Estradasphere

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Estradasphere

Estradasphere is an experimental band that originated in Santa Cruz, California during the late 1990s. The band consists of 6 multi-instrumentalists from a variety of musical backgrounds trained in disciplines ranging from classical music and jazz to heavy metal.[1]

Band history

Guitarist Jason Schimmel and bassist Tim Smolens met in 7th grade at Miraleste High School. In 1997, their band Don Salsa recorded its first album, Koolaid Moustache In Jonestown. In 1998, Jason and Tim moved to Santa Cruz, California. Jason attended UC Santa Cruz, along with Timb Harris, John Whooley, and Dave Murray. At that time, John, Tim, Jason, Dave, and friend, Jason Conception, played downtown among the street performers of Santa Cruz. Jason Conception left the band to focus on his other project Netwerk:Electric. In December of 1998, Timb Harris joined the band. The band continued to play the streets and at local coffee shops.

On January 7, 2000, Estradasphere held its first concert at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center. This was a pivotal show for them and they began to play clubs exclusively. Estradasphere's popularity in Santa Cruz birthed a spontaneous circus environment where audience members began actively participating in the shows and fans were encouraged to wear costumes. Frequent sideshow acts included: juggler and balloon maker David Poznanter, book reader George Smith III, fire-dancers, so-called "death metal cheerleaders" wearing corpse paint, a "satanic swordsman" Erin Wood, stilt-walkers, and more. Perhaps most infamous of these sideshow performers was someone with the stage name 'Mono-Man' who wore a cape, painted his bare chest with a large M, and proceeded to attempt to kiss people in the audience while having the disease of the same name (mono). He can be heard ranting on the last moments of their first album, It's Understood. Poco Marshall booked many more shows at the legendary Palookaville, as he was the venue talent buyer at the time. Later that year, they released their first album, It's Understood, on Trey Spruance's label Mimicry Records. They went on their first North American tour, opening for Secret Chiefs 3.

In 2001, Estradasphere released their first EP, The Silent Elk of Yesterday, which included a few new studio tracks, and some live performances. They also went on their second North American tour with the band Tub Ring. The band released their second full length album, Buck Fever in the spring of 2002. Later that year, drummer Dave Murray left the band. In 2003, they released their third full length album Quadropus. Because they did not have a full time drummer, several guest drummers appeared on this album, including Dave Murray. In the spring of 2004, they released a DVD of live concert footage entitled, Passion for Life. It contained a full length DVD as well as a CD that included some live tracks and other material. The cover featured an oil painting by Santa Cruz artist Michael Joseph Welsh, entitled Humans as seen by God last week through a Tootsiescope. In 2004, founding member and saxophonist John Whooley left the band. Tsugaru Shamisen player Kevin Kmetz and keyboardist Adam Stacey joined Estradasphere to replace him. They played their first show together as a new band with guest drummer Theo Mordey at 2004's SXSW Festival. Later that year Lee Smith moved from Atlanta, Georgia to join Estradasphere as their new permanent drummer. In 2005, Estradasphere released These Are the Days, a documentary of the band's first national tour. This DVD highlighted the original line-up and circus side-shows, marking the end of an era and ushering in the present age of Estradasphere. 2006 saw the energetic reemergence of a cohesive Estradasphere. They signed to New York label The End Records and released their most conceptually grounded album to date, Palace of Mirrors, an instrumental song-cycle with a psychedelic narrative structure. In 2007 Estradasphere signed with Silverleaf Booking Agency, who booked them on a Northwest US tour with The End Records label mates Stolen Babies, and completed a full US tour that April.

Musical style and influences

Estradasphere have been influenced by many different artists from many different subgenres, ranging from heavy metal to jazz and classical music.[2] Their songs draw influences from genres such as jazz, funk, techno, classical music, pop, heavy metal, New Age, Latin, Balkan, Greek and gypsy styles. They are influenced by artists such as The Beach Boys and Secret Chiefs 3, and have been compared to Mr. Bungle,[3] Frank Zappa and John Zorn.[4] Like Mr. Bungle and Secret Chiefs 3 they hectically mix several genres in their songs.[5] They are the self proclaimed inventors of bizarre genres such as "Bulgarian Surf", "Romanian Gypsy-Metal", and "Spaghetti Eastern"[2] and sound like "Psychedelic-Sci-fi", "Gypsy-Metal-Jazz" and "Epic-Cinema-Thon" according to their MySpace.[6]

Stage Shows

A large part of Estradasphere's early success stemmed not only from their musically technical virtuosity, but their organic stage shows. In addition to the added ambiance of the band's sideshow perfomers, live sets would consist of frequent 'jams', re-arrangements of original material, and cover songs ranging from video game themes such as Super Mario Brothers, The Legend of Zelda and Contra (arcade game) to television show theme songs such as Beverly Hills, 90210, Duck Tales, Gummy Bears, and CHiPs; since the name of the band was related to CHiPs star Eric Estrada. Estradasphere shows also were known to feature more traditional cover songs from styles as diverse as jazz, heavy metal, pop, and hip hop.

