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Grizzly Bear (band)
Encyclopedia
Grizzly Bear is a Brooklyn
-based indie rock
band, composed of Edward Droste (vocals, guitar, omnichord, keyboard), Daniel Rossen
(vocals, guitar, banjo, keyboards), Chris Taylor
(bass, backing vocals, various instruments, producer) and Christopher Bear
(drums, backing vocals, glockenspiel). The band employs traditional and electronic instruments. Their sound has been categorized as psychedelic pop
, folk rock
, and experimental
, and is dominated by the use of vocal harmonies. The band is one of the few non-electronic artists signed to Warp Records
.
Daniel Rossen is also a member of the duo Department of Eagles
.
's music in the early 2000s. Regarding the band's origins as a solo project, Droste notes: "It was just like doing a little home project, and I thought "oh, this is fun, I'm just going to call this stuff Grizzly Bear. [...] Our name was actually just a nickname for an old boyfriend of mine."
Grizzly Bear's 2004 debut album, Horn of Plenty
, features myriad sounds and layering of voices. It was largely the solo effort of Droste (who wrote all the songs in his bedroom) and predates the formation of the band, which has been dubbed anti-folk
, freak folk
, lo-fi. Rolling Stone
magazine wrote of the first album that "The pure atmospheric power of the songs is more than enough to hypnotize." In 2005, the band re-released the album with an additional disc of remixes by Solex, Dr. Cuerpo of The Double, Castanets, Final Fantasy, The Soft Pink Truth
, Dntel
and others.
The band performed four shows as a three-piece (Droste, Horn of Plenty collaborator Christopher Bear
, and Chris Taylor
) before adding Daniel Rossen
(a friend of Bear's from jazz-camp) to the line-up. On joining Grizzly Bear, Rossen notes:
, was released on Warp Records in September 2006. It was named for Droste's mother's house where it was recorded and ranked as one of the top albums of 2006 by the New York Times and Pitchfork Media
. In 2007, Rossen recorded a cover of JoJo's single "Too Little Too Late
" for Droste's twenty-ninth birthday. In 2006 the band did a Take-Away Show session with Vincent Moon
.
Also in 2007, the band released Friend
, an EP
which features outtakes, alternate versions of songs, and covers of Grizzly Bear material done by Cansei de Ser Sexy (CSS), Band of Horses
, and Atlas Sound
. In addition, members of the Dirty Projectors
and Beirut
collaborated with the band on "Alligator" and the EP's hidden track.
On March 1, 2008, Grizzly Bear performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.
on the second leg of their North American tour. In Toronto
, on their last date of the tour together, Radiohead
guitarist Jonny Greenwood
spoke of his love for Grizzly Bear, on stage, calling them his favorite band. Of the experience, Taylor has commented: “It was shocking, and kind of unbelievable. It still is unbelievable. Opening for Radiohead was a huge honor for us, as a band and as individuals. We’ve all had long-term relationships with Radiohead’s music, so we didn’t want to take that opportunity for granted, and do anything less than the best we could." Christopher has also commented that it "was like a dream."
The group then convened at a house on Cape Cod to solidify their third full-length album, Veckatimest, which released in May 2009 and was named "after a tiny, uninhabited island on Cape Cod that the band visited and was inspired by, particularly liking its Native American name." Upon release the album reached #8 on the US Billboard 200
chart, and met with widespread critical acclaim. Chris Bear has noted that compared to Yellow House, the band's 2009 release Veckatimest is more of an accessible pop record. He said: "I think that it’s kinda clearer, clearer equals more accessible I feel like clearer equals more accessible in general as a rule." Veckatimest made many Top Album lists for 2009 (#1 Wall Street Journal, #6 Pitchfork, #6 New York Times, #8 Time)
In 2009, Grizzly Bear also contributed "Service Bell" (with Feist) and "Deep Blue Sea" to the AIDS benefit album Dark Was the Night
produced by the Red Hot Organization
.
In a recent interview the band mentioned their plans to begin recording their fourth studio album at the end of May 2011.
The unreleased song "Blackcurrant Jam" appeared on Worried Noodles, a compilation by David Shrigley
released by TOMLAB
on October 23, 2007. The song "Don't Ask" from Horn of Plenty appeared on a 7" in Tomlab Records' Alphabet Series.
on Warp Records
. The EP features collaborations with the Dirty Projectors
and Beirut
, as well as covers of Grizzly Bear songs by Cansei de Ser Sexy, Atlas Sound
and Band of Horses
.
Grizzly Bear has toured with TV on the Radio
(U.S., October 2006) and Feist (U.S., June 2007). In April 2008 Paul Simon
asked Grizzly Bear to play with him for five nights during his month long residency at the Brooklyn Academy of Music
, showcasing songs from his career. Grizzly Bear worked with singer-songwriter
and multi-instrumentalist
Paul Duncan of Warm Ghost
. The band opened for Radiohead
on the second leg of their North American tour of summer 2008.
