Brainiac (band)
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
synthpunk
Synthpunk
Synthpunk is a music genre combining elements of electronic music and punk rock. The term was coined by Damian Ramsey in 1999 as an attempt to retroactively identify a small sub-genre of punk music from 1977 to 1984 that involved musicians playing synthesizers in place of electric...
band formed in 1992, and disbanded after the sudden death of lead singer Tim Taylor in 1997.
Biography
Brainiac was formed in Dayton, OhioDayton, Ohio
Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
in January 1992 with vocalist, guitarist and keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
player (particularly Moog synthesizer
Moog synthesizer
Moog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
s) Tim Taylor (July 20, 1968 – May 23, 1997), bassist Monostereo (Juan Monasterio), guitarist Michelle Bodine and
drummer Tyler Trent. On the March 12th, the band played its first show at Wright State's University Cafeteria, under the name We'll Eat Anything.
After a slew of singles, they released their debut album, Smack Bunny Baby
Smack Bunny Baby
Smack Bunny Baby is the debut album from the band Brainiac. Vinyl version features a bonus track called "Velveteen."-Track listing:# "I, Fuzzbot" – 3:44# "Ride" – 2:47# "Smack Bunny Baby" – 2:06# "Martian Dance Invasion" – 2:16...
, on Grass/BMG Records in 1993. Bonsai Superstar
Bonsai Superstar
Bonsai Superstar is the second album from the band Brainiac released on November 21, 1994. It is the first album on which guitarist John Schmersal appears...
, now with John Schmersal
John Schmersal
John Schmersal is an American musician best known for being a founding member of indie rock band Enon and synthpunk group Brainiac. He is also a touring member of Caribou.In 1998, Schmersal released his first solo album, under the name John Stuart Mill....
on guitar in place of Bodine, followed the next year. In 1995 they played on the Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza is an annual music festival featuring popular alternative rock, heavy metal, punk rock and hip hop bands, dance and comedy performances, and craft booths. It has also provided a platform for non-profit and political groups. The music festival hosts more than 160,000 people over a...
side stage and recorded four songs in the UK for the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Peel Sessions. They joined Touch and Go Records
Touch and Go Records
Touch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
and released Internationale, produced by Kim Deal
Kim Deal
Kimberley Ann Deal is an American singer, songwriter and musician, best known as the bassist of the alternative rock band the Pixies and the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for The Breeders. Deal first joined the Pixies in January 1986 as the band's bassist, adopting the stage name Mrs...
(of the Pixies). The following year, their third album, Hissing Prigs in Static Couture
Hissing Prigs in Static Couture
Hissing Prigs in Static Couture is the third album from the band Brainiac.Pitchfork Media ranked this album #73 in their feature, Top 100 albums of the 1990s.-Track listing:# "Indian Poker, Pt...
, was released on the Touch & Go label. All three of their albums were produced by Eli Janney (of Girls Against Boys
Girls Against Boys
Girls Against Boys are an indie rock/post-hardcore band, originally forming in Washington, D.C. in 1988 and currently based in New York City.-Career:...
).
Brainiac generated a buzz as the live act to see that resulted in opening tours for Beck
Beck
Beck Hansen is an American musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, known by the stage name Beck...
, the Breeders
The Breeders
The Breeders are an American alternative rock band formed in 1988 by Kim Deal of the Pixies and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses. The band has experienced a number of line-up changes; the current line-up consists of Kim Deal , her twin sister Kelley Deal , Jose Medeles , Mando Lopez Todd the Fox...
and the Jesus Lizard
The Jesus Lizard
The Jesus Lizard was an American alternative rock and noise rock band formed in 1987 in Austin, Texas. They were "a leading noise rock band in the American independent underground…[who] turned out a series of independent records filled with scathing, disembowelling, guitar-driven pseudo-industrial...
and receiving offers from major labels. In 1997 they released an electronic-based EP called Electro-Shock for President
Electro-Shock for President
Electro-Shock for President is the last release from the band Brainiac. The band decided to use only electronic equipment instead of guitars to demonstrate the band's ever-evolving sound. This album was intended to be a teaser for Brainiac's fourth album, expected to be their major label debut on...
which turned out to be their last record: Tim Taylor was killed in a car accident on May 23, 1997, during the pre-production for their fourth album, which was due out on Interscope Records
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that currently operates as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-History:...
