Floater (band)

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Floater
Origin Eugene, Oregon, United States
Genres Rock, Alternative rock
Years active 1993–present
Labels Elemental, Typhon
Associated acts Drumattica, Riverboat, Rob Wynia
Website www.floater.com
Members
David Amador
Peter Cornett
Robert Wynia

Floater is an American rock band currently based in Portland, Oregon. Started in 1993 by Robert Wynia and Peter Cornett and David Amador. They are well known for their progressive concept albums, stylized storytelling, intense live performances, and devoted fanbase. Floater routinely sells out local venues in Oregon[1] and periodically plays shows in the neighboring states of Washington, California, and Idaho. Floater has booked a show in the past at the legendary CBGB's in New York and a couple recently at L.A.'s Roxy Theatre.[2]

Contents

[edit] History

[edit] Seminal years in Eugene: Sink & Glyph (1993-1997)

Floater was formed in Eugene, Oregon in 1993 by singer/bassist Robert Wynia and drummer Peter Cornett.[2] This was after they had left the band Henry's Child in the same year.[3] They quickly recruited guitarist Dave Amador after spotting a posting of his at a local guitar shop. The new trio recorded a four-song demo and began playing small garage parties and eventually at the University of Oregon. A short while later, Floater recorded a nine-song demo which impressed the indie record label Elemental. They were signed soon after. Their first full-length album, Sink, was released in 1994 and contained some songs from the demos. One year later, a second full-length album was released, Glyph, which increased the band's popularity in the Pacific Northwest and allowed them to tour further east into Arizona, Utah and Texas.[4]

With the popularity of their song "The Sad Ballad of Danny Boy" and the help of then soon-to-be defunct national Z Rock radio station,[5] airplay increased greatly. The managers played what they actually wanted to hear, because they knew they were going to lose their jobs anyway. The station finally shut down in late 1996, but not before grabbing scattered fans across the nation as in Georgia, Iowa, New Jersey, and even outside the U.S. in Quebec.[5] In another deleted internet article, it was mentioned that Floater also received play via Digital Music Express circa 1996.

During these first few years, Floater received nominations to the preliminary level of the Grammys from NARAS in 1995 under Best Rock Performance for Sink and in 1996 under Best Alternative Performance for Glyph.[6][7] Other interesting milestones were reached too. According to World Drum! a newsletter for CD World in Eugene and Corvallis, Floater had sold 21,000 copies of Sink and Glyph combined.[7] This same newsletter also mentions Floater ranked in the top 5 of Pandemonium's Annual Readers' Poll for Best Northwest Band on an Independent Label,[7] consistently in The Rocket's Northwest Top Twenty Chart,[7] and having garnered the esteemed "Gavin Rocks" selection of the best band of all 300 participating in the NXNW Music Festival conference.[7] Floater was also playing popular venues at this time like the WOW Hall in Eugene, and La Luna and the Crystal Ballroom in Portland.

[edit] Wings to Portland - Angels in the Flesh (1998-2001)

Just before Floater released their third album, Angels in the Flesh and Devils in the Bone, the band moved to Portland, Oregon where they remain today. Coinciding with this move, the band's sound slightly changed with the release of Angels. In an article from The Rocket newspaper, it was mentioned the band was ready to "ditch some of [their more rude fans.]"[5] The album is noted for the college radio single Mexican Bus.[8] Prior to and throughout this time, Floater was being visited by interested major labels including Zoo Records,[9] but for the following years they would remain unsigned by a major label.[1]

In 2000, Burning Sosobra was released and it marked a shift in the use of samples that Floater was known for. While the samples and sound selections of Floater's albums have never really gone away, this album marked the change in tide. Gone are the samples that were selected from movies and other forms of popular culture. Any samples that remain are actually a misnomer. Now the band generally creates their own sounds for inclusion on their albums. Burning Sosobra also represents a lifting of burdens for Floater, as represented by the burning effigy on the cover of the album. This sculpture was a collaboration between Floater and Mark Orme.[10] During the first several years as a band, Floater was mishandled by their manager, who allegedly would steal money from the band among other despicable acts. That influence was now gone and replaced with new aspirations from Cassandra Thorpe who bought Elemental Records after the release of this record.

[edit] Alter & Acoustics (2002-2006)

For their New Year's Eve show in 2000/2001 at the Aladdin Theater, Floater began their experimentation with acoustic sets. A part of this performance would be released on their second live album, Live at the Aladdin. Floater would dabble in acoustic performances, meanwhile they released Alter, their fifth full-length album. The album was noted as a first step in altering their sound. The shift in sound was markedly less than expected, though Floater's sound had already begun shifting from heavy rock to a more well-rounded and adventurous sound.

The exploration of this sound fruited in 2004 when they released their first acoustic album Acoustics. This would coincide with an increase in acoustic performances abroad.[11] Now, quite often, Floater plays back-to-back shows with one electric set and one acoustic set. Acoustics also had examples of Floater diversifying their signature sound such as in the case of their songs "Accepted," "Bound For Glory," and "The Misfit's Song." This diversity in style would continue into their next album...

