The Halo Benders
Encyclopedia
The Halo Benders was a band formed in 1994 as a side project by Calvin Johnson of Beat Happening
and Doug Martsch
of Built to Spill
. They released their first album, called God Don't Make No Junk
, in 1994. They followed up in 1996 with Don't Tell Me Now
and in 1998 with The Rebels Not In
.
All three of the band's albums were released on Johnson's influential Olympia record label, K Records
.
Following a hiatus through the early 2000s, the Halo Benders reformed in March 2007 for a pair of shows at the Visual Arts Collective in Boise, ID. The band featured Doug Martsch
, Ralf Youtz
, Calvin Johnson, Bret Netson
, and Stephen Gere. Recently in November 2010, a reformed version with both Doug and Calvin appeared for a benefit for Friends of Mia at the Capital Theatre in Olympia,WA.
for driving in the left lane. Though he did not give verbal consent, the van's driver was patted down and a small amount of marijuana was found on him. He was arrested and fined $405. The encounter was videotaped and was featured on an episode of Real Stories of the Highway Patrol
, in which Johnson and Marstch are clearly visible with their faces blurred.
Beat Happening
Beat Happening is an American punk band formed in Olympia, Washington in 1982. Calvin Johnson, Heather Lewis and Bret Lunsford have been the band's continual members...
and Doug Martsch
Doug Martsch
Doug Martsch is an American musician. Martsch, a native of Boise, Idaho, is best known for his distinctive vocals and guitar style in the band Built to Spill. He has also worked with Calvin Johnson of Beat Happening in The Halo Benders. Martsch's first band was Farm Days, with Andy Capps and Brett...
of Built to Spill
Built to Spill
Built to Spill is an American indie rock band based in Boise, Idaho. The band has released seven full-length albums. Their most recent album, There Is No Enemy, was released on October 6, 2009.-History:...
. They released their first album, called God Don't Make No Junk
God Don't Make No Junk
God Don't Make No Junk is the name of the first album recorded by the American group The Halo Benders.The album was released on K Records on 24 June 1994 on vinyl LP and compact disc. It was the first full-length release from the Halo Benders, a side project of Calvin Johnson and Doug Martsch...
, in 1994. They followed up in 1996 with Don't Tell Me Now
Don't Tell Me Now
Don't Tell Me Now is the second studio album by the American indie rock group The Halo Benders.The album was released on K Records in 1996.- Track listing :All tracks by The Halo Benders# "Phantom Power" – 1:51# "Halo Bender" – 4:30...
and in 1998 with The Rebels Not In
The Rebels Not In
The Rebels Not In is the name of the third and to date final album recorded by the American group The Halo Benders.The album was released on K Records on 3 February 1998 on vinyl LP and compact disc. It was the third full-length release from the Halo Benders, a side project of Calvin Johnson and...
.
All three of the band's albums were released on Johnson's influential Olympia record label, K Records
K Records
K Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington, co-founded, owned, and operated by Calvin Johnson, formerly of the bands Cool Rays, Beat Happening, The Go Team, The Halo Benders and presently in the bands Dub Narcotic Sound System and The Hive Dwellers...
.
Following a hiatus through the early 2000s, the Halo Benders reformed in March 2007 for a pair of shows at the Visual Arts Collective in Boise, ID. The band featured Doug Martsch
Doug Martsch
Doug Martsch is an American musician. Martsch, a native of Boise, Idaho, is best known for his distinctive vocals and guitar style in the band Built to Spill. He has also worked with Calvin Johnson of Beat Happening in The Halo Benders. Martsch's first band was Farm Days, with Andy Capps and Brett...
, Ralf Youtz
Ralf Youtz
Ralf Youtz is an American musician. Youtz was the original drummer in the Boise, Idaho-based indie rock band Built to Spill. He appeared on their 1993 debut album, Ultimate Alternative Wavers. Youtz was replaced by Andy Capps after the album's release, although he would work with Marstch again...
, Calvin Johnson, Bret Netson
Caustic Resin
Caustic Resin is an indie rock band from Boise, Idaho, who have released several albums for Up Records, Alias Records, and C/Z Records. The band is Brett Netson on guitar and vocals, Tom Romich, Jr. on bass guitar, and either James Dillion or Pat Perkins on drums...