Some notable concerts and music festivals in which Grizzly Bear has performed include the Coachella Music Festival (Indio, California
, April 29, 2007); the Sasquatch Music Festival (George, Washington
, May 26, 2007); the Roskilde Festival
(Roskilde, Denmark, July 7, 2007); and the Pitchfork Music Festival
(Chicago, July 14, 2007). On November 3, 2007 the band played as a part of the Wordless Music Series at the New York Society for Ethical Culture center. The show was later ranked by Stereogum.com
as their Favorite Live Show of 2007. On March 1, 2008 Grizzly Bear played at the Walt Disney Concert Hall
in Los Angeles
with the Los Angeles Philharmonic
. The first half of the show featured the orchestra playing selections chosen by Grizzly Bear while Grizzly Bear followed with a full set of their own songs. They also played at the 2008 Lollapalooza
music festival in Chicago, Illinois and the 2009 Bonnaroo Music Festival, along with appearing at the 2009 Pitchfork Music Festival.
In 2009, they played at the Brooklyn Academy of Music
on February 28 with Owen Pallett
, backed by an orchestra
arranged by Nico Muhly
and conducted by Michael Christie
. They played new songs from Veckatimest as well as songs from Yellow House
. Ed Droste
has stated that many songs (such as "Central and Remote", "Reprise" and "Campfire") will not be played again unless backed by an orchestra. In March 2009, they played two showcases at South by Southwest
Festival in Austin, Texas
at the Central Presbyterian Church (Austin, Texas) and the Cedar Street Courtyard. In July 2009, they played at the Pitchfork Music Festival
in Chicago
, Illinois
.
The band returned to Austin to perform at the 2009 Austin City Limits Music Festival
on October 3. The October 16 release of the Twilight Saga: New Moon Original Motion Picture Soundtrack included Slow Life (track 13) by the band and featured guest vocals by Victoria Legrand of Beach House
.
In the summer of 2009 Jay-Z
and Beyonce Knowles
attended the band's show at East River State Park
in New York City
. Jay-Z praised the band as "incredible," claiming that "what the indie rock
movement is doing right now is very inspiring" hoping that it would "push hip-hop to go even further."
They performed at the Rockefeller Music Hall
in Oslo
, Norway
on the 25th of November 2009, and the band made plans to play at the Falls Festival
in Australia's Marion Bay and Lorne locations, over the course of the four day festival from December 29 - January 1, 2010, followed by performances on the 7th January 2010 at Sunset Sounds Festival in Brisbane, Queensland and the 9th of January 2010 at the three day Southbound Festival in Busselton, Western Australia
.
They also played at the three day Splendour in the Grass
music festival in Woodford, Queensland on the 30th June 2010 with the likes of The Strokes
, Pixies and Ben Harper & Relentless7
.
In the summer of 2010, they played at the Nateva Music & Camping Festival
. They played on the Main Stage on Saturday July 3.
They also appeared at Neil Young's annual Bridge School Benefit on October 23 and 24 in Mountain View, California.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
-based indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band, composed of Edward Droste (vocals, guitar, omnichord, keyboard), Daniel Rossen
Daniel Rossen
Daniel Rossen is a singer/songwriter/guitarist for the Brooklyn-based indie-rock group, Grizzly Bear. He is also a member of the duo Department of Eagles.-Biography:...
(vocals, guitar, banjo, keyboards), Chris Taylor
Chris Taylor (Grizzly Bear musician)
Chris Taylor is a multi-instrumentalist and producer best known for his role of bass player in the Brooklyn based indie folk group, Grizzly Bear.-Biography:...
(bass, backing vocals, various instruments, producer) and Christopher Bear
Christopher Bear
Christopher Bear is a drummer and multi-instrumentalist associated with the Brooklyn-based indie-rock group, Grizzly Bear....
(drums, backing vocals, glockenspiel). The band employs traditional and electronic instruments. Their sound has been categorized as psychedelic pop
Psychedelic pop
Psychedelic pop is a psychedelic musical style inspired by the sounds of psychedelic folk and psychedelic rock, but applied to a pop music setting...
, folk rock
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
, and experimental
Experimental rock
Experimental rock or avant-garde rock is a type of music based on rock which experiments with the basic elements of the genre, or which pushes the boundaries of common composition and performance technique....
, and is dominated by the use of vocal harmonies. The band is one of the few non-electronic artists signed to Warp Records
Warp Records
Warp, commonly referred to as Warp Records, is a pioneering independent British record label, founded in Sheffield in 1989, notable for discovering some of the more enduring artists in electronic music....
.
