| Xiu Xiu | |
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Xiu Xiu in 2006
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| Background information | |
| Origin | San Jose, California |
| Genre(s) | Art Rock Experimental music Post-Punk Indie |
| Years active | 2000–Present |
| Label(s) | 5 Rue Christine Absolutely Kosher States Rights Records Collective Jyrk |
| Website | Official Site |
| Members | |
| Jamie Stewart Caralee McElroy Ches Smith Devin Hoff |
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| Former members | |
| Cory McCulloch Lauren Andrews Yvonne Chen Sam Mickens Jherek Bischoff |
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Xiu Xiu (pronounced shoe-shoe[1]) is an experimental indie band originally from and currently based in Oakland, California, with time often spent in Seattle, Washington. 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 Art rock is a term describing a subgenre of Rock music that tends to have "experimental or avant-garde influences" and emphasizes "novel sonic texture Experimental music is a term introduced by composer John Cage in 1955 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 Indie rock is genre of Alternative rock that primarily exists in the independent Underground music scene 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. The present is the Time that is perceived directly not as a recollection or a speculation In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music 5 Rue Christine (also known as 5RC is a semi-defunct Olympia Washington based Independent record label, formed as a spin off from the Kill Rock Stars Absolutely Kosher Records is an independent California-based Record label founded in 1998 in San Francisco by Cory Brown States Rights Records is an Independent record label founded in 2001 by Steve Schroeder James "Jamie" Cyrus Stewart (born 1972) is the frontman of the American musical group Xiu Xiu (singer/guitarist/programmer and is also Caralee McElroy (1983 -) is a multi-instrumentalist in the experimental band Xiu Xiu. Ches Smith is an American musician whose primary instruments are drums, percussion, and Vibraphone. The Dead Science (formerly The Sweet Science is an experimental pop band based in Seattle Washington. The Dead Science (formerly The Sweet Science is an experimental pop band based in Seattle Washington. Experimental music is a term introduced by composer John Cage in 1955 Indie rock is genre of Alternative rock that primarily exists in the independent Underground music scene Oakland (ˈoʊklənd founded in 1852 is the eighth-largest city in the U The band is the brainchild of singer-songwriter Jamie Stewart, who has been its only constant member since its inception. Singer-songwriter is a term that refers to Performers who write, compose and sing their own material including Lyrics James "Jamie" Cyrus Stewart (born 1972) is the frontman of the American musical group Xiu Xiu (singer/guitarist/programmer and is also His current bandmates are cousin, Caralee McElroy, percussionist Ches Smith, and bassist Devin Hoff. Caralee McElroy (1983 -) is a multi-instrumentalist in the experimental band Xiu Xiu. Ches Smith is an American musician whose primary instruments are drums, percussion, and Vibraphone. Xiu Xiu are also, on occasion, joined by Cory McCulloch, who has also produced several of their albums. Past members include Lauren Andrews, Yvonne Chen, Sam Mickens and Jherek Bischoff. The Dead Science (formerly The Sweet Science is an experimental pop band based in Seattle Washington. The Dead Science (formerly The Sweet Science is an experimental pop band based in Seattle Washington. Some, including McCulloch, have played in previous bands with Stewart, notably Ten in the Swear Jar and IBOPA. Ten in the Swear Jar, TITSJ or XITSJ ( X representing ten) is an indie/experimental band derived from IBOPA and after the breakup progressing to the still-active IBOPA (pronounced eye-boh-pah is nine-piece band of a mish-mosh genre personally dubbed " Cinematic Death Mambo " from Palo Alto California. The band's name is taken from the 1998 Chinese film Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) The Chinese-language cinema has three distinct historical threads Cinema of Hong Kong, Cinema of China, and Cinema of Taiwan. Xiu Xiu The Sent Down Girl ( is a 1998 Chinese film directed by actress Joan Chen based during the 1970s in People's Republic of [2]
Xiu Xiu's music draws heavily from several disparate genres including punk, noise rock, ambient noise, modern classical, and folk. Noise rock (also known as noise punk) describes one variety of Post-punk Rock music that became prominent in the 1980s In atmospheric sound transmission or Noise pollution, ambient noise level is the sound pressure level at a given location normally specified as a reference level to study a Contemporary classical music can be understood as belonging to a period that started in the mid-1970s with the retreat of modernism. Folk music can have a number of different meanings including Traditional music: The original meaning of the term "folk music" was synonymous The majority of lyrics deal with morose topics such as suicide, AIDS, war, and taboo experiences. War is an international relations Dispute, characterized by organized Violence between National Military units Musically, the band will often blend cacophonous percussion with lush hooks and diverging lyrical styles, influenced by bands of the UK post-punk scene such as The Cure and Joy Division. 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 The Cure are an English rock band that formed in Crawley, West Sussex in 1976 Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester.
