Built to Spill

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Biography

Built to Spill is an United States|American indie rock rock band|band based in Boise, Idaho . The band has released seven full-length albums. Their most recent album, There Is No Enemy , was released on October 6, 2009.

History

Former Treepeople guitarist/vocalist Doug Martsch formed Built to Spill in 1992 with Brett Netson and Ralf Youtz as the band's original members. In an interview with Spin magazine , Martsch stated that he intended to change the band's lineup for every album, himself being the only permanent member. After the band's first album, Ultimate Alternative Wavers was released in 1993, Netson and Youtz were replaced by Brett Nelson (not Netson) and Andy Capps for 1994's '' There's Nothing Wrong with Love . A compilation album called The Normal Years followed, which included recordings by both line-ups. Built to Spill Caustic Resin , a split EP with Caustic Resin , was released in 1996. Between recording albums in 1995, the band gained exposure by playing on the Lollapalooza tour. Also in 1995, the band collaborated on the song "Still Flat" for the AIDS benefit album Red Hot + Bothered produced by the Red Hot Organization .

Martsch signed Built to Spill to Warner Bros. Records in 1995. Unlike many artists signed to major labels, the deal the band brokered with Warner Bros. allowed it to retain a large degree of creative control over future albums. Built to Spill produced its first major label release in 1997 with Perfect from Now On . By this time, the band consisted of Martsch, Nelson, Netson, and Scott Plouf. Perfect from Now On met with critical success and caused Built to Spill to become one of the United States' most recognizable indie rock bands. Before releasing another album, Martsch made Nelson and Plouf permanent members of the band. In 1999, the band released Keep It Like a Secret to continued critical success, and for the first time, significant commercial success. Built to Spill Live|Live was released in 2000, and the band's fifth studio album, Ancient Melodies of the Future , was released in 2001.

In 2002, Martsch released Now You Know (Doug Martsch album)|Now You Know , a solo album with both blues and folk music|folk elements. He performed numerous solo concerts in support of the album. Built to Spill was on hiatus for most of this period.
Warner Bros. Records optioned the band for another album. From 2003 to 2005, Built to Spill toured extensively, performing over 150 dates. The shows included new songs as early as 2004. Their sixth studio album, You in Reverse , was recorded in Portland, Oregon|Portland in 2004, but was not released until April 11, 2006. The band's official lineup for the album was Martsch, Nelson, Plouf, and Jim Roth (musician)|Jim Roth , who was formerly only a touring guitarist. Brett Netson provided guitar work on several songs and later rejoined the band as a full-time member.

After the release of You in Reverse , Built to Spill continued touring almost non-stop. In March 2006, Martsch suffered a detached retina which required surgery. This forced the band to miss an appearance at the South by Southwest music festival and postpone several dates of the tour. More bad news came when former drummer Andy Capps was found dead in his home on May 18, 2006. http://www.staticmultimedia.com/music/news/news_1148660126

The band resumed touring on June 3, 2006, a show that included four new songs. This show and many on the tour included the dedication of the song "Car" to Capps, who had played on the track when it was recorded.

Warner Bros. Records stated that Built to Spill had been recording for their follow-up to You in Reverse on and off during the 2006 tour, but nothing appeared until the July 10, 2007 release of a 12" single, "They Got Away"/"Re-Arrange." "They Got Away" was a heavily reggae -influenced original song, while "Re-Arrange" is a cover of a song by the reggae band The Gladiators (band)|The Gladiators .

The U.S. tour was scheduled through October 2007, after which the band toured Australia. Martsch stated in a September 2007 interview that he didn't want to tour in the United States again until the band records; however, the band then announced a one-month U.S. national tour for spring of 2008.

In a March 2008 interview with Playback:stl, Doug Martsch stated that a side project of his has been new Halo Benders material, but "we started that about a year ago, we have not even got anything off the ground." Later in the interview, Martsch gave his perspective on the future of Built to Spill past the current material; "I do think that Built to Spill could be something better than ever just because our lineup is better than ever ... I think there is potential for the five of us to collaborate on something that is just way better than anything that I have ever come up with by myself or that we have done in the past." Martsch also interjects that "This coming record we're not doing that--it's mostly going to be songs that I have been working on."

The band extended its 2008 tour in the United States and Europe, performing the album Perfect From Now On in its entirety.

The tracklist and album art for There Is No Enemy were revealed on August 17, 2009, and on September 8, the first single, "Hindsight," was released.

Built to Spill played the 2009 Pitchfork Music Festival in Chicago, along with Yo La Tengo , Tortoise (band)|Tortoise and The Jesus Lizard , as part of the "Write the Night" series, which allowed fans to choose which songs the bands play.

The band's website reported the start of an extensive United States tour with the Flaming Lips on August 20, 2009.. Builttospill.com , August 4, 2009. Press release. Retrieved 2010-09-20.

Built to Spill released its seventh LP, titled There Is No Enemy , on October 6, 2009., Pitchfork Media, June 9, 2009.

In January 2010 it was announced that British based label ATP Recordings have signed the band in Europe to release There Is No Enemy . It was also announced that the band was chosen by Matt Groening to perform at the edition of the All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)|All Tomorrow's Parties festival curated in May 2010 in Minehead, England.

In July 2010 Doug Martsch (vocals) and Brett Nelson (synths/drums) re-recorded seven songs as synth-pop tunes, one from each BTS record, using anagrams of their original titles. The songs were released on the E.P. The Electronic Anthology Project ; it received a moderately favorable review in Pitchfork, even though "it was obviously released as a goof," and the "good moments almost make you wish Martsch had taken this concept more seriously.". Pop Candy , USA Today. July 30, 2010.Greene, Jayson (August 25, 2010). (review). Pitchfork Media.

