Fruit Bats
Encyclopedia
Fruit Bats is an American rock
band formed in 1997 in Chicago. Noted as an early entrant into the folk-rock boom of the early 2000s, the group has had many personnel changes but revolves around singer/songwriter Eric D. Johnson.
, led his own space-rock band called I Rowboat, and was a guitarist in various groups, including Califone and The Shins. He also had a four-track solo outlet called Fruit Bats, which he had been working on since 1997.
Fruit Bats had begun to evolve into a band with the inclusion of I Rowboat members Dan Strack and Brian Belval and in 2001, their debut record Echolocation
was released on Califone
’s imprint, Perishable Records
. Tours followed with the likes of Modest Mouse
and The Shins
.
Fruit Bats signed with Sub Pop
in 2002 and have released four albums with the label including Mouthfuls
in 2003, Spelled in Bones
in 2005, The Ruminant Band
in 2009 and Tripper
in 2011.
Johnson also joined The Shins
in 2009.
In an interview with Reverb Magazine's Nick Milligan (Australia), Eric D. Johnson has said of The Ruminant Band: "I shouldn’t say I had any strong ideas about how I wanted The Ruminant Band
to differ from our other records, but I knew that I definitely wanted it to. Previously, when I did those other albums, I think I set rules for myself. This time I didn’t try to go by the book so much. I also let the other [band members] play, rather than me being in charge. I played very little on this record – I wrote the songs and the vocal arrangements, and played some piano, but for the most part everything else is the band. That trust is something that comes with time. I had four years to sit and think about it. It can get lonely when you’re doing the – quote unquote – solo thing. My band is really talented, so I wanted their voices to be heard.”
The song "When U Love Somebody" from the album Mouthfuls
can be found in the January 2010 movie "Youth in Revolt".
The music video for the song The Ruminant Band was shot in El Monte, CA and directed by The General Assembly (directors)
. Eric D. Johnson is the only member of the Fruit Bats to appear in the video. He is backed by a fictitious band that includes legendary guitarist, Willie Chambers of The Chambers Brothers
.
The music video for the song You're Too Weird from the upcoming album Tripper was shot in Hollywood, CA and directed by The General Assembly (directors)
.
One writer described the band's fourth album, The Ruminant Band, as one that ..."revels in early ‘70s SoCal bliss and other alt-country permutations," with elements reflective of classic rock icons including Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac and Three Dog Night.
In a music blog entry in the Chicago Sun-Times from 2010, the band's influences include The Byrds, the Kinks' album "Village Green Preservation Society", pop radio from the late '70s and early '80s, and Supertramp. According to the same blog post, lead singer Johnson said of his musical style, "I started out a hippie, but I've always had that pop jones -- and that's been plenty revolutionary, at least for me."
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band formed in 1997 in Chicago. Noted as an early entrant into the folk-rock boom of the early 2000s, the group has had many personnel changes but revolves around singer/songwriter Eric D. Johnson.
History
In 2000, Eric D. Johnson was an instructor at The Old Town School of Folk MusicOld Town School of Folk Music
The Old Town School of Folk Music is a Chicago teaching and performing institution that launched the careers of many notable folk music artists...
, led his own space-rock band called I Rowboat, and was a guitarist in various groups, including Califone and The Shins. He also had a four-track solo outlet called Fruit Bats, which he had been working on since 1997.
Fruit Bats had begun to evolve into a band with the inclusion of I Rowboat members Dan Strack and Brian Belval and in 2001, their debut record Echolocation
Echolocation
Echolocation may refer to:* Acoustic location, the general use of sound to locate objects* Animal echolocation, non-human animals emitting sound waves and listening to the echo in order to locate objects or navigate...
was released on Califone
Califone
Califone is an experimental rock band from Chicago. The band is named after Califone International, an audio equipment manufacturer. Their work has been critically acclaimed....
’s imprint, Perishable Records
Perishable Records
Perishable Records is an independent record label founded by Chicago musicians Ben Massarella and Tim Rutili. Some artists include Califone, HiM, Joan of Arc, oRSo, Red Red Meat, and Fruit Bats....
. Tours followed with the likes of Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington, by singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. They are based in Portland, Oregon. Since their 1996 debut album, This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think...
and The Shins
The Shins
The Shins are an American indie rock band comprising singer, songwriter, and guitarist James Mercer, guitarist/bassist Dave Hernandez, Eric Johnson of Fruit Bats, drummer Joe Plummer and bassist Ron Lewis. Their sound draws on several musical genres, including pop, alternative rock, indie rock,...
.
Fruit Bats signed with Sub Pop
Sub Pop
Sub Pop is a record label founded in 1986 by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman in Seattle, Washington. Sub Pop achieved fame in the late 1980s for first signing Nirvana, Soundgarden, Mudhoney and many other bands from the Seattle music scene...
in 2002 and have released four albums with the label including Mouthfuls
Mouthfuls
Mouthfuls is the second album by American folk-rock band Fruit Bats, released in 2003.-Track listing:All songs by Eric D. Johnson unless otherwise stated.#"Rainbow Sign" – 3:24#"A Bit of Wind" – 4:15...
in 2003, Spelled in Bones
Spelled in Bones
Spelled in Bones is the third album by American folk-rock band Fruit Bats, released in 2005.-Track listing:#"Lives of Crime" – 3:53#"Silent Life" – 3:12#"TV Waves" – 3:43#"Canyon Girl" – 2:41#"Born in the '70s" – 3:08#"Legs of Bees" – 4:03...
in 2005, The Ruminant Band
The Ruminant Band
The Ruminant Band is the fourth album by American folk-rock band Fruit Bats, released on August 4, 2009.The song Primitive Man was chosen as the Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week for December 22, 2009.-Track listing:#"Primitive Man"...
in 2009 and Tripper
Tripper
Tripper is the 2004 debut album by the Danish group Efterklang. The name of the album according to member Thomas Humser refers to two things. One meaning is that "tripper" is the slang term for a traveler. It is also a Danish meaning for shuffling one's feet in anticipation or something good to...
in 2011.
