DIY Artists

Defiance, Ohio

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07 September 2008

Defiance, Ohio

is an anticapitalist, largely acoustic punk (typically referred to as folk-punk) band from Bloomington, Indiana. They are known for their extensive touring and intense, enthusiastic live shows. They are named after the real town Defiance, Ohio. The band features a violin, cello, and double bass. The band is also known for being involved with fellow DIY minded record label Plan-It-X Records, often touring with many bands on Plan-It-X Records and participating in multiple Plan-It-X Fests.

They have released two full length LPs, Share What Ya Got and The Great Depression, as well as a handful of split recordings. In the DIY spirit, much of their music is put out by the band themselves, producing their own CDs and CD-Rs, as well as allowing anyone to download all of their music for free from their website under a Creative Commons Attribute-NonCommerical-ShareAlike license. When not releasing their own music, the band works with independent record labels in order to produce their releases. Typically these have been smaller independent labels. However, the band"s second and most recent full-length, The Great Depression, was released on the more notable though still staunchly independent No Idea Records.

After making the decisions to work with No Idea, the band felt a need to explain their actions and maintain the sense of dialog that they feel has been consistent in how they"ve operated themselves as a band. They said that they would have preferred to release the album themselves, but that they did not have the capacity to do so while continuing to keep older releases in print. They plan to release their third full-length CD, tentatively titled The Fear, The Fear, The Fear on No Idea in October.

Some members from Defiance, Ohio also participate in another pop-punk band, Pretty Hot.

Discography

  • Demo (2003) self-released
  • Share What Ya Got (2003) CD self-released, 12" Friends and Relatives Records
  • 2003 Tour CDR (2003) self-released
  • Share What Ya Got (reissue) (2004) self-released, European pressing also available
  • Ghost Mice/Defiance Ohio split CD (2004) Plan-It-X Records
  • One Reason/Defiance, Ohio split 7" (2004) Anti-Creative Records
  • The Great Depression (2006) CD/12" No Idea Records
  • Environmental Youth Crunch/Defiance, Ohio Split (2007) 7"
  • The Fear, The Fear, The Fear (2007) CD

The Delgados

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07 September 2008

The Delgados

were an indie rock band who formed in Hamilton in 1994, and disbanded in 2005.

The band was formed after friends Alun Woodward (vocals/guitar), Stewart Henderson (bass) and Paul Savage (drums) were forcibly ejected from the band Bubblegum. Joined by Savage"s then-girlfriend Emma Pollock (vocals/guitar), the band named themselves after Tour de France winning cyclist Pedro Delgado.

Their first commercial release came with the inclusion of their track "Liquidation Girl" on the compilation album Skookum Chief Powered Teenage Zit Rock Angst from Nardwuar the Human Serviette. Neglecting to go the traditional route of signing to a record label, the band instead started their own, Chemikal Underground, on which they released not only their own records but also some of other local bands, among them Mogwai and Arab Strap. Chemikal Underground"s first release was naturally The Delgados first single "Monica Webster / Brand New Car". The single caught the attention of veteran BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel and the band quickly became one of his favourites, going on to play more than ten sessions for his show.

The cost of Chemikal Underground"s second release, the single "Disco Nation 45" by Bis, left the cash-strapped label unable to afford another release by The Delgados, so their next release "Lazarwalker" came from the London-based Radar Records. Tempted by Radar to a five album deal, the band declined, instead poaching their A&R contact, Graeme Beattie, for work at Chemikal Underground.

Another single, "Cinecentre" followed in early 1996 as the band juggled work at the label (made all the more hectic with Bis"s appearance on Top of the Pops) with several tours, and recording their debut album. The band released two more singles, this time taken from their album Domestiques released on October 28 1996. Both singles and the album were critically lauded, with the song "Under Canvas, Under Wraps" being voted number three in John Peel"s Festive Fifty.

The band released their second album in 1998. Peloton - also a cycling reference - which saw the band begin to broaden their musical palette. Including a wider range of styles and more complex arrangements the record proved a critical success. It did not sell in huge numbers, however, though the single "Pull the Wires From the Wall" gave the Delgados their first UK chart hit, reaching number 69. The band"s close relationship with John Peel continued, with "Pull the Wires From the Wall" voted to number one in the Festive Fifty (it would also make the all time chart made in 2000) and other entries at 9 and 38.

The Delgados" evolution continued with The Great Eastern in 2000. The record, produced by Dave Fridmann, was heavily orchestrated and contained shifting time signatures. Again, the record was lauded by the critics but failed to significantly expand the band"s following. The first single, "American Trilogy", reached number 61 in the UK charts. The record was nominated for the Mercury Music Prize and four of its songs reached the Festive Fifty, two in the top ten.

This pattern was extended for their fourth album, Hate, which was released on Mantra rather than the band"s own Chemikal Underground label. The album"s epic songs were popular among critics and festive fifty voters but a wider public still proved elusive. The song "The Light Before We Land" was used as the opening music for the anime Gunslinger Girl, bringing the band to a new audience.

The band returned to their own label for 2004"s Universal Audio - which marked something of a move away from the orchestrated sounds of its two predecessors, towards a simpler, poppier approach.

The band announced they were splitting up in April 2005 due to the departure of bass player Stewart Henderson who found it difficult "to pour so much of my energy and time into something that never quite seemed to get the attention or respect I felt it deserved." The four friends will continue to run Chemikal Underground together. Songwriters Emma Pollock and Alun Woodward are pursuing individual projects, while drummer Paul Savage will continue production duties at the band"s Chem19 Studios in Hamilton and in a new studio.

A double disc containing 29 tracks, The Complete BBC Peel Sessions, was released on June 12 2006 in Europe. A release in the USA is expected before the end of 2006.

Discography

All records on Chemikal Underground unless otherwise stated.

Albums

  • Domestiques (1996, LP / CD )
  • BBC Sessions (Strange Fruit, 1997 CD)
  • Peloton (1998, LP / CD)
  • The Great Eastern (2000, LP / CD)
  • Live at the Fruitmarket (2001, CD)
  • Hate (2002, Mantra LP / CD)
  • Universal Audio (2004, LP / CD)
  • The Complete BBC Peel Sessions (2006, CD)

Singles and EPs

  • "Monica Webster" / "Brand New Car" (1995, 7")
  • "I"ve Only Just Started to Breathe" (Ché, 2x7", split with Bis, Merzbow and The Golden Mile)
  • "Lazarwalker" (1996, Radar 7"/CD)
  • "Cinecentre" (1996, 7”/CD)
  • "Under Canvas Under Wraps" (1996, 7”/CD)
  • "Sucrose" (1996, 7”/CD)
  • "Everything Goes Around the Water" (1998, 7”/CD)
  • "Pull the Wires From the Wall" (1998, 7”/CD)
  • "The Weaker Argument Defeats the Stronger" (1998, 7”/CD)
  • "American Trilogy" (2000, 7"/CD)
  • "No Danger (Kids" Choir)" (2000, 7"/CD)
  • "Coming in From the Cold" (2002, Mantra 7" /CD)
  • "All You Need is Hate" (2003, CD)
  • "Everybody Come Down" (2004, 7"/CD)
  • "Girls Of Valour" (2005, 7")

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