Starflyer 59
This article needs additional citations for verification. (January 2013) |
Starflyer 59 | |
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Background information | |
Origin | Riverside, California |
Genres | |
Years active | 1993–present |
Labels | Tooth & Nail, Somewherecold, Velvet Blue Music |
Members | Jason Martin Trey Many Steven Dail |
Past members | Andrew Larson Eric Campuzano Jeff Cloud Wayne Everett Joey Esquibel Richard Swift Frank Lenz Josh Dooley Gene Eugene Matt Johnson |
Website | www |
Starflyer 59 is an American
History
This section needs additional citations for verification. (January 2013) |
1993–1997: Formation and "shoegaze" era
Starflyer 59 was signed to
In 1995, Starflyer 59 released their second album, Gold. The sound was similar to their first release, while Jason Martin continued to add layers of guitar riffs to each song.[1][5][6] This album is considered instrumental in developing the "shoegaze" sound. In 2016, Pitchfork Media ranked Gold as the number 41 best shoegaze album of all time.[7] Lyrically, the album continued the trend of somewhat depressive and lovelorn content in contrast to the message of the band's Christian record label.[1] In 1996, the band released a live album via Velvet Blue Music entitled Plugged.[1][8]
For Starflyer 59's next studio album, Americana (which was released in 1997) several changes to the band were made. Bass player Andrew Larson departed and was replaced by Eric Campuzano (The Prayer Chain). In addition, Wayne Everett, also of The Prayer Chain, became the band's studio drummer. Campuzano left the band before it began touring to support the new album. Replacing him was Jeff Cloud, who had been Starflyer's touring manager.[1][8][9] Americana had a more rock bent than the band's previous two albums with more uplifting and explicitly religious lyrics.[1][8]
1998–2001: Change in sound with The Fashion Focus
The release of The Fashion Focus in 1998 signaled a significant change in the direction of the band's sound, largely due to the influence of producer Gene Eugene. Where previous albums had emphasized guitars and loud rock and roll, The Fashion Focus was a significantly softer album. This album featured the introduction of keyboards in the music, which replaced layered guitars. The new sound was more pop-friendly than earlier albums, while not abandoning the signature Starflyer sound. The song "Too Much Fun" would be the band's last song in the early shoegazing style. Everybody Makes Mistakes, released the next year, continued in the same direction as The Fashion Focus.
On November 21, 2000, Starflyer 59 released
2002–2008: Extensive album production
From 2003 to 2006, Starflyer 59 released one full-length album a year, all of them self-produced. The first of these albums was Old. Old maintained a more pop-oriented sound that had begun with The Fashion Focus, but was also more guitar-oriented than Leave Here A Stranger. However, the music of Old was still significantly softer than the band's early work. In 2004, I Am the Portuguese Blues was released. With this album, Starflyer 59 returned to the heavy guitar format that was so prominent on their early albums Silver, Gold, and Americana, as well as to the monochromatic album covers that had characterized these albums. I Am the Portuguese Blues was not a true follow-up to Old, but instead was a set of older songs that Jason Martin had written for a follow-up album to Americana. The material was originally shelved when the band shifted gears and instead recorded The Fashion Focus. This confused many newer fans and critics who were familiar with Starflyer 59's more recent pop-friendly work. The album is generally thought of[by whom?] as an EP or side project and not a proper Starflyer 59 studio album, and to date[when?] is the last time guitar distortion was featured on a Starflyer 59 recording.
2005's
Frank Lenz left the band near the end of the recording process, leaving Jason Martin as the only member. Josh Dooley re-joined the band as second guitar, the first time in the band's history with a guitar player other than Martin, and Trey Many joined as the drummer. This threesome toured very briefly behind Talking Voice vs. Singing Voice with an electronic bass track.
The band released their follow up to Talking Voice vs. Singing Voice titled My Island September 12, 2006, along with a music video for the album's single, "I Win". As the years go by, Starflyer 59 continue to release albums that seem to be a natural progression of the previous album, with the exception of I Am the Portuguese Blues. In 2007, Starflyer 59 had a special promotion among the most devoted fans, where they would release a total of 10 7-inch vinyl records over a period of months. Each 7" would contain a song from the forthcoming record, as well as a B-side that would be released only for the promotion. The 10 vinyl records, known as Ghosts of the Future, came with a custom wooden record box, and early buyers were rewarded with inserts signed by Jason Martin and Scott Hatch. Their 11th full-length album, Dial M, was released on October 28, 2008. Dial M consisted of the first track of each vinyl record from Ghosts of the Future, remixed and cleaned up. The album was significantly influenced by the passing of Jason's father, affectionately referred to in the song Mr. Martin.
2009–present: The Changing of the Guard and further projects
The band released
The band's next album, IAMACEO, was released on December 17, 2012 (Jason Martin's 40th birthday).[10] This album was crowdfunded through Kickstarter.[11] When the fund-raising campaign began on March 6, 2012, all the funds necessary for the project were raised within just a few hours.