On tour, the band would often play smaller free shows using primarily acoustic instruments. Venues for such shows could be as obscure as on a public beach or live on the air of college radio stations such as KSDT, where they can be seen giving an interview to KSDT staffer Pete Bejarano on their DVD Passion for Life.

Band members

Current members (According to www.estradasphere.com)

Former members

Discography

Album Cover Title Release Date Label
It's Understood (LP) June 26, 2000 Mimicry
File:Esphere-days-200.jpg
 These are the Days (VHS) 2000
The Silent Elk of Yesterday (EP) September 18, 2001 Mimicry
Buck Fever (LP) 2001 Mimicry
Quadropus (LP) October 28, 2003 Mimicry
Passion for Life (LP/DVD) March 9, 2004 Mimicry
File:Esphere-days-200.jpg
 These are the Days (DVD Reissue) October 3, 2005
File:Palace Of Mirrors.jpg
 Palace of Mirrors (LP) September 19, 2006 The End

Related bands/side projects

  • Don Salsa - Tim Smolens and Jason Schimmel perform with others. Experimental group. Official Website
  • Fishtank Ensemble - Tim Smolens, Kevin Kmetz and Adam Stacey perform with Doug (of Don Salsa), Aaron Seeman (who has recorded accordion for Estradasphere and Mr. Bungle). Also features Fabrice on fiddle and Ursula. Gypsy music.
  • God of Shamisen - Kevin Kmetz and Lee Smith perform along with Dave McCoy and Mark Thornton. Shamisen rock. Official Website
  • I.S.S. (Ideal Social Situation) - Tim Smolens performs with George the Reader, Joey Ryken (MonoMan), Joel Rainbow and Jesse Houts (MC Wheels). Pop. Official Website
  • Netwerk: Electric - Former bandmate Jason Conception (1998) performs with others. Jazz.
  • Santa Cruz Hemp Allstars - John Whooley performs with members of Sound Tribe Sector 9, Netwerk: Electric and Disco Biscuits. Official Website.
  • Santa Cruz White Album Ensemble - Jason Schimmel (and occasionally Timb Harris) perform with others. They perform Beatles albums such as the White Album, Rubber Revolver and Sgt. Pepper's Mystery Tour in full concerts. Official Website
  • Secret Chiefs 3 - Timb Harris, Adam Stacey and Kevin Kmetz perform with Trey Spruance and others. Jason Schimmel, John Whooley, and Tim Smolens also make appearances.

Notes

  1. ^ "Estradasphere's Official website". Retrieved 2007-07-21. Estradasphere is a band of multi-instrumentalists from an unlikely variety of musical backgrounds. Timb Harris (violin/trumpet), Jason Schimmel (guitar/banjo/keyboards/vocals), Tim Smolens (upright and electric bass/vocals), Kevin Kmetz (Tsugaru Shamisen/guitar/keyboards), Adam Stacey (accordion/keyboards/clavinet), and Lee Smith (drums/percussion) were trained in disciplines ranging from classical and jazz to metal. This diverse instrumental and stylistic palette enables them to execute a vast array of orchestrations and even forge entirely new genres such as "Bulgarian Surf," "Romanian Gypsy-Metal," and "Spaghetti Eastern."
  2. ^ a b "Estradasphere's [[MySpace]]". Retrieved 2007-07-21. Estradasphere is a band trained in disciplines ranging from classical and jazz to metal. {{cite web}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)
  3. ^ "Biography @ Allmusic". Retrieved 2007-07-21. Unmistakably derived from the genre-bending loins of experimental rockers Mr. Bungle and Secret Chiefs 3, Estradasphere respectfully lives up to the ambitious musical aims of their wildly talented mentors.
  4. ^ "SSMT Reviews". Retrieved 2007-07-21. Estradasphere returns with another collection of Zappa-esquely varied songs spanning almost every musical genre invented since early homo sapiens individuals first blew into hollow branches recreationally... ...Anyone interested in Mr Bungle, Frank Zappa or John Zorn would be well-served by purchasing half a dozen copies of this album to spin simultaneously throughout their abode so as not to miss a second of it.
  5. ^ "Biography @ Allmusic". Retrieved 2007-07-21. Their hectic mix of jazz, metal, video game themes, and bluegrass was eaten up by hardcore Mr. Bungle fans, but went largely unnoticed elsewhere.
  6. ^ "Estradasphere's [[MySpace]]". Retrieved 2007-07-21. Sounds like a Psychedelic-Sci-fi... Gypsy-Metal-Jazz... Epic-Cinema-Thon. {{cite web}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)

External links

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