Archers of Loaf
Encyclopedia
Archers of Loaf is an American indie-rock band originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina
, formed in 1990. The group toured extensively and released a total of four studio albums, a collection album, numerous singles and EPs, and a live album which was released after the band broke up in 1998.
, guitarist Eric Johnson, bassist Matt Gentling, and drummer Mark Price, all originally from Asheville, NC, formed Archers of Loaf in the early 1990s. Eric Bachmann was a saxophone major at Appalachian State before dropping out because he "didn't want to be a high school band director."
Their initial release in 1992 was a 45 single, with the A-Side "Wrong" (B-Side "South Carolina") given away free with issue 1 of Stay Free!
magazine. Following the success of their independently released single "Wrong," the band signed with Alias records and released their second single "Web in Front," which garnered moderate college radio airplay. For a number of months in 1994, the video for "Web In Front" was the lone video played in between movies on the network USA's "Up All Night" feature on weekends. It also featured in a season five episode of Beavis and Butt-head
, where its quality was roundly mocked. They released their debut full-length album, Icky Mettle
, in 1994. It was critically well received, and is considered one of the landmark albums of 1990s alternative rock. In the 2008 book The Pitchfork 500, the prominent music website Pitchfork Media
named "Web in Front" one of the top 500 songs of recent decades.
In 1994, the Archers released the EP Vs the Greatest of All Time
. However, the song "The Greatest of All Time" does not appear on this release but rather the second full-length, Vee Vee
. They released their second full-length album Vee Vee
in 1995. Vee Vee followed a similar template as their previous recordings and featured the track "Harnessed in Slums," which became popular on college radio. The album also garnered significant attention outside the independent music scene, culminating in the band being courted by Maverick Records
, a division of Warner Music Group
, which the band rejected. Bachmann later stated that he and the band did not really consider the offer. The band was still under contract with Alias, and changing labels would put them into considerable debt to Maverick. According to Bachmann, "We already signed a deal [with Alias] and it costs lots of money to get out of these things. If we would have had Maverick buy out our contract, we'd be however many thousands of dollars in debt to them. It's really complex that way and it really didn't make sense to do that." The band had another reason for rejecting the Maverick offer: They did not want to be associated with the other high-profile bands on Maverick. "The other bands [on Maverick] were that bad," said Price at the time. "There are other bands on major labels that are associated with a lot of shit but it's big enough that there are a least a few bands that you like. For us on Maverick, it'd be us and Candlebox
and Alanis Morissette
...."
In 1995 the band had its highest-profile tour opening for Weezer
. The band's sometimes brash sound did not go over all that well with the Weezer crowd, and Gentling later said of the tour, "It wasn't as much that we didn't like the Weezer guys, but the opening bands get treated like crap by the people who work (at the venues). And as far as our music is concerned, I don't really know if we're all that compatible, at least live." In 1996 the band released The Speed of Cattle
, a collection of B-sides
, singles, and John Peel
session tracks.
, was considered far more accessible than their previous releases, and was the first to be distributed by a major label, Elektra Records
(the band was still signed to Alias Records, though). The album was recorded in Seattle and took three weeks to complete, which was the most time the band had been in the studio to complete an album up to that point.
Gentling said of the experience, "We knew we wanted to take a long time on this album. We specifically wanted not to do tracks over and over and over again, but more to work on tone and get all of our instruments down right. We took over a day (just) to get the drums sounding right."
The band toured extensively in support of the record, to limited mass commercial success. Of the tour, Bachmann said, "We got back and we were not real happy with the way that [the tour] went. Usually when you finish a tour you have a general idea of a song or two you can start working on, but we got back and were like 'geez, what are we going to do?'" The band almost broke up at this point, due to a general lack of enthusiasm for the continuation of the project. However, after some soul searching, they decided to continue on for the time being. "We thought we'd had too good a time with it, so let's make another record, do another tour, and if there's not another spark, we'll split up after that," said Bachmann of the episode.
