Amber pendants made of modified amber. The oval pendant is 52 by 32 mm (2 by 1.3 inches).

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Worry beads (masbaha) made of Dominican Republic blue amber.

An ant inside Baltic amber

A mosquito and a fly in this Baltic amber necklace are between 40 and 60 million years old

A spider trapped in amber

The Amber Room was reconstructed from the Kaliningrad amber.

Unpolished amber stones

Wood resin, the source of amber

Extracting Baltic amber from Holocene deposits, Gdansk, Poland

Unique colors of Baltic amber. Polished stones.

Fishing for amber on the coast of Baltic Sea. Winter storms throw out amber nuggets. Close to Gdansk, Poland.

Amber is fossilized tree resin (not sap), which has been appreciated for its color and natural beauty since Neolithic times.^[2] Amber is used as an ingredient in perfumes, as a healing agent in folk medicine, and as jewelry. There are five classes of amber, defined on the basis of their chemical constituents. Because it originates as a soft, sticky tree resin, amber sometimes contains animal and plant material as inclusions. Amber occurring in coal seams is also called resinite, and the term ambrite is applied to that found specifically within New Zealand coal seams.^[3]

History and etymology[link]

The English word amber derives from the Arabic anbar, via Medieval Latin ambar and Old French ambre. The word originally referred to a precious oil derived from the Sperm whale (now called ambergris). The sense was extended to fossil resin circa 1400, and this became the main sense, as the use of ambergris waned.^[4] The two substances were confused, because they both were found washed up on beaches. Ambergris is less dense than water and floats, whereas amber is less dense than stone, but too dense to float.^[5] The word ambar was brought to Europe by the Crusaders. In French ambre gris (lit. gray amber), became used for ambergris, while ambre jaune (yellow amber), denoted the fossil resin we now call amber.

Amber is discussed by Theophrastus, possibly the first historical mention of the material, in the 4th century BC. The Greek name for amber was ηλεκτρον (elektron), "formed by the sun", and it was connected to the sun god (Helios), one of whose titles was Elector or the Awakener.^[6] According to the myth, when Helios' son Phaëton was killed, his mourning sisters became poplars, and their tears became the origin of elektron, amber.^[7]

Another early reference to Amber was Pytheas (330 BC) whose work "On the Ocean" is lost, but was referenced by Pliny. According to The Natural History" by Pliny the Elder:^[8]

Pytheas says that the Gutones, a people of Germany, inhabit the shores of an estuary of the Ocean called Mentonomon, their territory extending a distance of six thousand stadia; that, at one day's sail from this territory, is the Isle of Abalus, upon the shores of which, amber is thrown up by the waves in spring, it being an excretion of the sea in a concrete form; as, also, that the inhabitants use this amber by way of fuel, and sell it to their neighbors, the Teutones.

While amber is not actually named, it is called the concreti maris purgamentum, "the leavings of the frozen sea" after the spring melt. Diodorus uses ēlektron, the Greek word for amber, the object that gave its name to electricity through its ability to acquire a charge. Pliny is presenting an archaic view, as in his time amber was a precious stone brought from the Baltic at great expense, but the Germans, he says, use it for firewood, according to Pytheas.

Earlier^[9] Pliny says that a large island of three days' sail from the Scythian coast called Balcia by Xenophon of Lampsacus is called Basilia by Pytheas. It is generally understood to be the same as Abalus. Based on the amber, the island could have been Heligoland, Zealand, the shores of Bay of Gdansk, Sambia or the Curonian Lagoon, which were historically the richest sources of amber in northern Europe. This is the earliest use of Germania.

The modern terms "electricity" and "electron" derive from the Greek word for amber, and come from William Gilbert's research showing that amber could attract other substances.^[10] The word "electron" was coined in 1891 by the Irish physicist George Stoney whilst analyzing elementary charges for the first time.^[11][12]

The presence of insects in amber was noticed by Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia, and led him to theorize correctly that, at some point, amber had to be in a liquid state to cover the bodies of insects. Hence he gave it the expressive name of succinum or gum-stone, a name that is still in use today to describe succinic acid as well as succinite, a term given to a particular type of amber by James Dwight Dana (see below under Baltic Amber).