Daniel Rossen is also a member of the duo Department of Eagles
Department of Eagles
Department of Eagles is a band formed in 2000 by friends and New York University roommates Daniel Rossen and Fred Nicolaus...
.
Beginnings and Horn of Plenty (2004-2006)
Grizzly Bear began as a moniker for singer-songwriter Ed DrosteEd Droste
Edward "Ed" Droste is an original member of the Brooklyn-based indie-rock group, Grizzly Bear. The group began as the solo effort of Droste with the release of 2004's Horn of Plenty, originally released on Kanine Records. All songs were written and performed by Droste...
's music in the early 2000s. Regarding the band's origins as a solo project, Droste notes: "It was just like doing a little home project, and I thought "oh, this is fun, I'm just going to call this stuff Grizzly Bear. [...] Our name was actually just a nickname for an old boyfriend of mine."
Grizzly Bear's 2004 debut album, Horn of Plenty
Horn of Plenty (album)
Horn of Plenty is the debut studio album by Brooklyn-based indie rock band Grizzly Bear, released on November 9, 2004 on Kanine. It is primarily a solo album by the band's founding member Edward Droste, with contributions from drummer Christopher Bear....
, features myriad sounds and layering of voices. It was largely the solo effort of Droste (who wrote all the songs in his bedroom) and predates the formation of the band, which has been dubbed anti-folk
Anti-folk
Anti-folk is a music genre that takes the earnestness of politically charged 1960s folk music and subverts it. The defining characteristics of this anti-folk are difficult to identify, as they vary from one artist to the next...
, freak folk
Freak folk
Freak folk is a genre of folk music associated with contemporary artists such as Faun Fables, Animal Collective, Davenport, Devendra Banhart,CocoRosie, Panda Bear, Kelli Ali, Joanna Newsom, Bowerbirds, Woods, Greg Weeks, Hecuba, Akron/Family, Rio en Medio, Birdengine, Sufjan Stevens, Sean Hayes,...
, lo-fi. Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine wrote of the first album that "The pure atmospheric power of the songs is more than enough to hypnotize." In 2005, the band re-released the album with an additional disc of remixes by Solex, Dr. Cuerpo of The Double, Castanets, Final Fantasy, The Soft Pink Truth
The Soft Pink Truth
The Soft Pink Truth is an experimental house music side-project from Drew Daniel, one-half of experimental electronica duo Matmos. Daniel started the project on a dare from Matthew Herbert that he couldn't produce a house record...
, Dntel
Dntel
James Scott "Jimmy" Tamborello, more commonly known as Dntel , is an electronic music artist. He is sometimes cited as James Figurine, the co-programmer and vocalist for the electropop outfit Figurine. Other projects include Strictly Ballroom, Headset and The Postal Service. Tamborello has...
and others.
The band performed four shows as a three-piece (Droste, Horn of Plenty collaborator Christopher Bear
Christopher Bear
Christopher Bear is a drummer and multi-instrumentalist associated with the Brooklyn-based indie-rock group, Grizzly Bear....
, and Chris Taylor
Chris Taylor (Grizzly Bear musician)
Chris Taylor is a multi-instrumentalist and producer best known for his role of bass player in the Brooklyn based indie folk group, Grizzly Bear.-Biography:...
) before adding Daniel Rossen
Daniel Rossen
Daniel Rossen is a singer/songwriter/guitarist for the Brooklyn-based indie-rock group, Grizzly Bear. He is also a member of the duo Department of Eagles.-Biography:...
(a friend of Bear's from jazz-camp) to the line-up. On joining Grizzly Bear, Rossen notes:
Yellow House (2006-2008)
Their first record as a quartet and to feature material written by Rossen, Yellow HouseYellow House (album)
Yellow House is the second studio album by indie rock band Grizzly Bear, released on September 5, 2006 on Warp Records. The album's title is in reference to vocalist Ed Droste's mother's house where a majority of the recording took place...
, was released on Warp Records in September 2006. It was named for Droste's mother's house where it was recorded and ranked as one of the top albums of 2006 by the New York Times and 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...
. In 2007, Rossen recorded a cover of JoJo's single "Too Little Too Late
Too Little Too Late
"Too Little Too Late" is a song written by Billy Steinberg, Josh Alexander, and Ruth-Anne Cunningham for JoJo's second studio album The High Road. It was co-produced by Alexander, Vincent Herbert, and Billy Steinberg. "Too Little Too Late" was released as the album's first single in North America...
" for Droste's twenty-ninth birthday. In 2006 the band did a Take-Away Show session with Vincent Moon
Vincent Moon
Vincent Moon is an independent filmmaker from Paris mainly known for his field work music videos of indie rock related musicians as well as some notable mainstream artists like Tom Jones, R.E.M. or Arcade Fire. Besides making music videos he also makes experimental films and documentaries...
.
