More Info on KarateSimilar Undetermined MusicSearch Artistopia
Biography
Infobox musical artist | name = Karate| image =| caption =| image_size =| background = group_or_band| alias =| origin = Boston , Massachusetts , USA| instrument =| genre = Indie rock Post-rock Jazz fusion Blues | occupation =| years_active = 1993& ndash;2005| label = Southern Records|Southern | associated_acts =| website = http://www.southern.com/southern/band/KARAT www.southern.com| current_members =| past_members = Geoff Farina Eamonn Vitt Gavin McCarthy Jeff Goddard | notable_instruments = Karate was an American band, formed in Boston, Massachusetts|Boston , Massachusetts in 1993 by Geoff Farina , Eamonn Vitt and Gavin McCarthy . In 1995, Jeff Goddard joined the band as bass player, and Vitt moved to second guitar. Vitt departed Karate to pursue a medical career in 1997.cite web|last=Fiander |first=Matthew |url= http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/karate-five-ninety-five |title=Karate: Five-Ninety-Five < PopMatters |publisher=Popmatters.com |date= |accessdate=2010-06-23
The band was characterised by their love for improvised music and classic rock and their adherence to the DIY punk ethos of their youth, which made them difficult to classify, being a strange fusion of indie rock , Punk rock|punk , blues , jazz and post-rock .
Farina developed hearing problems due to twelve years of performance with Karate and was forced to disband the group in July 2005, quietly closing the door on a 12-year run that included 6 studio albums and almost 700 performances in 20 countries.cite web|author=mark powell | plumasbouncer.com |url= http://www.southern.net/southern/band/KARAT/biog.php |title=karate > biography |publisher=Southern |date= |accessdate=2010-06-23 Their final show was played in Rome , Italy , on July 10, 2005. Their music was primarily released on Southern Records .
Karate’s perfectionism and attention to detail is well known among the music scene. Their compulsive behaviour manifested also in naming their last recording, which was originally called “594” since it was believed to be a recording of their 594th show. When Gavin discovered a flyer for a forgotten early show that had somehow evaded Jeff’s memory, the band quickly changed the title to ‘595’. Finally, In 2007, the former band members decided to release the live album 595 (album)|595 . Often, Karate was sent live material from their own performances (often from sound technicians). This happened also after their performance on May 5 at Stuk, Leuven, Belgium. Karate was so astonished by the quality of the recording they decided to release this "posthumous" live album of their 595th live performance.cite web|url= http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/10972-595/ |title=Album Reviews: Karate: 595 |publisher=Pitchfork |date=2008-01-09 |accessdate=2010-06-23
On his own, Geoff Farina has also developed a solo career with three albums and a handful of EPs over the years, some released while the band was still around, and thus far one since Karate disbanded.
Discography
Karate (album)|Karate LP album|LP / Compact disc|CD ( 1996 in music|1996 , Southern Records 18534)
In Place of Real Insight LP/CD ( 1997 in music|1997 , Southern Records 18543)
The Bed is in the Ocean LP/CD ( 1998 in music|1998 , Southern Records 18554)
Unsolved (album)|Unsolved CD/ double album|2xLP (October 2000 in music|2000 /March 2001 in music|2001 , Southern Records 18584)
Some Boots LP/CD (October 2002 in music|2002 , Southern Records 18599)
Pockets (album)|Pockets CD/LP (August 2004 in music|2004 , Southern Records 28114)
Death Kit/Nerve 7" single ( 1994 in music|1994 , The Self Starter Foundation PSP1)
Karate/The Lune split album|split 7" with The Lune ( 1995 in music|1995 , Lonesone Pine Records LPR1)
*song - "The Schwinn"
The Crownhate Ruin/Karate split 7" with The Crownhate Ruin ( 1995 in music|1995 , Art Monk Construction ART11)
*song - "Cherry Coke"
Operation: Sand/Empty There ( 1998 in music|1998 , Southern Records 18553)
Cancel/Sing EP CD ( 2002 in music|2002 , Southern Records 18594)
Concerto al Barchessone Vecchio EP ( 2003 Fooltribe|2003 , Fooltribe http://www.fooltribe.com FT02)
In the Fishtank 12 EP (February 2005 in music|2005 , Konkurrent Records - Netherlands )
Related bands
Apology (band)|Apology - Jeff Goddard
Jones Very (band)|Jones Very - Jeff Goddard
The Lune - Jeff Goddard
The Secret Stars - Geoff Farina
Ardecore - Geoff Farina
Glorytellers - Geoff Farina
Geoff Farina & Chris Brokaw
References
Reflist
External links
http://www.southern.com/southern/band/KARAT Karate at the Southern Records website
myspace|karateband|Karate
http://www.geofffarina.com/ Geoff Farina's official website
http://www.gavinmccarthy.com/ Gavin McCarthy's official website
http://www.timmcmahan.com/karate.htm Lazy-i Karate interview from October 2002
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php? storyId=4138925 Interview with Geoff Farina at Talk of the Nation from November 2, 2004.
Karate (band) DEFAULTSORT:Karate Category:American indie rock groups Category:Musical groups from Boston, Massachusetts Category:Musical groups established in 1993 Category:American post-rock groups
