earthtone9
| earthtone9 | |
|---|---|
 |
|
 Owen Packard, Karl Middleton and Dave Anderson live in 2002 |
|
| General information | |
| Genre (s) | Alternative metal |
| founding | 1996, 2010 |
| resolution | 2002 |
| Founding members | |
| Karl Middleton | |
| Joe Roberts | |
guitar |
Owen "Oz" Packard |
| Graeme Watts | |
| Simon "Si" Hutchby | |
| Current occupation | |
singing |
Karl Middleton |
guitar |
Owen "Oz" Packard |
guitar |
Gez Walton |
bass |
Russ Stedman |
Drums |
Simon "Si" Hutchby |
earthtone9 is an alternative metal band from Nottingham , England , formed in 1996 . The music group released three studio albums, among other things, until it was temporarily dissolved in 2002 . Since their reunion in 2010, another album and an EP have been released with the help of two crowdfunding campaigns .
history
Guitarists Joe Roberts and Owen Packard and bassist Graeme Watts were members of a band called "Warp Spasm" in the early 1990s, which was later renamed "Blastcage". When Karl Middleton and Simon Hutchby replaced the previous singer and drummer respectively, earthtone9 was founded in 1996 as a result. The band took their name from the Helmet song In the Meantime , which begins with the words Earth tone suits you - So give it a smile .
As a result, three demos were created in the "Backstage Studio" in Nottingham , which two years later were able to reach a wider public as part of the first full album lo-def (inition) discord via the friends-run record label Copro Records . The self-produced songs were simply remixed by Dave Chang and their sequence changed. The existing pieces were supplemented by three new songs recorded in the “Philia Studios” ( Henley-on-Thames ), which is why the album cost a total of only £ 500. In the specialist magazines Metal Hammer UK as well as in Kerrang! appeared very benevolent reviews of the debut album. The band gave their first concert in the Trillians Rock Bar in Newcastle .
In 1999 Joe Roberts left the band, but came back in time before the only one-week recordings for off kilter enhancement and thus took over the post of guitarist Simon Johnson, who was also involved in the songwriting. The second album, produced by Dave Chang, is the most uncompromising and hardest work of the British with its “berserk-like” “mixture of crude noise and psychedelic, weird melodies”. Songs like grind and click or i nagual eye became highlights that were often played at concerts the band, for example on the UK tour that followed in December with the then highly traded One Minute Silence or the subsequent European tour with Misery Loves Co. and Kill II This . In the meantime, bassist Graeme Watts had decided to leave the group and after a few concerts with short-term replacement Jamie Floate, Dave Anderson joined earthtone9. Earthtone9 received a nomination for “Band of the Year” from Kerrang! Magazine, and the record reviews were exceptionally positive.
In the booklet for the first EP hi-point , which was originally limited to 2000 copies , you will find the passage "four in four, three-two-two-hand", which is to be understood as an indication that the band succeeded in March 2000, four songs within just four days to record. Among them is a revised version of vitriolic hsf titled vitriolic hsf2000 from the band's debut. Joe Roberts: " vitriolic developed like every other song, here an added harmony, there a short stop, slightly changed picking and so on - we found the new vitriolic so much better and wanted to put it on record too". Occasionally songs were further developed and continued at concerts; Excessive live performances were not uncommon. The music critics of the Kerrang! gave the EP the words “unpredictable, original and very, very cool. This is Metal that dares to be different and deserves to be heard as often as possible. "
Just under six months later, the third album entitled arc'tan'gent found its way into record stores. At this time earthtone9 had made such a good reputation with their albums and especially their energetic performances that the respected Andy Sneap (including Earth Crisis , Machine Head , Napalm Death ) was responsible for the entire production in the "Philia Studios". There, due to the increased budget for the recordings from the record company, the band was faced with circumstances for the first time that enabled work under professional conditions and without excessive time pressure.
Quite a few music magazines and journalists described earthtone9 as one of the most hopeful bands of the present day, various awards as the best rock group in the UK went to the gentlemen from Nottingham. The song tat twam asi became a popular club hit. tat twam asi is a yogic term for the highest form of enlightenment and also a central theme in Hermann Hesse's Steppenwolf , where it stands for self-discovery and intellectual transcendence .
