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Guided by Voices
Guided by Voices performing in 2004.
Guided by Voices performing in 2004.
Background information
OriginDayton, OH USA
Genre(s)Indie Rock, Lo-fi
Years active1983 – 2004
Label(s)Scat Records
Matador Records
TVT Records
WebsiteOfficial site
Members
Robert Pollard
Doug Gillard
Nate Farley
Chris Slusarenko
Kevin March
Former members
Tobin Sprout
Mitch Mitchell
Tim Tobias
Kevin Fennell
Greg Demos
Dan Toohey
Jim Greer
Don Thrasher

Guided by Voices (often abbreviated as GbV) was an American indie-rock band originating from Dayton, Ohio. Dayton is a city in southwestern Ohio, United States. It is the County seat and largest city of Montgomery County. Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Indie rock is genre of Alternative rock that primarily exists in the independent Underground music scene Lo-fi is an aesthetic in music production which uses Low fidelity recording practices Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Scat Records is a St Louis Missouri -based Independent record label. Matador Records is an Independent record label, famous for a roster of highly-respected Indie rock artists and bands TVT Records was an American Record label founded by Steve Gottlieb who initially launched the label from his New York City apartment in 1985 with the release "Bob Pollard" redirects here For the football player see Bob Pollard (football player. Doug Gillard (born December 23, 1965 in Sandusky Ohio) is a Cleveland Ohio Guitarist from Elyria Ohio who has performed Tobin Sprout is an American musician best known for his contribution as a band member of Indie rock group Guided by Voices (GBV John "Mitch" Mitchell (born 25 December) is a guitarist songwriter and producer who was in the original Guided by Voices lineup from 1983 to 1996 The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Indie rock is genre of Alternative rock that primarily exists in the independent Underground music scene A musical ensemble is a group of two or more Musicians who perform instrumental or vocal Music. Dayton is a city in southwestern Ohio, United States. It is the County seat and largest city of Montgomery County. Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads Since the band's formation in 1983, it experienced frequent personnel changes, but always maintained the presence of principal songwriter Robert Pollard. "Bob Pollard" redirects here For the football player see Bob Pollard (football player. Guided by Voices disbanded in 2004, though many of its former members remain musically involved in solo careers or other side projects.

Guided by Voices' work shows influence from post-British Invasion garage rock, psychedelic rock, progressive rock, punk rock and post-punk. The British Invasion was the term applied by the news media — and subsequently by consumers — to the influx of Rock and roll, beat and pop performers Psychedelic rock is a style of Rock music that attempts to replicate the mind-altering experiences of hallucinogenic drugs. Progressive rock (often shortened to " progressive " " prog " or " prog rock " is a form of Rock music that evolved Post-punk was a popular musical movement in the mid to late 1970s following on the heels of the initial Punk rock explosion of the early 1970s Guided by Voices also garnered much attention for its prolific output, with a seemingly endless stream of releases. The Guided by Voices discography includes dozens of releases both official and unofficial Most songs are in the two-minute range, but many are even shorter; often they end abruptly or are intertwined with odd and homemade sound effects. For the album by The Jam see Sound Affects. Sound effects or audio effects are artificially created or enhanced Sounds

Guided by Voices progressed over time from an aspiring bar band, to willfully scuzzy basement obscurantists, and on to a relatively professional riff-pop machine in the latter half of the 90s, yet the constants throughout were Pollard's grasp of the pop format, his cryptic lyrics and titles, and melodic invention.

Contents

Early history

Formed in Dayton, Ohio in the early 1980s, Guided by Voices began their career as a bar band working the local scene. Dayton is a city in southwestern Ohio, United States. It is the County seat and largest city of Montgomery County. As lineups and day-jobs shifted, however, Pollard moved the band towards a studio-only orientation. Guided by Voices' recording career began with a stream of self-financed, independent releases including Devil Between My Toes, Sandbox, Self-Inflicted Aerial Nostalgia, and Same Place The Fly Got Smashed. Devil Between My Toes is the debut album from Dayton Ohio -based band Guided by Voices, released 15 February 1987. Sandbox is the second album by Guided by Voices. It was released in 1987 Self-Inflicted Aerial Nostalgia is the third album by Dayton Ohio musical group Guided by Voices. Same Place the Fly Got Smashed is the fourth album from Dayton OH 's Guided by Voices With only a few hundred copies of each album being pressed, these tended to circulate only among the band members' family and friends.