Their final LP, White Trash Heroes
, was released in 1998. The album's style deviated drastically from their first three albums, and received mixed reviews from critics. The album's creative break from the band's previous work may have stemmed from the different writing process used for White Trash Heroes. According to Bachmann, "Things were laid down one at a time, though we did play a lot of it live, too, but pieced together more perfectly so we could hear when one sound was beginning to get in the way of something else." The band went to great lengths in the studio in an attempt to keep the writing from turning stale. For example, on the song "Banging on a Dead Drum," the band members all switched instruments to try to liven up the feel of the song. Johnson plays drums, Gentling plays slide guitar, Price plays bass, and Bachmann still plays guitar, as he was the one who knew the song.
This approach made playing songs from the album on the last tour more difficult. "Certain songs we don't even play yet," Bachmann stated in an interview during the White Trash Heroes tour. "We haven't even learned them that well due to the way the record was pieced together. They're not impossible to play, we just haven't pulled them out yet...as time goes on we learn more of the new ones, and they've been coming across fine." During the tour supporting the album, Eric Johnson missed several dates due to his day job's work schedule. Brian Causey, guitarist for Man or Astro-man?
and friend of the band, filled in for the missing Johnson. In late 1998, after Price was diagnosed with, and subsequently had surgery for, carpal tunnel syndrome, the band decided to call it quits for good.
. Gentling went on to provide extra instrumentation on tour with another North Carolina-bred band, Superchunk
as well as a brief stint as live bassist for Band of Horses
. He has also continued to work with Bachmann as a contributor in Crooked Fingers
. Johnson self-released one EP and one full-length under the moniker "Spookie" (originally Spookie J) and attended law school in North Carolina. He continues to play and record (see myspace.com/spookie). In 2000, Alias released Seconds Before the Accident
. This project was the band's first official live album and was recorded during their final show at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro. It was the last album released by the band.
outside of Seattle, Washington which was recorded for broadcast and archive by NPR Music
and KEXP-FM. They have a number of tour dates scheduled for the summer of 2011. The band have been chosen by Les Savy Fav
to perform at the ATP Nightmare Before Christmas
festival that they co-curate in December 2011 in Minehead, England. On June 25, 2011 the band performed their song "Wrong" on NBC
's Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
.
Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Chapel Hill is a town in Orange County, North Carolina, United States and the home of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and UNC Health Care...
, formed in 1990. The group toured extensively and released a total of four studio albums, a collection album, numerous singles and EPs, and a live album which was released after the band broke up in 1998.
Early history
Singer/guitarist Eric BachmannEric Bachmann
Eric Bachmann is an American musician/producer who is currently the lead singer of Crooked Fingers and the Archers of Loaf. He hails from North Carolina and Florida, but currently lives in Athens, Georgia. His first solo effort, Short Careers was recorded as a score to the film "Ball of Wax."Saddle...
, guitarist Eric Johnson, bassist Matt Gentling, and drummer Mark Price, all originally from Asheville, NC, formed Archers of Loaf in the early 1990s. Eric Bachmann was a saxophone major at Appalachian State before dropping out because he "didn't want to be a high school band director."
Their initial release in 1992 was a 45 single, with the A-Side "Wrong" (B-Side "South Carolina") given away free with issue 1 of Stay Free!
Stay Free!
Stay Free! is a non-profit magazine about the politics of culture based in Brooklyn, New York. Founded by Carrie McLaren in 1992 while working at Matador Records, it tends to focus on "the perversions of media and consumer culture." Each issue has a theme, such as pranks, copyright, or marketing...
magazine. Following the success of their independently released single "Wrong," the band signed with Alias records and released their second single "Web in Front," which garnered moderate college radio airplay. For a number of months in 1994, the video for "Web In Front" was the lone video played in between movies on the network USA's "Up All Night" feature on weekends. It also featured in a season five episode of Beavis and Butt-head
Beavis and Butt-Head
Beavis and Butt-head is an American animated television series created by Mike Judge. The series originated from Frog Baseball, a 1992 short film by Judge. After seeing the short, MTV signed Judge to develop the concept. Beavis and Butt-head originally aired from March 8, 1993 to November 28, 1997...
