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4AD is a British independent record label that was started in 1979 by Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, funded by Beggars Banquet Records, and is still active today.^[1] It now forms part of the Beggars Group, along with Matador Records, Rough Trade Records and XL Recordings.

4AD current recording artists include Ariel Pink, The Big Pink, Blonde Redhead, Bon Iver, Camera Obscura, Deerhunter, Gang Gang Dance, The National, Scott Walker, St. Vincent, Twin Shadow, and tUnE-yArDs.

History[link]

Ivo Watts-Russell and Peter Kent, employees of the Beggars Banquet record store and label, founded Axis Records in late 1979 as a property of Beggars Banquet that was run by the two. After the first four Axis singles in early 1980, the name was changed to 4AD when it became apparent that the name Axis was already being used by another music company. The solution to this problem came from a promotional flyer that they had printed up to call attention to the new releases. The flyer's designer had added some typography which played on both the new year and the idea of progress:

1980 FORWARD
1980 FWD
1984 AD
4AD

Quickly scrambling for a new name, Ivo glanced at the flyer and suggested "4AD." Peter Kent agreed, and, with that split-second decision, 4AD was born.

An initial idea for the label was that it would be a "testing ground" for Beggars Banquet; successful acts would graduate up to Beggars Banquet after a year at 4AD. The only band to follow this path would be Bauhaus, who were signed to Beggars Banquet in late 1980 right before Ivo and Peter purchased the label outright.

The two were the sole owners for about a year. Kent sold his share to Watts-Russell at the end of 1981, and started a new Beggars Banquet subsidiary, Situation Two Records. Watts-Russell would maintain ownership of the label, and act as its president, until the late 1990s.

Watts-Russell invited the graphic designer Vaughan Oliver to create sleeve art for the label, and as a result, 4AD quickly acquired a visually distinctive identity. Its artists, like Cocteau Twins and Dead Can Dance, developed substantial cult followings in the mid-1980s, but 4AD continued to evolve, and, after signing Throwing Muses and Pixies, the label increasingly concentrated on underground American rock music. In 1983, 4AD had a minor hit in America with the Modern English single "I Melt With You". In 1987, 4AD had a UK number one hit with the collaged "Pump up the Volume" by M|A|R|R|S.

In the 1990s, 4AD established an office in Los Angeles and enjoyed success with bands such as The Breeders, Red House Painters, Unrest, and His Name Is Alive. In 1999, Watts-Russell sold his share in 4AD back to the Beggars Group (as it had by then become), but the label continued to release music and add new artists to its roster.^[2]

Although fans will greatly debate the exact year the "classic 4AD" period ends, a popular theory places the end with the release of the final Cocteau Twins 4AD album in 1990. Still, 1991 saw the final Throwing Muses album with Tanya Donelly (The Real Ramona, CAD 1002), the final This Mortal Coil album (Blood, DAD 1005), His Name Is Alive's Home Is in Your Head (CAD 1013), and the Pixies' Trompe le Monde (CAD 1014), all of which are generally considered to be "classic 4AD."

Even in 1992, new signings like Belly and Red House Painters produced records which are also considered amongst the classic era of 4AD. However, the label's deal with Warner Bros. Records in the United States in 1992 would start the beginning of a truly new phase in 4AD history. By 1995, whatever remnants of the "classic era" that were left were dying out, as evidenced by the final 4AD release for Red House Painters (Ocean Beach, CAD 5005), and the last albums and break-ups of Belly and The Wolfgang Press. New signings that year included American underground acts Kendra Smith, Tarnation, Air Miami and The Amps.

In 2008, the Beggars Group recognised that 4AD was its most prestigious and successful label, and re-aligned itself so that several labels (including Beggars Banquet itself) were folded up on to the 4AD label.^[3] Bands like Stereolab and The National were signed to 4AD as a part of this merger.

Distribution[link]

While 4AD didn't handle any distribution outside the United Kingdom for many years, it had many willing distributors in many countries: Columbia Music Entertainment distributed much of the label in Japan, while Polygram subsidiary Vertigo Records released many of the label's records in Canada. The United States had always been a tough market for 4AD, even though their records sold well there as imports. Only a few of the label's acts had deals to license their recordings in the USA, among various labels.

In 1992, Ivo signed a five-year distribution deal with Warner Bros. Records so that nearly all 4AD releases would see release in the United States. While this seemed to be a simple licensing deal, in reality executives from Warner Bros. took a lot of control during this period, as 4AD shifted focus to the US market, signing more American bands. While still president, it is clear that Ivo ceded some control during this period, and once the deal ended, he offered to sell the label back to Beggars Banquet.

The deal with Beggars was completed by early 1999, and since then it has owned 4AD and its distribution worldwide. This led to many negotiations for the label's back catalogue, like getting back US distribution rights for the Pixies, Cocteau Twins, and The Breeders.

4AD sessions[link]

The 4AD Sessions are an ongoing series of video recordings with various acts from the label's roster. Following on from the Deerhunter session at the Studio Plateaux on Platts Eyott island in 2008, the recordings see 4AD artists performing back-catalogue covers and alternative versions of their own material. They are housed on the label's website - www.4ad.com/sessions.

