith
William Goldsmith is an American drummer best known for being the drummer of the popular Seattle Alternative band Sunny Day Real Estate and for his tenure as the drummer of the alternative rock band Foo Fighters...
(drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
). They released a demo tape under the name "Empty Set". Post-release, the band changed their name from Empty Set to Chewbacca Kaboom, upon realization that a band with the name Empty Set already existed. However, when another demo tape was released, the new name earned them little attention, and it was yet again subject to change, this time to 'One Day I Stopped Breathing'. During that same time, Mendel took a break to tour with another band. Hoerner took over the bass, and the group was joined by Jeremy Enigk
Jeremy Enigk
Jeremy Enigk is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist known for being the front man of the Seattle band Sunny Day Real Estate.-Biography:...
, a high school friend of Goldsmith. Before long, Enigk ascended to become the permanent frontman of the band. Where Hoerner's vocal style had been in the rougher, hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
vein, Enigk's higher-pitched, somewhat strained vocal style arguably added a greater emotional depth to the band's songs. When Mendel returned, the complete band settled on the name Sunny Day Real Estate, and with the new name a 7" called Flatland Spider was released. Sunny Day Real Estate released another 7-inch, Thief, Steal Me a Peach in 1993.
There are many plausible origins of where the name of the band really came from, the most commonly believed story being a quip from Nate Mendel. He felt that since the band's outlook on the world saw that every possible thing was becoming a commodity to be bought and sold, it was possible that one day, people would even start selling sunny days.
Two other popular stories are that the band's name came from a line from a Talking Heads
Talking Heads
Talking Heads were an American New Wave and avant-garde band formed in 1975 in New York City and active until 1991. The band comprised David Byrne, Chris Frantz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry Harrison...
song or that it is from a T. S. Eliot
T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
poem. Mendel has said that the name came from the Talking Heads song "(Nothing But) Flowers
(Nothing But) Flowers
" Flowers" is a song by the rock band Talking Heads. It appears on the band's final album Naked, released in 1988. It was also released as a single accompanied by a successful music video, which featured innovative uses of typography by graphic designer Tibor Kalman...
".
Diary and LP2
The band's debut album, Diary, released by indieIndie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
label Sub Pop
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
in 1994, was greeted with numerous positive reviews. That September, the band performed lead single "Seven" on an episode of The Jon Stewart Show
The Jon Stewart Show
The Jon Stewart Show was a short-lived talk show hosted by comedian Jon Stewart on MTV. It premiered in 1993 and became the second highest-rated program on the network behind Beavis and Butt-Head....
. A few days later, they taped several songs for MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's 120 Minutes
120 Minutes
120 Minutes is a television show in the United States dedicated to alternative music, originally airing on MTV from 1986 to 2000, and then on MTV's sister channel MTV2 from 2001 to 2003....
. Through November and December, the band undertook a US tour with Shudder to Think
Shudder to Think
Shudder to Think is an American indie rock group. Formed in 1986, they released three albums on the Washington, D.C.-based label Dischord Records and were a post-hardcore band, although they drew upon a wide range of stylistic influences, including pop....
and Soul Coughing
Soul Coughing
Soul Coughing was a popular New York-based alternative rock band. The band found modest mainstream success during the mid-to-late 1990s. Soul Coughing developed a devout fanbase and have garnered largely positive response from critics. Steve Huey describes the band as "one of the most unusual cult...
in support of the album.
The band projected an enigmatic presence to the public. While supporting Diary, the band allowed only one publicity photo and granted just a single interview (though, strangely, the band posed for an advertisement for department-store chain Nordstrom
Nordstrom
Nordstrom, Inc. is an upscale department store chain in the United States, founded by John W. Nordstrom and Carl F. Wallin. Initially a shoe retailer, the company today also sells clothing, accessories, handbags, jewelry, cosmetics, fragrances, and in some locations, home furnishings...
). In a 1998 interview with Norm Arenas of Texas Is the Reason
Texas Is the Reason
Texas Is the Reason was an American post-hardcore band founded by former Shelter guitarist Norm Arenas and 108 drummer Chris Daly in 1994. They disbanded in 1997...
, Hoerner explained that the band made up a fake band name and brought in a fake lead singer for the ad shoot, only to have the store stick their real band name on the ad. For most of its early days, the band also refused to play a show in 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...
