Model Engine
Encyclopedia
Model Engine was an alternative rock
band based in Santa Barbara
, California
. Prior to 1997 the trio, consisting of Jeremy Post, Brad McCarter and Brent Nims were known as Black Eyed Sceva. Confusion over the meaning of the name and its constant mispronunciation led the band to change its moniker when drummer Erik Herzog replaced Nims prior to the release of the group's third album. They disbanded in 2000.
Influenced by artists as diverse as The Police
, Rush
and Uncle Tupelo
, Model Engine/Black Eyed Sceva's music was a blend of alternative rock
, grunge
, and progressive rock
. All of the group's albums were recorded and released under the 5 Minute Walk
label and produced by Bruce Winter, an associate of Toad the Wet Sprocket
.
, briefly mentioned in the Bible
in .
As Black Eyed Sceva the band released two commercially unsuccessful but critically acclaimed albums, Way Before the Flood (1994) and the EP 5 Years, 50,000 Miles Davis (1995). As a lyricist Post addressed provocative and intellectually challenging issues from a Christian
viewpoint. Among the topics covered were premarital sex
("Mudhouse"), divorce
and child abandonment ("Adrien James"), secular philosophy
("Comte
's Perspective"), homosexuality
and AIDS
("Handshake"), church divisions ("Ecumenical") and post-modern Christian media hype ("Soapbox"). The song "Twain" was an unapologetic assault on Mark Twain
's book Letters from the Earth
.
("Reeperbahn," based on the band's experiences in Hamburg, Germany
) and pornography ("Anonymous F").
In each song the band's goal was to take listeners to the depths of human experience and show that humanity's need is answered through a relationship with God.
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band based in Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, California
Santa Barbara is the county seat of Santa Barbara County, California, United States. Situated on an east-west trending section of coastline, the longest such section on the West Coast of the United States, the city lies between the steeply-rising Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Prior to 1997 the trio, consisting of Jeremy Post, Brad McCarter and Brent Nims were known as Black Eyed Sceva. Confusion over the meaning of the name and its constant mispronunciation led the band to change its moniker when drummer Erik Herzog replaced Nims prior to the release of the group's third album. They disbanded in 2000.
Influenced by artists as diverse as The Police
The Police
The Police were an English rock band formed in London in 1977. For the vast majority of their history, the band consisted of Sting , Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland...
, Rush
Rush (band)
Rush is a Canadian rock band formed in August 1968, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario. The band is composed of bassist, keyboardist, and lead vocalist Geddy Lee, guitarist Alex Lifeson, and drummer and lyricist Neil Peart...
and 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...
, Model Engine/Black Eyed Sceva's music was a blend of alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
, 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...
, and progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
. All of the group's albums were recorded and released under the 5 Minute Walk
5 Minute Walk
5 Minute Walk is an independent record label founded by Frank Tate in April, 1995. Their operations were based in Concord, California in the back offices of "The Screem", a live alternate music club operated by Tate. They only carried Christian bandsDryve: Yeah, that was like the first thing...
label and produced by Bruce Winter, an associate of Toad the Wet Sprocket
Toad the Wet Sprocket
Toad the Wet Sprocket is an American alternative rock band formed in 1986. The band consists of singer/guitarist Glen Phillips, guitarist Todd Nichols, bassist Dean Dinning, and drummer Randy Guss. The band enjoyed chart success in the 1990s with the singles "Walk on the Ocean," "All I Want,"...
.
Black Eyed Sceva
The group's original name was a reference to the seven sons of ScevaSceva
Sceva, or Scevas, apparently related to the Greek word skeuos meaning a vessel or implement, a Jew called a "chief priest" in ....
, briefly mentioned in the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
in .
As Black Eyed Sceva the band released two commercially unsuccessful but critically acclaimed albums, Way Before the Flood (1994) and the EP 5 Years, 50,000 Miles Davis (1995). As a lyricist Post addressed provocative and intellectually challenging issues from a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
viewpoint. Among the topics covered were premarital sex
Premarital sex
Premarital sex is sexual activity, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex, practiced by persons who are unmarried. Although it has always been practiced, in the West it has increased in prevalence since the mid-1950s...
("Mudhouse"), divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
and child abandonment ("Adrien James"), secular philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
("Comte
Auguste Comte
Isidore Auguste Marie François Xavier Comte , better known as Auguste Comte , was a French philosopher, a founder of the discipline of sociology and of the doctrine of positivism...
's Perspective"), homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
and AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
("Handshake"), church divisions ("Ecumenical") and post-modern Christian media hype ("Soapbox"). The song "Twain" was an unapologetic assault on Mark Twain
Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens , better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist...
's book Letters from the Earth
Letters from the Earth
Letters from the Earth is one of Mark Twain's posthumously published works. The essays were written during a difficult time in Twain's life; he was deep in debt and had lost his wife and one of his daughters...
.
Model Engine
As Model Engine, The Lean Years Tradition (1997) continued the band's exploration of dark themes, including Christian martyrdom ("Hang You Upside Down"), prostitutionProstitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
("Reeperbahn," based on the band's experiences in Hamburg, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
) and pornography ("Anonymous F").
In each song the band's goal was to take listeners to the depths of human experience and show that humanity's need is answered through a relationship with God.
Black Eyed Sceva albums
- Way Before the Flood – (1995, 5 Minute Walk)
- 5 Years, 50,000 Miles – (1996, 5 Minute Walk)
Members
- Jeremy Post – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Brad McCarter – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals - Brent Nims – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Erik Herzog – drums
External links
- Black Eyed Sceva on MusicBrainzMusicBrainzMusicBrainz is a project that aims to create an open content music database. Similar to the freedb project, it was founded in response to the restrictions placed on the CDDB...
- Model Engine on MusicBrainzMusicBrainzMusicBrainz is a project that aims to create an open content music database. Similar to the freedb project, it was founded in response to the restrictions placed on the CDDB...