Episodes[link]

• Session 000: Deerhunter

1. "Cum Horizon (Improvisation)", 2. "Springhall Convent", 3. "Microcastle", 4. "Saved By Old Times", 5. "Never Stops", 6. "Backspace Century (Version II)", 7. "Calvary Scars"

• Session 001: tUnE-yArDs

1. "Real Live Flesh", 2. "Little Tiger", 3. "Powa", 4. "Hatari", 5. "Jumping Jack"

• Session 002: Efterklang

1. "I Was Playing Drums", 2. "Alike", 3. "Me Me Me the Brick House", 4. "Modern Drift"

• Session 003: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti

1. "Menopause Man", 2. "Spires In The Snow", 3. "Little Wig", 4. "Flashback", 5. "L'Estat (According to the Widow's Maid)"

• Session 004: Stornoway

1. "Fuel Up", 2. "On The Rocks", 3. "Here Comes The Blackout", 4. "Watching Birds"

• Session 005: Blonde Redhead

1. "Here Sometimes", 2. "Love Or Prison", 3. "Will There Be Stars", 4. "Oslo", 5. "Not Getting There"

• Session 006: Broken Records

1. "A Leaving Song", 2. "A Darkness Rises Up", 3. "You Know You’re Not Dead", 4. "The Motorcycle Boy Reigns", 5. "Home"

• Session 007: Twin Shadow

1. "Castles In The Snow", 2. "At My Heels", 3. "Forget", 4. "Slow"

• Session 008: Gang Gang Dance

1. "Chinese High", 2. "Mindkilla/KOU-DA-LEY", 3. "Adult Goth/Bond", 4. "Glass Jar"

• Session 009: Iron & Wine

1. "Tree By The River", 2. "Biting Your Tail", 3. "Big Burned Hand", 4. "Half Moon", 5. "Upwards Over The Mountain"

• Session 010: St. Vincent

1. "Chloe In The Afternoon", 2. "Surgeon", 3. "Strange Mercy", 4. "Year Of The Tiger"

• Session 011: The Big Pink

1. "Stay Gold", 2. "Hit The Ground (Superman)", 3. "Velvet", 4. "Rubbernecking", 5. "Give It Up"

• Session 012: Bon Iver

1. "Hinnom, TX", 2. "Wash.", 3. "I Can't Make You Love Me", 4. "Babys", 5. "Beth/Rest"

• Session 013: Mark Lanegan

1. "The Gravedigger's Song", 2. "St. Louis Elegy", 3. "Riot In My House", 4. "Harborview Hospital"

Artists[link]

Current[link]

Former[link]

Selected discography[link]

1980

1. Bauhaus, "Dark Entries" (AD 3); the only AXIS single to be re-issued under the 4AD name
2. Modern English, Swans on Glass (AD 6);
3. Rema-Rema, Wheel in the Roses (BAD 5); the first release bearing the 4AD logo
4. Bauhaus, In the Flat Field (CAD 13); the first full-length LP on 4AD
5. Modern English, Gathering Dust (AD 15); later the inspiration for This Mortal Coil's first record

1981

1. The Birthday Party, Prayers on Fire (CAD 105); first full-length from revered post-punk band
2. Dif Juz, Huremics (BAD 109); debut EP from proto-"post rock" outfit
3. Natures Mortes (Still Lives) (CAD 117); definitive summary of the label's post-punk years, originally only available in Japan

1982

1. Colin Newman, Not To (CAD 201); Third solo LP from Wire frontman, featuring several previously unreleased Wire tracks
2. Modern English, After the Snow (CAD 206); LP contains 4AD's first mainstream hit, the New Wave classic "I Melt with You"
3. Cocteau Twins, Garlands (CAD 211); debut LP from band who would come to define the label's aesthetic

1983

1. The Wolfgang Press, The Burden of Mules (CAD 308); debut LP from long-time 4AD mainstay, including former Rema-Rema members
2. This Mortal Coil, Sixteen Days/Gathering Dust (BAD 310); debut EP from Ivo's house band, including popular cover of Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren"
3. Cocteau Twins, Head over Heels (CAD 313); the band's second LP begins to define the band and label's sound

1984

1. Dead Can Dance, Dead Can Dance (CAD 404); debut from the band who would become the label's biggest-selling act
2. Cocteau Twins, The Spangle Maker (BAD 405); first release with new bassist Simon Raymonde crystallizes the band's sound
3. This Mortal Coil, It'll End in Tears (CAD 411); debut LP was an international underground success
4. Cocteau Twins, Treasure (CAD 412); a fan favourite, but one of the band's least favourite albums

1985

1. Clan of Xymox, Clan of Xymox (CAD 503); debut LP from classic goth band
2. Dif Juz, Extractions (CAD 505); only full-length from the band, which is very much in-line with the classic 4AD sound
3. Colourbox, Colourbox (CAD 508); debut LP from pop-collage artists, considered ahead of its time today
4. Dead Can Dance, Spleen and Ideal (CAD 512); second LP that advanced the band's sound considerably
5. Cocteau Twins, The Pink Opaque (CAD 513CD); compilation of 1982-1985 material intended for US release; released only on CD in the UK, the label's first release on the medium

1986

1. Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares, Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares (CAD 603); reissue of songs by the internationally renowned Bulgarian folk ensemble
2. Throwing Muses, Throwing Muses (CAD 607); debut LP from the first American band signed to 4AD
3. This Mortal Coil, Filigree & Shadow (DAD 609); second album from Ivo's project is the label's first double album

1987

1. M|A|R|R|S, Pump up the Volume (AD 707); the label's only single to reach number one in the UK charts, generally regarded as a significant milestone in the development of British house music and music sampling
2. Lonely Is an Eyesore (CAD 703); compilation album released in many formats, showcasing the label's diverse lineup
3. Dead Can Dance, Within the Realm of a Dying Sun (CAD 705); another classic LP typical of the label's output of the era
4. Pixies, Come on Pilgrim (MAD 709); debut mini-album culled from the band's demo tape
5. Pieter Nooten/Michael Brook, Sleeps with the Fishes (CAD 710); atmospheric album from former Clan of Xymox member Nooten and noted guitarist/producer Brook