, for reasons that were never fully explained. When the band was asked to perform at the 1994 Almost Acoustic Christmas
KROQ Acoustic Christmas
Acoustic Christmas is an annual concert run by the Los Angeles radio station KROQ-FM.The first show was held in December 1989 though it was simply called the KROQ Xmas Bash. In 1990 the show became bigger and attracted increasingly popular alternative rock bands and singers...
in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
for radio station KROQ
KROQ-FM
KROQ-FM — branded 106.7 KROQ — is a commercial modern rock radio station licensed to Pasadena, California serving the Greater Los Angeles. The call sign is pronounced "kay rock." It is the flagship station of Loveline hosted by Dr...
, Hoerner refused to join them, leaving Enigk, Mendel, and Goldsmith to perform the show as a trio.
After finishing their 1994 US tour, the band regrouped to begin recording the follow-up to Diary. While the events surrounding the sessions have not been publicly discussed, the band was clearly enduring internal conflict. Rumors abounded that the root cause was Enigk's sudden conversion to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. In early 1995, the band announced that it was disbanding, with Goldsmith and Mendel leaving to join Dave Grohl's fledgling Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
.
There was much talk but little really known about the reasons for the break-up. While many fans focused on Enigk being a reborn Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
, Enigk and other band members later downplayed that aspect. In a letter addressed "To Seth and other readers", Enigk responded to rumors regarding his faith. Dismissing the connection between his conversion and their break-up, Enigk wrote, "I took a shot on calling upon God. He answered me. My pain was gone. I was full of joy. I had hope again. I must say that the true God is the one who is in the Bible, Jesus Christ," and, "I would be a fool to say that he hasn't worked miracles in my life."
In November 1995, Sub Pop released the band's second album, bearing only the label Sunny Day Real Estate
Sunny Day Real Estate (album)
Sunny Day Real Estate is the second studio album by emo band Sunny Day Real Estate. The band's label, Sub Pop, distributed the album under the title LP2....
. The album was released without cover art or liner notes, and was distributed by Sub Pop as LP2. It has also occasionally been referred to as "The Pink Album", a reference to its solid pink cover. When Sub Pop contacted the band for artwork for the release, the band had nothing to offer, so Goldsmith suggested that they "make it pink". The album included the songs recorded during the brief sessions, as well as tracks such as "Rodeo Jones" that were recorded during the sessions for Diary.
Enigk confessed in an interview in December 2008 that because the band had already broken up during the recording of LP2, he and Hoerner never sat down to complete the lyrics. "We broke up and we just felt like we were done. We put no energy into the artwork or into anything. On a lot of songs, there aren’t lyrics! In a lot of cases, we never sat down to write them, because we just wanted to get it out of the way as fast as possible. So I just sang a lot of gibberish, which makes it really quirky. My favorite is the Japanese translations."
After the breakup, Enigk pursued a solo career, releasing his first solo album in 1996. Hoerner moved out to a farm in rural Washington, while Mendel and Goldsmith continued with the Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
. In 1997, following a dispute with Grohl during the sessions for the second Foo Fighters record, Goldsmith departed the band, but Mendel remained.
Reformation
In 1997, Sub Pop began pressing Enigk and Hoerner about the possibility of releasing a "rarities" record of Sunny Day Real Estate material, including the band's early 7-inch releases and otherwise unreleased songs, such as the band's unused contribution to The Crow: City of AngelsThe Crow: City of Angels
The Crow: City of Angels is a 1996 action film directed by Tim Pope. It is a sequel to the 1994 cult film The Crow.-Plot:The film is set in Los Angeles, where drug king Judah Earl controls it all...
soundtrack. Given that there wasn't quite a full album worth of material, the band decided to regroup to record a few new songs. While working on the songs, the quartet realized that whatever had driven them apart was behind them, and decided to continue working on new material, eventually signaling to Sub Pop that they wanted to release a full new album. Initially, Mendel intended to quit the Foo Fighters to rejoin Sunny Day full-time, but hedged for several months on actually quitting. Just before starting the recording sessions for the album, Mendel turned down the opportunity, noting that he didn't want to leave what he had with the Foo Fighters for a potentially tenuous reunion.
