Brian Castillo
Encyclopedia
Brian Castillo is an American musician
/producer
, and photographer born in Tacoma, Washington
. Best known for his work with The Living Jarboe
and In Gowan Ring, sometimes in a musician role and sometimes as a producer/engineer. In the 1990s he sometimes recorded under the name pFrenz-C, but he no longer uses the pseudonym.
After moving to Seattle in the early 1990s he was involved in a variety of different groups with no particular style in common: Prayers for the Raven (Seattle’s seminal goth
band), Hooo (texture noise), Rosa Luna (i.e. Mazzy Star
, Low
), Salon Betty
(punk-polka-death lounge spearheaded by Betty X
), Absinthee (with Gordon Raphael
of The Strokes
fame & Sky Cries Mary), Faith and Disease (ethereal pop), Euclid (Americana
), Purr Bats (disco fluff), Shadow Light (synthy-goth
) and several psychedelic performance art
groups.
The risqué performances of Salon Betty
were often referred to as “The Big Hair Sex Circus” and offered a sharp contrast to Seattle’s “grunge
” scene at the time. While working with iMusic they created the internet’s first “interactive paper-doll” and started an early internet reality show in 1996 called “The Surreal World” winning awards for their work.
In the late 1990s Brian began recording and co-producing with Jarboe
. Their first collaborative project together was for the compilation on Vhuz music called “Vomit Veritas” and later on Jarboe’s first post-SWANS recording “Anhedoniac”. He has also recorded and appeared on many of Jarboe's compilation contributions and a few of her other albums.
As of 2009, Brian started producing video motion graphics, animation and stop motion work.
Some of Brian’s soundtrack
work can be heard on the films “Debbie Does Damnation” by Eric Brummer, “Children of Chernobyl” on PBS, “Scratch Merchants” by Patrick Phillips, and “In Your Blood” by Jeffro Brunk.
Brian continues to compose, record and animate in Olympia, Washington
. The first Watewitch album was released in July 2009 with Elizabeth Hummel
. Both Elizabeth and Brian made a small appearance on the new album "Sweet Meat Love and Holy Cult" by Jarboe
, her new psycho-hippy project.
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
/producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, and photographer born in Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
. Best known for his work with The Living Jarboe
Jarboe
Jarboe is an American singer, songwriter, and keyboardist.Jarboe is a solo artist who came to prominence in the mid-1980s with the New York City based group Swans. With founder Michael Gira, the duo was the core of Swans until the group broke up in 1998...
and In Gowan Ring, sometimes in a musician role and sometimes as a producer/engineer. In the 1990s he sometimes recorded under the name pFrenz-C, but he no longer uses the pseudonym.
After moving to Seattle in the early 1990s he was involved in a variety of different groups with no particular style in common: Prayers for the Raven (Seattle’s seminal goth
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
band), Hooo (texture noise), Rosa Luna (i.e. Mazzy Star
Mazzy Star
Mazzy Star is an American alternative rock band formed in Santa Monica, California, in 1989 from the group Opal, a collaboration of guitarist David Roback and bassist Kendra Smith...
, Low
Low (band)
Low is an American indie rock group from Duluth, Minnesota, formed in 1993. As of 2010, the group is composed of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker , both founding members, and Steve Garrington ....
), Salon Betty
Salon Betty
Salon Betty is the raucous and sleazy dark cabaret art rock project formed by singer, songwriter and performance artist Betty X during years of 1994 to 1997...
(punk-polka-death lounge spearheaded by Betty X
Betty X
Betty X, is an American musician, artist, and writer known for her controversial stage persona and image as the lead singer of the eponymous band Betty X. Her stage name was formed the combination of 1950's American icons, domestic goddess Betty Crocker, pin-up model Bettie Page with the human...
), Absinthee (with Gordon Raphael
Gordon Raphael
Gordon Raphael is a record producer and musician from Seattle, Washington and New York, currently working in San Antonio, Texas.Gordon Raphael is most widely known for his work with The Strokes, whom he met while attending one of their very first shows at Luna Lounge on the Lower East Side, New...
of The Strokes
The Strokes
The Strokes are an American indie rock band formed in 1999 in New York City. Consisting of Julian Casablancas , Nick Valensi , Albert Hammond, Jr. , Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti ....
fame & Sky Cries Mary), Faith and Disease (ethereal pop), Euclid (Americana
Americana (music)
Americana is an amalgam of roots musics formed by the confluence of the shared and varied traditions that make up the American musical ethos; specifically those sounds that are merged from folk, country, blues, rhythm and blues, rock and roll and other external influential styles...