Also in 2007, the band released Friend
Friend (EP)
Friend is an EP by the Brooklyn-based band Grizzly Bear, their first release following the critically acclaimed Yellow House. It was released on November 5, 2007 on Warp Records. The EP has tracks recorded during sessions for the Yellow House album, as well as covers of their songs by Band of...
, an EP
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
which features outtakes, alternate versions of songs, and covers of Grizzly Bear material done by Cansei de Ser Sexy (CSS), 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...
, and Atlas Sound
Atlas Sound
Bradford James Cox is an American musician best known as the lead singer and guitarist of Atlanta, Georgia-based psychedelic and ambient band Deerhunter. He also pursues a solo career under the moniker Atlas Sound. Cox formed Deerhunter with drummer Moses Archuleta in 2001. The band has released...
. In addition, members of the Dirty Projectors
Dirty Projectors
The Dirty Projectors aka David Longstreth includes Amber Coffman , Angel Deradoorian , Brian McOmber , Nat Baldwin , and Haley Dekle during live performances...
and Beirut
Beirut (band)
Beirut is an American band which was originally the solo musical project of Santa Fe native Zachary Francis Condon, and later expanded into a band. The band's first performances were in Wollaston, United Kingdom, in May 2006, to support the release of their debut album, Gulag Orkestar...
collaborated with the band on "Alligator" and the EP's hidden track.
On March 1, 2008, Grizzly Bear performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.
Veckatimest (2008-present)
In summer of 2008, Grizzly Bear opened for RadioheadRadiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
on the second leg of their North American tour. In Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, on their last date of the tour together, Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
guitarist Jonny Greenwood
Jonny Greenwood
Jonathan Richard Guy "Jonny" Greenwood is an English musician and composer, best known as a member of the English rock band Radiohead. Greenwood is a multi-instrumentalist, but serves mainly as lead guitarist and keyboard player. In addition to guitar and keyboard, he plays viola, harmonica,...
spoke of his love for Grizzly Bear, on stage, calling them his favorite band. Of the experience, Taylor has commented: “It was shocking, and kind of unbelievable. It still is unbelievable. Opening for Radiohead was a huge honor for us, as a band and as individuals. We’ve all had long-term relationships with Radiohead’s music, so we didn’t want to take that opportunity for granted, and do anything less than the best we could." Christopher has also commented that it "was like a dream."
The group then convened at a house on Cape Cod to solidify their third full-length album, Veckatimest, which released in May 2009 and was named "after a tiny, uninhabited island on Cape Cod that the band visited and was inspired by, particularly liking its Native American name." Upon release the album reached #8 on the US Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
chart, and met with widespread critical acclaim. Chris Bear has noted that compared to Yellow House, the band's 2009 release Veckatimest is more of an accessible pop record. He said: "I think that it’s kinda clearer, clearer equals more accessible I feel like clearer equals more accessible in general as a rule." Veckatimest made many Top Album lists for 2009 (#1 Wall Street Journal, #6 Pitchfork, #6 New York Times, #8 Time)
In 2009, Grizzly Bear also contributed "Service Bell" (with Feist) and "Deep Blue Sea" to the AIDS benefit album Dark Was the Night
Dark Was the Night
Dark Was the Night is the twentieth compilation release benefiting the Red Hot Organization, an international charity dedicated to raising funds and awareness for HIV and AIDS...
produced by the Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization
Red Hot Organization is a not-for-profit, 501 3, international organization dedicated to fighting AIDS through pop culture.Since its inception in 1989, over 400 artists, producers and directors have contributed to over 15 compilation albums, related television programs and media events to raise...
.
In a recent interview the band mentioned their plans to begin recording their fourth studio album at the end of May 2011.
Studio albums
- Horn of PlentyHorn of Plenty (album)Horn of Plenty is the debut studio album by Brooklyn-based indie rock band Grizzly Bear, released on November 9, 2004 on Kanine. It is primarily a solo album by the band's founding member Edward Droste, with contributions from drummer Christopher Bear....
(2004) - Yellow HouseYellow House (album)Yellow House is the second studio album by indie rock band Grizzly Bear, released on September 5, 2006 on Warp Records. The album's title is in reference to vocalist Ed Droste's mother's house where a majority of the recording took place...
(2006) - Veckatimest (2009)
Others
- Horn of Plenty (The Remixes)Horn of Plenty (The Remixes)Horn of Plenty is a remix album from Brooklyn based indie rock group Grizzly Bear.-Track listing:# "Campfire" – 4:04# "Merge" – 3:38# "A Good Place" – 4:51...
(2005) - "Slow Life" featuring Victoria Legrand (2009) on The Twilight Saga: New Moon soundtrack
Singles
- "On a Neck, On a Spit" (August 21, 2006)
- "KnifeKnife (Grizzly Bear song)"Knife" is a song by Brooklyn-based indie rock band Grizzly Bear, from the band's second studio album,Yellow House. The song was released as a single on May 21, 2007.-Music video:...