The lo-fi years

With the release of the ultra-limited album Propeller in 1992 (of which only 500 copies were pressed, each with a unique, handmade cover), Guided by Voices for the first time gained some recognition outside of their hometown. Propeller is the fifth Album by Dayton Ohio Indie rock group Guided by Voices, considered by many to be one of their greatest works This was due in part to gaining fans in the college rock circuit and bands such as Sonic Youth, R.E.M., and The Breeders. College rock was a term used in the United States to describe 1980s Alternative rock before the term "alternative" came into common usage Sonic Youth is an American Alternative rock band formed in New York City in 1981 REM is an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by Michael Stipe ( lead vocals) Peter Buck ( Guitar The Breeders are an American Alternative rock band formed in 1988 by Kim Deal of the Pixies and Throwing Muses ' Tanya Donelly New York City and Philadelphia were host to Guided by Voices' return to the live stage (and first shows outside of Ohio) in 1993. At this time, the always-fluid Guided by Voices lineup coalesced around the core of Pollard, guitarists Tobin Sprout and Mitch Mitchell (not to be confused with Jimi Hendrix's drummer), bassist Dan Toohey, and drummer Kevin Fennell. Tobin Sprout is an American musician best known for his contribution as a band member of Indie rock group Guided by Voices (GBV John "Mitch" Mitchell (born 25 December) is a guitarist songwriter and producer who was in the original Guided by Voices lineup from 1983 to 1996 James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix) (November 27 1942 – September 18 1970 was an American Guitarist, Singer and Songwriter Kevin Fennel was a frequent drummer for Guided by Voices between 1983-1996 Sprout, who had briefly featured in an early-'80s version of the band, had re-joined circa Propeller and soon became Pollard's primary musical foil, in addition to contributing several of his own songs to the band's catalog. 1993 also saw the release of Vampire on Titus, as well as the Fast Japanese Spin Cycle and Static Airplane Jive EPs. Vampire on Titus is the sixth Album by Indie rock group Guided by Voices, from Dayton Ohio, United States. Fast Japanese Spin Cycle is an EP by Guided by Voices, released in 1994 Track listing All songs written by Robert Pollard unless otherwise Static Airplane Jive is a 1993 EP by Guided by Voices. Track listing All song written by Robert Pollard unless otherwise noted Over the next year, the band began received national media exposure from sources such as Spin magazine. Spin is a Music Magazine that reports on Music for Life Founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr

In 1994, after culling both new songs and reams of archival recordings from GbV's history, Pollard delivered the indie landmark Bee Thousand via Scat Records, with a distribution deal through indie label Matador Records. Bee Thousand is the seventh album by American Indie rock band Guided by Voices released on June 21, 1994. Scat Records is a St Louis Missouri -based Independent record label. Matador Records is an Independent record label, famous for a roster of highly-respected Indie rock artists and bands Soon, the band officially signed with Matador, concurrent with Pollard and his bandmates finally retiring from their day jobs to work in music full-time. The band surprised early audiences accustomed to the generally shambling, lo-fi and collage-like quality of the records with their energetic live show, featuring Pollard's homegrown rock theatrics (comprised of karate-kicks, leaps, and Roger Daltrey-inspired mic-twirling), Mitch Mitchell's windmilling and chain smoking, sometime bassist Greg Demos' striped pants, a never-ending barrage of tunes that all seemed to clock in under 90 seconds, and prodigious alcohol consumption all around. Roger Harry Daltrey, CBE (born 1 March 1944) is an English rock Vocalist, songwriter and actor best known as the John "Mitch" Mitchell (born 25 December) is a guitarist songwriter and producer who was in the original Guided by Voices lineup from 1983 to 1996 Guitar moves are moves or stunts which are done involving (most commonly an Electric guitar or Bass guitar. Chain smoking is the practice of lighting a new Cigarette for personal consumption immediately after one that is finished sometimes using the finished cigarette to light the Greg Demos is a Dayton Ohio lawyer and musician who has performed with Guided by Voices, in which he played bass

