Hotel Lights
Encyclopedia
Hotel Lights is an American
indie rock band led by singer and multi-instrumentalist Darren Jessee
, former drummer for Ben Folds Five
.
(2006) featuring Archers of Loaf drummer Mark Price and Sparklehorse touring guitarist Alan Weatherhead, had previously been available only as a very limited self-release, one that generated a serious interest and prompted lots of internet chatter about when the album might actually show up at the local bricks-and-mortar record store. The album was officially released by Bar/None Records
in March 2006. In support of the first album, Hotel Lights toured with Bishop Allen, Tift Merritt, and Nada Surf.
2006 also saw the release of six song ep Goodnightgoodmorning and a Hotel Lights recording of "The End of the Tour" for They Might Be Giants
tribute album, Hello Radio.
Firecracker People
(2008) recorded at Butch Vig's Smart Studios
in Madison Wisconsin, features long time collaborator and guitarist Alan Weatherhead with rhythm section Jay Brown and Zeke Hutchins of Tift Merritt
's band. The album was praised for its understated elegance and songwriting. The fifth track, "Amelia Bright" was originally performed by Ben Folds Five
on their final tour.
In 2009 The band joined Ben Folds on tour in the northeast and supported shows for Mark Eitzel and Joel Plaskett in Brooklyn, NY.
The newest album, Girl Graffiti, was released August 16, 2011.
and One Tree Hill
.
"Miles Behind Me" was heard in the film Baby Mama
.
"Through the Crowd" from the album Girl Graffiti was in NBC's Chuck
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
indie rock band led by singer and multi-instrumentalist Darren Jessee
Darren Jessee
Darren Jessee is an American musician and songwriter. He is perhaps best known as the drummer for the alternative rock group Ben Folds Five...
, former drummer for Ben Folds Five
Ben Folds Five
Ben Folds Five is an alternative rock trio formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The group comprises Ben Folds , Robert Sledge , and Darren Jessee . The group achieved mainstream success in the alternative, indie and pop music scenes...
.
History
Hotel Lights (album)Hotel Lights (album)
Hotel Lights is the debut album of Hotel Lights, a pop/indie group. It was released in 2006.-Track listing:#"You Come and I Go" - 3:12#"A.M...
(2006) featuring Archers of Loaf drummer Mark Price and Sparklehorse touring guitarist Alan Weatherhead, had previously been available only as a very limited self-release, one that generated a serious interest and prompted lots of internet chatter about when the album might actually show up at the local bricks-and-mortar record store. The album was officially released by Bar/None Records
Bar/None Records
Bar/None Records is an independent record label based in Hoboken, New Jersey.-Early history:Tom Prendergast started Bar/None in early 1986. Having previously worked in pirate radio and booked and promoted bands in his native Ireland, Prendergast moved to Hoboken in 1982 and started Pier Platters...
in March 2006. In support of the first album, Hotel Lights toured with Bishop Allen, Tift Merritt, and Nada Surf.
2006 also saw the release of six song ep Goodnightgoodmorning and a Hotel Lights recording of "The End of the Tour" for They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants
They Might Be Giants is an American alternative rock band formed in 1982 by John Flansburgh and John Linnell. During TMBG's early years Flansburgh and Linnell were frequently accompanied by a drum machine. In the early 1990s, TMBG became a full band. Currently, the members of TMBG are...
tribute album, Hello Radio.
Firecracker People
Firecracker People
Firecracker People is the second full length album by Hotel Lights, released in 2008.-Track listing:#"Blue Always Finds Me" – 4:26#"Dream State Flying" – 3:47#"Down" – 3:30#"Flicker In My Eye" – 3:43#"Amelia Bright" – 4:05...
(2008) recorded at Butch Vig's Smart Studios
Smart Studios
Smart Studios was a recording studio located at 1254 E Washington Ave in Madison, Wisconsin. It was set up in 1983 by Butch Vig and Steve Marker to produce local bands....
in Madison Wisconsin, features long time collaborator and guitarist Alan Weatherhead with rhythm section Jay Brown and Zeke Hutchins of Tift Merritt
Tift Merritt
Catherine Tift Merritt is an American singer-songwriter, musician and North Carolina native. With her longtime band, she has built what has been called a "unique" and critically acclaimed body of work of "sonic short stories and poignant performances." She has been compared to songwriters like...
's band. The album was praised for its understated elegance and songwriting. The fifth track, "Amelia Bright" was originally performed by Ben Folds Five
Ben Folds Five
Ben Folds Five is an alternative rock trio formed in 1993 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The group comprises Ben Folds , Robert Sledge , and Darren Jessee . The group achieved mainstream success in the alternative, indie and pop music scenes...
on their final tour.
In 2009 The band joined Ben Folds on tour in the northeast and supported shows for Mark Eitzel and Joel Plaskett in Brooklyn, NY.
The newest album, Girl Graffiti, was released August 16, 2011.
Television and Film
Hotel Lights song "Follow Through" was used in the television shows Grey's AnatomyGrey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
and One Tree Hill
One Tree Hill (TV series)
One Tree Hill is an American television drama created by Mark Schwahn, which premiered on September 23, 2003, on The WB Television Network. After its third season, The WB merged with UPN to form The CW Television Network, and, since September 27, 2006, the network has been the official broadcaster...
.
"Miles Behind Me" was heard in the film Baby Mama
Baby Mama (film)
Baby Mama is a 2008 comedy film from Universal Pictures written and directed by Michael McCullers and starring Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Sigourney Weaver, Greg Kinnear, and Dax Shepard.-Plot:...
.
"Through the Crowd" from the album Girl Graffiti was in NBC's Chuck
Chuck (TV series)
Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central...
.
Discography
- Hotel Lights (album)Hotel Lights (album)Hotel Lights is the debut album of Hotel Lights, a pop/indie group. It was released in 2006.-Track listing:#"You Come and I Go" - 3:12#"A.M...
(2004/2006) - Goodnightgoodmorning (2006)
- Firecracker PeopleFirecracker PeopleFirecracker People is the second full length album by Hotel Lights, released in 2008.-Track listing:#"Blue Always Finds Me" – 4:26#"Dream State Flying" – 3:47#"Down" – 3:30#"Flicker In My Eye" – 3:43#"Amelia Bright" – 4:05...
(2008) - Girl Graffiti (2011)
External links
- Official Hotel Lights site
- Chris Parker's Independent Weekly "Homebrew" album review.
- Jason Warburg's Daily Vault album review of Hotel Lights.
- Jason Warburg's Daily Vault album review of Goodnightgoodmorning.
- Article: "Whatever happened to the rest of Ben Folds Five."
- Kitchen Mastering studios discusses the mastering of the 2005 Hotel Lights EP.
- Done Waiting's Darren Jessee update, "What's Up, Darren Jessee, Former Drummer of Ben Folds Five?"
- Info on the lost Ben Folds/Darren Jessee collaboration, "Wandering," now part of the Ben Folds Speed Graphic EP.