1988

1. Throwing Muses, House Tornado (CAD 802); the band's second LP is their first to be released in the USA
2. Pixies, Surfer Rosa (CAD 803); Steve Albini-produced album that proved to be massively influential on nearly all alternative rock to follow
3. Cocteau Twins, Blue Bell Knoll (CAD 807); the band's most successful LP to date received major-label distribution in the USA by Capitol Records

1989

1. Pixies, Doolittle (CAD 809); another extremely influential LP that now routinely ranks high in lists of all-time best albums
2. Lush, Scar (JAD 911); debut EP by English quartet that straddled the line between airy, melodic pop and shoegaze

1990s

1. The Breeders, Pod (CAD 0006); debut of Pixie Kim Deal's side project that eventually became her main band
2. His Name Is Alive, Livonia (CAD 0008); American band begins a long run at 4AD with a debut that carries on in the tradition of the label's 1980s heyday
3. Cocteau Twins, Heaven or Las Vegas (CAD 0012); the band's final album on 4AD; was said by Ivo to be "the best record 4AD ever released."
4. Belly, Star (CAD 3002); debut album of the side-project by Throwing Muses' Tanya Donelly
5. Red House Painters, Red House Painters, a.k.a. Rollercoaster (DAD 3008); acclaimed, sprawling double album from the pioneering slowcore band
6. Unrest, Perfect Teeth (CAD 3012); jointly-released with TeenBeat Records
7. Lush, Split (CAD 4011); the band's critically acclaimed second album
8. Mojave 3, Ask Me Tomorrow (CAD 5013); debut album from former members of shoegaze band Slowdive
9. Thievery Corporation, Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi (CAD 8006); an unlikely and short-lived foray into the electronic, downtempo world for 4AD

2002

1. The Breeders, Title TK (CAD 2205); strangely intimate, feminine garage rock and an admirably honest portrait of the band

2004

1. Blonde Redhead, Misery Is a Butterfly (CAD 2409); a creative leap forward for the band
2. TV on the Radio, Desperate Youth, Bloodthirsty Babes (CAD 2420); otherworldly debut album from feted Brooklyn band

2005

1. Cocteau Twins, Lullabies to Violaine (CTBOX 2); compilation of all Cocteau Twins' EPs, singles, and B-sides spread over four compact discs; remastered by Robin Guthrie and released to coincide with the label's 25th anniversary
2. TV on the Radio, Dry Drunk Emperor (n/a); a free download track, never formally released, gifted to fans and to remember those affected by Hurricane Katrina

2006

1. TV on the Radio, Return to Cookie Mountain (CAD 2607); "the best album of 2006" according to many critics' end-of-year lists
2. Scott Walker, The Drift (CAD 2603); the first album from the reclusive Scott Walker in over a decade
3. Beirut Gulag Orkestar (CAD 2619); accomplished debut album from the then 19-year old Zach Condon
4. Plague Songs (CAD 2616); an album of songs by various artists (including Rufus Wainwright, Brian Eno & Robert Wyatt, and Scott Walker) about the ten Plagues of Egypt as described in the Book of Exodus

2007

1. Blonde Redhead, 23 (CAD 2717); second album for 4AD from the New York trio
2. Scott Walker, And Who Shall Go to the Ball? And What Shall Go to the Ball? (CAD 2731); original score for a modern dance performance by CandoCo; limited to just 2,500 copies
3. Beirut, The Flying Club Cup (CAD 2732)

2008

1. The Breeders, Mountain Battles (CAD 2803); the band's first new material for nearly six years
2. Atlas Sound, Let the Blind Lead Those Who Can See but Cannot Feel (CAD 2811 CD); expanded version of the debut album by Bradford Cox
3. Bon Iver, For Emma, Forever Ago (CAD 2809)
4. Stereolab, Chemical Chords (CAD 2815); first 4AD release from the band; released almost a year before announcing their hiatus
5. TV on the Radio, Dear Science (CAD 2821)

2009

1. Dark Was the Night (DAD 2835); a compilation album with proceeds going to the Red Hot Organization
2. Camera Obscura, My Maudlin Career (CAD 2907); fourth studio record from Glasgow-based indie pop act
3. St. Vincent, Actor (CAD 2919)
4. The Big Pink, A Brief History of Love (CAD 2916)
5. Atlas Sound, Logos (CAD 2930); second album from Bradford Cox; features collaborations with Noah Lennox (Panda Bear) of Animal Collective and Lætitia Sadier of Stereolab

2010

1. Tindersticks, Falling Down a Mountain (CAD 3X02); first release of 2010 for 4AD using the new catalog numbering scheme 3X--
2. The National, High Violet (CAD 3X03)
3. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Before Today (CAD 3X15)
4. Fragments from Work in Progress (BAD 3X17); a Record Store Day exclusive 12" vinyl EP featuring unreleased tracks from Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti, Tune-Yards, Blonde Redhead, Gang Gang Dance, and The Big Pink
5. Stornoway, Beachcomber's Windowsill (CAD 3X20); debut long-player from Oxford based indie folk four piece
6. Blonde Redhead, Penny Sparkle (CAD 3X27)
7. Deerhunter, Halcyon Digest (CAD 3X38)

2011

1. Iron & Wine, Kiss Each Other Clean (CAD 3103)
2. tUnE-yArDs, w h o k i l l (CAD 3106)
3. Bon Iver, Bon Iver (CAD 3117)
4. St. Vincent, Strange Mercy (CAD 3123)
5. Atlas Sound, Parallax (CAD 3130)

2012

1. Mark Lanegan Band, Blues Funeral (CAD 3202)
2. Grimes, Visions (CAD 3208)

Catalog numbering scheme[link]

For the most part, 4AD's official UK releases follow a standard scheme for designating catalog numbers. Although there have been some variations over the years, some general rules can be devised to easily determine the format (LP, CD, etc.) and year of release by looking at a 4AD catalog number.