Their true Matador debut came in 1995 with Alien Lanes, which, despite a five-figure recording allowance, was constructed out of home-recorded snippets on the cheap. Alien Lanes is a 1995 (see 1995 in music) album by Lo-fi band Guided by Voices, their eighth full length album The band's underground following continued to grow, with notices coming from mainstream sources such as MTV and Rolling Stone. MTV ( Music Television) is an American Cable television network based in New York City. Rolling Stone is a United States -based Magazine devoted to Music, Politics, and Popular culture that is published After sessions for a concept album entitled The Power of Suck were aborted, the band assembled Under the Bushes, Under the Stars out of their first 24-track studio sessions, recorded with Kim Deal and Steve Albini among others, in 1996. Under the Bushes Under the Stars is the ninth Guided by Voices album overall and the final to feature the "classic" lineup including Tobin Sprout Kimberly Ann Deal (born June 10, 1961) is an American Singer, Songwriter and Musician, best known as the bassist of the Steven Frank Albini (born July 22, 1962) is an American Audio engineer, singer songwriter Guitarist, and music journalist However, the strain of heavy touring would ultimately lead to the demise of the "classic lineup", with Sprout deciding to retire from the road in order to focus on raising his first child, his painting, and as a solo musical career. Sprout and Pollard marked the occasion by releasing simultaneous solo albums on the same day in 1996: Sprout's Carnival Boy and Pollard's Not in My Airforce, with each making a guest appearance on the other's album. Not in My Airforce is Robert Pollard 's first solo album released simultaneously with Tobin Sprout 's Carnival Boy, just as the Pollard maintained an active, parallel solo and side project career alongside GbV releases for the remainder of that band's existence. These records were primarily self-released. Because GbV alumni were regularly featured, and songs from these albums were frequently included in GbV setlists, they are informally considered to be part of the GbV canon.

The "professional" era

Pollard created a new incarnation of Guided by Voices with Cleveland glam rockers Cobra Verde in 1997. Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state Glam rock (also known as glitter rock) is a sub-genre of Rock music that developed in the UK in the post- Hippie early 1970s which was "performed by Cobra Verde is a Cleveland, Ohio -based rock band best known for Being Robert Pollard 's backing band for Guided by Voices from The following album Mag Earwhig!, combined a new hard-rocking swagger with classic lo-fi fragments and one track, "Jane of the Waking Universe," that featured the classic lineup for one last time. Mag Earwhig! is a 1997 (see 1997 in music) album release by Indie rock band Guided by Voices. Mag Earwhig! is a 1997 (see 1997 in music) album release by Indie rock band Guided by Voices. However, after another year of rigorous touring, the "Guided by Verde" lineup split in late 1997 following Pollard's announcement in an interview that he intended to work with other musicians on the next Guided by Voices project.

