The Blakes
Encyclopedia
The Blakes are an American
indie rock
band from Seattle, Washington. The band had several independent releases before signing to Seattle record label Light In The Attic, and then had two more studio releases: The Blakes
LP and Streets EP. After that they had two more independent releases in 2009: Lights On EP and Souvenir LP.
in a metal shop, The Blakes moved to Los Angeles and began their musical career, playing shows and living for nearly two years in a Days Inn
motel. The band put out a string of self-released EPs
and eventually moved back to Seattle. In 2005, The Blakes gained major exposure from their fourth release, Little Whispers, when Seattle radio station KEXP
began playing and promoting their music. In 2006, the band released their self-titled LP
and toured extensively. In the following year, the band signed to Seattle independent record label Light In the Attic. In 2007 on their new label, the band released the Streets EP, and later remastered and reissued The Blakes
LP. In 2009, The Blakes had two more independent releases: Lights On EP and Souvenir LP.
episode, Little Boys
.
The Blakes appear in the film True Adolescents
. In the film they are called The Effort and play the songs Streets and Circuits (which is an outtake from the Lights In the Attic release).
The song "Don't Bother Me" was featured on an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
indie rock
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 Seattle, Washington. The band had several independent releases before signing to Seattle record label Light In The Attic, and then had two more studio releases: The Blakes
The Blakes (album)
The Blakes LP is The Blakes' first commercially available album , originally self-released in 2006. After gaining national exposure due to radio play on Seattle-based independent radio station, KEXP, the band signed to local label Light In The Attic...
LP and Streets EP. After that they had two more independent releases in 2009: Lights On EP and Souvenir LP.
Overview
Prior to the band's conception, brothers Garnet and Snow Keim had busked around the country writing music in the late '90s, ultimately leading them to Seattle, WA. The band formed in 2001 when the Keim brothers met their future drummer, Bob Husak, in a local Seattle coffeehouse (Tully's). Named after a dream that bassist Snow Keim experienced involving an encounter with 18th century English poet William BlakeWilliam Blake
William Blake was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his lifetime, Blake is now considered a seminal figure in the history of both the poetry and visual arts of the Romantic Age...
in a metal shop, The Blakes moved to Los Angeles and began their musical career, playing shows and living for nearly two years in a Days Inn
Days Inn
Days Inn is a motel chain headquartered in the United States. Founded in 1970, it is now a part of the Wyndham Hotel Group, based in Parsippany, New Jersey, which was formerly a part of Cendant...
motel. The band put out a string of self-released EPs
Extended 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...
and eventually moved back to Seattle. In 2005, The Blakes gained major exposure from their fourth release, Little Whispers, when Seattle radio station 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...
began playing and promoting their music. In 2006, the band released their self-titled LP
The Blakes (album)
The Blakes LP is The Blakes' first commercially available album , originally self-released in 2006. After gaining national exposure due to radio play on Seattle-based independent radio station, KEXP, the band signed to local label Light In The Attic...
and toured extensively. In the following year, the band signed to Seattle independent record label Light In the Attic. In 2007 on their new label, the band released the Streets EP, and later remastered and reissued The Blakes
The Blakes (album)
The Blakes LP is The Blakes' first commercially available album , originally self-released in 2006. After gaining national exposure due to radio play on Seattle-based independent radio station, KEXP, the band signed to local label Light In The Attic...
LP. In 2009, The Blakes had two more independent releases: Lights On EP and Souvenir LP.
Trivia
The song "Commit" was featured on the third season How I Met Your MotherHow I Met Your Mother
How I Met Your Mother is an American sitcom that premiered on CBS on September 19, 2005, created by Craig Thomas and Carter Bays.As a framing device, the main character, Ted Mosby with narration by Bob Saget, in the year 2030 recounts to his son and daughter the events that led to his meeting...
episode, Little Boys
Little Boys
"Little Boys" is the fourth episode in the third season of the television series How I Met Your Mother and 48th overall. It originally aired on October 15, 2007.- Plot:Lily tells Robin she can set her up on a date with a guy named George...
.
The Blakes appear in the film True Adolescents
True Adolescents
True Adolescents is a 2009 American comedy film starring Mark Duplass, Bret Loehr and Carr Thompson. It was written and directed by Craig Johnson. It premiered at the 2009 South by Southwest Film Festival, where it was nominated for the narrative feature grand jury prize.-Cast:* Mark Duplass as...
. In the film they are called The Effort and play the songs Streets and Circuits (which is an outtake from the Lights In the Attic release).
The song "Don't Bother Me" was featured on an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210
Beverly Hills, 90210
Beverly Hills, 90210 is an American drama series that originally aired from October 4, 1990 to May 17, 2000 on Fox and was produced by Spelling Television in the United States, and subsequently on various networks around the world. It is the first series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise...