Heating amber will soften it and eventually it will burn, which is why in Germanic languages the word for amber is a literal translation of burn-Stone (nl. barnsteen, de. Bernstein, the latter of which the Polish word bursztyn or the Hungarian borostyán derives from). Heated above 200 °C, amber suffers decomposition, yielding an "oil of amber", and leaving a black residue which is known as "amber colophony", or "amber pitch"; when dissolved in oil of turpentine or in linseed oil this forms "amber varnish" or "amber lac".^{[citation needed]}

Amber from the Baltic Sea has been extensively traded along the Amber Road since antiquity; and in the mainland, from where amber was traded 2000 years ago, the natives called it glaes (referring to its see-through quality similar to glass).^{[citation needed]}

The Baltic Lithuanian term for amber is Gintaras and Latvian Dzintars. They, and the Slavic jantar or Hungarian gyanta ('resin'), are thought to originate from Phoenician jainitar (sea-resin). While most Slavic languages, including Russian and Czech, retain the old Slavic word, in the Polish language, jantar, while correct, is used very rarely (even considered archaic) and was replaced by the word bursztyn, deriving from the German term, Bernstein.^{[citation needed]}

Composition and formation[link]

Amber is heterogeneous in composition, but consists of several resinous bodies more or less soluble in alcohol, ether and chloroform, associated with an insoluble bituminous substance. Amber is a macromolecule by free radical polymerization of several precursors in the labdane family, e.g. communic acid, cummunol, and biformene.^[13] These labdanes are diterpenes (C₂₀H₃₂) and trienes, equipping the organic skeleton with three alkene groups for polymerization. As amber matures over the years, more polymerization takes place as well as isomerization reactions, crosslinking and cyclization.

The average composition of amber leads to the general formula C₁₀H₁₆O.

Formation[link]

Molecular polymerization, resulting from high pressures and temperatures produced by overlying sediment, transforms the resin first into copal. Sustained heat and pressure drives off terpenes and results in the formation of amber.^[14]

Botanical origin[link]

Fossil resins from Europe fall into two categories, the famous Baltic ambers and another that resembles the Agathis group. Fossil resins from the Americas and Africa are closely related to the modern genus Hymenaea,^[15] while Baltic ambers are thought to be fossil resins from Sciadopityaceae family plants that used to live in north Europe.^[16]

Inclusions[link]

The abnormal development of resin has been called succinosis. Impurities are quite often present, especially when the resin dropped on to the ground, so that the material may be useless except for varnish-making, whence the impure amber is called firniss. Enclosures of pyrites may give a bluish color to amber. The so-called black amber is only a kind of jet. Bony amber owes its cloudy opacity to minute bubbles in the interior of the resin.

In darkly clouded and even opaque amber, inclusions can be imaged using high-energy, high-contrast, high-resolution X-rays.^[17]

Extraction and processing[link]

Distribution and mining[link]

Amber is globally distributed, mainly in rocks of Cretaceous age or younger. Historically, the coast around Königsberg in Prussia was the world's leading source of amber. About 90% of the world's extractable amber is still located in the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia on the Baltic Sea (which was previously Königsberg in Prussia, before World War II).^[18]

Pieces of amber torn from the seafloor are cast up by the waves, and collected by hand, dredging, or diving. Elsewhere, amber is mined, both in open works and underground galleries. Then nodules of blue earth have to be removed and an opaque crust must be cleaned off, which can be done in revolving barrels containing sand and water. Erosion removes this crust from sea-worn amber.

Dominican amber, especially Dominican blue amber, is mined through bell pitting, which is dangerous due to the risk of tunnel collapse.^[19]

Treatment[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

The Vienna amber factories, which use pale amber to manufacture pipes and other smoking tools, turn it on a lathe and polish it with whitening and water or with rotten stone and oil. The final lustre is given by friction with flannel.