, where its quality was roundly mocked. They released their debut full-length album, Icky Mettle
Icky Mettle
Icky Mettle is the first studio album recorded by the indie rock band Archers of Loaf. It was produced and engineered by Caleb Southern at Kraptone Studios in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and released by Alias Records on November 23, 1993....
, in 1994. It was critically well received, and is considered one of the landmark albums of 1990s alternative rock. In the 2008 book The Pitchfork 500, the prominent music website Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
named "Web in Front" one of the top 500 songs of recent decades.
In 1994, the Archers released the EP Vs the Greatest of All Time
Vs the Greatest of All Time
Archers of Loaf vs. The Greatest of All Time is the first EP by North Carolina indie rock band, Archers of Loaf...
. However, the song "The Greatest of All Time" does not appear on this release but rather the second full-length, Vee Vee
Vee Vee
Vee Vee is the second studio album recorded by the indie rock band Archers of Loaf. It was released by Alias Records in 1995.-Track listing:All songs written by Archers of Loaf, except where noted.# "Step into the Light" – 4:22...
. They released their second full-length album Vee Vee
Vee Vee
Vee Vee is the second studio album recorded by the indie rock band Archers of Loaf. It was released by Alias Records in 1995.-Track listing:All songs written by Archers of Loaf, except where noted.# "Step into the Light" – 4:22...
in 1995. Vee Vee followed a similar template as their previous recordings and featured the track "Harnessed in Slums," which became popular on college radio. The album also garnered significant attention outside the independent music scene, culminating in the band being courted by Maverick Records
Maverick Records
Maverick Recording Company is an American record label owned and operated by Warner Music Group, and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Company history:...
, a division of Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group
Warner Music Group is the third largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry, making it one of the big four record companies...
, which the band rejected. Bachmann later stated that he and the band did not really consider the offer. The band was still under contract with Alias, and changing labels would put them into considerable debt to Maverick. According to Bachmann, "We already signed a deal [with Alias] and it costs lots of money to get out of these things. If we would have had Maverick buy out our contract, we'd be however many thousands of dollars in debt to them. It's really complex that way and it really didn't make sense to do that." The band had another reason for rejecting the Maverick offer: They did not want to be associated with the other high-profile bands on Maverick. "The other bands [on Maverick] were that bad," said Price at the time. "There are other bands on major labels that are associated with a lot of shit but it's big enough that there are a least a few bands that you like. For us on Maverick, it'd be us and Candlebox
Candlebox
Candlebox is an American alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington. Since their debut, the group has released four studio albums, which have achieved multi-platinum and gold certification, as well as numerous charting singles, a compilation, and a CD+DVD....
and Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette
Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian-American singer-songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actress. She has won 16 Juno Awards and seven Grammy Awards, was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards and also shortlisted for an Academy Award nomination...
...."
In 1995 the band had its highest-profile tour opening for Weezer
Weezer
Weezer is an American alternative rock band. The band currently consists of Rivers Cuomo , Patrick Wilson , Brian Bell , and Scott Shriner . The band has changed lineups three times since its formation in 1992...
. The band's sometimes brash sound did not go over all that well with the Weezer crowd, and Gentling later said of the tour, "It wasn't as much that we didn't like the Weezer guys, but the opening bands get treated like crap by the people who work (at the venues). And as far as our music is concerned, I don't really know if we're all that compatible, at least live." In 1996 the band released The Speed of Cattle
The Speed of Cattle
The Speed of Cattle is a compilation album recorded by the indie rock band Archers of Loaf.-Track listing:# "Wrong" - 3:50# "South Carolina" - 3:33# "Web In Front" 2:08# "Bathroom" - 1:45# "Tatyana" - 4:43# "What Did You Expect?" - 3:12...