All members of earthtone9 gave up their jobs in 2000 in order to concentrate on the band. The result was 170 shows within one year: In addition to four so-called “Evolution Fests”, headliner mini tours with Skindred , Guano Apes , Dog Fashion Disco , Vacant Stare and Stampin 'Ground , there were smaller tours with or with a pitchshifter also the then unknown Lost Prophets from Wales . It was soon followed by larger, hopeful support shows across Europe for Soulfly and Fear Factory . Despite all the successes, no member could ever live from the proceeds of their music.
In 2001 earthtone9 recorded three promo songs under the working title i hate corn nuts in the Island Records studio "Fallout Shelter" in the hope of receiving an offer for a major deal . Although the comparatively accessible and more vocal-oriented pieces from these recording sessions represent the highlight of the band's work for some, the attempt was not crowned with success: Island Records refused the demo and negotiations with other interested parties finally came to nothing. After this disappointment, longtime drummer Simon Hutchby left the band in July of the same year shortly before touring with Linea 77 . Furthermore, the band's albums were only available through selected music stores, in the USA all three full studio albums of the band were made available in one fell swoop in 2002.
Although in the meantime Richie Mills from Sunna had helped out on drums and shortly afterwards Alex Baker had joined the band, earthtone9 gave up in 2002 disillusioned, quarreled about the musical future and worn down by the difficult circumstances of constant touring as the opening act. In retrospect, the appropriately titled EP omega was released via Copro Records , on which the three previously recorded songs, the previously unreleased piece orchid frequency from 1999, an eleven-minute live recording by binary101 and two music videos can be found.
Earthtone9's final concert took place on April 13, 2002 in the intimate setting of the sold out Highbury Garage in London , which has a capacity of 500 spectators . It was withered after the last song - at the same time the very first written piece of the band - with a short "Fuck you and goodnight."
Posthumously saw in 2004 under the title of hi-point (rem) one by Dave Chang in the "Philia Studios" remastered version of the first EP hi-point the light of day. Karl Middleton welcomed the revision and re-release, as the songs are now "closer to the original vision". The new edition of the CD still comes with a different artwork and different packaging. A DVD announced for the end of 2002 with largely unreleased material and two fully filmed concerts by the band never appeared; the small music label Copro Records referred to the high production costs. On the sampler "Back To The Bus" compiled by Funeral for a Friend in 2007 , earthtone9 are one of fourteen selected bands with their song tat twam asi .
In the following years, former earthtone9 musicians were active in various bands and musical projects. The unofficial follow-up band of earthtone9 was the group The Blueprint , led by singer Karl Middleton , which musically followed a similar path. Furthermore, former members of the band were among others active with Twin Zero , The Lucky Nine , Ninedenine , Mywar , Blackstorm , This Is Menace and Standing Dead Center . Karl Middleton meanwhile also worked at the Brighton Institute of Modern Music .
After the announcement of a best-of compilation in mid-May 2010, there were initial speculations about a possible reunion of earthtone9, which the band initially only answered cautiously: They just wanted to take the opportunity to celebrate the ten-year anniversary of the often regarded as a masterpiece arc'tan'gent to point out, of which one is proud to this day and that one or the other concert may be played. The release of the compilation Inside, Embers Glow ... A Collection Of Earthtone9's Aural Communiqués 1998-2002 , which is also legally free to download , in July was followed by a first appearance during the English edition of the Sonisphere Festival , and in November the band performed at the Damnation Festival at the University of Leeds on.
After that the activities of earthtone9 increased noticeably. In the spring of 2011, the band went on a UK- wide tour with The Ocean , Maybeshewill and Humanfly performing as support. On the crowdfunding platform PledgeMusic , through which artists can collect money in advance for future projects, the band started looking for supporters for their plan to release an EP entitled For Cause and Consequence with four new songs. After reaching the targeted amount, the band donated 10% of the unexpected surplus to charitable organizations for cancer research. In mid-May, the EP was made available to all supporters for download. A recording of a concert played in May 2011 in the Relentless Garage in London was released on DVD with live from london garage . Anyone who opted for the “Home Movies Galore” option during the previous crowdfunding phase received a compilation of various videos from the band's founding to the band's most recent music clip from the EP, the song The Tide Of Ambition , from odds, sods & clingfilmed cocks sent.