[edit] Stone By Stone (2006 to present)

Floater's 2006 release, Stone By Stone, is their most critically acclaimed record to date.[12] The album bridged a familiar older Floater sound in the case of "An Apology" and coupled it with a newer creativity infused in their songs like "Weightless," "Breakdown," and "Tonight No One Knows." The album also marks a time of increased effort to tour more extensively in the western United States. Floater has expanded greatly, playing larger venues in some cities, like The Showbox in Seattle, Washington and the McDonald Theatre in Eugene, Oregon. They have also been playing more cities than usual along their tours through Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and California.

It's been rumored that Floater is in the pre-stages of recording their eighth full-length album. Though several of the expected tracks to be on this upcoming album are noted to have been previously recorded during the Stone By Stone sessions.[13][14] This would suggest Floater has a flexibility to record many new songs...

[edit] Discography

Main article: Floater discography

[edit] Studio albums

[edit] Live Shows

Floater adds further variety to their live performances by adding various cover songs into their set list, and also integrating new verses into their own songs. They are also known for covering songs that do not necessarily coincide with their genre.

  • Waiting for the Sun by The Doors is featured on their album Burning Sosobra.
  • U2 - "Seconds" - "Party Girl"
  • Pink Floyd - "Run Like Hell"
  • The Beatles - "Helter Skelter"
  • The Fixx - "Red Skies" (partial - included with Settling live)
  • Elton John - "Rocketman"
  • Depeche Mode - "Personal Jesus" (played live at the Crystal Ballroom December 18, 2009, and also at the Mcdonald Theater December 31st 2009)

[edit] Samples

Samples are used extensively in both their live performances and their earlier albums. Samples from the early albums tend to be from films, while samples from later albums are created by the band specifically for album inclusion. The samples from the first albums come from classic movies such as Apocalypse Now, THX 1138, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Shining, and The Last Temptation of Christ, old radio programs and various episodes of The Twilight Zone.

[edit] Associated Personnel

Guest performers

  • Keith Brown of Drumattica, TV:616 and Sentenced To Life
  • Pianist for Burning Sosobra CD release tour
  • TV:616 for cover of Run Like Hell
  • Jen Folker of Dahlia
  • Jeff Chase; flame blower for 1998 performances of Mosquito
  • King Black Acid for 2009 performances of the Beatles' Helter Skelter
  • Unkle Nancy of Unkle Nancy and the Family Jewels

Crew & Miscellaneous Personnel

Past and Present

  • Diogenes Alexander Xenos (DAX) - Soundboard Engineer
  • Tom Addison - FOH, Tour Manager
  • Sparky - FOH, Monitors
  • Keith Brown - Video Effects
  • Jeff Chase - Road Manager circa 1998
  • Jesse "Juicey" Fletcher - Lights and Sound

Anthropomorphic Personifications

  • Omar - Omar

[edit] Side projects

  • Sentenced to Life - Sometime around 1996, Rob Wynia and Pete Cornett collaborated with Keith Brown to develop a short-lived side project.[15] Allegedly, a demo tape of this exists but has not seen the light of day. At the time of this collaboration, Keith Brown was a part of the band Threscher. Keith would eventually go on to play several shows with Floater as a guest performer, filling in on acoustic guitar.
  • Drumattica - A tribal/dance electronic groove band featuring Robert Wynia and David Amador.[16]
  • Riverboat - Peter Cornett's side project.[17]
  • Rob Wynia's MySpace Page - The spoken word and atmospherics of Rob Wynia.[18]

[edit] Floater in the Press

Here are some examples of Floater in the media:

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Jarman, Casey (2008-03-26), "Stone By Stone, An Elder Statesman Of NW Moss-Rock Reps Hard, With Or Without You.", Willamette Week, http://wweek.com/editorial/3420/10709/, retrieved 2009-06-29 
  2. ^ a b Snyder, Chad (2008-01-18), "Homegrown and Flourishing", Mail Tribune, http://www.mailtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080118/TEMPO/801180302, retrieved 2009-06-29 
  3. ^ Henry's Child MySpace page
  4. ^ Sun, Sky, Stone
  5. ^ a b c Hagestedt, Andre (August 12-26, 1998 (Portland Edition), p. 23), "Teenage Angst Has Paid Off Well", The Rocket 
  6. ^ Elemental Records MySpace page
  7. ^ a b c d e "Angels in the Flesh and Devils in the Bone", World Drum!, Vol. 2 no. 2, June 1st thru July 14, 1998, p. 2 
  8. ^ Brady, Pete (2001-04-17), "Cult of Personality is Dead, The Mind and Music of Floater", Synthesis, http://www.synthesis.net/music/interview/item-117/2001-04-17-cult_of_personality_is_dead, retrieved 2009-06-29 
  9. ^ "Behind the Glyph", Volcano Magazine, February 1996 Vol. 1 No. 2 pp. 34-38 
  10. ^ Orme Designs
  11. ^ Bearns, Melissa (2004-09-30), "Floater Rising, Power Trio Matures, But Still Rocks.", Eugene Weekly, http://www.eugeneweekly.com/2004/09/30/music.html, retrieved 2009-06-29 
  12. ^ www.floater.com
  13. ^ Behind The Scenes DVD documentary included with the Stone By Stone album, 2006
  14. ^ Exiled forum Retrieved 6-29-2009
  15. ^ Sentenced to Life MySpace page
  16. ^ Drumattica.com | The Official Website
  17. ^ Riverboat
  18. ^ Rob Wynia's MySpace page

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Floater
Robert Wynia  · Peter Cornett  · Dave Amador
Studio albums:
Live and compilation albums:
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