Johnson also joined The Shins
The Shins
The Shins are an American indie rock band comprising singer, songwriter, and guitarist James Mercer, guitarist/bassist Dave Hernandez, Eric Johnson of Fruit Bats, drummer Joe Plummer and bassist Ron Lewis. Their sound draws on several musical genres, including pop, alternative rock, indie rock,...
in 2009.
In an interview with Reverb Magazine's Nick Milligan (Australia), Eric D. Johnson has said of The Ruminant Band: "I shouldn’t say I had any strong ideas about how I wanted The Ruminant Band
The Ruminant Band
The Ruminant Band is the fourth album by American folk-rock band Fruit Bats, released on August 4, 2009.The song Primitive Man was chosen as the Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week for December 22, 2009.-Track listing:#"Primitive Man"...
to differ from our other records, but I knew that I definitely wanted it to. Previously, when I did those other albums, I think I set rules for myself. This time I didn’t try to go by the book so much. I also let the other [band members] play, rather than me being in charge. I played very little on this record – I wrote the songs and the vocal arrangements, and played some piano, but for the most part everything else is the band. That trust is something that comes with time. I had four years to sit and think about it. It can get lonely when you’re doing the – quote unquote – solo thing. My band is really talented, so I wanted their voices to be heard.”
The song "When U Love Somebody" from the album Mouthfuls
Mouthfuls
Mouthfuls is the second album by American folk-rock band Fruit Bats, released in 2003.-Track listing:All songs by Eric D. Johnson unless otherwise stated.#"Rainbow Sign" – 3:24#"A Bit of Wind" – 4:15...
can be found in the January 2010 movie "Youth in Revolt".
The music video for the song The Ruminant Band was shot in El Monte, CA and directed by The General Assembly (directors)
The General Assembly (directors)
The General Assembly is a music video and commercial directing duo based in Los Angeles, CA. They have directed music videos for such artists as Grum, The Wombats, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Jason Lytle, Fruit Bats , Radar Bros. and Everest...
. Eric D. Johnson is the only member of the Fruit Bats to appear in the video. He is backed by a fictitious band that includes legendary guitarist, Willie Chambers of The Chambers Brothers
The Chambers Brothers
The Chambers Brothers is a soul-music group, best known for its 1968 hit record, the 11-minute long song "Time Has Come Today". The group was part of the wave of new music that integrated American blues and gospel traditions with modern psychedelic and rock elements, spawning a heady mix...
.
The music video for the song You're Too Weird from the upcoming album Tripper was shot in Hollywood, CA and directed by The General Assembly (directors)
The General Assembly (directors)
The General Assembly is a music video and commercial directing duo based in Los Angeles, CA. They have directed music videos for such artists as Grum, The Wombats, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, Jason Lytle, Fruit Bats , Radar Bros. and Everest...
.
Musical influences
According to an article in The Aspen Times, lead singer Eric D. Johnson's musical influences include 70s AM radio, which he listened to while growing up in Naperville, Illinois, and The Grateful Dead.One writer described the band's fourth album, The Ruminant Band, as one that ..."revels in early ‘70s SoCal bliss and other alt-country permutations," with elements reflective of classic rock icons including Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac and Three Dog Night.
In a music blog entry in the Chicago Sun-Times from 2010, the band's influences include The Byrds, the Kinks' album "Village Green Preservation Society", pop radio from the late '70s and early '80s, and Supertramp. According to the same blog post, lead singer Johnson said of his musical style, "I started out a hippie, but I've always had that pop jones -- and that's been plenty revolutionary, at least for me."
Discography
- EcholocationEcholocation (album)Echolocation is the debut album by American folk-rock band Fruit Bats, released in 2001.-Track listing:All songs by Eric D. Johnson.#"The Old Black Hole" – 5:04#"Glass in Your Feet" – 3:52#"Buffalo and Deer" – 5:14#"Need It Just a Little" – 4:57...
(2001) - MouthfulsMouthfulsMouthfuls is the second album by American folk-rock band Fruit Bats, released in 2003.-Track listing:All songs by Eric D. Johnson unless otherwise stated.#"Rainbow Sign" – 3:24#"A Bit of Wind" – 4:15...
(2003) - Spelled in BonesSpelled in BonesSpelled in Bones is the third album by American folk-rock band Fruit Bats, released in 2005.-Track listing:#"Lives of Crime" – 3:53#"Silent Life" – 3:12#"TV Waves" – 3:43#"Canyon Girl" – 2:41#"Born in the '70s" – 3:08#"Legs of Bees" – 4:03...
(2005) - The Ruminant BandThe Ruminant BandThe Ruminant Band is the fourth album by American folk-rock band Fruit Bats, released on August 4, 2009.The song Primitive Man was chosen as the Starbucks iTunes Pick of the Week for December 22, 2009.-Track listing:#"Primitive Man"...
(2009) - Tripper (2011)