When gradually heated in an oil-bath, amber becomes soft and flexible. Two pieces of amber may be united by smearing the surfaces with linseed oil, heating them, and then pressing them together while hot. Cloudy amber may be clarified in an oil-bath, as the oil fills the numerous pores to which the turbidity is due. Small fragments, formerly thrown away or used only for varnish, are now used on a large scale in the formation of "amberoid" or "pressed amber". The pieces are carefully heated with exclusion of air and then compressed into a uniform mass by intense hydraulic pressure; the softened amber being forced through holes in a metal plate. The product is extensively used for the production of cheap jewelry and articles for smoking. This pressed amber yields brilliant interference colors in polarized light. Amber has often been imitated by other resins like copal and kauri, as well as by celluloid and even glass. Baltic amber is sometimes colored artificially, but also called "true amber".

Appearance[link]

Amber occurs in a range of different colors. As well as the usual yellow-orange-brown that is associated with the color "amber", amber itself can range from a whitish color through a pale lemon yellow, to brown and almost black. Other more uncommon colors include red amber (sometimes known as "cherry amber"), green amber, and even blue amber, which is rare and highly sought after.

Much of the most highly-prized amber is transparent, in contrast to the very common cloudy amber and opaque amber. Opaque amber contains numerous minute bubbles. This kind of amber is known as "bony amber".

Although all Dominican amber is fluorescent, the rarest Dominican amber is blue amber. It turns blue in natural sunlight and any other partially or wholly ultraviolet light source. In long-wave UV light it has a very strong reflection, almost white. Only about 100 kg is found per year, which makes it valuable and expensive.^[20]

Sometimes amber retains the form of drops and stalactites, just as it exuded from the ducts and receptacles of the injured trees. It is thought that, in addition to exuding onto the surface of the tree, amber resin also originally flowed into hollow cavities or cracks within trees, thereby leading to the development of large lumps of amber of irregular form.

Classification[link]

Amber can be classified into several forms. Most fundamentally, there are two types of plant resin with the potential for fossilization. Terpenoids, produced by conifers and angiosperms, consist of ring structures formed of isoprene (C₅H₈) units.^[2] Phenolic resins are today only produced by angiosperms, and tend to serve functional uses. The extinct medullosans produced a third type of resin, which is often found as amber within their veins.^[2] The composition of resins is highly variable; each species produces a unique blend of chemicals which can be identified by the use of pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry.^[2] The overall chemical and structural composition is used to divide ambers into five classes.^[21][22] There is also a separate classifications of amber gemstones, according to the way of production.

Class I[link]

This class is by far the most abundant. It comprises labdatriene carboxylic acids such as communic or ozic acids.^[21] It is further split into three sub-classes. Classes Ia and Ib utilise regular labdanoid diterpenes (e.g. communic acid, communol, biformenes), whilst Ic uses enantio labdanoids (ozic acid, ozol, enantio biformenes).^[23]

Ia[link]

Includes Succinite (= 'normal' Baltic amber) and Glessite.^[22] Have a communic acid base. They also include much succinic acid.^[21]

Baltic amber yields on dry distillation succinic acid, the proportion varying from about 3% to 8%, and being greatest in the pale opaque or bony varieties. The aromatic and irritating fumes emitted by burning amber are mainly due to this acid. Baltic amber is distinguished by its yield of succinic acid, hence the name succinite. Succinite has a hardness between 2 and 3, which is rather greater than that of many other fossil resins. Its specific gravity varies from 1.05 to 1.10.^[24] It can be distinguished from other ambers via IR spectroscopy due to a specific carbonyl absorption peak. IR spectroscopy can detect the relative age of an amber sample.^{[verification needed]} Succinic acid may not be an original component of amber, but rather a degradation product of abietic acid.^[25]

Ib[link]

Like class Ia ambers, these are based on communic acid; however, they lack succinic acid.^[21]

Ic[link]