Prefix[link]

The first part of a catalog number is a prefix that contains a variation of "AD," based on the 4AD name. Some standards are:

• AD = single
• BAD = EP
• CAD = full-length LP
• DAD = double LP
• MAD = mini-LP

Special editions of releases had an extra "D" added to the prefix:

• CAD D = special edition of a full-length LP
• DAD D = special edition of a double LP

Some other "AD" variations have been used less frequently over the years, including (but not limited to):

• EAD = electronic download
• GAD = reissue (usually mid-priced)
• HAD = remastered or significantly altered reissue (usually with some combination of bonus tracks, re-mastering, or new artwork)
• JAD and MAD = "mini album" that is longer than an EP but shorter than an LP
• SAD = Super Audio CD release (as in the Dead Can Dance 2008 remastered reissues)
• TAD = temporary/limited release

4AD only released one LP on DAT format, Cocteau Twins' Blue Bell Knoll, which was designated CADT 807.

Numerical designation[link]

The second part of the catalog number is a number that represents the year of release (via the number of years since 1980, following the '1980 Forward' theme), and the order of release in the particular year. For example, This Mortal Coil's LP It'll End in Tears is CAD 411. The "CAD" represents that the release is an LP, the "4" in 411 represents 1984, and 11 marks the 11th release of that year. This is the vinyl LP release; cassette versions have "C" added to the prefix (CADC 411 in this example); CD versions have "CD" added at the end (CAD 411CD).

A side effect of this scheme is that it made it seem like 4AD had hundreds of releases early on. Once again using CAD411 as an example, a causal observer might assume this was the 411th release in the label's catalog, when 4AD actually had less than 100 total releases in their catalog at the time. In the 1990s, 4AD changed the first part of the number from "100s" to "1000s," temporarily making the number not correspond with the number of years since 1980. Releases in 1990 used "00" directly after the prefix (e.g., the Pixies' Bossanova, CAD0010, released in the fall of 1990); 1991 used "10" directly after the prefix (e.g., This Mortal Coil's Blood, DAD 1005, released early in 1991), 1992 used "20," and so on for the rest of the 1990s.

Wanting to return to numbering with the years since 1980, 4AD had to provide a workaround for releases in the year 2000. Since the "20" numerical designation had been used in 1992, all releases in 2000 used "2K" (e.g., Mojave 3's Excuses for Travellers, CAD 2K05, released in early 2000). Since 2001, the catalog numbering scheme has finally been able to return to the original format with the first part of the number representing the years since 1980. Things have not been too consistent since, and there have been several gaps. 2010 releases start the numerical designation 3X, as "30" had already been used in 1993.^[4]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official site
• Eyesore Database: Complete 4AD Discography through ca. 1998, sporadic updates for releases since then
• 4AD: The Perfect Antidote: Complete 4AD Discography and Miscellany from 1980–2007
• Ingebrigtsen, Lars Magne (2000). Eyesore list of 4ad groups Retrieved 22 February 2005.
• Keibel, Jeff (2004). 4AD: Facing The Wrong Way fan site. Retrieved 17 February 2005.
• Zax, Andy (1999). An Official History of 4AD. Retrieved 27 January 2005.

Mark Lanegan (born November 25, 1964) is an American alternative rock musician and singer-songwriter. Born and raised in Ellensburg, Washington, Lanegan began his musical career in 1985, forming the grunge band Screaming Trees with Gary Lee Conner, Van Conner and Mark Pickerel. During his time in the band, Lanegan also started a low-key solo career and released his first solo studio album, The Winding Sheet, in 1990. Since 1990, he has released a further six studio albums and has received critical recognition and moderate commercial success.

Lanegan has also collaborated with various artists and bands throughout his career. Following the dissolution of The Screaming Trees in 2000, he became a member of Queens of the Stone Age and is featured on three of the band's albums—Rated R (2000), Songs for the Deaf (2002) and Lullabies to Paralyze (2005). Lanegan also formed The Gutter Twins with Greg Dulli in 2003, released three collaboration albums with former Belle and Sebastian singer Isobel Campbell, and contributed to releases by Melissa Auf der Maur, Martina Topley Bird, Creature with the Atom Brain, Bomb the Bass, Soulsavers and Mad Season.

Lanegan has a distinctive baritone voice that has been described "as scratchy as a three-day beard yet as supple and pliable as moccasin leather"^[1] and compared to Tom Waits.^[2]

Biography[link]

Early life[link]

In 1996, during an interview for Pacific Northwest periodical "The Rocket", he said that he drove a combine.^[3] It is known that he came from a 'dysfunctional' family that he tried to avoid, and was heavily into drugs by the age of 18, having already been arrested and sentenced to one year's imprisonment for drug-related crimes.^[4] He managed to get out of jail by taking a year-long rehab course. Around this time he met and befriended Van Conner with whom he would eventually form the Screaming Trees. At this point his relationship with the Conner brothers was restricted to talking about music and working for their parents' electronics hardware store.

