Canyon (band)
Encyclopedia
Canyon was a slowcore band from Washington, D.C.
, USA. Their style was heavily influenced by Americana
, folk
and country music
.
member Brandon Butler relocated from Kansas
to the Washington, D.C. area and briefly fronted the band Farewell Bend. Originally playing shows under the moniker Vita Bruno, the initial Canyon lineup consisted of members from several influential DC post-hardcore
bands including John Wall from Kerosene 454
and Vin Novara from the Crownhate Ruin. The band released their first LP in 2001 on Wall's Slowdime Records
and toured nationally afterwards.
By the time the record was released, fellow Boys Life member Joe Winkle had arrived in D.C., prompting a lineup shift that saw the departure of Wall and Novara, along with the addition of keyboardist Derry deBorja, bassist Evan Berodt, and drummer Dave Bryson. The self-titled album was picked up and re-released by Gern Blandsten Records
, who also released their second full-length, "Empty Rooms," in 2002. Further touring ensued, including an opening slot for former Uncle Tupelo
/Son Volt
member Jay Farrar
, and the recording of a live album for DCN Records.
The Canyon song "Mansion on the Mountain," from "Empty Rooms," is in the default library for Windows XP
and subsequent versions of Windows.
On November 19, 2010, Canyon reunited as a four piece featuring Butler, Winkle, and a supporting rhythm section, to play at the Black Cat in Washington DC. deBorja, Berodt, and Bryson were not featured in this reunion.
outfit Revival before deBorja and Bryson joined Son Volt as full-time members. Brandon Butler continues to play solo and with a backing band; he has released two full-length albums for Gypsy Eyes Records, "Killer on the Road" and later "Lucky Thumbs." Vin Novara played with the DC band Perfect Souvenir, and is again playing with 1.6 Band
.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, USA. Their style was heavily influenced by 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...
, folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
.
History
The band was formed in 1999 after ex-Boys LifeBoy's Life (band)
Boys Life was an American emo band from Kansas City, Missouri formed in 1993. Members would go on to Canyon, The Farewell Bend, and Lullaby for the Working Class...
member Brandon Butler relocated from Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
to the Washington, D.C. area and briefly fronted the band Farewell Bend. Originally playing shows under the moniker Vita Bruno, the initial Canyon lineup consisted of members from several influential DC post-hardcore
Washington, D.C. hardcore
Washington, D.C. has had one of the first and most influential hardcore punk scenes in the United States since the early 1980s.Among the earliest DC punk bands were the Bad Brains, Slickee Boys, Teen Idles, Minor Threat, S.O.A., Chalk Circle, Velvet Monkeys, Void, The Faith, DC Youth Brigade,...
bands including John Wall from Kerosene 454
Kerosene 454
Kerosene 454 was a punk rock band from Washington, D.C.. They formed in 1992. The core of the group, brothers John and Jim Wall along with Erik Denno, went through a number of drummers before hooking up with Darren Zentek in time to record their 1st LP, Situation At Hand...
and Vin Novara from the Crownhate Ruin. The band released their first LP in 2001 on Wall's Slowdime Records
Slowdime Records
Slowdime Records was a record label started in 1996 by Juan Luis Carrera and Amanda MacKaye. The label was originally started, according to a label bio, “with the intent to document the new inclinations and innovations that began to surface within the Washington D.C...
and toured nationally afterwards.
By the time the record was released, fellow Boys Life member Joe Winkle had arrived in D.C., prompting a lineup shift that saw the departure of Wall and Novara, along with the addition of keyboardist Derry deBorja, bassist Evan Berodt, and drummer Dave Bryson. The self-titled album was picked up and re-released by Gern Blandsten Records
Gern Blandsten Records
Gern Blandsten Records is an independent record label based in River Edge, New Jersey.The label's acts have included The World/Inferno Friendship Society, Canyon, Chisel, the Van Pelt, Radio 4, The Flesh, and Rye Coalition...
, who also released their second full-length, "Empty Rooms," in 2002. Further touring ensued, including an opening slot for former Uncle Tupelo
Uncle Tupelo
Uncle Tupelo was an alternative country music group from Belleville, Illinois, active between 1987 and 1994. Jay Farrar, Jeff Tweedy, and Mike Heidorn formed the band after the lead singer of their previous band, The Primitives, left to attend college. The trio recorded three albums for Rockville...
/Son Volt
Son Volt
Son Volt is an alternative country group formed by Jay Farrar in 1994 after the breakup of the band Uncle Tupelo.-History:The group formed after Farrar met Jim and Dave Boquist during the final Uncle Tupelo tour. Together with former Uncle Tupelo drummer Mike Heidorn, the band rehearsed and...
member Jay Farrar
Jay Farrar
Jay Farrar is an American songwriter and musician currently based in St. Louis, Missouri. A veteran of two critically acclaimed music groups, Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt, he began his solo music career in 2001...
, and the recording of a live album for DCN Records.
The Canyon song "Mansion on the Mountain," from "Empty Rooms," is in the default library for Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...
and subsequent versions of Windows.
On November 19, 2010, Canyon reunited as a four piece featuring Butler, Winkle, and a supporting rhythm section, to play at the Black Cat in Washington DC. deBorja, Berodt, and Bryson were not featured in this reunion.
Connections
Derry deBorja, Evan Berodt, and Dave Bryson would later play with the DC-based AmericanaAmericana (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...
outfit Revival before deBorja and Bryson joined Son Volt as full-time members. Brandon Butler continues to play solo and with a backing band; he has released two full-length albums for Gypsy Eyes Records, "Killer on the Road" and later "Lucky Thumbs." Vin Novara played with the DC band Perfect Souvenir, and is again playing with 1.6 Band
1.6 Band
1.6 Band is an American hardcore punk band consisting of Kevin Egan , Lance Jaeger , Vin Novara , and Mike Yanicelli .-Early History:The band was originally formed in 1989 by Jaeger, Novara, and Yanicelli in Holbrook, Long Island, New York,...
.
Members
- Brandon Butler - guitar, lap steel, harmonicaHarmonicaThe harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
- John Wall - vocals, guitar
- Joe Winkle - guitar, harmoniumHarmoniumA harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
, lap steel - Derry deBorja - Fender Rhodes, keyboards, accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
- Evan Berodt - bass guitar
- Vin Novara - percussion
- Dave Bryson - percussion
- Amy Heath - trumpet
- Yalan Papillons - vocals
- Michael Pahn - hand claps
Discography
- Canyon (Slowdime RecordsSlowdime RecordsSlowdime Records was a record label started in 1996 by Juan Luis Carrera and Amanda MacKaye. The label was originally started, according to a label bio, “with the intent to document the new inclinations and innovations that began to surface within the Washington D.C...
, 2001; re-released on Gern Blandsten RecordsGern Blandsten RecordsGern Blandsten Records is an independent record label based in River Edge, New Jersey.The label's acts have included The World/Inferno Friendship Society, Canyon, Chisel, the Van Pelt, Radio 4, The Flesh, and Rye Coalition...
) - Empty Rooms (Gern Blandsten, 2002)
- Live in NYC (DCN Records, 2003)
- Ten Good Eyes EP (Wichita Records, 2005)
External links
- C A N Y O N - Official Site
- [ Canyon at Allmusic.com]
- Brandon Butler solo website