Cobra Verde's Doug Gillard was tapped for yet another new Guided by Voices lineup in 1998, which also included "classic"-era bassist Greg Demos, former Breeders drummer Jim Macpherson, and eventually, former Amps/Breeders guitarist Nate Farley. Doug Gillard (born December 23, 1965 in Sandusky Ohio) is a Cleveland Ohio Guitarist from Elyria Ohio who has performed Greg Demos is a Dayton Ohio lawyer and musician who has performed with Guided by Voices, in which he played bass The Breeders are an American Alternative rock band formed in 1988 by Kim Deal of the Pixies and Throwing Muses ' Tanya Donelly Jim Macpherson (born June 23, 1966) is a United States percussionist who has played with well-known rock acts including Guided by Voices, The Amps were an indie-rock band from Dayton Ohio. Formed by Kim Deal in 1995 after The Breeders went on hiatus they first began touring as " The Amps were an indie-rock band from Dayton Ohio. Formed by Kim Deal in 1995 after The Breeders went on hiatus they first began touring as " Departing from Matador, this lineup (sans Farley) worked with producer Ric Ocasek to create what was intended to be Guided by Voices' major label debut. Ric Ocasek (born Richard Otcasek on March 23, 1949, in Baltimore, Maryland) is an American musician In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Initially produced for Capitol Records, Do the Collapse was repeatedly delayed and finally released in mid-1999 on pseudo-indie label TVT. Capitol Records is a major United States -based Record label owned by EMI and located in Hollywood California and New York City as Do the Collapse is the 11th album by Dayton Ohio Indie rock group Guided by Voices. TVT Records was an American Record label founded by Steve Gottlieb who initially launched the label from his New York City apartment in 1985 with the release (In the UK it was released on Creation Records). Creation Records was a British Independent record label headed by Alan McGee. Featuring a slick, heavily processed sound previously foreign to GbV albums, Do the Collapse failed to catch on at radio, and was for the most part greeted with mixed reviews.

Through touring heavily throughout 1999 and 2000, Guided by Voices' live act became legendary, with shows often stretching past the three-hour mark, and populated by an endless stream of new and classic songs, Pollard solo tracks, impromptu covers of The Who, David Bowie and The Rolling Stones, all accompanied by continuous alcohol consumption. The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964. The primary lineup consisted of guitarist Pete Townshend David Bowie (ˈboʊiː born David Robert Jones on 8 January 1947 is an English Musician, actor producer, and arranger. In addition to multiple swings through the United States and Europe, 2000 saw the band's first and only visits to Australia and Japan. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. 2000 was capped with the release of the massive Suitcase, a four-disc, 100-song trawl through three decades worth of Pollard's enormous reserve of unreleased material. Suitcase Failed Experiments and Trashed Aircraft is a four-CD Box set released by Guided by Voices in 2000 (A second box set of unreleased songs, Suitcase 2, was released in October of 2005. Suitcase 2 American Superdream Wow is the second box set of 100 unreleased songs by Guided by Voices. )

2001's Isolation Drills was recorded with Rob Schnapf, who aimed to capture the band's live sound more closely than did Ocasek. Isolation Drills is the twelfth Album by Dayton Ohio Indie rock group Guided by Voices. Rob Schnapf is an American Record producer and Musician. He was the co-producer (along with Tom Rothrock) of Elliott Smith 's albums Though the album debuted in Billboard's top 200 and received higher critical notices than its predecessor, it did not achieve the sought-after radio breakthrough.

The final years

After departing from TVT in 2002, Guided by Voices returned to Matador and released Universal Truths and Cycles, a departure from the previous two radio-aspiring albums, and a return to the band's mid-90's, mid-fi aesthetic. Universal Truths and Cycles is the thirteenth Album by Dayton Ohio Indie rock group Guided by Voices. 2003 saw the release of the prog-styled Earthquake Glue, followed by the anthology box set Hardcore UFOs: Revelations, Epiphanies and Fast Food in the Western Hemisphere and the greatest hits compilation Best of Guided by Voices: Human Amusements at Hourly Rates. Earthquake Glue is the 14th record by Dayton Ohio rock group Guided by Voices. Hardcore UFOs Revelations Epiphanies and Fast Food in the Western Hemisphere is an Anthology Box set released by Guided by Voices in 2003 A greatest hits album (sometimes referred to as a " best of " album is a Compilation album of successful previously released Songs by a particular

In 2004, Pollard announced he was disbanding Guided by Voices[1] following the release of the Half-Smiles of the Decomposed LP, and a final farewell tour. Half Smiles of the Decomposed is the 15th and final record by Dayton Ohio rock group Guided by Voices. According to Pollard:

This feels like the last album for Guided by Voices. I've always said that when I make a record that I'm totally satisfied with as befitting a final album, then that will be it. And this is it.