In July, it was discovered by fans that T.W. Walsh - who mastered and performed on IAMACEO - had added a new Starflyer 59 release under the 2015 section of his website.[12] In August, a member of the Facebook fan group mentioned that he talked to former Starflyer 59 bassist Eric Campuzano about the new Starflyer material. Campuzano said, "The new Starflyer 59 album is going to be killer. Lots of the older style coming out. The demos I've heard are amazing."[13] When mentioned in the Starflyer 59 fan forums,[14] musician Mike Adams hinted at a new Starflyer 59 record, saying he knew "every intimate detail about the new [Starflyer 59] release," and that it was coming out in October 2015.[15] He also shared a mysterious image that fans presume to be album art.[16]
On April 26, 2019, Young In My Head was released through Tooth & Nail. It was released on CD and vinyl, including limited edition versions, as well as digitally.
On May 14, 2020, Velvet Blue Music released the single "This Recliner" to promote the EP Miami, which was released on June 19, 2020[18] and included three new songs and two reworked versions of songs from Young in My Head.
On October 15, 2021, Starflyer 59 released Vanity through Velvet Blue Music digitally, as well as on CD and vinyl.[19]
Side projects
Jason Martin's side projects include:
- Bon Voyage
- Pony Express, with Richard Swift, Frank Lenz, and Josh Dooley
- Starflyer 2000, with Leigh Nash
- Enemy Ships
- Neon Horse
- Low and Behold, with Ryan Clark of Demon Hunter
- The Brothers Martin, with Jason's brother Ronnie of Joy Electric
- Lo Tom with David Bazan, Trey Many, and TW Walsh[20]
He has also produced albums for
Discography
Studio albums
Year | Title | Peak chart positions | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1994 | Silver
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— | — | ||||
1995 | Gold
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— | — | ||||
1997 | Americana
|
— | — | ||||
1998 | The Fashion Focus
|
— | — | ||||
1999 | Everybody Makes Mistakes
|
— | — | ||||
2001 | Leave Here a Stranger
|
— | — | ||||
2003 | Old
|
— | — | ||||
2004 | I Am the Portuguese Blues
|
— | — | ||||
2005 | Talking Voice vs. Singing Voice
|
— | — | ||||
2006 | My Island
|
— | — | ||||
2008 | Dial M
|
— | — | ||||
2010 | The Changing of the Guard
|
— | — | ||||
2013 | IAMACEO
|
— | — | ||||
2016 | Slow
|
24 | 17 | ||||
2019 | Young in My Head
|
20 | 4 | ||||
2021 | Vanity
|
||||||
"—" denotes releases that did not chart. |
EPs
- She's the Queen (1994)
- Le Vainqueur (1995)
- Fell in Love at 22 (1999)
- Can't Stop Eating (2002)
- Old Demos (2003)
- The Last Laurel (2004)
- I Win (2006)
- Minor Keys EP (2009) (digital-only release)
- Miami (2020)
Split EPs
- The Rocky Valentines/Starflyer 59 Split EP (2023) (with The Rocky Valentines, Jason Martin's son Charlie's band)
Live albums
- Plugged (EP) (1996)
- Live at the Paradox (EP) (2002)
- Never Play Covers (2005)
- Live at Schubas II (2006; offered only on eMusic.com)
12-inch releases
- "Gold" (1995, Tooth & Nail Records)
- "Americana" (1997, Tooth & Nail Records)
- "The Fashion Focus" (12-inch + bonus 7-inch) (1999, Velvet Blue Music / Burnt Toast Vinyl)
- "Everybody Makes Mistakes" (12-inch + bonus 7-inch) (1999, Velvet Blue Music / Burnt Toast Vinyl)
- "Leave Here a Stranger" (2001, ABC Group Documentation)
- "Portuguese Blues" (2004, Burnt Toast Vinyl)
- "The Last Laurel" (2005, Republic of Texas Recordings / Somewherecold Records)
- "Talking Voice vs. Singing Voice" (2005, Burnt Toast Vinyl)
- "Dial M" (with bonus track) (2008, Burnt Toast Vinyl)
- "Silver" (2009, Crossroads of America Records)
- "Old" (2010, Crossroads of America Records)
- "The Changing of the Guard" (12-inch + bonus 7-inch) (2010, Burnt Toast Vinyl)
- "IAMACEO" (2013)
- "Slow" (2016, Tooth & Nail Records)
- "Young in My Head" (color variants: black, outlaw gold, old blood red) (2019, Tooth & Nail Records)
Singles (7-inch vinyl)
- "The Drop" (1993)
- "Goodbyes Are Sad" (1995)
- "Bonus 7-inch w/ The Fashion Focus 12-inch" (1999)
- "Bonus 7-inch w/ Everybody Makes Mistakes 12-inch" (1999)
- "Bonus 7-inch w/ The Changing of the Guard12-inch" (2010)
- "Like a Baby" 7-inch split w/ "Mike Adams at His Honest Weight" (2015)
- "Told Me So" (2016)
- "Terror" (2017)
- "This Recliner" (2020)
- "Life in Bed" (2021)
- "Like to Lose" (2021)
- "Sunrise" (2021)
Box sets
- Easy Come Easy Go (2000)
- Ghosts of the Future (2007) (10-record 7-inch vinyl box set, released on Burnt Toast Vinyl)