), Purr Bats (disco fluff), Shadow Light (synthy-goth
Gothic rock
Gothic rock is a musical subgenre of post-punk and alternative rock that formed during the late 1970s. Gothic rock bands grew from the strong ties they had to the English punk rock and emerging post-punk scenes...
) and several psychedelic performance art
Performance art
In art, performance art is a performance presented to an audience, traditionally interdisciplinary. Performance may be either scripted or unscripted, random or carefully orchestrated; spontaneous or otherwise carefully planned with or without audience participation. The performance can be live or...
groups.
The risqué performances of Salon Betty
Salon Betty
Salon Betty is the raucous and sleazy dark cabaret art rock project formed by singer, songwriter and performance artist Betty X during years of 1994 to 1997...
were often referred to as “The Big Hair Sex Circus” and offered a sharp contrast to Seattle’s “grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
” scene at the time. While working with iMusic they created the internet’s first “interactive paper-doll” and started an early internet reality show in 1996 called “The Surreal World” winning awards for their work.
In the late 1990s Brian began recording and co-producing with Jarboe
Jarboe
Jarboe is an American singer, songwriter, and keyboardist.Jarboe is a solo artist who came to prominence in the mid-1980s with the New York City based group Swans. With founder Michael Gira, the duo was the core of Swans until the group broke up in 1998...
. Their first collaborative project together was for the compilation on Vhuz music called “Vomit Veritas” and later on Jarboe’s first post-SWANS recording “Anhedoniac”. He has also recorded and appeared on many of Jarboe's compilation contributions and a few of her other albums.
As of 2009, Brian started producing video motion graphics, animation and stop motion work.
Some of Brian’s soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
work can be heard on the films “Debbie Does Damnation” by Eric Brummer, “Children of Chernobyl” on PBS, “Scratch Merchants” by Patrick Phillips, and “In Your Blood” by Jeffro Brunk.
Brian continues to compose, record and animate in Olympia, Washington
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
. The first Watewitch album was released in July 2009 with Elizabeth Hummel
Elizabeth Hummel
Elizabeth Hummel is an American singer-songwriter best known for her activities in the San Diego area where she was voted “Best Acoustic Artist” in 1995 .-Background:...
. Both Elizabeth and Brian made a small appearance on the new album "Sweet Meat Love and Holy Cult" by Jarboe
Jarboe
Jarboe is an American singer, songwriter, and keyboardist.Jarboe is a solo artist who came to prominence in the mid-1980s with the New York City based group Swans. With founder Michael Gira, the duo was the core of Swans until the group broke up in 1998...
, her new psycho-hippy project.
Albums and EPs
| Year | Title | Format, Special Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1992 | pFrenz-C – Partially Here | cassette featuring Donald Glaude Donald Glaude Donald Glaude is a house music artist, DJ and remixer, and is consistently ranked as one of DJ Mag's top 100 DJs.-Biography:As a child, Donald was classically trained in the upright bass and violin. After hearing early funk records, he began experimenting with tape decks and a primitive radio... |
| 1994 | pFrenz-C – Euphoria Toilet | cassette |
| 1995 | Shadow Light – Within the Shadow Light | CD |
| 1996 | Salon Betty and the Big Hair Sex Circus | cassette featuring Betty X, iMusic |
| 1997 | Hooo – Veil Static | CD Bluesanct Records |
| 1998 | Jarboe – Anhedoniac | CD |
| 1999 | pFrenz-C – Dopamine Quest | CD featuring Jarboe |
| 2001 | Jarboe – Disburden Desciple | CD |
| 2003 | Euclid – Carthage | CD |
| 2007 | w/Elizabeth Hummel – The Turning Point | CD Brew Records |
| 2009 | Waterwitch – Waterwitch | CD/download Brew Records |