" (May 21, 2007) - "Live On KCRW" (April 18, 2009)
- "Two WeeksTwo Weeks (Grizzly Bear song)"Two Weeks" is a song by Brooklyn-based indie rock band Grizzly Bear, and the first single from the band's third studio album, Veckatimest. The song was released as a single on June 1, 2009. The song features backing vocals from Victoria Legrand, singer and organist for the dream pop duo Beach House...
" (May 12, 2009) - "While You Wait for the OthersWhile You Wait for the Others"While You Wait for the Others" is a song by Brooklyn-based indie rock band Grizzly Bear, and the second single from the band's third studio album, Veckatimest...
" (August 31, 2009) - "Cheerleader" (2009)
The unreleased song "Blackcurrant Jam" appeared on Worried Noodles, a compilation by David Shrigley
David Shrigley
-Life and career:Shrigley was born in Macclesfield on 17 September 1968, the younger of two children born to Rita and Joseph Shrigley. Shrigley grew up in Oadby, Leicestershire, England...
released by TOMLAB
TOMLAB
The TOMLAB Optimization Environment is a modeling platform for solving applied optimization problems in MATLAB.-Description:TOMLAB is a general purpose development and modeling environment in MATLAB for research, teaching and practical solution of optimization problems...
on October 23, 2007. The song "Don't Ask" from Horn of Plenty appeared on a 7" in Tomlab Records' Alphabet Series.
Collaboration, tours, and notable appearances
In November 2007, the band released their EP FriendFriend (EP)
Friend is an EP by the Brooklyn-based band Grizzly Bear, their first release following the critically acclaimed Yellow House. It was released on November 5, 2007 on Warp Records. The EP has tracks recorded during sessions for the Yellow House album, as well as covers of their songs by Band of...
on Warp Records
Warp Records
Warp, commonly referred to as Warp Records, is a pioneering independent British record label, founded in Sheffield in 1989, notable for discovering some of the more enduring artists in electronic music....
. The EP features collaborations with the Dirty Projectors
Dirty Projectors
The Dirty Projectors aka David Longstreth includes Amber Coffman , Angel Deradoorian , Brian McOmber , Nat Baldwin , and Haley Dekle during live performances...
and Beirut
Beirut (band)
Beirut is an American band which was originally the solo musical project of Santa Fe native Zachary Francis Condon, and later expanded into a band. The band's first performances were in Wollaston, United Kingdom, in May 2006, to support the release of their debut album, Gulag Orkestar...
, as well as covers of Grizzly Bear songs by Cansei de Ser Sexy, Atlas Sound
Atlas Sound
Bradford James Cox is an American musician best known as the lead singer and guitarist of Atlanta, Georgia-based psychedelic and ambient band Deerhunter. He also pursues a solo career under the moniker Atlas Sound. Cox formed Deerhunter with drummer Moses Archuleta in 2001. The band has released...
and 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...
.
Grizzly Bear has toured with TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio
TV on the Radio is an American art rock band formed in 2001 in Brooklyn, New York, whose music spans numerous diverse genres, from post-punk to electro and free jazz to soul music....
(U.S., October 2006) and Feist (U.S., June 2007). In April 2008 Paul Simon
Paul Simon
Paul Frederic Simon is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist.Simon is best known for his success, beginning in 1965, as part of the duo Simon & Garfunkel, with musical partner Art Garfunkel. Simon wrote most of the pair's songs, including three that reached number one on the US singles...
asked Grizzly Bear to play with him for five nights during his month long residency at the Brooklyn Academy of Music
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Brooklyn Academy of Music is a major performing arts venue in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, United States, known as a center for progressive and avant garde performance....
, showcasing songs from his career. Grizzly Bear worked with singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
and multi-instrumentalist
Multi-instrumentalist
A multi-instrumentalist is a musician who plays a number of different instruments.The Bachelor of Music degree usually requires a second instrument to be learned , but people who double on another instrument are not usually seen as multi-instrumentalists.-Classical music:Music written for Symphony...
Paul Duncan of Warm Ghost
Warm Ghost
Warm Ghost is an American alternative music group based on the multi-instrumentalist Paul Duncan who specializes in eclectic sounds from a variety of music genres and who has a background is sound design. Duncan teamed with Oliver Chapoy and records music under the moniker Warm Ghost in 2011...
. The band opened for Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
on the second leg of their North American tour of summer 2008.
Some notable concerts and music festivals in which Grizzly Bear has performed include the Coachella Music Festival (Indio, California
Indio, California
Indio is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, located in the Coachella Valley of Southern California's Colorado Desert region. It lies east of Palm Springs, east of Riverside, and east of Los Angeles. It is about north of Mexicali, Baja California on the U.S.-Mexican border...