This class is mainly based on enantio-labdatrienonic acids, such as ozic and zanzibaric acids.^[21] Its most familiar representative is Dominican amber.^[2]

Dominican amber differentiates itself from Baltic amber by being mostly transparent and often containing a higher number of fossil inclusions. This has enabled the detailed reconstruction of the ecosystem of a long-vanished tropical forest.^[26] Resin from the extinct species Hymenaea protera is the source of Dominican amber and probably of most amber found in the tropics. It is not "succinite" but "retinite".^[27]

Class II[link]

These ambers are formed from resins with a sesquiterpenoid base, such as cadinene.^[21]

Class III[link]

These ambers are polystyrenes.^[21]

Class IV[link]

This class is something of a wastebasket; its ambers are not polymerized, but mainly consist of cedrane-based sesquiterpenoids.^[21]

Class V[link]

Class V resins are considered to be produced by a pine or pine relative. They comprise a mixture of diterpinoid resins and n-alkyl compounds. Their type mineral is highgate copalite.^[22]

Classification of Baltic amber (succinite) gemstones by the International Amber Association[link]

Typical amber specimen with a number of indistinct inclusions

• Natural Baltic amber – gemstone which has undergone mechanical treatment only (for instance: grinding, cutting, turning or polishing) without any change to its natural properties

• Modified Baltic amber – gemstone subjected only to thermal or high-pressure treatment, which changed its physical properties, including the degree of transparency and color, or shaped under similar conditions out of one nugget, previously cut to the required size.

• Reconstructed (pressed) Baltic amber – gemstone made of Baltic amber pieces pressed in high temperature and under high pressure without additional components.

• Bonded Baltic amber – gemstone consisting of two or more parts of natural, modified or reconstructed Baltic amber bonded together with the use of the smallest possible amount of a colorless binding agent necessary to join the pieces.

Geological record[link]

The oldest amber recovered dates to the Upper Carboniferous period (320 million years ago).^[2][28] Its chemical composition makes it difficult to match the amber to its producers – it is most similar to the resins produced by flowering plants.^[29] Amber becomes abundant long afterwards, in the Early Cretaceous, 150 million years ago,^[2] when it is found in association with insects. The oldest amber with arthropod inclusions comes from the Middle East from Lebanon and Jordan.^[30] This amber is roughly 125–135 million years old and is considered of high scientific value. In Lebanon more than 450 outcrops of Lower Cretaceous amber were discovered between the 1960s and 1990s, among which about 20 outcrops have led to intensive biological inclusions comprising the oldest representatives of several recent families of terrestrial arthropods. Jurassic amber has been found recently in Lebanon as well. Many remarkable insects and spiders were recently discovered in the amber of Jordan including the oldest zorapterans, clerid beetles, umenocoleid roaches, and achiliid planthoppers.^[30]

Baltic amber or succinite (historically documented as Prussian amber^[24]) is found as irregular nodules in marine glauconitic sand, known as blue earth, occurring in the Lower Oligocene strata of Samland in Prussia (Latin: Sambia), in historical sources also referred to as Glaesaria. After 1945 this territory around Königsberg was turned into Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia, where it is now systematically mined.^[31] It appears, however, to have been partly derived from older Eocene deposits and it occurs also as a derivative phase in later formations, such as glacial drift. Relics of an abundant flora occur as inclusions trapped within the amber while the resin was yet fresh, suggesting relations with the flora of Eastern Asia and the southern part of North America. Heinrich Göppert named the common amber-yielding pine of the Baltic forests Pinites succiniter, but as the wood does not seem to differ from that of the existing genus it has been also called Pinus succinifera. It is improbable, however, that the production of amber was limited to a single species; and indeed a large number of conifers belonging to different genera are represented in the amber-flora.