. The group soon disbanded. A benefit show featuring The Breeders
The Breeders
The Breeders are an American alternative rock band formed in 1988 by Kim Deal of the Pixies and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses. The band has experienced a number of line-up changes; the current line-up consists of Kim Deal , her twin sister Kelley Deal , Jose Medeles , Mando Lopez Todd the Fox...
and Guided By Voices
Guided by Voices
Guided by Voices is an American indie rock band originating from Dayton, Ohio. Beginning with the band's formation in 1983, it made frequent personnel changes but always maintained the presence of principal songwriter Robert Pollard...
took place a few months later.
After recording a solo album under the name John Stuart Mill guitar player John Schmersal later went on to form Enon
Enon
Enon was an indie rock band founded by John Schmersal, Rick Lee and Steve Calhoon. Currently, Enon is situated in Philadelphia, though the band is known for being part of the New York music scene.-Biography:...
. Monasterio directs music videos, including two for Enon, and released in 2008 an EP with a new band called Model/Actress consisting besides Monasterio Curtis Mead and Charlie Walker from Chamberlain
Chamberlain (band)
Chamberlain is an indie rock band from Indianapolis & Bloomington, Indiana, previously having been known as Split Lip, they changed their name and their general sound away from post-hardcore punk in 1996.-History:...
and ex Bullet LaVolta
Bullet lavolta
Bullet LaVolta was a post-punk band from Boston, Massachusetts that was originally formed in January 1987 by four college disk jockeys: Clay Tarver , Bill Whelan , Corey "Loog" Brennan and Chris "Cruster" Guttmacher . The band later added singer Yukkie Gipe after he responded to an advertisement...
drummer Philips; Schmersal makes appearances on this album. Trent briefly joined the Breeders
The Breeders
The Breeders are an American alternative rock band formed in 1988 by Kim Deal of the Pixies and Tanya Donelly of Throwing Muses. The band has experienced a number of line-up changes; the current line-up consists of Kim Deal , her twin sister Kelley Deal , Jose Medeles , Mando Lopez Todd the Fox...
and most recently played with The Dirty Walk. Bodine became the guitarist and singer of O-matic and Shesus.
Studio albums
- Smack Bunny BabySmack Bunny BabySmack Bunny Baby is the debut album from the band Brainiac. Vinyl version features a bonus track called "Velveteen."-Track listing:# "I, Fuzzbot" – 3:44# "Ride" – 2:47# "Smack Bunny Baby" – 2:06# "Martian Dance Invasion" – 2:16...
(album, 1993, Grass/BMG) - Bonsai SuperstarBonsai SuperstarBonsai Superstar is the second album from the band Brainiac released on November 21, 1994. It is the first album on which guitarist John Schmersal appears...
album (1994, Grass/BMG) - Hissing Prigs in Static CoutureHissing Prigs in Static CoutureHissing Prigs in Static Couture is the third album from the band Brainiac.Pitchfork Media ranked this album #73 in their feature, Top 100 albums of the 1990s.-Track listing:# "Indian Poker, Pt...
album (1996, Touch & Go)
Singles/EPs
- Superduperseven 7" (1992, Limited Potential)
- I Could Own You (Live) 7" (split single with BratmobileBratmobileBratmobile was an American punk band. Bratmobile was a first-generation "riot grrrl" band, which grew from the Pacific Northwest and Washington, DC underground...
, 1993, 12x12 Records) - Dexatrim 7" (split single with Lazy, 1994, Simple Solution) (John Schmersal's debut as new guitarist)
- Cookie Doesn't Sing 7" (split single w/Today Is The DayToday is the DayToday Is the Day is an experimental noise rock/metal/grindcore band from Nashville, Tennessee. They have a diverse sound that includes influences from alternative rock, grindcore, & progressive rock among other genres...