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Having performed together in previous groups IBOPA (the Indestructible Beat of Palo Alto) and Ten in the Swear Jar, Jamie Stewart and Cory McCulloch in 2000 formed their third collaborative effort, Xiu Xiu. IBOPA (pronounced eye-boh-pah is nine-piece band of a mish-mosh genre personally dubbed " Cinematic Death Mambo " from Palo Alto California. Ten in the Swear Jar, TITSJ or XITSJ ( X representing ten) is an indie/experimental band derived from IBOPA and after the breakup progressing to the still-active James "Jamie" Cyrus Stewart (born 1972) is the frontman of the American musical group Xiu Xiu (singer/guitarist/programmer and is also An amalgam of various independent artists and friends, Xiu Xiu began its first tour in 2000, aided by Lauren Andrews and Yvonne Chen, who had both contributed to the recordings of their first long-player, Knife Play and its successor EP, Chapel of the Chimes. Knife play is form of consensual BDSM Edgeplay involving knives, Daggers and Swords as a source of physical and mental stimulation Chapel of the Chimes is a 2002 EP by Xiu Xiu. It features "Ceremony" a cover of the Joy Division / New Order song under Xiu Xiu took to performing their melodic/noise-oriented songs, which initially relied on strong percussive instrumentation and brass instrumentation.
Nearing the end of 2002, several losses occurred for the group. The group diminished in its size as Yvonne Chen left to focus on both her vegan boutique Otsu and self-published magazine Zum. Cory McCulloch too decided to refrain from touring, concerning himself primarily with the production of future Xiu Xiu recordings. The second loss was a personal one, as Jamie Stewart's father, musician and record producer Michael Stewart, committed suicide. Michael “Mike” Stewart ( April 19 1945 - November 13 2002) was the guitarist for We Five. While coping with these losses, Stewart created the follow-up to Knife Play, 2003's A Promise. A Promise is the second album by Xiu Xiu. Track listing "Sad Pony Guerrilla Girl" – 318 "Apistat Commander"
Continuing to focus on the subject matter touched on by their first LP, A Promise formed an almost conceptualized record of internal despair, social torment and emotional longing. Consisting of ten tracks, the record was oriented towards a more or less acoustic presentation, rather than relying on the booming brass and percussion which had worked to make Knife Play. However, the record did not veer from the formulated programming for which Stewart and McCulloch would be praised by fans and critics alike. Programming is a form of Music production and performance using Electronic devices often sequencers or Computer programs to generate music Xiu Xiu's live ensemble in support of A Promise consisted of Stewart and Absolutely Kosher Records comrades Sam Mickens and Jherek Bischoff of the Dead Science. The Dead Science (formerly The Sweet Science is an experimental pop band based in Seattle Washington.
During this time, Stewart recorded the group's second EP, Fag Patrol, a collection of previous recorded material as well as covers of songs by The Smiths and his previous group with McCulloch, Ten in the Swear Jar. Fag Patrol is a collection of acoustic Xiu Xiu tracks It was only released on CD not vinyl The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982 Ten in the Swear Jar, TITSJ or XITSJ ( X representing ten) is an indie/experimental band derived from IBOPA and after the breakup progressing to the still-active Released as a handmade CD by Rob Fisk and Kelly Goodefisk's Free Porcupine Society, Fag Patrol was limited to only a few copies. A Compact Disc (also known as a CD) is an Optical disc used to store digital data, originally developed for storing digital audio In the spring of 2004, Stewart and McCulloch released what is to date the group's most successful critical effort, Fabulous Muscles. Fabulous Muscles is the third album by Xiu Xiu. Trivia The lyrics of "Support Our Troops PH! (Black Angels OH!" reference events in the book More accessible and pop-friendly in its sound than previous releases, Fabulous Muscles boosted Xiu Xiu to new heights in terms of popularity, with its capstone, "I Luv the Valley OH!".