In 2012 Joe Roberts and Dave Anderson decided not to play any more concerts with earthtone9 due to lack of time, but continued to contribute musical ideas. Former guitar technician Gez Walton (formerly The Ghost of a Thousand ) joined the band as the new guitarist. Russ Stedman, who had already helped out live at the end of 2011, became the new bass player. Again via PledgeMusic, the band tried to cover the costs of recording and publishing a new studio album from the beginning of June. With Horizon's End a pre-single produced by Chris Sheldon was made available for download. On July 23, 2012, the targeted amount was reached through PledgeMusic, and in April 2013 the album named IV was released. Among other things, it marks the band's departure from the deliberately abstract song titles towards a more direct and simpler approach.
After singer Karl Middleton moved to the United States , the band has been on hold since 2015. Riffs already written by guitarist Owen Packard for another earthtone9 album are used by him for his project Unearth The Kings , which has been active since 2014 , in which drummer Jason Bowld (including AxeWound , Pitchshifter) also plays, singer is Ali Ross from Cars On Fire. In November 2018 earthtone9 supported Pitchshifter on a 20th Anniversary UK Tour .
Timeline
Style and reception
Earthtone9 combined different influences from rock , metal , noise and hardcore . The constant changes in mood within individual songs and albums were characteristic. Often hardness and oppressive moments were combined with a great love of harmony and heavy melody. A large number of critics attested earthtone9 to genre-breaking creativity, innovation and musical timelessness. Despite their temporary breakup, earthtone9 can look back on a large following to this day, and the band has achieved cult status from time to time.
In the German music magazine Rock Hard , Marcus Schleutermann judged that earthtone9 move “as a matter of course ... in a field of tension full of contrasts. Frantic (neo-) Metal -Kraft, useful dose noise attacks and Aggro- Shouting encounter fragile vocals, dreamy indie rock , enchanting beautiful melodies and choruses for eternity - an insane Husarenritt between Neurosis , Tool and Motor Psycho ". Sometimes it seems like Crowbar is jamming with a Monster Magnet , other times it sounds “like Misery Loves Co. for a range of Red Bulls .” The band is “as innovative as Celtic Frost and Faith No More ”.
Guitarist Joe Roberts counted bands as diverse as Alice in Chains , Carcass , Faith No More, Helmet , Metallica , Monster Magnet and The Police among his influences, while he insisted on not emulating any of his musical role models. The aim of the band, Tool or Queens of the Stone Age was similar to develop an unmistakable style.
Trivia
earthtone9 were often seen as arrogant and aloof at the beginning of their careers because they set themselves apart from the crowd with their unconventional demeanor: They did not value appearing fashionably , did without bigger show effects, varied their sometimes unusual hairstyles and beards (Joe Roberts: " It's all about beards ”, the Terrorizer magazine speaks of“ beard rock ”in 2013) and confused with unclear song titles and lyrics.
Karl Middleton did not pursue a definitive statement with his texts, but rather used words and sentences according to their sound and mood. Everyone should find their own interpretations , which are then "correct" in their personal context. The titles of the compositions, such as zechariah rush (uru shalom har meggidon), should also reinforce the respective character of the songs rather than being in connection with the textual content. Some critics saw a flaunted intellectuality in the song titles and lyrics - but singer Karl Middleton vehemently contradicted this: “That's irony: By not saying anything, people assume you're above saying anything and we're not, it's just music. That's all. "
The albums released in 2002 by Abstract Sounds in the USA all differed from the versions distributed via Copro Records . The design of the booklets was changed and partly shortened, fonts were exchanged and the CD imprint no longer corresponds to the European publications. For this lo-def (inition) discord has the bonus track orchid frequency , the second work off kilter enhancement was upgraded by the hidden track You Again (a cover version by the New Zealand band Shihad ) and the music video for tat twam can be found on arc'tan'gent asi .
No member of the band ate meat . Dave Anderson and Owen Packard are vegetarians , Karl Middleton and Joe Roberts are vegans . It has been passed down several times that the latter regularly argued about whether honey was allowed or not. Rumors that the band is straight edge are not true.
The members often used the attention earthtone9 got through their music to draw attention to social and environmental problem areas. In the CD booklets, for example, there were calls and web links to Greenpeace , a smaller, WWF- like organization run by Bill Hicks or a foundation that tries to bring abandoned and homeless dogs back to animal lovers.