Musical career[link]

Screaming Trees (1985–2000)[link]

Along with Alice in Chains, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Nirvana, Screaming Trees were part of Seattle's emerging grunge scene in the early 1990s. The band was formed in 1985 by Mark Lanegan, guitarist Gary Lee Conner, bassist Van Conner and Mark Pickerel.^[5] Mark Pickerel would later be replaced with Barrett Martin. Lanegan said "I was such a shitty drummer that they made me sing."^[3] The band signed to Sub Pop, releasing the Other Worlds EP in 1985 (Originally available only in a cassette format, the album was re-released on CD and LP by SST Records in 1987).^[5] Though the band was being courted by major labels, in 1985 they signed to Velvetone records to release their debut album, Clairvoyance.^[5] Musically the album is a combination of psychedelic music and hard rock, while it bears many similarities to early grunge.^[5]

In 1987, the band released their second effort, and their first for SST Records, Even If and Especially When.^[5] After the release of the album in 1987 the band began working on the American indie circuit, playing shows across the US.^[5] Their follow up album was Invisible Lantern released in 1988. Buzz Factory was the fourth full-length album by Screaming Trees and their final record released through SST released in 1989.

In 1991, the band released their fifth effort, and their first for a major label.^[5] Uncle Anesthesia was released in 1991 and was produced by Soundgarden vocalist Chris Cornell.^[5] Uncle Anesthesia included the single "Bed of Roses", which gained considerable airtime on alternative rock radio stations. The song peaked at number 23 on the modern rock tracks and was the first Screaming Trees release to chart.^[6] Barrett Martin replaced previous drummer Pickerel and the new line up recorded Sweet Oblivion in 1992.^[5]

Sweet Oblivion was the band's breakout album and included the singles "Nearly Lost You", "Dollar Bill", "Butterfly", and "Shadow of the Season". The two first singles gained considerable airtime on alternative rock radio stations, while the video for "Nearly Lost You" became an MTV and alternative radio hit in the fall of 1992, thanks to the momentum of the Singles soundtrack. "Nearly Lost You" peaked at number 5 on the Modern Rock Tracks and number 50 in the United Kingdom and was the first single to chart outside the United States.^[5] Sweet Oblivion sold a total of 300,000 copies in the United States.^[5] Although the Screaming Trees were viewed as one of the finest bands on the Seattle scene, they never drew the commercial attention that Alice in Chains, Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Soundgarden had garnered.

The band's final album (recorded after in-fighting and uncertainty over the quality of the music the band was recording had brought about a hiatus^[3]), Dust was released in 1996. The album spawned several singles, including "All I Know", and "Dying Days" and peaked at number 134 on the Billboard 200 and number 39 on the Canadian album chart which was the first Screaming Trees album to chart outside the United States. Despite consistently favorable reviews, the album did not match the commercial success of Sweet Oblivion. Following the Dust tour in the United States, Screaming Trees took another hiatus for Lanegan to begin his work on his third solo album, Scraps at Midnight. The band headed back into the studio in 1999 and recorded several demos and shopped them around to labels, but no label was willing to take them on.^[5] The band played a few surprise shows in early 2000 and following a concert to celebrate the opening of Seattle's Experience Music Project, the band surprisingly announced their official breakup.^[5]

Solo work and other projects[link]

In 1990, Lanegan released his first solo album, The Winding Sheet via label Sub Pop (which at the time was home to friends Nirvana as well as Soundgarden and The Afghan Whigs). Lanegan had intimated that the album came around following a Leadbelly project he was working on with Mark Pickerel, Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic.^[3][7] The project was short lived and eventually other musicians became involved in the evolution to the debut solo record. From the Leadbelly sessions a version of "Where Did You Sleep Last Night?" appeared on The Winding Sheet ("Ain't It a Shame", is available on the Nirvana box set With the Lights Out.^[7]) Cobain also supplied backing vocals on "Down in the Dark" on Lanegan's debut.^[8] The majority of the album was recorded with Pickerel on drums, Mike Johnson (who would later go on to play bass with Dinosaur Jr) on guitar, Steve Fisk on piano and organ, and Jack Endino on bass.^[7]

The second record, 1994's Whiskey for the Holy Ghost, was a far more cohesive recording, with such ethereal songs as "The River Rise", "Kingdoms of Rain", "Riding the Nightingale" and "Beggar's Blues".^[7] Taking nearly three years to make, the album came close to not seeing the light of day as Lanegan was set to throw the master tapes in a pond outside of the recording studio, only to be stopped by Producer Jack Endino at the last moment.^[7] ("Kingdoms of Rain" was re-recorded on the collaboration album with "Soulsavers" in 2007 and released as a single).

In 1995, Lanegan appeared on the album Above by Mad Season. The project was fronted by friend Layne Staley (Alice in Chains) and was formed in late 1994 by Staley, Mike McCready of Pearl Jam, Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees and John Baker Saunders of The Walkabouts. Lanegan appeared on "Long Gone Day" and "I'm Above".^[9] In 1998, Scraps at Midnight was released. The album was recorded the previous winter at Joshua Tree, California and produced by long-time friend and collaborator Mike Johnson.^[7]

The fourth studio album was released in 1999. The album began life as B-Sides for singles from Scraps at Midnight (two tracks from the sessions appear on the single Hotel). Liking the way the sessions were shaping up, a few more were added and the recording was entitled I'll Take Care of You. The album features covers of songs by prominent folk, R&B and punk artists such as Tim Hardin, Booker T. and the MGs and friend Jeffrey Lee Pierce, as well as country icon Buck Owens.^[7] Also in 1999, Lanegan participated in the tribute album for Moby Grape co-founder, Skip Spence, who was terminally ill.^[10]