In September 1998, the band released How It Feels to Be Something On
How It Feels to Be Something On
How It Feels to Be Something On is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Sunny Day Real Estate, and the first since their 1997 comeback. It was released September 8th, 1998...
. For the album, the remaining trio replaced Mendel with Jeff Palmer, formerly of the Mommyheads
Mommyheads
The Mommyheads are an American indie pop band who played from around 1987 through 1998, disbanded for a decade, and then reformed in 2008. Starting in New York City as the brainchild of singer Adam Cohen , the band produced a string of quirky and highly inventive releases on...
. Palmer left the band after a short time, and he was replaced by Joe Skyward. Fans were surprised by the mellower, more mature vibe presented on the record in songs such as the title track and "Every Shining Time You Arrive". These songs were intended for Enigk's second solo album, but later became Sunny Day Real Estate songs. On the album, Hoerner took the opportunity to write about his environmental concerns in "100 Million".
While supporting the album, Sub Pop approached them about the possibility of filming the band for a live release. Two shows were documented, one on video and one on audio, in the form of Live
Live (Sunny Day Real Estate album)
Live is a live album by American emo band Sunny Day Real Estate. A set list from the How it Feels to Be Something On tour, it was recorded on May 26, 1999, in Eugene, OR and released in the same year through Sub Pop...
. In the weeks after their release, the band noted its displeasure with the video and CD, complaining that Sub Pop did not allow them final approval on the artwork or on the final mixes. Having fulfilled their contractual obligations, the band left the label.
The search for a new label was a lengthy and arduous process. Several major labels were eager to sign the band, but the division within the band between remaining true to their indie roots and signing up for the big leagues wrecked the process. The situation was so difficult that it resulted in the departure of long-time manager Greg Williamson. Finally, the band signed with Time Bomb Recordings
Time Bomb Recordings
Time Bomb Recordings is a Laguna Beach, California based record label founded by Social Distortion manager Jim Guerinot in a 1994 joint-venture agreement with Arista Records...
, an independent label distributed by BMG
BMG
Bertelsmann Music Group, , was a division of Bertelsmann before its completion of sale of the majority of its assets to Japan's Sony Corporation of America on October 1, 2008. It was established in 1987 to combine the music label activities of Bertelsmann...
. With Time Bomb, the band hoped to have the best of both worlds: the freedom of an indie label backed by the wider distribution of a major label.
The band joined with long-time Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü
Hüsker Dü was an American rock band formed in Saint Paul, Minnesota in 1979. The band's continual members were guitarist Bob Mould, bassist Greg Norton, and drummer Grant Hart....
sound engineer Lou Giordano
Lou Giordano
Lou Giordano is a record producer and recording engineer who worked at Radiobeat Studios and Fort Apache Studios. He has produced a wide variety of bands, including Hüsker Dü, the Goo Goo Dolls, and many others....
to record The Rising Tide, released in June 2000. The band had high hopes for the release, and subsequently undertook a lengthy US tour. At the end of the tour, the band expressed its desire to finally reach out to its Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an fans by undertaking its first overseas tour. However, on the eve of the tour, Time Bomb pulled its tour funding, claiming that they simply could not afford to support the band overseas. It turned out that the label had invested a substantial amount of money in supporting Peter Searcy
Peter Searcy
Peter Searcy is a musician from Louisville, Kentucky.Searcy was the frontman of the Louisville punk group Squirrel Bait in the 1980s. After Squirrel Bait disbanded, Searcy formed a funk-rock group called Fanci Pantz. Fanci Pantz garnered a lot of praise and major label attention, but they broke...
's Could You Please and Thank You, and the album had performed so poorly that the label was almost completely broke. Not only could they not support Sunny Day Real Estate overseas, they could no longer fund the band at all. Some weeks later, the label ceased operations. Disillusioned and disappointed, the band retreated home, and subsequently announced their disbanding.
Post-Sunny Day Real Estate
After their second disbanding, Hoerner again retreated to his farm in Washington, eventually working with Chris CarrabbaChris Carrabba
Christopher Ender Carrabba is the lead singer and guitarist of the band Dashboard Confessional, and is the vocalist for the American emo/indie rock band Further Seems Forever.-Biography:...
on tracks for Dashboard Confessional
Dashboard Confessional
Dashboard Confessional is an American rock band from Boca Raton, Florida, led by singer-songwriter Chris Carrabba. The name of the band is derived from the song "The Sharp Hint of New Tears" from the debut album The Swiss Army Romance....