In the course of larger tours , situations arose again and again that led to the cliché of sex, drugs & rock'n'roll . Earthtone9 persistently refused to do this: the band preferred, for example, conversations with fans, city tours and quiet moments as a contrast to the extroverted stage life. In their online diary , the band critically commented on the behavior of other groups, for example as “very Mötley Crüe ”.
Discography
Albums
- lo-def (inition) discord - August 24, 1998
- off kilter enhancement - July 19, 1999
- arc'tan'gent - September 25, 2000
- IV - April 7, 2013
EPs
- hi-point - April 10, 2000
- omega - April 8, 2002
- hi-point (rem) - August 23, 2004
- For Cause and Consequence - May 16, 2011
Live albums
- live from london garage - July 31, 2012
Compilations
- Inside, Embers Glow… A Collection Of Earthtone9's Aural Communiqués 1998–2002 - June 1, 2010
Video albums
- odds, sods & clingfilmed cocks - 2011
- live from london garage - November 2011
Music clips
- tat twam asi (2000): Never published commercially, but copies exist for advertising purposes, which means that the video was rarely used in the US MTV2 . In 2002 the video clip was found on the EP omega and also on the re-release of arc'tan'gent via Abstract Sounds. It was also part of the November 2004 promo DVD "COP TV" from Copro Records. He was also included on the 2011 EP For Cause and Consequence .
- amnesia (2002): The video can be found as a bonus title on the EP omega and mainly shows live recordings. Also included on the 2004 “COP TV” promo DVD.
- evil crawling i (2010): For the release of the best-of compilation Inside, Embers Glow… a video clip was recorded for this song, which was released in 2000 on the album arc'tan'gent . The video is part of the EP For Cause and Consequence from 2011 as a bonus title .
- tide of ambition (2011): The music clip for the first track of the EP For Cause and Consequence is included as a bonus on the EP.
- Preacher (2013): Sitcom Soldiers- produced performance video clip for the single from the comeback album IV .
Web links
- Web presence of the band on facebook.com
- The record label Copro Records via earthtone9 (engl.)
- earthtone9 on the "musical map"
- loudersound.com: Contribution to Earthtone9 under the heading "They Could Have Been A Contender" (engl.)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d e f g Band biography on sing365.com ( Memento from October 11, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ a b c d e f g earthtone9-FAQ V.9, June 2002
- ↑ a b c mp3-soundtracks.com: Band Biography Earthtone9
- ↑ davechang.co.uk: Record Producer Dave Chang: Biography ( Memento of the original from February 19, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ a b gaesteliste.de: Earthtone 9 - arc'tan'gent
- ↑ ( page no longer available , search in web archives: metalinside.de: Review arc'tan'gent )
- ↑ a b Rock3 Radio: "Earthtone9 and a CD review of the Hi-point (rem) EP"
- ↑ Press & Reviews: Earthtone9 - 'Hi Point'. Dave Chang, April 20, 2000, accessed December 28, 2018 .
- ↑ drownedinsound.com: "Rabies Caste, Earthtone9 at Birmingham The Irish Club", October 16, 2001 ( Memento of September 8, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ a b rock sound, # 24: "earthtone9: Up Close And Personal", May 2001 ( Memento from October 13, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ ( Page no longer available , search in web archives: devilrock.de: "Review Earthtone9 - Omega" )
- ↑ rockhard.de: "EARTHTONE9 - Omega" , Rock Hard 181, accessed on December 31, 2018.
- ^ A b c Metal Observer: Review "Earthtone9 - Omega", November 7, 2002
- ↑ a b drownedinsound: Review of the "Omega EP"
- ↑ drownedinsound.com: "Earthtone 9 call it a day"
- ↑ Press releases and interview statements by the band on the announced end of the band, March 2002
- ↑ ( page no longer available , search in web archives: Kerrang! -Review: "The Final Show" )
- ↑ Copro Records: "earthtone9 on Funeral For A Friend compilation", February 14, 2007 ( Memento of October 13, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ downtuned: "And now for a News Summary - Is this the end, or just the beginning?", June 23, 2002
- ↑ Musicmight Biography: Earthtone9 ( Memento of May 13, 2012 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ a b thrashhits.com: "earthtone9 reform - interview & photo gallery", May 27, 2010 ( Memento of August 8, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Metal Hammer UK: "earthtone 9 To Return?", May 18, 2010 ( Memento from May 23, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ coprodirect.com: "Inside, Embers Glow ... A Collection Of Earthtone9's Aural Communiqués 1998-2002", July 2010 ( Memento from September 18, 2010 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Interview with Thrash Hits TV: "earthtone9 @ Sonisphere Festival 2010", July 2010
- ↑ PledgeMusic: "earthtone9 - 2011 EP"
- ↑ PledgeMusic: Cancer Research UK , May 2011
- ↑ PledgeMusic: earthtone9 LIVE DVD is gonna explode your eyes! , May 4, 2012
- ↑ PledgeMusic: For Cause & Consequence ( Memento of April 7, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ discogs.com: earthtone9 - Odds, Sods & Clingfilmed Cocks , accessed February 10, 2020.