In August 2010, the band announced the start of a tour in support of There Is No Enemy , to start August 27.

Influences and comparisons

Martsch has cited Dinosaur Jr. 's J Mascis ' style of heavy, catchy guitar hooks as an influence on what has come to be Built to Spill's call sign. The band has also cited Neil Young , Pavement (band)|Pavement and Camper Van Beethoven as influences. Built to Spill has been cited as an important influence for fellow rockers Chat Logs , The Ataris , Modest Mouse , The Strokes , Brand New , and Death Cab for Cutie ; Isaac Brock (musician)|Isaac Brock and Ben Gibbard have both cited Built to Spill and Treepeople as major influences, and all three bands have had a lengthy association with the indie rock movement known as the Northwest sound (movement)|Northwest sound . Additionally, Built to Spill is connected with other Northwest bands including Brett Netson 's band Caustic Resin and The Halo Benders , a collaboration between Martsch, Calvin Johnson (musician)|Calvin Johnson , Steve Fisk , Wayne Flower , and one-time Built to Spill drummer Ralph Youtz . Across musical genres, rapper Cage (rapper)|Cage in his "Ballad of the Worms" directly sampled Built to Spill's "I Would Hurt a Fly."

Many of Built to Spill's influences can be found in their choice of cover songs. The band has performed live covers by Elliott Smith , David Bowie , Camper Van Beethoven , The Cure , Captain Beefheart , Caustic Resin , Cheap Trick , The Clash , Brian Eno , Vince Guaraldi , The Gladiators (band)|The Gladiators , M.I.A. (artist)|M.I.A. , Macy Gray , Elton John , George Harrison , Skip James , Daniel Johnston , John Lennon , Love as Laughter , Lynyrd Skynyrd , Heavenly , Steve Miller (musician)|Steve Miller , Grateful Dead , Cat Stevens , Modest Mouse , Ozzy Osbourne , The Smiths , The Strokes , Talking Heads , The Velvet Underground , and Neil Young . Martsch also played several other covers on his solo tour.

Discography

Studio albums

Ultimate Alternative Wavers (1993, C/Z Records )

'' There's Nothing Wrong with Love (1994, Up Records )

Perfect from Now On (1997, Warner Bros. Records )

Keep It Like a Secret (1999, Warner Bros. Records) #120 US

Ancient Melodies of the Future (2001, Warner Bros. Records) #94 US

You in Reverse (2006, Warner Bros. Records.) #63 US

There Is No Enemy (2009, Warner Bros. Records & ATP Recordings) #50 US

Compilations and live albums

The Normal Years ( K Records , 1996)

Built to Spill Live|Live (Warner Bros., 2000)

Time Trap: 1994-2006 (Warner Bros., 2006) - Promotional recording|promo only

EPs

Built to Spill Caustic Resin (Up Records, 1995)

Carry the Zero EP|Carry the Zero (Warner Bros., 1999)

Center of the Universe EP|Center of the Universe (City Slang Records, 1999)

Sabonis Tracks (Warner Bros., 2001) - promo only

The Electronic Anthology Project (self released,2010)

Singles

"Car" / "Girl" 7" (Atlas Records, 1994)

" Distopian Dream Girl " / "Scarin'" 7" (UP015, Up Records , 1994)

"Joyride" / "Sick and Wrong" 7" (K Records, 1994)

"So and So So and So from Wherever Wherever" / "Terrible/Perfect" 7" (Saturnine Records, 1995)

"Car" / "Scarin" (City Slang Records, 1995)

"By the Way" Split album|split 7" (K Records, 1999) - cover of a song by pre- Marine Research band, Heavenly (British band)|Heavenly . Marine Research covers Built to Spill's "Sick and Wrong" on the flip side

"Carry The Zero" radio promo (Warner Bros., 1999)

"Strange" / "Instrumental #2" (Warner Bros., 2001)

" Free Bird|Freebird " (Warner Bros., 2002) - one-track promo CD, recorded live at House of Blues, Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles on November 7, 2001

"Conventional Wisdom" 7" (Warner Bros., 2006) - Song split on two sides

" They Got Away/Re-Arrange|They Got Away " / " They Got Away/Re-Arrange|Re-Arrange " (Warner Bros., 2007)

"Don't Try (Live in Seattle)" / "The Source (Live in Seattle)" 7" (Warner Bros, 2008)

"Water Sleepers" / "Linus & Lucy (Live)" 7" (Warner Bros., 2010) - Record Store Day Release

"Ripple" 7" Grateful Dead Cover (Warner Bros., 2011) - Record Store Day Release

Appearances on other compilations

Rotating Tongues (Screemin' Fez Records, 1994) - Song: "Short Cut"

Northwest Post-Grunge (Elemental Records, 1994) - Song: "Terrible/Perfect"

Bite Back: Live at the Crocodile Cafe ( PopLlama Records , 1996) - Song: "Allen the Cowboy" (later retitled "Big Dipper")

Spunk Magazine Issue 6 - Song: "Just a Habit"

Yoyo a Go Go: Another Live Compilation (Yoyo Records, 1998) - Song: "Stop the Show"

Here: A Fort Hazel Magic Compilation (Fort Hazel, 1999) - Song: "The Last Long Song"

Keep Left, Vol. 1: A Benefit for David Barsamian and Alternative Radio (Ace Fu Records, 2000) - Song: "This Is What I Believe"

Idaho Greentracks: A Party Sampler (2004) - Song: "Mr. Crowley"

Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!|Awesome Record, Great Songs& #33; Volume One (Williams Street Music Label, LLC, 2008) - Song: "Come Over (feat. Built to Spill)"

Copyright Citations

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