, Chrome Cranks, and Steel Pole Bathtub Vol. 10/ CD Comp., 1995, Dope-Guns-'N-Fucking In The Streets Vols. 8-11, Amphetamine Reptile Records) - InternationaleInternationale (Brainiac EP)Internationale is an EP by experimental indie band Brainiac released on October 6, 1995. It was their first release after signing to Touch & Go Records and was produced by Kim Deal of The Pixies.-Track listing:# "Go Freaks Go" – 2:24...
(7" single/EP {features new recording of "Simon Says" off Superduperseven 7"}, 1995, Touch & Go) - Go! 4x7" single (Jabberjaw Vol. 6, CD Comp., 1996, Mammoth Records)
- Electro-Shock for PresidentElectro-Shock for PresidentElectro-Shock for President is the last release from the band Brainiac. The band decided to use only electronic equipment instead of guitars to demonstrate the band's ever-evolving sound. This album was intended to be a teaser for Brainiac's fourth album, expected to be their major label debut on...
EP (1997, Touch & Go) - Petrified single (Ubu Dance Party: A Tribute To Pere Ubu, CD Comp., 1997, Datapanic)
Influence
Chris WallaChris Walla
Christopher Walla is an American musician and music producer, most notable for being the guitarist for the band Death Cab for Cutie. He is also a former DJ of KCWU, 88.1 The Burg...
of Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr ....
claimed Brainiac influenced his work on Narrow Stairs
Narrow Stairs
Narrow Stairs is the sixth studio album by indie rock band Death Cab for Cutie. It was released on May 12, 2008, in the United Kingdom and on May 13, 2008, in the United States. The first single of the album was "I Will Possess Your Heart", released on March 18, 2008. The second single was...
.
Matt Bellamy of Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
claims that a certain section in the song "Exo-Politics" from Black Holes and Revelations
Black Holes and Revelations
Black Holes and Revelations is the fourth studio album by English alternative rock band Muse, released on 3 July 2006. Recording was split between New York and France, and it was the first time Muse had taken a more active role in the album's production...
was heavily influenced by Brainiac.
Cedric Bixler and Omar Rodríguez-López
Omar Rodriguez-Lopez
Omar Alfredo Rodríguez-López is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer, writer, actor and film director who was born in Bayamón, Puerto Rico...
of The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta is a Grammy award winning American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas. Founded in 2001 by guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, the band incorporates various influences including progressive rock, krautrock, jazz fusion, Latin American music, and...
state Brainiac, specifically Electro-Shock for President as an influential album. On their influence Cedric states:
During a BBC radio session, Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails
Nine Inch Nails is an American industrial rock project, founded in 1988 by Trent Reznor in Cleveland, Ohio. As its main producer, singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, Reznor is the only official member of Nine Inch Nails and remains solely responsible for its direction...
' frontman Trent Reznor
Trent Reznor
Michael Trent Reznor is an American multi-instrumentalist, composer, record producer, and leader of industrial rock band Nine Inch Nails. Reznor is also a member of How to Destroy Angels alongside his wife, Mariqueen Maandig, and Atticus Ross. He was previously associated with bands Option 30,...
commented on Brainiac that they were a major influence on him, "from a sonic standpoint." He also revealed that while recording 2005's With Teeth
With Teeth
With Teeth is the fourth studio album by American industrial rock act Nine Inch Nails, released on May 3, 2005, by Interscope Records. The album was produced by Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor and long-time collaborator Alan Moulder. It was Reznor's first original studio album since The...
he would use Electro-Shock for President as a "sound reference."
External links
- Band's biography / discography on IHRTN.com
- Touch and Go Records - Brainiac's label website.
- MusicianGuide.com biography
- Rainbows and Vampires - Monostereo's video directing website.
- Brainiac fan site and lyrics (click picture on front page)