Trumans Water

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Trumans Water
Origin San Diego, California
Portland, Oregon (since 1994)
Genres Alternative
Post-punk
Noise rock
Indie rock
Years active 1991–present
Labels Homestead Records, Drunken Fish
Website trumanswater.com
Members
Kirk Branstetter
Kevin Branstetter
Mike Coumatos
John Schier
Past members
Glen Galloway
Ely Moyal
Andres Malinao
Kevin Cascell
Mike Lupro
Paul Haines

Trumans Water is an indie rock band from San Diego, California formed in 1991. They have released over a dozen full length recordings over their career, wherein they collaborated with acts in genre, including Azalia Snail, Chan Marshall and Thurston Moore.

Contents

[edit] Background

The band was formed by brothers Kirk and Kevin Branstetter, and original drummer Jeff Jones in San Diego in 1991, after they were given a guitar and bass by a friend's father.[1] They advertised for a "lead singer, brain optional", and recruited Glen Galloway as a result.[1] Other members of the band have included Ely Moyal, Andres Malinao, and Kevin Cascell.

Captain Beefheart, Wire, The Boredoms, Sun City Girls, Pavement and Sonic Youth have all been identified as influences, and during the course of the band's history Trumans Water has produced experimental indie rock, often with a substantial element of improvisation.[1][2][3][4][5][6] Kevin Branstetter described the band's approach in 1993: "The spirit of the thing is what we want to capture, mess things up, like totally skewing everything, destroying everything and still making it totally listenable" and their recording process: "We record everything live, all play at the same time".[6]

Disc jockey John Peel effectively shot the band to indie stardom in the UK when he played their debut LP, Of Thick Tum, uninterrupted and in its entirety during an edition of his BBC Radio One show.[1][7] The band subsequently recorded three sessions for Peel's show.[8]

Brothers Kirk Branstetter and Kevin Branstetter relocated to Portland, Oregon in 1994 without Galloway and are the only current original members still active in the band. Galloway took on the Glen Galaxy moniker to record as Soul-Junk, an experimental Christian rock outfit, before returning to the band in 1998. Kevin Branstetter subsequently moved to France in 1995. The two brothers being on different continents for the last several years has curbed their musical output but by no means stopped them. They have managed to put out six albums since the geographical separation.

Trumans Water has recently added bass player Mike Coumatos after over a decade touring and recording as a three piece (two guitars and drums). A new drummer, John Schier, has been added as well.[9]

Trumans Water have been cited as an influence by several bands including The Cribs.[10]

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

[edit] Singles & EPs

[edit] Cassettes

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Ross, Alex (1993) "Review/Pop; A Blend of Influences, With Dissonance", New York Times, 24 July 1993, retrieved 21 November 2009
  2. ^ Bush, John "Trumans Water Biography", Allmusic, Macrovision Corporation, retrieved 21 November 2009
  3. ^ Larkin, Colin (1998) The Virgin Encyclopedia of Indie & New Wave, Virgin Books, ISBN 0-753500231-3, p. 448
  4. ^ Floyd, John (1997) "God and Junk", Miami New Times, 13 February 2009, retrieved 21 November 2009
  5. ^ Sprague, David "Trumans Water", Trouser Press, retrieved 22 November 2009
  6. ^ a b Terry, Nick (1993) "Trumans Water: The Roosevelt Underground", Lime Lizard, May 1993, p. 68-9
  7. ^ Strong, Martin C. (2003) The Great Indie Discography, Canongate, ISBN 1-84195-335-0, p.1039-40
  8. ^ Trumans Water, Keeping it Peel, BBC, retrieved 21 November 2009
  9. ^ Stampone, David (2006) "Trumans Remains Undefeated", San Diego Reader, 5 October 2006, retrieved 21 November 2009
  10. ^ Eliscu, Jenny (2005) "Album Reviews: The Cribs The New Fellas", Rolling Stone, 8 September 2005, retrieved 21 November 2009

[edit] External links

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