, a collection of B-sides
B-Sides
B-Sides is an iTunes-exclusive album from the Coventry Trio The Enemy, consisting of ten songs that were B-sides to the single releases from their debut album We'll Live and Die in These Towns.-Track list:#Fear Killed the Youth of Our Nation...
, singles, and John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
session tracks.
Later years and breakup
Their third studio album, 1996's All the Nation's AirportsAll the Nations Airports
All the Nations Airports is the third studio album recorded by the indie rock band Archers of Loaf. Although the band was still signed to Alias Records the album was released by Elektra Records in 1996, making it the first to be distributed by a major label.-Track listing:#"Strangled by the Stereo...
, was considered far more accessible than their previous releases, and was the first to be distributed by a major label, Elektra Records
Elektra Records
Elektra Records is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group. In 2004, it was consolidated into WMG's Atlantic Records Group. After five years of dormancy, the label was revived by Atlantic in 2009....
(the band was still signed to Alias Records, though). The album was recorded in Seattle and took three weeks to complete, which was the most time the band had been in the studio to complete an album up to that point.
Gentling said of the experience, "We knew we wanted to take a long time on this album. We specifically wanted not to do tracks over and over and over again, but more to work on tone and get all of our instruments down right. We took over a day (just) to get the drums sounding right."
The band toured extensively in support of the record, to limited mass commercial success. Of the tour, Bachmann said, "We got back and we were not real happy with the way that [the tour] went. Usually when you finish a tour you have a general idea of a song or two you can start working on, but we got back and were like 'geez, what are we going to do?'" The band almost broke up at this point, due to a general lack of enthusiasm for the continuation of the project. However, after some soul searching, they decided to continue on for the time being. "We thought we'd had too good a time with it, so let's make another record, do another tour, and if there's not another spark, we'll split up after that," said Bachmann of the episode.
Their final LP, White Trash Heroes
White Trash Heroes
White Trash Heroes is the final studio album from the indie rock band Archers of Loaf, released in 1998 by Alias Records.-Track listing:# "Fashion Bleeds" – 3:59# "Dead Red Eyes" – 4:03# "I.N.S." – 2:56# "Perfect Time" – 4:35...
, was released in 1998. The album's style deviated drastically from their first three albums, and received mixed reviews from critics. The album's creative break from the band's previous work may have stemmed from the different writing process used for White Trash Heroes. According to Bachmann, "Things were laid down one at a time, though we did play a lot of it live, too, but pieced together more perfectly so we could hear when one sound was beginning to get in the way of something else." The band went to great lengths in the studio in an attempt to keep the writing from turning stale. For example, on the song "Banging on a Dead Drum," the band members all switched instruments to try to liven up the feel of the song. Johnson plays drums, Gentling plays slide guitar, Price plays bass, and Bachmann still plays guitar, as he was the one who knew the song.
This approach made playing songs from the album on the last tour more difficult. "Certain songs we don't even play yet," Bachmann stated in an interview during the White Trash Heroes tour. "We haven't even learned them that well due to the way the record was pieced together. They're not impossible to play, we just haven't pulled them out yet...as time goes on we learn more of the new ones, and they've been coming across fine." During the tour supporting the album, Eric Johnson missed several dates due to his day job's work schedule. Brian Causey, guitarist for Man or Astro-man?
Man or Astro-man?
Man or Astro-man? is a surf rock group that formed in Auburn, Alabama, in the early 1990s and came to prominence over the following decade.Primarily instrumental, Man or Astro-man? blended the surf rock style of the early 1960s like that of The Spotnicks with the new wave and punk rock sounds of...
and friend of the band, filled in for the missing Johnson. In late 1998, after Price was diagnosed with, and subsequently had surgery for, carpal tunnel syndrome, the band decided to call it quits for good.