, and Stephen Gere. Recently in November 2010, a reformed version with both Doug and Calvin appeared for a benefit for Friends of Mia at the Capital Theatre in Olympia,WA.
Music
The Halo Benders' music is characterised by untraditional sounds, movements, and song structures. The vocals of the baritone Johnson and the higher-pitched Martsch have been described as highly contrasting - "each seems to inhabit a completely different song." Johnson has said that the two write lyrics for songs largely independently.Real Stories of the Highway Patrol incident
During one tour in the mid-1990s, the band was pulled over in St. George, UtahSt. George, Utah
St. George is a city located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Utah, and the county seat of Washington County, Utah. It is the principal city of and is included in the St. George, Utah, Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is 119 miles northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 303 miles ...
for driving in the left lane. Though he did not give verbal consent, the van's driver was patted down and a small amount of marijuana was found on him. He was arrested and fined $405. The encounter was videotaped and was featured on an episode of Real Stories of the Highway Patrol
Real Stories of the Highway Patrol
Real Stories of the Highway Patrol was a half hour syndicated television series which ran in the United States for six seasons from 1993 to 1999 for a total of 780 episodes, capitalizing on the success of "real-life" police series such as COPS...
, in which Johnson and Marstch are clearly visible with their faces blurred.
Band members
- Doug MartschDoug MartschDoug Martsch is an American musician. Martsch, a native of Boise, Idaho, is best known for his distinctive vocals and guitar style in the band Built to Spill. He has also worked with Calvin Johnson of Beat Happening in The Halo Benders. Martsch's first band was Farm Days, with Andy Capps and Brett...
- guitar, vocals, bass, maracca, - Ralf YoutzRalf YoutzRalf Youtz is an American musician. Youtz was the original drummer in the Boise, Idaho-based indie rock band Built to Spill. He appeared on their 1993 debut album, Ultimate Alternative Wavers. Youtz was replaced by Andy Capps after the album's release, although he would work with Marstch again...
- drums, guitar - Calvin Johnson - vocals, guitar, samples,
- Wayne Flower - bass, drums
- Steve FiskSteve FiskSteve Fisk is a Washington-based audio engineer, record producer and musician.Fisk joined the instrumental rock band Pell Mell in 1982. With vocalist Shawn Smith, he formed Pigeonhed, which released its first album in 1993....
- keyboards - Heather Dunn - guitars on The Rebels Not In
Discography
- Canned Oxygen 7" (1994, Atlas Records)
- God Don't Make No JunkGod Don't Make No JunkGod Don't Make No Junk is the name of the first album recorded by the American group The Halo Benders.The album was released on K Records on 24 June 1994 on vinyl LP and compact disc. It was the first full-length release from the Halo Benders, a side project of Calvin Johnson and Doug Martsch...
(1994, K RecordsK RecordsK Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington, co-founded, owned, and operated by Calvin Johnson, formerly of the bands Cool Rays, Beat Happening, The Go Team, The Halo Benders and presently in the bands Dub Narcotic Sound System and The Hive Dwellers...
) - Don't Touch My Bikini (1995, Fire RecordsFire RecordsFire Records was an independent record label set up in 1959 by Bobby Robinson . Among others, it released records by Lightnin' Hopkins, Elmore James and Arthur 'Big Boy' Crudup.-Selected discography:...
) - Don't Tell Me NowDon't Tell Me NowDon't Tell Me Now is the second studio album by the American indie rock group The Halo Benders.The album was released on K Records in 1996.- Track listing :All tracks by The Halo Benders# "Phantom Power" – 1:51# "Halo Bender" – 4:30...
(1996, K RecordsK RecordsK Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington, co-founded, owned, and operated by Calvin Johnson, formerly of the bands Cool Rays, Beat Happening, The Go Team, The Halo Benders and presently in the bands Dub Narcotic Sound System and The Hive Dwellers...
) - The Rebels Not InThe Rebels Not InThe Rebels Not In is the name of the third and to date final album recorded by the American group The Halo Benders.The album was released on K Records on 3 February 1998 on vinyl LP and compact disc. It was the third full-length release from the Halo Benders, a side project of Calvin Johnson and...
(1998, K RecordsK RecordsK Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington, co-founded, owned, and operated by Calvin Johnson, formerly of the bands Cool Rays, Beat Happening, The Go Team, The Halo Benders and presently in the bands Dub Narcotic Sound System and The Hive Dwellers...
)