On November 9, 2004 Guided by Voices performed on the stage of Austin City Limits, broadcast by PBS on January 22, 2005. Austin City Limits is an American Television music program and a staple of the Public Broadcasting Service. The Public Broadcasting Service ( PBS) is a Non-profit Public broadcasting Television service with 354 member TV stations in the Their last television appearance was on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on December 2, 2004. Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an Emmy Award -winning American late-night Talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien on NBC Events 1409 - The University of Leipzig opens 1755 - The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " They played the single, "Everybody Thinks I'm a Raincloud (When I'm Not Looking)". After a select round of final US shows, Guided by Voices played their final show with their Detroit garage-rock protege band The Go as an opening act at The Metro in Chicago on December 31, 2004. The Go is an American Rock & roll band from Detroit, Michigan. Events 406 – Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gallia. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The four hour, 63-song marathon finale is documented on the DVD. [2]

Discography

Main article: Guided By Voices discography

Studio albums

EPs

Guided by Voices Day

The official proclamation declaring November 12, 2004 to be Guided by Voices Day in the city of Los Angeles, CA
The official proclamation declaring November 12, 2004 to be Guided by Voices Day in the city of Los Angeles, CA

In 2004, during the band's final tour, many cities around the United States proclaimed a certain day to be "Guided by Voices Day" in that city. The Guided by Voices discography includes dozens of releases both official and unofficial Devil Between My Toes is the debut album from Dayton Ohio -based band Guided by Voices, released 15 February 1987. Sandbox is the second album by Guided by Voices. It was released in 1987 Self-Inflicted Aerial Nostalgia is the third album by Dayton Ohio musical group Guided by Voices. Same Place the Fly Got Smashed is the fourth album from Dayton OH 's Guided by Voices Propeller is the fifth Album by Dayton Ohio Indie rock group Guided by Voices, considered by many to be one of their greatest works Vampire on Titus is the sixth Album by Indie rock group Guided by Voices, from Dayton Ohio, United States. Bee Thousand is the seventh album by American Indie rock band Guided by Voices released on June 21, 1994. Alien Lanes is a 1995 (see 1995 in music) album by Lo-fi band Guided by Voices, their eighth full length album Under the Bushes Under the Stars is the ninth Guided by Voices album overall and the final to feature the "classic" lineup including Tobin Sprout Mag Earwhig! is a 1997 (see 1997 in music) album release by Indie rock band Guided by Voices. Do the Collapse is the 11th album by Dayton Ohio Indie rock group Guided by Voices. Isolation Drills is the twelfth Album by Dayton Ohio Indie rock group Guided by Voices. Universal Truths and Cycles is the thirteenth Album by Dayton Ohio Indie rock group Guided by Voices. Earthquake Glue is the 14th record by Dayton Ohio rock group Guided by Voices. Half Smiles of the Decomposed is the 15th and final record by Dayton Ohio rock group Guided by Voices. Forever Since Breakfast is the debut Guided by Voices record released on vinyl in 1986 The Grand Hour is a 1993 EP by Guided by Voices. "Shocker in Gloomtown" remained in GbV concert setlists until the band's final show and was in 1994 Static Airplane Jive is a 1993 EP by Guided by Voices. Track listing All song written by Robert Pollard unless otherwise noted Get out of My Stations is a 1994 EP by Guided by Voices. It was reissued with live bonus tracks on 25 August 2003. Fast Japanese Spin Cycle is an EP by Guided by Voices, released in 1994 Track listing All songs written by Robert Pollard unless otherwise Clown Prince of the Menthol Trailer is a 1994 EP by Guided by Voices. I Am a Scientist is the title of a 1994 EP released by Guided by Voices. Tigerbomb is an EP by Guided by Voices, a band from Dayton Ohio Sunfish Holy Breakfast is an EP by Guided by Voices, a band from Dayton Ohio Plantations of Pale Pink is a 1996 EP by Guided by Voices. Track listing All songs written by Robert Pollard. Events 764 - Tibetan troops occupy Chang'an, the capital of the Chinese Tang Dynasty, for fifteen days "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Some of them include:

Notes

  1. ^ Special Announcement From Guided By Voices
  2. ^ The Electrifying Conclusion

References

External links

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