Paleontological significance[link]

Amber is a unique preservational mode, preserving otherwise unfossilizable parts of organisms; as such it is helpful in the reconstruction of ecosystems and organisms.^[32]

The chemical composition of the resin is of limited utility in reconstructing the phylogenetic affinity of the resin producer.^[2]

Amber sometimes contains animals or plant matter that became caught in the resin as it was secreted. Insects, spiders and their webs, annelids, frogs,^[33] crustaceans, bacteria and amoebae,^[34] marine microfossils,^[35] wood, flowers and fruit, hair, feathers and other small organisms have been recovered in ambers dating to 130 million years ago.^[2]

Use[link]

Amber has been used since antiquity in the manufacture of jewelry and ornaments, and also in folk medicine. Amber also forms the flavoring for akvavit liquor. Amber has been used as an ingredient in perfumes.

Jewelry[link]

Amber has been used since the stone age, from 13,000 years ago.^[2] Amber ornaments have been found in Mycenaean tombs and elsewhere across Europe.^{[citation needed]} To this day it is used in the manufacture of smoking and glassblowing mouthpieces.^[36][37] Amber's place in culture and tradition lends it a tourism value; Palanga Amber Museum is dedicated to the mineral.

Amber jewellery from Dominican Republic design Andree Guittcis

Historic medicinal uses[link]

Amber has long been used in folk medicine for its purported healing properties. Amber and extracts were used from the time of Hippocrates in ancient Greece for a wide variety of treatments through the Middle Ages and up until the early twentieth century.^{[citation needed]}

Scent of amber and amber perfumery[link]

In ancient China it was customary to burn amber during large festivities. If amber is heated under the right conditions, oil of amber is produced, and in past times this was combined carefully with nitric acid to create "artificial musk" – a resin with a peculiar musky odor.^[38] Although when burned, amber does give off a characteristic "pinewood" fragrance, modern products, such as perfume, do not normally use actual amber. This is due to the fact that fossilized amber produces very little scent. In perfumery, scents referred to as “amber” are often created and patented^[39][40] to emulate the opulent golden warmth of the fossil.^[41] The modern name for amber is thought to come from the Arabic word, ambar, meaning ambergris.^[11] Ambergris is the waxy aromatic substance created in the intestines of sperm whales and was used in making perfumes both in ancient times as well as modern. The scent of amber was originally derived from emulating the scent of ambergris and/or labdanum but due to the endangered status of the sperm whale the scent of amber is now largely derived from labdanum.^[42] The term “amber” is loosely used to describe a scent that is warm, musky, rich and honey-like, and also somewhat oriental and earthy. It can be synthetically created or derived from natural resins. When derived from natural resins it is most often created out of labdanum. Benzoin is usually part of the recipe. Vanilla and cloves are sometimes used to enhance the aroma.

"Amber" perfumes may be created using combinations of labdanum, benzoin resin, copal (itself a type of tree resin used in incense manufacture), vanilla, Dammara resin and/or synthetic materials.^[38]

See also[link]

• List of types of amber
• Ammolite
• Copal
• Oil of amber
• Amber Road
• Amber Room
• Pearl
• Precious coral

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Amber

• Farlang many full text historical references on Amber Theophrastus, George Frederick Kunz, and special on Baltic amber.
• IPS Publications on amber inclusions International Paleoentomological Society: Scientific Articles on amber and its inclusions
• Webmineral on Amber Physical properties and mineralogical information
• Mindat Amber Image and locality information on amber
• NY Times 40 million year old extinct bee in Dominican amber

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2008)

This article relies on references to primary sources or sources affiliated with the subject, rather than references from independent authors and third-party publications. Please add citations from reliable sources. (December 2008)

Stick to Your Guns is an American hardcore band from Orange County, California, formed in 2003. They are currently signed to Sumerian records, and have released three full-length albums to date.^[2] "The Hope Division" was released June 1, 2010 through Sumerian Records, "Diamond" was released in March 2012.^{[1][3][4][5][6]}

Biography[link]

Origins and signing with Sumerian Records (2003-2008)[link]

Stick to Your Guns is a five-piece hardcore band from Orange County, CA. The group began in the summer of 2003 when vocalist Jesse Barnett was inspired to form a band that would provide him with a medium to express his points of view. STYG blends melody, heaviness, and sincerity into one solid sound that will cater to fans of Comeback Kid, Throwdown, Ignite, Stronger Than Ever, The Four Llama Mafia, and Rise Against.