, April 29, 2007); the Sasquatch Music Festival (George, Washington
George, Washington
George is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 528 at the 2000 census. Its name is a play on the name of George Washington.The city is known for being near the Gorge Amphitheatre, sometimes being called, "The Gorge at George"....
, May 26, 2007); the Roskilde Festival
Roskilde Festival
Roskilde Festival is a festival held south of Roskilde in Denmark and is one of the six biggest annual music festivals in Europe . It was created in 1971 by two high school students, Mogens Sandfær and Jesper Switzer Møller, and promoter Carl Fischer...
(Roskilde, Denmark, July 7, 2007); and the Pitchfork Music Festival
Pitchfork Music Festival
The Pitchfork Music Festival is an annual summer music festival organized by Pitchfork Media and held in Union Park in Chicago, IL. The festival, which is normally held over three days in July, focuses primarily on artists and bands from alternative rock, rap & hip-hop, electronica, and dance...
(Chicago, July 14, 2007). On November 3, 2007 the band played as a part of the Wordless Music Series at the New York Society for Ethical Culture center. The show was later ranked by Stereogum.com
Stereogum
Stereogum was one of the first MP3 blogs. It was created by Scott Lapatine in January 2002 with a focus on independent and alternative music news, downloads, videos, and gossip. Stereogum has received several awards and citations, including the 2008 Plug Award for best music blog, Blender's...
as their Favorite Live Show of 2007. On March 1, 2008 Grizzly Bear played at the Walt Disney Concert Hall
Walt Disney Concert Hall
The Walt Disney Concert Hall at 111 South Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles, California is the fourth hall of the Los Angeles Music Center. Bounded by Hope Street, Grand Avenue, 1st and 2nd Streets, it seats 2,265 people and serves as the home of the Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestra and the...
in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
with the Los Angeles Philharmonic
Los Angeles Philharmonic
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is an American orchestra based in Los Angeles, California, United States. It has a regular season of concerts from October through June at the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a summer season at the Hollywood Bowl from July through September...
. The first half of the show featured the orchestra playing selections chosen by Grizzly Bear while Grizzly Bear followed with a full set of their own songs. They also played at the 2008 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...
music festival in Chicago, Illinois and the 2009 Bonnaroo Music Festival, along with appearing at the 2009 Pitchfork Music Festival.
In 2009, they played at the Brooklyn Academy of Music
Brooklyn Academy of Music
Brooklyn Academy of Music is a major performing arts venue in Brooklyn, a borough of New York City, United States, known as a center for progressive and avant garde performance....
on February 28 with Owen Pallett
Owen Pallett
Michael James Owen Pallett is a Canadian composer, violinist, keyboardist, and vocalist from Toronto, Ontario. He won the 2006 Polaris Music Prize for the album He Poos Clouds....
, backed by an orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
arranged by Nico Muhly
Nico Muhly
Nico Muhly is a contemporary classical music composer, who has worked and recorded with classical and pop/rock musicians. He currently lives in the Lower East Side section of Manhattan in New York City.-Early years:...
and conducted by Michael Christie
Michael Christie (conductor)
Michael Christie is an American conductor. He graduated from the Oberlin College Conservatory of Music with a bachelor’s degree in trumpet performance...
. They played new songs from Veckatimest as well as songs from Yellow House
Yellow House (album)
Yellow House is the second studio album by indie rock band Grizzly Bear, released on September 5, 2006 on Warp Records. The album's title is in reference to vocalist Ed Droste's mother's house where a majority of the recording took place...
. Ed Droste
Ed Droste
Edward "Ed" Droste is an original member of the Brooklyn-based indie-rock group, Grizzly Bear. The group began as the solo effort of Droste with the release of 2004's Horn of Plenty, originally released on Kanine Records. All songs were written and performed by Droste...
has stated that many songs (such as "Central and Remote", "Reprise" and "Campfire") will not be played again unless backed by an orchestra. In March 2009, they played two showcases at South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
Festival in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
at the Central Presbyterian Church (Austin, Texas) and the Cedar Street Courtyard. In July 2009, they played at the Pitchfork Music Festival
Pitchfork Music Festival
The Pitchfork Music Festival is an annual summer music festival organized by Pitchfork Media and held in Union Park in Chicago, IL. The festival, which is normally held over three days in July, focuses primarily on artists and bands from alternative rock, rap & hip-hop, electronica, and dance...
in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
The band returned to Austin to perform at the 2009 Austin City Limits Music Festival
Austin City Limits Music Festival
The Austin City Limits Music Festival is an annual three-day American music festival that takes place in Austin, Texas at the city's central public park, Zilker Park...
on October 3. The October 16 release of the Twilight Saga: New Moon Original Motion Picture Soundtrack included Slow Life (track 13) by the band and featured guest vocals by Victoria Legrand of Beach House
Beach House
Beach House is a dream pop duo formed in 2004 in Baltimore, Maryland, consisting of French-born Victoria Legrand and Baltimore native Alex Scally. Their self-titled debut, Beach House, released in 2006, was critically acclaimed. This was followed by their second release, Devotion, in 2008...