With the departure of Lauren Andrews, who wished to focus on her academic studies, Stewart was joined onstage by his cousin, Caralee McElroy. Caralee McElroy (1983 -) is a multi-instrumentalist in the experimental band Xiu Xiu. The two toured relentlessly throughout 2004, releasing not only the groups third LP, but also split recordings with musicians such as This Song Is a Mess But So Am I (Oedipus Records) and Bunkbed, along with the "Fleshettes" single. Oedipus Records is an Independent record label started in Torrance California by Gabe Abaud Patrick Enzor and Micheal Corso in 2002. bunk bed is a type of bed in which one Bed frame is stacked on top of another "Fleshettes" included a rendition of the Ten in the Swear Jar track, 'Helsabot', featuring vocals by McElroy. Ten in the Swear Jar, TITSJ or XITSJ ( X representing ten) is an indie/experimental band derived from IBOPA and after the breakup progressing to the still-active By the end of 2004, Xiu Xiu had already recorded the bulk of what would become their fourth record, 2005's La Forêt. La Forêt is the fourth album by Xiu Xiu. Track listing "Clover" – 513 "Muppet Face" – 325 "Mousey
Seen as a return to Stewart's more dark and irate musical demeanor, La Forêt, through songs such as 'Pox', 'Saturn' and 'Rose of Sharon (Grey Ghost Version)', alluded to a frustration which Stewart had felt throughout the process of recording. Focusing on subject matter such as self-hatred, apathy, and his frustration with U. S. President George W. Bush, La Forêt shifted towards a new format of instrumentation with the introduction of the autoharp, as well as 'Croatian' bells. George Walker Bush ( born July 6 1946 is the forty-third and current President of the United States. Along with La Forêt, Xiu Xiu in 2005 joined Italian experimental group Larsen to form XXL, which released their first LP, Ciautistico! in 2005. Stewart, McCulloch and McElroy issued formative splits throughout 2005, working with artists such as The Paper Chase, Kill Me Tomorrow, and Devendra Banhart. The Paper Chase is a 1970 Novel, as well as a 1973 film based on the novel and a Television series based on the movie Devendra Banhart (born May 30 1981) is a Venezuelan - American Folk rock Singer-songwriter and Musician.
Xiu Xiu broke from tradition in 2006 when their fifth LP, The Air Force, was produced not by McCulloch, but Deerhoof drummer Greg Saunier. Deerhoof is a San Francisco musical group currently consisting of Satomi Matsuzaki (usually vocals and bass John Dieterich (usually guitar Ed Rodriguez (usually guitar as Saunier, who had previously worked with Stewart on Knife Play is noted for creating a more minimalist sound, a stark contrast from that of McCulloch's wall of sound. The Wall of Sound is a music production technique for pop and rock music recordings developed by Record producer Phil Spector at Gold Star Studios The Air Force would be supported throughout 2006 by a three piece, as Stewart and McElroy were joined by drummer/percussionist Ches Smith, who had previously worked alongside the group in its recordings. The Air Force contained the first Xiu Xiu song with vocals entirely by Caralee, on 'Hello From Eau Claire'.