In 2001, he released his fifth studio album, Field Songs. The album featured friend Duff McKagan, as well as major contributions from Soundgarden's bassist, Ben Shepherd.^[11] 2003 saw him appear on Greg Dulli's The Twilight Singers record Blackberry Belle, sharing lead vocal duties on the epic closing track, "Number Nine". This would be the first in many collaborations with Dulli and The Twilight Singers.^[12]

On his latest solo album, Bubblegum (2004), Lanegan was joined by a cadre of prominent artists, including P. J. Harvey, Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri of Queens of the Stone Age, Greg Dulli of The Afghan Whigs and Twilight Singers, Dean Ween of Ween, and Duff McKagan and Izzy Stradlin, previously of Guns N' Roses.^[13] Also appearing on Bubblegum is Lanegan's ex-wife, Wendy Rae Fowler now in We Fell to Earth .^[14] The favorably reviewed album is his most commercially successful to date, reaching number 39 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart.^[6] Some would assume this is due to the appearance of several prominent musical figures, although the album did receive glowing review by critics.^[14]

Queens of the Stone Age live in Berlin 2005.

Queens of the Stone Age (2000–2005)[link]

Lanegan's first appearance on a Queens of the Stone Age album was on Rated R. Lanegan sang lead vocals on "In the Fade", background vocals on "Leg of Lamb", "Autopilot" and "I Think I Lost My Headache". Rated R became a commercial success and became the first Queens of the Stone Age album to chart.

Shortly after the release of Field Songs, Lanegan became a full-time member of Queens of the Stone Age. Lanegan appeared on the 2002 release entitled Songs for the Deaf, once again singing lead on the tracks "Song for the Dead", "Hangin' Tree", and "God Is on the Radio". The album became the band's big breakthrough and peaked at number 17 on the Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA.^[15] He also toured in support for the album over the next two years.^[16] Mark toured full-time as a third vocalist for Queens of the Stone Age for support of Songs for the Deaf.^[16] Joining his friend Joshua Homme, who supported the Screaming Trees as their touring guitarist in 1996. The album received two Best Hard Rock Performance Grammy nominations for singles "No One Knows" (2003),^[17] and "Go with the Flow" (2004).^[18]

In 2005, Lanegan released his last album with Queens of the Stone Age entitled Lullabies to Paralyze where he sang lead vocals on "This Lullaby". The album was delayed during 2004 because of some changes to the line-up: bassist Nick Oliveri was fired and on-off vocalist Mark Lanegan went on tour to support Bubblegum.^[19] Lanegan would later appear for the support of the album.^[20] Lanegan left the tour for a while, citing exhaustion, but would return to finish the tour with the band.^[20]

Lanegan told Christina Fuoco of Live Daily "My relationship with these guys is one of the most satisfying that I've had". "It's great to play with, essentially, my best friends."^[20] When he was asked about the difference between Screaming Trees and Queens of the Stone Age he said "It's all rock 'n' roll to me. A band is a band. They're really not that radically different. It's all rock music."^[20] Lanegan has continued to work with Queens of the Stone Age even after leaving the band. In 2007, he appeared on their album, Era Vulgaris, contributing background vocals to the track "River in the Road".

Collaboration with Isobel Campbell (2004–Present)[link]

Lanegan toured with Isobel Campbell in 2007 in support of their album Ballad of the Broken Seas.

In April 2004, Lanegan released an EP with former Belle & Sebastian vocalist Isobel Campbell, titled Time Is Just the Same. They would later release a single entitled "Ramblin' Man" for their collaboration album Ballad of the Broken Seas. Campbell wrote and recorded the majority of the album's tracks in Glasgow, with Lanegan adding vocals in Los Angeles. The record was well-received by critics who likened the duo to Nick Cave and Kylie Minogue.^[21]

In addition to providing vocals, Lanegan also wrote the track "Revolver" with Campbell. The album was nominated for the 2006 Mercury Prize.^[22] Lanegan and Campbell played four UK concerts in January 2007, with the London date being moved to a larger venue as a result of high demand for tickets. When making the decision to make a follow-up to Ballad of the Broken Seas, Campbell stated:

It was because he kinda disappeared for a year but in my heart I wanted to do another one because as soon as we’d finished Ballad of the Broken Seas I was writing new songs and I was like; "Oh God, I’ve got to get Mark to sing these."

After a concert with Lanegan in January 2007, Campbell asked Lanegan if he would consider making a new album, Lanegan replied: "in a heartbeat". This time Lanegan flew to Glasgow to record the new album at the end of March for nine days to record the songs Campbell had written. After working with Lanegan Campbell stated: "It is his classic, effortless American voice that I love". Campbell also stated that "I think I was playing about with that a lot so there’s a few of what Mark would call raunchy songs and a few ballads too".^[23] The album, Sunday at Devil Dirt, was released on May 5, 2008 with the track "Who Built the Road" being the only single released from it.

A third collaborative album with Campbell was released on August 16, 2010 entitled Hawk. The pair toured to promote the album, including a set at All Tomorrow's Parties, 10–12 December 2010 (Bowlie 2) curated by Belle & Sebastian and shows in Australia in 2011.^[24]

The Gutter Twins (2003–2009)[link]

The Gutter Twins at The Bowery Ballroom in 2008. From left: Greg Dulli, Mark Lanegan.