.
In 2001, Enigk and Goldsmith reunited with Mendel to form a new band, called The Fire Theft
The Fire Theft
The Fire Theft is an indie rock band from Seattle, Washington. It was formed in 2001 by vocalist/guitarist Jeremy Enigk, bassist Nate Mendel, and drummer William Goldsmith, all of whom were previously members of Sunny Day Real Estate...
, releasing their first self-titled album in 2003. While they had the option of retaining the Sunny Day Real Estate name, the trio decided that it was time to leave the past behind them and start fresh. Mendel remained with the Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters is an American alternative rock band originally formed in 1994 by Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl as a one-man project following the dissolution of his previous band. The band got its name from the UFOs and various aerial phenomena that were reported by Allied aircraft pilots in World War...
, joining The Fire Theft when his schedule allowed it.
In 2006, Enigk reignited his solo career by recording and releasing the LP World Waits
World Waits
World Waits is the second full-length album by musician Jeremy Enigk. It is his first full-length release since Return of the Frog Queen...
on his own label, Lewis Hollow Records. Following the October 17 release, Enigk embarked upon a supporting solo tour of the U.S. using material from his 2006 release, as well as his decade-prior solo album, Return of the Frog Queen
Return of the Frog Queen
Return of the Frog Queen is a solo album recorded by Jeremy Enigk while on hiatus from his post as singer of Sunny Day Real Estate. It was recorded with a 21-piece orchestra and released in 1996...
.
2009 reunion
After some speculation in 2006 and 2008, in April 2009 several web sites reported that the band had reunited with all original members. The reunion was confirmed in June 2009, by Seattle radio DJ Andrew HarmsAndrew harms
Andrew Harms better known as harms, is a radio personality on 107.7 The End in Seattle.- Career :While getting a business degree at the University of Washington, Andrew Harms started working at 107.7 The End as a modulator...
from 107.7 The End. The band toured the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
on September and October 2009, and Australia in February 2010 as part of the Soundwave Festival. The band's first show was a surprise secret show on September 16, 2009 at Hell's Kitchen in Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
. To coincide with the new tour, the band's first two albums were remastered and reissued with bonus tracks and newly written liner notes.
For their 2009 reunion tour, the band frequently played a newly-written song called "10".
On September 29, 2009, the band performed the song Seven on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
. The band also performed at the 2010 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is a three-day annual music and arts festival, organized by Goldenvoice and held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Inland Empire's Coachella Valley...
, and went on to play their first ever European gig on May 29 at Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
's Primavera Sound. After that, they played at the HMV Forum in 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...
for their debut UK gig on May 31. They were also scheduled to play at the punk festival Groezrock
Groezrock
Groezrock is an annual music festival that takes place in Gestel, a part of Meerhout, Belgium. It started out as a small rock and pop festival with a few hundred people attending, but has evolved into a large punk rock festival, with attendances now exceeding 30000. Since 2003 there have been...
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
as part of a European tour, but had to cancel their date due to the volcanic ash situation.
As of 2009, the band had been making statements from the stage implying that new recorded material may be on the way. In early 2010, Dan Hoerner confirmed in an interview with Australian music website FasterLouder that the band is currently writing a new album. However, as of 2011, no new material or tour dates have been announced, and Mendel has returned to recording and touring with Foo Fighters.
Legacy
As of 2008, Diary is the seventh best selling album released on Sub PopSub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
, having sold more than 231,000 copies.
Discography
- Diary (1994)
- Sunny Day Real EstateSunny Day Real Estate (album)Sunny Day Real Estate is the second studio album by emo band Sunny Day Real Estate. The band's label, Sub Pop, distributed the album under the title LP2....
(1995) - How It Feels to Be Something OnHow It Feels to Be Something OnHow It Feels to Be Something On is the third studio album by American alternative rock band Sunny Day Real Estate, and the first since their 1997 comeback. It was released September 8th, 1998...
(1998) - The Rising Tide (2000)
Literature
- Raftery, Brian. "[ Sunny Day Real Estate]". Allmusic.