- Ghosts of the Past (2009)
Appearances on compilations
- A Steve Taylor Tribute: I Predict a Clone (CD) (1994, R.E.X. Music)
- Happy Christmas (CD) (1998, BEC Recordings)
- When Worlds Collide: A Tribute to Daniel Amos (1999, Ferris Wheel)
- Plastiq Musiq: Electric Music Comp.1 (CD) (1999, Plastiq Musiq)
- Happy Christmas Vol. 2(CD) (1999, BEC Recordings)
- Start Right Here: Remembering the Life of Keith Green (CD) (2001, BEC Recordings)
- Happy Christmas Vol.3 (CD) (2001, BEC Recordings)
- A Live Tribute Recording for Gene Eugene (CD) (2001, Northern Records)
- Daniel Amos - When Everyone Wore Hats three-CD set (features an interview with DA frontman Terry Scott Taylor, conducted by Jason Martin)
- X 2003: Experience the Alternative (2xCD) (2003, BEC Recordings)
- Past and Present, Velvet Blue Music (2003, Velvet Blue Music)
- Neverending White Lights: ACT 1, Goodbye Friends of the Heavenly Bodies (CD) (2005, Daniel Victor)
- Happy Christmas Vol.4 (CD) (2005, Tooth & Nail Records)
- You Cant Handle the Tooth! Vol. 1 (2006, Tooth & Nail Records)
- Songs from the Penalty Box, Tooth and Nail Vol. 6 (2009, Tooth & Nail Records)
Books
- When I Learn to Sing (songbook/fake book) (2005)
Members
Current members
- Jason Martin – guitar, vocal
- Trey Many – drums (His Name is Alive)
- Steven Dail – bass guitar (Project 86, White Lighter and Crash Rickshaw)
Former members and players
- Andrew Larson – bass guitar (Silver – Gold)
- Eric Campuzano – bass guitar (Americana)
- Leave Here A Stranger – Old – I Am the Portuguese Blues)
- Dan Reid – drums (Silver)
- Ed Giles Benrock – drums (Gold)
- Wayne Everett – drums (Gold – Americana – The Fashion Focus – Everybody Makes Mistakes)
- Joey Esquibel – drums (Leave Here a Stranger)
- Josh Dooley – keyboards (Leave Here a Stranger), guitar (My Island)
- Richard Swift – keyboards (Old) (d. 2018)
- Frank Lenz – drums (Old – Talking Voice vs. Singing Voice)
- Gene Eugene – keys, mixing and production (Gold – Americana – Everybody Makes Mistakes)
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Cummings, Tony (February 8, 2009). "Starflyer 59: Creative fixtures of the US Christian underground". Cross Rhythms. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- Rovi Corporation. Retrieved October 9, 2013.
- ^ O'Connor, Christopher (February 12, 2004). "God Forbid". Phoenix New Times. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- ^ a b Burr, Matthew (December 3, 2005). "Starflyer 59, "She's The Queen" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
- ^ a b Leslie, Camilo Arturo (January 23, 2001). "Starflyer 59 - Easy Come Easy Go 1994-2000". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
- ^ Gotrich, Lars (June 8, 2016). "Jason Martin Explains Starflyer 59's 'Slow,' Track By Track". NPR. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
- ^ "The 50 Best Shoegaze Albums of All Time". Pitchfork. October 24, 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2019.
- ^ a b c "Interview with Jason Martin from Starflyer 59". The Blue Star Journal. 1996. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
- ^ "Starflyer 59 Interview June 2002". True Tunes. June 2002. Retrieved October 14, 2017.
- ^ "Starflyer 59". Facebook. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
- ^ "Help Starflyer 59 Produce Their First Independent Album". Kickstarter.
- ^ "Complete Discography". TW WALSH MASTERING. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
- ^ "New SF59 material in the works". sf59fans.com. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
- ^ "New SF59 material in the works". sf59fans.com. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
- ^ "New SF59 material in the works". sf59fans.com. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
- ^ "New SF59 material in the works". sf59fans.com. Retrieved August 16, 2015.
- ^ "Starflyer 59 "Young In My Head" Pre-Order Now at Tooth & Nail Store - News". Indie Vision Music. March 6, 2019.
- ^ "STARFLYER 59 – Miami : Velvet Blue Music". velvetbluemusic.com.
- ^ "Starflyer 59 Pre-Orders Up Now on Velvet Blue Music for New Album - News". Indie Vision Music. September 8, 2021. Retrieved October 15, 2021.
- ^ "Exclusive: Hear Lo Tom's Expertly Crafted Debut, "Overboard"". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
- ^ "Starflyer 59 (Top Christian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
- ^ "Starflyer 59 (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 11, 2019.