The Gutter Twins is the long awaited collaboration between Mark Lanegan and former Afghan Whigs/current Twilight Singers vocalist Greg Dulli. Working on a collaborative album since at least 2003, the pair first played as The Gutter Twins in Rome in September, 2005.^[25]

Saturnalia was released on March 4, 2008 on Sub Pop, a label both Dulli and Lanegan have worked with before. The duo's first tour commenced on February 14, 2008 in New York City and continued in March and April throughout Europe and the United States.^[26]

The album was a big hit and Blast Magazine's Liz Raftery ended up praising the album calling it "an audial descent into the dark emotions that often lurk beneath the surface."^[27] The album's highest position was at number 7 in Belgium. The album also peaked at number 117 on the Billboard 200. That means that Saturnalia is the first album since Screaming Trees' Dust that has charted at the Billboard 200 with Mark as a permanent band member.^[6][28] On September 2, 2008, The Gutter Twins released an EP called "Adorata" exclusively on iTunes. Adorata contains 8 tracks, most of them are covers, but also two Gutter Twins-songs that never made it to the album.

Lanegan along with Soulsavers.

Collaborations (2006–present)[link]

Lanegan has appeared on three releases with The Twilight Singers (Blackberry Belle, She Loves You and A Stitch in Time). In 2006, Lanegan toured with the band in Europe and Israel, which later expanded to include the United States.^[29] In 2008, Lanegan collaborated with Tim Simenon on a track entitled "Black River" which appeared on Simenon's fourth album under his Bomb the Bass moniker, Future Chaos.^[30]

In 2007, English electronica duo Soulsavers' album It's Not How Far You Fall, It's the Way You Land featured Lanegan on 8 out of 10 album tracks.^[31] As well as appearing as vocalist, the tracks "Revival", "Ghosts of You and Me", "Paper Money" and "Jesus of Nothing" are credited as written by Mark Lanegan and Soulsavers.^[31] The album also features a re-working of "Kingdoms of Rain", which was initially released on Lanegan's second solo album, Whiskey for the Holy Ghost. "Revival" and "Kingdoms of Rain" were released as singles from the album.^[31] Soulsavers recorded the tracks in England in 2005 and 2006, with Lanegan recording the vocal parts at Conway Studios in Los Angeles.^[31]

In 2009, Soulsavers again enlisted Lanegan with him contributing vocals for several tracks on their third studio album Broken.^[32] This led to a significant run of touring in support of the album, beginning on September 6, in Portland, Oregon.^[33] Following the tour of the United States, Lanegan continued to perform with them throughout their extensive run of European shows. These varied between headline gigs and slots in support of Depeche Mode.^[34] Having completed touring duties for Soulsavers, Lanegan announced a solo European tour. Shows focused specifically on his solo back catalogue, having not done so since touring finished in support of Bubblegum.^[35]

Also in 2009, Lanegan followed in Josh Homme's footsteps in collaborating with UNKLE, the British electronic act masterminded by James Lavelle. He contributed his vocals to "Another Night Out", the final track of the album Where Did the Night Fall (released in May 2010). The album was UNKLE's fifth regular studio album.

On August 12, 2010, Mark Lanegan re-joined Queens of The Stone Age on stage at the Nokia Club in Los Angeles, where he sang four encore songs with the band. The concert was put together to raise funds for Eagles of Death Metal bassist Brian O'Connor, who was diagnosed with cancer a few months prior to the event.

In 2011, Lanegan's music was featured in a trailer and end credits for the video game Rage^[36] and the soundtrack for the film The Hangover Part II. Lanegan's most recent solo album, Blues Funeral, was released in February 2012.^[37] Josh Homme, Alain Johannes, and Martyn LeNoble contributed to the creation of the album.^[38][39]

Discography[link]

• The Winding Sheet (1990)
• Whiskey for the Holy Ghost (1994)
• Scraps at Midnight (1998)
• I'll Take Care of You (1999)
• Field Songs (2001)
• Bubblegum (2004)
• Blues Funeral (2012)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Mark Lanegan: allmusic

Twin Shadow
Twin Shadow at Paradise, Boston, October 6 2011
Background information
Birth name	George Lewis Jr.
Origin	New York City, USA
Genres	New Wave[1]
Labels	Terrible Records / 4AD
Website	twinshadow.net

Twin Shadow is the stage name of American musician George Lewis Jr.

History[link]

Lewis was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in Florida. Around 2000, he moved to Boston and started the band Mad Man Films alongside Joseph Ciampini (drums) (of Hooray For Earth), and Zak Longo (bass) of Before Lazers. Mad Man Films released two records independently. Around 2006, Lewis relocated to Brooklyn, NY and adopted the Twin Shadow moniker.^[2] In 2010 he released his debut album Forget, produced by Chris Taylor of Grizzly Bear. The album has been described as "steeped in 1980s new wave",^[1] "building from streaks of haunting synth textures",^[3] having "sophisticated melodies", "R&B intimacy", and "poetic lyrics",^[4] and "hazily new wave-tinged pop".^[5] Twin Shadow was the Rolling Stone 'Band of the Week' on October 7, 2010.

Twin Shadow played Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in April 2011, Sasquatch Music Festival in May 2011, San Miguel Primavera Sound in May 2011 and both Pitchfork Music Festival and Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in June 2011. He supported Florence and the Machine at certain performances during their 2011 U.S. Tour.