Ash Avildsen of Sumerian Records first noticed the band, he put them on as the opener for Ignite's Anaheim House of Blues show that drew over 850 people. After the incredible response and passionate performance, he immediately signed the band on as their agent and the hype began to spread. STYG then completed a Westcoast tour with Caliban and The Acacia Strain in October, as well as a 7 week co-headline tour in November and December with Too Pure to Die and As Blood Runs Black. STYG headlined all of the Texas and California shows with all of the turnouts being between 300 and 500 people. STYG also holds the record for the highest attendance ever at the Chain Reaction in Anaheim, Orange County's premier all ages venue. Even before signing to Sumerian Records, the amount of momentum behind the band was so powerful that they were chosen to open a Terror tour in January and February 2007 that also featured, The Warriors and All Shall Perish.

The Hope Division (2008-2011)[link]

Stick to Your Guns caught the attention of many independent labels in the music community. Rather than jump into a deal, the band continued their relentless touring schedule and headlined a 6 week US tour that firmly planted their stake in the US touring business by drawing on average 423.5 people a night. The tour ended in San Diego at a New Year's Eve show where over 1,200 people were in attendance.

STYG's diehard touring work ethic combined with their passionate and infectious live show undoubtedly brought the band success and many exciting opportunities in 2008 including a massive US tour with good friends As Blood Runs Black as well as a large portion of the 2008 Warped Tour.

On January 20, 2010, Stick To Your Guns announced that they will enter the studio within the next week to begin recording their new album 'The Hope Division' for a June 1, 2010, release date through Sumerian Records. The album hit #172 on the billboard top 200 chart, and #5 on the billboard heatseeker albums chart.^[7]

In November 2011, Stick To Your Guns posted a picture on their Facebook of an Arizona fan after several of his friends got tattoos of the heart that is on the cover of "The Hope Division" as a tribute to their friend. Along with the tattoo was the words "At least he died a lion." This was due to his long and painful battle with a brain tumor that he fought bravely against. The fan was Samuel Perkins, a 20-year-old who everyone loved and had died from a brain tumor. They call him the best person they had ever met. Stick to Your Guns saw the unity in that and decided to pay tribute to him by performing as the headliner at Sam's memorial show. It was greatly appreciated by all of his friends.

New single and Diamond (since 2011)[link]

Later, the band released a new song titled "Bringing You Down (A New World Overthrow)", a new digital single inspired in the Occupy Wall Street Movement. They also reveal that a new album is in the works. On February 10, 2012 they released a video on YouTube announcing that their new album will be titled 'Diamond' and will be released that same year on March 27.^[8] On February 20, a new single named "Against Them All" was released on iTunes and through the Sumerian Records YouTube account.^[9] The video for "We Still Believe" premiered on March 21st and is the first official single from Diamond. ^[10]

Band members[link]

Current members

• Jesse Barnett – lead vocals, programming, guitars (since 2003)
• Josh James – guitars, backing vocals (since 2012)
• Chris Rawson – guitars, backing vocals (since 2009)
• Andrew Rose – bass, backing vocals (since 2008)
• George Schmitz – drums, percussion (since 2008)

Former members

• Reid Haymond – guitar, backing vocals (2007–2010)
• Casey Lagos – drums, guitars, bass, backing vocals (2003–2008)
• Baximiliano Romo – guitars, backing vocals (2003–2011)
• Darel McFadyen – bass, backing vocals (2007–2008)
• Curtis Pleshe – guitar, backing vocals (2003–2006)
• Justin Rutherford – guitar, backing vocals (2003–2007)
• Elliot Sellers – drums, percussion, backing vocals (2006)

Discography[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Stick To Your Guns Myspace Page
• Stick To Your Guns Blog

Major Lazer
Major Lazer performing at Sasquatch 2011
Background information
Genres	Dancehall, reggae fusion, reggae, hip hop, electro house, daggering
Years active	2009–present
Labels	Downton, Mad Decent, Interscope
Associated acts	Diplo, Switch
Members
Diplo
Past members
Switch

Major Lazer is a musical project by DJ/Producer Diplo. Formerly a collaboration along with DJ/Producer Switch, they parted ways in late 2011.