Post-breakup projects
Bachmann moved on to multiple solo projects and the band Crooked FingersCrooked Fingers
Crooked Fingers is a North Carolina band led by former Archers of Loaf lead singer Eric Bachmann. The band was previously based in Seattle, Washington and Atlanta, Georgia before moving to Denver. The band released albums on WARM Records and Merge Records before going completely independent in 2008...
. Gentling went on to provide extra instrumentation on tour with another North Carolina-bred band, Superchunk
Superchunk
Superchunk is an American indie rock band from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, consisting of singer/guitarist Mac McCaughan, guitarist Jim Wilbur, bassist Laura Ballance, and drummer Jon Wurster. Formed in 1989, they were one of the bands that helped define the Chapel Hill music scene of the 1990s...
as well as a brief stint as live bassist for Band of Horses
Band of Horses
Band of Horses, originally briefly known as Horses, are an American rock band formed in 2004 in Seattle by Ben Bridwell. They have released three studio albums, the most recent and most successful of which is 2010's Grammy nominated Infinite Arms...
. He has also continued to work with Bachmann as a contributor in Crooked Fingers
Crooked Fingers
Crooked Fingers is a North Carolina band led by former Archers of Loaf lead singer Eric Bachmann. The band was previously based in Seattle, Washington and Atlanta, Georgia before moving to Denver. The band released albums on WARM Records and Merge Records before going completely independent in 2008...
. Johnson self-released one EP and one full-length under the moniker "Spookie" (originally Spookie J) and attended law school in North Carolina. He continues to play and record (see myspace.com/spookie). In 2000, Alias released Seconds Before the Accident
Seconds Before the Accident
Seconds Before The Accident was a live album by noise-pop band Archers of Loaf released in 2000. It was the band's last release.-Album History:Seconds Before The Accident was recorded in November, 1998 at the Cat's Cradle in Chapel Hill, North Carolina...
. This project was the band's first official live album and was recorded during their final show at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro. It was the last album released by the band.
Reunion
On January 15, 2011, Archers of Loaf reunited to play an unannounced set at The Cat's Cradle in Carrboro, North Carolina. They opened for local act The Love Language. On May 29, 2011 they performed at the Sasquatch! Music FestivalSasquatch! Music Festival
Sasquatch! Music Festival is a music festival held annually at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington. It is presented by the House of Blues. There is an emphasis on indie rock bands and singer-songwriters, although there are also alternative rock, hip hop and comedy acts...
outside of Seattle, Washington which was recorded for broadcast and archive by NPR Music
NPR Music
NPR Music launched in November 2007 to present public radio music programming and original editorial content for music discovery. The Web site is a project of National Public Radio, a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to 797...
and KEXP-FM. They have a number of tour dates scheduled for the summer of 2011. The band have been chosen by Les Savy Fav
Les Savy Fav
Les Savy Fav is a New York City indie rock band. Their style is influenced by art rock and post-hardcore. The group is known for the stage presence of lead singer Tim Harrington...
to perform at the ATP Nightmare Before Christmas
All Tomorrow's Parties (music festival)
All Tomorrow's Parties is a music festival which takes place at Camber Sands holiday camp in East Sussex and Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, Somerset, England....
festival that they co-curate in December 2011 in Minehead, England. On June 25, 2011 the band performed their song "Wrong" on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
's Late Night With Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
Late Night with Jimmy Fallon is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Fallon on NBC. The show premiered on March 2, 2009, as the third incarnation of the Late Night franchise originated by David Letterman....
.
Discography
- Albums
- Icky MettleIcky MettleIcky Mettle is the first studio album recorded by the indie rock band Archers of Loaf. It was produced and engineered by Caleb Southern at Kraptone Studios in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and released by Alias Records on November 23, 1993....
(Alias, 1993; MergeMerge RecordsMerge Records is an independent record label based in Durham, North Carolina. It was founded in 1989 by Laura Ballance and Mac McCaughan. It began as a way to release music from their band Superchunk and music created by friends, and has expanded to include artists from around the world and records...