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

• Forget (2010)
• Confess (July 2012)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Twin Shadow on Myspace
• Twin Shadow on Twitter
• Twin Shadow at 4AD Records

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Iron & Wine
Beam at a 2006 concert at Brooklyn's McCarren Park Pool
Background information
Birth name	Samuel Beam
Born	(1974-07-26) July 26, 1974 (age 37) Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, U.S.
Genres	Folk Folk rock
Instruments	Vocals, Guitar, Banjo
Labels	Sub Pop Warner Bros./4AD
Associated acts	Calexico, Rosie Thomas
Website	www.ironandwine.com

Iron & Wine's performance at the Swedish American Hall in San Francisco

Samuel Beam (born July 26, 1974), better known by his stage and recording name Iron & Wine, is an American singer-songwriter. He has released four studio albums, several EPs and singles, as well as a few download-only releases, which include a live album (a recording of his 2005 Bonnaroo performance). He occasionally tours with a full band.^[1]

Beam was raised in South Carolina before moving to Virginia and then Florida to attend school. He now resides in Dripping Springs, near Austin, Texas.^[2] The name Iron & Wine is taken from a dietary supplement named "Beef Iron & Wine" that he found in a general store while shooting a film.^[3][4]

Early life[link]

Beam was raised in Chapin, South Carolina, where his father worked in land management and his mother was a schoolteacher. When he was a child, his family took regular trips to the country, where his grandfather ran a farm. He attended Seven Oaks Elementary School, Irmo Middle School, and Chapin High School. While home from college, he was a waiter at California Dreaming restaurant in Columbia. Beam earned a bachelor's degree in art from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.^[5] He specialized in painting. He graduated from the Florida State University Film School with an MFA degree. Before the release of the first Iron & Wine album, Beam's main source of income was as a professor of film and cinematography at the University of Miami and Miami International University of Art & Design.^[6] He had been writing songs for over seven years before a friend lent him a four-track recorder. He began making demos and gave one to his friend Michael Bridwell, brother of Band of Horses lead singer, Ben Bridwell. Michael handed it to Mike McGonigal, editor of Yeti magazine, who chose "Dead Man's Will", later released on In the Reins, for inclusion on one of his magazine's compilation CDs. Beam later came to the attention of Sub Pop Records co-owner, Jonathan Poneman, who contacted Beam to propose a deal.^{[7][8][9][10]}

Musical career[link]

Beam released his first Iron & Wine album, The Creek Drank the Cradle, on the Sub Pop label in 2002. Beam wrote, performed, recorded and produced the album in his home studio. Featuring acoustic guitars, banjo, and slide guitar, the album's music has been compared to that of Nick Drake,^[11] Simon and Garfunkel,^[12] Elliott Smith, Neil Young and John Fahey.

Also in 2002, Beam recorded a cover of The Postal Service's then-unreleased song "Such Great Heights". Rather than being included on an Iron & Wine release, the track was initially included as a b-side of the original version by The Postal Service. It was later included on the B-sides and rarities album, Around the Well. He then followed up on his debut album in 2003 with The Sea & The Rhythm, an EP containing other home-recorded tracks with a similar style to the songs on the debut.

Beam's second full-length album, Our Endless Numbered Days (2004), was recorded in a professional studio with a significant increase in fidelity. Produced in Chicago by Brian Deck, the focus was still on acoustic material, but the inclusion of other band members gave rise to a slightly different sound. That same year, he recorded the song "The Trapeze Swinger" for the film In Good Company, and had his version of "Such Great Heights" featured in an advertisement for M&M's and in the film and soundtrack for Garden State. This version was later used in a 2006 Ask.com advertisement, and eventually released as a single in 2006 backed with recordings of "The Trapeze Swinger" and "Naked as We Came" made for Radio Vienna.

In February 2005, he released an EP entitled Woman King, which expanded on the sounds of his previous LP with the addition of electric guitars. Each track features a spiritual female figure, and had subtle Biblical undertones.

The EP In the Reins, a collaboration with the Arizona-based rock band Calexico, was released in September 2005. Beam wrote all of the EP's songs years earlier, but Calexico added their trademark fusion of southwestern rock, traditional Mexican music and jazz to the songs' arrangements. Several tracks, most notably, "Burn That Broken Bed", feature brass instruments, a first for Beam's music.^[13]

The third full-length Iron & Wine album, entitled The Shepherd's Dog, was released September 25, 2007.^[14] This album was voted one of the ten best of 2007 by Paste magazine.^[15] Contributors included Joey Burns and Paul Niehaus of Calexico, as well as jazz musicians Matt Lux and Rob Burger.^[16] When asked to describe the album to The Independent, Beam remarked that "it's not a political propaganda record, but it's definitely inspired by political confusion, because I was really taken aback when Bush got reelected."^[17]

Beam has released most of his music on iTunes, including several exclusive EPs. The Iron & Wine iTunes Exclusive EP features unreleased studio recordings, including a Stereolab cover and two tracks which had previously only appeared on vinyl. The Live Session (iTunes Exclusive) features Beam and his sister, Sarah Beam, performing a number of tracks from his albums, as well as a cover of New Order's "Love Vigilantes". Sarah Beam has contributed backing vocals on many of Beam's studio recordings.

Beam's music has appeared in television series such as Grey's Anatomy, The L Word and House M.D. "Flightless Bird, American Mouth" was used in the film Twilight. The song was specifically chosen for the film's prom scene by Kristen Stewart, the female lead, and appears on the film's soundtrack.

The B-sides and rarities album Around the Well was released in 2009. Iron & Wine also contributed the song "Stolen Houses (Die)" to the AIDS benefit album Dark Was the Night produced by the Red Hot Organization.

On November 26, 2010 Iron & Wine released a special edition Record Store Day Black Friday 12" vinyl and CD single called, Walking Far From Home for independent record stores.

Kiss Each Other Clean, Iron & Wine's fourth full-length album, was released on January 25, 2011 on Warner Bros. Records in North America and 4AD for the rest of the world.^[18] With this album, Beam blends his earlier styles with a stronger pop influence.^[19]

Personal life[link]

Beam, his wife Kim and their five daughters live in Dripping Springs near Austin, Texas.^[5][8][20]

Discography[link]