- ↑ PledgeMusic: An interview with Russ Stedman , June 28, 2012
- ↑ PledgeMusic: earthtone9 - NEW ALBUM 2012 , June 2012
- ↑ a b c Terrorizer: earthtone9: “We wanted to strip off some of the fat and change things up” , April 11, 2013
- ↑ pledgemusic.com: Want to hear some new Earthtone9 riffs?
- ↑ blabbermouth.net : "PITCHSHIFTER Breaks Decade-Long Hiatus By Announcing UK Tour Celebrating 20th Anniversary" , April 30, 2018, accessed December 31, 2018.
- ↑ ( Page no longer available , search in web archives: metal4.de: "Record review on IV " )
- ↑ Metal Hammer UK: "Review zu arc'tan'gent", October 2000 ( Memento from January 21, 2005 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ rockhard.de: "EARTHTONE9 - Off Kilter Enhancement" , Rock Hard 151, accessed on December 31, 2018.
- ↑ ( Page no longer available , search in web archives: devilrock.de: "Review Earthtone9 - arc´tan´gent" )
- ↑ chroniclesofchaos: "Earthtone9 - lo-def (inition) discord", November 19, 1998
- ↑ Current "bestseller" list from Copro Records, as of November 2007: A total of three releases by earthtone9 in the Top10
- ↑ thrashhits.com: Album: Earthtone9 - IV , April 17, 2013 ( Memento of the original from April 22, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ loudersound.com: “Earthtone9 live review - London, Underworld” , October 7, 2016, accessed December 31, 2018.
- ↑ devolutionmagazine.co.uk: "Live Review: Pitchshifter / Earthtone9 / The Blueprint @ Nottingham Rock City" , November 26, 2018, accessed December 30, 2018.
- ↑ musicradar.com: "Jason Bowld celebrates return of earthtone9" , March 23, 2011, accessed December 31, 2018.
- ↑ moderninvasionmusic.com: "EARTHTONE 9 - Hi-point (Remastered)"
- ↑ a b c rockhard.de: "EARTHTONE9 Arc´tan´gent" , Rock Hard 162, accessed on December 31, 2018.
- ↑ rockhard.de: "EARTHTONE9 Hi-Point" , Rock Hard 159, accessed on December 31, 2018.
- ↑ drownedinsound.com: "Earthtone9: arct'tan'gent" ( Memento from July 20, 2006 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Metal Hammer UK: "earthtone9 live review", August 2000 ( Memento of October 13, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ in German for example: "It's all about beards"
- ↑ a b Metal Hammer UK; earthtone9 interview, August 2000 ( Memento from October 13, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Lyrically Squared: Song titles and lyrics for songs by the band ( Memento from 23 August 2004 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ in German, for example: “That is irony: if you don't say anything, people think you owe it to having to say something, but we don't do that: It's just music. Not more."
- ↑ tour diary - "fear factory euro tour March 2001", entry from March 25, 2001 ( memento from August 20, 2008 in the Internet Archive ); in German: "so Mötley Crüe"
- ↑ casketcopro: "Earthtone9 - Tat Twam Asi" (official video on YouTube )
- ↑ downtuned: "The 'tat twam asi' video", "The 'tat twam asi' video on MTV / 2"
- ↑ casketcopro: "Earthtone 9 - Amnesia" (official video on YouTube )
- ↑ BigBlindMedia: "earthtone9 - evil crawling i" (official video on YouTube )
- ↑ BigBlindMedia: "earthtone9 - tide of ambition video" (official video on YouTube )
- ↑ BigBlindMedia: "earthtone9 - 'PREACHER' Official Music Video" (Official Video on YouTube )