.
Albums and EPs
- The Blakes LP - Self-released (20012001 in musicSee also:* 2001 in music Record labels established in 2001-Events:*January 1**Comeback of Guns N' Roses in House of Blues**Hum disbands.*January 17 – Bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica after 14 years with the band....
) - Marine Sailor LP - Self-released (20032003 in music-January:* January – following an investigation by The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry and London detectives, police raids in England and the Netherlands recover nearly 500 original Beatles studio tapes, recorded during the Let It Be sessions. Five people are arrested...
) - The Bottle EP - Self-released (20042004 in musicSee also:* 2004 in music Record labels established in 2004-January:*January 1**The Vienna New Year's Concert is conducted by Riccardo Muti.**Kurt Nilsen wins World Idol....
) - Little Whispers EP - Self-released (20052005 in music-Events:*During the year 2005, 12 rock music albums scored number 1 in the USA. This was the first time even ten albums have scored number 1 since 1996.-January:...
) - The Blakes LP - Self-released (20062006 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2006.-January:*January 10 – Eric Burdon releases his album Soul of a Man and begins touring with a new band....
) - Streets EP - Light In The Attic (20072007 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007.-January:*January 1 - George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame...
) - The BlakesThe Blakes (album)The Blakes LP is The Blakes' first commercially available album , originally self-released in 2006. After gaining national exposure due to radio play on Seattle-based independent radio station, KEXP, the band signed to local label Light In The Attic...
LP - Light In The Attic (20072007 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007.-January:*January 1 - George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame...
) - Beads - No One Knows LP - Self-released (20092009 in musicThe following is a list of notable events and releases in 2009 in music. Susan Boyle's album I Dreamed a Dream became the biggest selling album in the world for 2009, selling 8.3 million copies in five weeks; more than any other artist's in the whole year...
) - Lights On EP - Self-released (20092009 in musicThe following is a list of notable events and releases in 2009 in music. Susan Boyle's album I Dreamed a Dream became the biggest selling album in the world for 2009, selling 8.3 million copies in five weeks; more than any other artist's in the whole year...
) - Souvenir LP - Self-released (20092009 in musicThe following is a list of notable events and releases in 2009 in music. Susan Boyle's album I Dreamed a Dream became the biggest selling album in the world for 2009, selling 8.3 million copies in five weeks; more than any other artist's in the whole year...
)
Singles
- "Two Times" - Light In The Attic (20072007 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007.-January:*January 1 - George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame...
) UK only - "Don't Want That Now" - Light In The Attic (20082008 in music2008 was a huge year in music history with the emergence of pop superstars Lady Gaga and Katy Perry into the mainstream. Also, this is the year that is widely agreed upon by critics as the start of the fall of hip hop from the mainstream and the rise of Synthpop into the mainstream due to acts such...
) UK only
Compilations
- "The Upside - Small Town Vampires" - The Upside (20052005 in music-Events:*During the year 2005, 12 rock music albums scored number 1 in the USA. This was the first time even ten albums have scored number 1 since 1996.-January:...
) - "Sound Of Color" - Gap and Rehab (20082008 in music2008 was a huge year in music history with the emergence of pop superstars Lady Gaga and Katy Perry into the mainstream. Also, this is the year that is widely agreed upon by critics as the start of the fall of hip hop from the mainstream and the rise of Synthpop into the mainstream due to acts such...
) - "Give" - Give Seattle (20092009 in musicThe following is a list of notable events and releases in 2009 in music. Susan Boyle's album I Dreamed a Dream became the biggest selling album in the world for 2009, selling 8.3 million copies in five weeks; more than any other artist's in the whole year...
)
Demos
- "The Blakes Demos Vol. 1" - MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
(2006 and 2007) - "The Blakes Cereal Box Demos" - MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
(2009)
Live
- Live At The Vera EP - Light In The Attic (20072007 in musicThis is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 2007.-January:*January 1 - George Shearing is knighted for services to music in the Queen's New Year Honours List. Evelyn Glennie becomes a Dame...
) - Live Session (iTunes Exclusive) EP - iTunes (20082008 in music2008 was a huge year in music history with the emergence of pop superstars Lady Gaga and Katy Perry into the mainstream. Also, this is the year that is widely agreed upon by critics as the start of the fall of hip hop from the mainstream and the rise of Synthpop into the mainstream due to acts such...
)
External links
- Light In The Attic Records: Artist biography
- DaytrotterDaytrotterDaytrotter is a website for the recording studio Horseshack, which hosts recording sessions with many popular and typically upcoming indie music acts, although it works with local bands in the Illinois area as well. The sessions can be compared to that of a radio station's lounge recordings, where...
Session: July 22, 2008 - Free songs.