A third EP, Tu Mi Piaci (translated from Italian means "I like you"), of covers of songs by Bauhaus, Nedelle, This Mortal Coil, The Pussycat Dolls, and Nina Simone was released, along with a collaboration with ambient artist Liz Harris, a. Tu Mi Piaci (Italian for "I like you" is an EP of cover songs by Xiu Xiu. ("House of Building" or "Building School" is the common term for the, a school in Germany that combined crafts and the fine arts and was famous Pussycat Dolls is an American pop Girl group, and dance ensemble founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995 Eunice Kathleen Waymon, better known by her Stage name Nina Simone ( IPA: ninɐ sʌmɞnɑ (February 21 1933 – April 21 2003 was a fifteen-time k. a. "Grouper", entitled Creepshow. Tagline General information Stephen King's Creepshow is a 1982 anthology Horror movie directed by George A Plans are set for further collaboration with groups Larsen and the Parenthetical Girls, as well as for a DVD collection of the bands entire video history. DVD (also known as " Digital Versatile Disc " or " Digital Video Disc " - see Etymology)is The band continue to sell to their fans photographs, through its polaroid project, maintained by tour manager/friend David Horvitz.
The two-CD Remixed & Covered was released in April 2007, with a disc each dedicated to remixes and covers spanning the band's catalogue. Remixed & Covered is a 2007 double album by Xiu Xiu. One disc contains cover versions of the band's songs whilst the other contains remixes of their originals The covers come from Larsen, Oxbow, Sunset Rubdown, Marissa Nadler, Good For Cows, Kid 606, Why?, Her Space Holiday, and Devendra Banhart. An oxbow is a U -shaped wooden frame that fits under and around the neck of an Ox, with its upper ends attached to the bar of the Yoke. Sunset Rubdown is an Indie rock band from Montreal, Canada. The band began as a solo project for Spencer Krug of Wolf Parade, Marissa Nadler (born April 5, 1981) is an American dream-folk, indie rock musician and Fine artist based in Boston Kid606 is the Stage name of Miguel Trost Depedro, an Electronic musician who was born 1979 July 27 in Caracas, Why? is originally the moniker of Berkeley hip hop and Indie rock artist Jonathan "Yoni" Wolf Her Space Holiday is the recording moniker of Indietronic artist Marc Bianchi. Devendra Banhart (born May 30 1981) is a Venezuelan - American Folk rock Singer-songwriter and Musician. The 'Remixes' disc includes Gold Chains, XO Skeletons, Xiu Xiu, Warbucks, Cherry Point, Son, This Song Is a Mess But So Am I, Kid 606, and Grouper remixes of individual Xiu Xiu songs, and To Live and Shave in L.A. remixing the whole of The Air Force. Gold Chains is an electro rap artist from San Francisco, whose real name is Topher Lafata. Warbucks is a a songwriting and producing group created by Akiko Carver ( ASCAP) and Hollis Queens ( BMI) Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point (* is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina SON DNA binding protein, also known as SON, is a human Gene. Kid606 is the Stage name of Miguel Trost Depedro, an Electronic musician who was born 1979 July 27 in Caracas, For other meanings see Grouper (disambiguation. Groupers are Fish of any of a number of genera in the subfamily Epinephelinae of To Live and Shave in LA ( TLASILA) is an experimental music collective founded in 1991 by Tom Smith in Miami Beach Florida
In May 2007 Devin Hoff joined the band on bass. [3] "Xiu Xiu: The Polaroid Project: The Book" was released in November 2007, following several delays. The book came bundled with a bonus CD entitled A Soundtrack for a Polaroid of Two Trees in Indiana featuring contributions from Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, Parenthetical Girls, and Deerhoof's Greg Saunier among others. A Soundtrack for a Polaroid of Two Trees in Indiana is a collaborative album included with Xiu Xiu The Polaroid Project The Book. Casiotone for the Painfully Alone is the musical solo-project of Musician Owen Ashworth (born 1977) of Redwood City California. Parenthetical Girls (formerly The Swastika Girls is an experimental pop band formed in Everett Washington, and based currently in Portland Oregon. Deerhoof is a San Francisco musical group currently consisting of Satomi Matsuzaki (usually vocals and bass John Dieterich (usually guitar Ed Rodriguez (usually guitar as [4]
The band's sixth full-length, Women as Lovers, was released by Kill Rock Stars in January 2008. Kill Rock Stars is an Independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in Olympia, Washington, United States and