Background[link]

Switch (left) and Diplo are the producers behind Major Lazer.

Made up of DJs Diplo and Switch, the two were introduced after working with M.I.A.. The duo's first album Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do was released on June 16, 2009, on Downtown Records. It was recorded in Jamaica at Tuff Gong Studios.^[1] Vocalists such as Santigold, Vybz Kartel, Ward 21, Busy Signal, Nina Sky, Amanda Blank, Mr. Vegas, Turbulence, Mapei, T.O.K, Prince Zimboo, Leftside and others contribute guest vocals to the album, as well as additional production from Afrojack and Crookers.^[2] This is the first release to come out of the label partnership between Downtown Records and Diplo's label Mad Decent.^[3] Major Lazer ended a US tour last summer.^[4] The album's first single was "Hold the Line", the video for which, directed by Ferry Gouw, was nominated for a MTV Video Award in the Breakthrough Video category. "Hold the Line" was also featured in the video game FIFA 10. The track "Zumbie" has a music video that features comedian Andy Milonakis.^[5] Music videos for the songs "Pon de Floor" and "Keep It Going Louder" were both directed by Eric Wareheim. Major Lazer performed at the Falls Music & Arts Festival (Lorne, Victoria, Australia) on the December 30, 2009, the Coachella Music Festival in April 2010^[6] they also performed at the Pitchfork Music Festival in July 2010 and the Sasquatch Music Festival on Monday May 30, 2011. Live visuals were created by Pomp&Clout. Major Lazer performed at the 2011 Outside Lands festival in San Francisco.

A mixtape with La Roux entitled "Lazerproof" was made available for free download on May 26.^[7] Diplo posted cover art on his Twitpic. It is the character Major Lazer in War Machine's silver suit, Elly Jackson of La Roux in the signature Iron Man suit, and Whiplash, the villain in the Iron Man 2 movie.

On June 20, 2010, the group released an EP titled "Lazers Never Die". It contained two new songs and three remixes, by Thom Yorke and others.

Major Lazer's live shows previously included hype man Skerrit Bwoy^[8] although Skerrit Bwoy left the group in 2012 to pursue religion.

Switch provided production for Beyoncé's "Run the World (Girls)", which sampled "Pon de Floor".

Switch has left the collaborative effort due to "creative differences" as claimed by Diplo. He departed in late 2011. Diplo is now the sole producer behind the project.

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• Guns Don't Kill People... Lazers Do (2009)
• TBA (2012)

EPs[link]

• Lazers Never Die (EP) (2010)
• Original Don (EP) (2011)

Mixtapes[link]

• Major Lazer Essential Mix (available as podcast) (2009)
• Lazerproof (with La Roux) (2010)
• Major Lazer Summer Mix (available as podcast) (2010)

Singles[link]

• "Hold The Line" (2009)
• "Zumbie" (2009)
• "Pon de Floor" ft Vybz Kartel (2009) 125 UK
• "Keep It Goin' Louder" (2009)
• "Jump Up" (2009)
• "Original Don" (2011)
• "Get Free" (2012)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Major Lazer on Myspace
• Major Lazer on Twitter
• Major Lazer's channel on YouTube

Dave Longstreth

Amber Coffman

Angel Deradoorian

Dirty Projectors performing in 2008

Dirty Projectors are an American rock band, consisting of David Longstreth (vocals, guitar, musical direction; born December 17, 1981), Amber Coffman (vocals, guitar), Angel Deradoorian (vocals, keyboard, samples, guitar, bass), Brian McOmber (drums), Nat Baldwin (bass), and Haley Dekle (vocals). They have released seven full-length albums through 2012.