.
In the summer of 2009 Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
and Beyonce Knowles
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
attended the band's show at East River State Park
East River State Park
East River State Park is a public park located in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. The park stretches along the East River near North 9th and 10th Streets, and offers unobstructed views of the Williamsburg Bridge and Midtown Manhattan....
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Jay-Z praised the band as "incredible," claiming that "what the indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
movement is doing right now is very inspiring" hoping that it would "push hip-hop to go even further."
They performed at the Rockefeller Music Hall
Rockefeller Music Hall
Rockefeller Music Hall, ordinarily referred to simply as Rockefeller, is a concert venue in downtown Oslo, Norway. The building, known as "Torggata Bad" earlier used to house a public bath facility. The music hall was established in 1986...
in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
on the 25th of November 2009, and the band made plans to play at the Falls Festival
Falls Festival
The Falls Festival is a New Year's Eve music festival, held annually in Lorne, Victoria and Marion Bay, Tasmania Australia since 1993.It lasts four days, from 29 December to 1 January each year. The headline acts play mostly over two evenings, 30 December and 31 December...
in Australia's Marion Bay and Lorne locations, over the course of the four day festival from December 29 - January 1, 2010, followed by performances on the 7th January 2010 at Sunset Sounds Festival in Brisbane, Queensland and the 9th of January 2010 at the three day Southbound Festival in Busselton, Western Australia
Busselton, Western Australia
-Growth and development:According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics the Shire had a permanent resident population of 25,950 in 2004 with the town of Busselton accounting for 67% or 17,400 of the total. The Shire's permanent population is expected to continue to increase significantly to...
.
They also played at the three day Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass is an annual Australian music festival held in July at Woodford, Queensland, and previously held at Belongil Fields, outside Byron Bay...
music festival in Woodford, Queensland on the 30th June 2010 with the likes 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 ....
, Pixies and Ben Harper & Relentless7
Relentless7
Relentless7 is an American rock band formed in 2008 by singer/guitarist Ben Harper. The current members are Harper , Jason Mozersky , Jesse Ingalls , and Jordan Richardson .-History:...
.
In the summer of 2010, they played at the Nateva Music & Camping Festival
Nateva Music & Camping Festival
Nateva Music & Camping Festival was a four day, multi stage, limited capacity outdoor camping festival held July 1 - July 4, 2010 at the 100+ acre Oxford Fairgrounds in Oxford, Maine. The festival featured headliners moe., The Flaming Lips, and Furthur...
. They played on the Main Stage on Saturday July 3.
They also appeared at Neil Young's annual Bridge School Benefit on October 23 and 24 in Mountain View, California.
Television appearances
- April 22, 2007 – Grizzly Bear performed "Lullabye" on Last Call with Carson DalyLast Call with Carson DalyLast Call with Carson Daly is an American late night talk show that is broadcast on NBC. The show is hosted by Carson Daly, the half-hour show featuring celebrity interviews, documentary-style coverage of a topic, and musical performances. Last Call airs weeknights at 1:35 a.m. Eastern / 12:35 a.m....
. - May 2007 – Characters on Gilmore GirlsGilmore GirlsGilmore Girls is an American family comedy-drama series created by Amy Sherman-Palladino, starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel. On October 5, 2000, the series debuted on The WB and was cancelled in its seventh season, ending on May 15, 2007 on The CW...
mentioned Grizzly Bear on a season finale episode. - August 2007 - Part of the choir for Feist's performance of "12341234 (song)"1234" is a song from Feist's third studio album, The Reminder. It is Feist's most successful single to date. The song was co-written by Sally Seltmann, an Australian singer-songwriter who also recorded under the name New Buffalo, and Feist...
" on Late Show with David LettermanLate Show with David LettermanLate Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
. - October 2007 – The song "On a Neck, On a Spit" was featured on an episode of ReaperReaper (TV series)Reaper is an American television series that focuses on Sam Oliver, a "reaper" who works for the Devil by retrieving souls that have escaped from Hell.The series originally ran on the CW from September 25, 2007 to May 26, 2009....
. - February 2008 – Grizzly Bear's song "Knife" was featured in the season premiere of the UK programme SkinsSkins (TV series)Skins is a BAFTA award-winning British teen drama that follows a group of teenagers in Bristol, South West England, through the two years of college. The controversial plot line explores issues such as dysfunctional families, mental illness , adolescent sexuality, substance abuse and death...