, 2011] ) - Vee VeeVee VeeVee Vee is the second studio album recorded by the indie rock band Archers of Loaf. It was released by Alias Records in 1995.-Track listing:All songs written by Archers of Loaf, except where noted.# "Step into the Light" – 4:22...
(Alias, 1995) - All the Nations AirportsAll the Nations AirportsAll the Nations Airports is the third studio album recorded by the indie rock band Archers of Loaf. Although the band was still signed to Alias Records the album was released by Elektra Records in 1996, making it the first to be distributed by a major label.-Track listing:#"Strangled by the Stereo...
(Alias, 1996) - White Trash HeroesWhite Trash HeroesWhite Trash Heroes is the final studio album from the indie rock band Archers of Loaf, released in 1998 by Alias Records.-Track listing:# "Fashion Bleeds" – 3:59# "Dead Red Eyes" – 4:03# "I.N.S." – 2:56# "Perfect Time" – 4:35...
(Alias, 1998)
- Icky Mettle
- EPs and other collections
- Vs the Greatest of All TimeVs the Greatest of All TimeArchers of Loaf vs. The Greatest of All Time is the first EP by North Carolina indie rock band, Archers of Loaf...
(Alias, 1994) - The Speed of CattleThe Speed of CattleThe Speed of Cattle is a compilation album recorded by the indie rock band Archers of Loaf.-Track listing:# "Wrong" - 3:50# "South Carolina" - 3:33# "Web In Front" 2:08# "Bathroom" - 1:45# "Tatyana" - 4:43# "What Did You Expect?" - 3:12...
(Alias, 1996) - Vitus TinnitusVitus TinnitusVitus Tinnitus is a live album by Archers of Loaf. The first six tracks are live and the last two tracks are remixes from All the Nations Airports.-Track listing:# "Harnessed In Slums"# "Underdogs Of Nipomo"# "Greatest Of All Time"# "Form and File"...
(Alias, 1997) - Seconds Before the AccidentSeconds Before the AccidentSeconds Before The Accident was a live album by noise-pop band Archers of Loaf released in 2000. It was the band's last release.-Album History:Seconds Before The Accident was recorded in November, 1998 at the Cat's Cradle in Chapel Hill, North Carolina...
(Alias, 2000)
- Vs the Greatest of All Time
- Singles
- Wrong/South Carolina (Stay Free, 1992)
- Web in Front/Bathroom/Tatyana (Alias, 1993)
- Telepathic Traffic/Angel Scraper split with Monsterland, (Radiopaque, 1994)
- The Results After the Loafs Revenge: What Did You Expect/Ethel Merman (Merge, 1994)
- Funnelhead/Quinnbeast split with TreepeopleTreepeopleTreepeople was an alternative rock band from Boise, Idaho, although it spent most of its time and was officially based in Seattle, Washington. The band was composed of Pat Brown , Wayne Rhino Flower, Doug Martsch, and Scott Schmaljohn. It also included drummer Eric Akre on the critically acclaimed...
, (Sonic Bubblegum, 1994) - Harnessed in Slums/ Telepathic Traffic (Alias, 1995)
- Mutes in the Steeple/Smoking Pot in the Hot City (Esther, 1995)
- Vocal Shrapnel/Density (Alias, 1996)
- Jive Kata (Alias, 1997)
Pop culture
- In an episode of ArcherArcher (TV series)Archer is an American animated television series created by Adam Reed for the FX network. A preview of the series aired on September 17, 2009. The first season premiered on January 14, 2010. The show carries a TV-MA-LSV rating....
, Archer names his lacrosseLacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
team "Archers of Loaf-crosse." - The Archers of Loaf song "South Carolina" was featured on the soundtrack of the TV show My So-Called LifeMy So-Called LifeMy So-Called Life is an American teen drama television series created by Winnie Holzman and produced by Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz. It originally aired on ABC from August 25, 1994, to January 26, 1995 and was distributed by The Bedford Falls Company with ABC Productions. Set at the...