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Biography
About|the band|the town in Montana|Tarkio, MontanaInfobox musical artist | name = Tarkio| image =| caption =| background = group_or_band| alias =| origin = Missoula, Montana , United States| genre = Alternative country | years_active = 1996–1999| label = Kill Rock Stars | website =| current_members =| past_members = Colin Meloy Gibson Hartwell Louis Stein Brian Collins Tarkio was an alternative country band from Missoula, Montana which included Colin Meloy prior to his forming The Decemberists . Tarkio broke up in 1999, but found new popularity in a retrospective released by Kill Rock Stars in 2006.Emery, Matt (2006) " http://www.michigandaily.com/content/omnibus-has-left-station The 'Omnibus' has left the station", The Michigan Daily , 8 February 2006
History
Tarkio formed in Missoula, Montana in 1996. Meloy, from Helena, Montana|Helena , had studied English at University of Oregon at Eugene, Oregon|Eugene for two years, then returned and enrolled in the creative writing program at the University of Montana in Missoula.Schweber, Nate, http://www.umt.edu/montanan/w09/making.asp "The Making of Meloy", The Montanan , Winter, 2009. Retrieved 2011-04-08. He recruited banjo player Gibson Hartwell, bassist Louis Stein, and drummer Brian Collins following a meeting at an open mic night at a local coffeehouse.Deusner, Stephen M. (2006) " http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/8312-omnibus/ Tarkio Omnibus", Pitchfork Media , 26 January 2006 The band took its name from Tarkio, Montana , a small town in the western part of the state, based on a Confabulation|false memory from Meloy's childhood Citation needed|reason=article doesn't seem to mention any false memories.|date=March 2011. Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament helped out with some rehearsal space and the band built a following at bar-clubs in Missoula, Great Falls, Montana|Great Falls , Butte, Montana|Butte , and Whitefish, Montana .
In 1997, the band self-released a number of demos. Limited to 500 copies, this self-titled Extended play|EP was followed by an album, I Guess I Was Hoping For Something More , released on Barcelona Records . This album included musician Kevin Suggs on pedal steel .
In 1999, the band self-released Sea Songs for Landlocked Sailors . Limited to 200 copies, the EP included a song that would later be re-recorded by the Decemberists, "My Mother Was a Chinese Trapeze Artist."
Meloy finished school in 1998. The band broke up shortly after this, when Meloy moved to Portland, Oregon .
A number of live recordings of the band's songs were released on a radio compilation in 2002.
As the Decemberists began to achieve more fame, fan demand for the hard-to-find Tarkio material grew, paving the way for Kill Rock Stars to release Omnibus . The two-disc compilation featured detailed liner notes and stories from members of the band, including Meloy, as well as all of the available recorded material by the band, including a live radio performance from 1998.Kelly, Jennifer (2006) " http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/tarkio_omnibus Tarkio Omnibus", PopMatters , 15 February 2006
The band's sound has been variously compared to The Waterboys , Uncle Tupelo , and Wilco .Monger, James Christopher "Allmusic|class=album|id=r815745/review|pure_url=yesOmnibus Review", Allmusic , Macrovision CorporationShapiro, Shain (2006) " http://www.jambase.com/Articles/7888/TARKIO--OMNIBUS(-i)-(%2706-KILL-ROCK-STARS)(-b) TARKIO: OMNIBUS ", Jambase , 22 January 2006Sisario, Ben (2006) " http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html? res=9501EEDF103FF936A15752C0A9609C8B63 Chimney Sweep's World, With No Mary Poppins", New York Times , 25 January 2006
Meloy said of the early days:
“We Tarkio had aspirations of being able to base ourselves as a band out of Missoula, Montana, like Low (band)|Low is from Duluth and Modest Mouse is from Issaquah Washington, but I think we pretty quickly discovered that the reason why those bands succeeded was that were within an hour’s drive from a major metropolitan area.”
Band members
Colin Meloy - vocals, guitar
Gibson Hartwell - guitar, banjo, vocals
Louis Stern - bass, vocals
Brian Collins - drums, percussion
Kevin Suggs (pedal steel) http://www.eachnotesecure.com/meloy-before-december/ "Meloy before December", Each Note Secure website, c. 2005. Retrieved 2011-04-08.
Discography
Albums
I Guess I Was Hoping For Something More (CD) - Barcelona Records - 1998
Omnibus (album)|Omnibus (CD) - Kill Rock Stars - 2006
EPs
Falleness (Cassette) - Self-released - 1997
Sea Songs For Landlocked Sailors (CD) - Self-released - 1999
References
Reflist DEFAULTSORT:Tarkio Category:American alternative country groups Category:Musical groups from Montana
Copyright Citations
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