. - March 6, 2008 – Grizzly Bear performed "Knife" on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.
- April 21, 2008 – Grizzly Bear performed "While You Wait for the Others" on Late Night with Conan O'BrienLate Night with Conan O'BrienLate Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
. - July 23, 2008 - Grizzly Bear performed "Two Weeks" on Late Show with David LettermanLate Show with David LettermanLate Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
. - May 5, 2009 - Grizzly Bear performed "Two Weeks" and "While You Wait for the Others" on Later... with Jools Holland.
- June 26, 2009 - Grizzly Bear performed "Cheerleader" on Late Night with Jimmy FallonLate Night with Jimmy FallonLate 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....
. - July 16, 2009 - Grizzly Bear performed "Ready, Able" on Late Show with David Letterman.
- October 12, 2009 - Grizzly Bear performed "Two Weeks" on The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien.
- A short section from "On a Neck On a Spit" is played nightly on [Adult Swim] as an interlude between shows.
- December 7, 2009 - The song "Two Weeks" was featured on an episode of How I Met Your Mother.
- January 28, 2010 - The song "Foreground" was featured on an episode of Skins.
- January 28, 2010 - "Two Weeks" was featured in a French commercial for Peugeot 5008Peugeot 5008The Peugeot 5008 is a compact MPV unveiled by French automaker Peugeot in June 2009 and has been on sale since late 2009. Five- and seven-seat versions are currently available...
. - February 7, 2010 - "Two Weeks" was featured in a VolkswagenVolkswagenVolkswagen is a German automobile manufacturer and is the original and biggest-selling marque of the Volkswagen Group, which now also owns the Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, SEAT, and Škoda marques and the truck manufacturer Scania.Volkswagen means "people's car" in German, where it is...
commercial that debuted during halftime of Super Bowl XLIVSuper Bowl XLIVSuper Bowl XLIV was an American football game between the American Football Conference champion Indianapolis Colts and the National Football Conference champion New Orleans Saints to decide the National Football League champion for the 2009 season. The Saints defeated the Colts by a score of...
. - April 26, 2010 - "Two Weeks" was featured on an episode of Gossip GirlGossip Girl (TV series)Gossip Girl is an American teen drama television series based on the book series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series was created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, and premiered on The CW on September 19, 2007...
called "Dr. Estrangeloved".
Film appearances
- CSS cover of "Knife" was featured in the 2010 film The Kids Are All RightThe Kids Are All Right (film)The Kids Are All Right is a 2010 American comedy-drama film directed by Lisa Cholodenko and written by Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg.One of Sundance 2010's breakout hits, it opened in limited release on July 9, 2010, expanding to more theaters on July 30, 2010. It was released on DVD and Blu-ray...
. - The song "Slow Life" was featured in The Twilight Saga: New Moon.
- "Marla" appears in the short film Billy's in Love.
- "On a Neck On a Spit" appears in Easier with PracticeEasier with PracticeEasier with Practice is a 2009 American drama film written and directed by Kyle Patrick Alvarez. It stars Brian Geraghty, Kel O'Neill, Marguerite Moreau, Jeanette Brox, Jenna Gavigan and Katie Aselton...
. - Songs from Veckatimest feature prominently on the soundtrack of Philip Seymour HoffmanPhilip Seymour HoffmanPhilip Seymour Hoffman is an American actor and director. Hoffman began acting in television in 1991, and the following year started to appear in films...
's directorial debut Jack Goes BoatingJack Goes Boating (film)Jack Goes Boating is a 2010 romantic comedy film from Overture Films and Relativity Media. Philip Seymour Hoffman makes his directorial debut as he stars alongside Amy Ryan, John Ortiz, and Daphne Rubin-Vega. The film's script was adapted by Robert Glaudini from the 2007 play entitled Jack Goes...
. - Grizzly Bear have scored the soundtrack to the 2010 film Blue ValentineBlue Valentine (film)Blue Valentine is a 2010 romantic drama film written and directed by Derek Cianfrance. The film premiered in competition at the 26th Sundance Film Festival. Derek Cianfrance, Cami Delavigne and Joey Curtis wrote the film, and Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling played the lead roles...
. - Part of the song "Two Weeks" was used in the trailer for the film Crazy, Stupid, LoveCrazy, Stupid, LoveCrazy, Stupid, Love. is a 2011 romantic comedy-drama film directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, written by Dan Fogelman, and starring Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Marisa Tomei, Analeigh Tipton, and Kevin Bacon...
. - "On a Neck, On a Spit" appears in the 2008 film, A Complete History of My Sexual FailuresA Complete History of My Sexual FailuresA Complete History of My Sexual Failures is a British documentary film from 2008. It was directed by Chris Waitt who also starred as the main character and composed some of the music...
.