Moss Icon
Encyclopedia
Moss Icon was an Annapolis, Maryland
post-hardcore
band from 1986 to 1991. Its original members were singer Jonathan Vance, guitarist Tonie Joy
, bassist Monica DiGialleonardo, and drummer Mark Laurence. Alex Badertscher joined as second guitarist in 1990. Moss Icon is best known for its influence on the hardcore punk splinter genre known as "emotive hardcore" or emo
, and its affiliation with Maryland's The Hated
.
, particularly in guitar style, while later songs embodied a less blunt approach, noted by some detractors as making Moss Icon "like Grateful Dead
for punks." The band touched upon vaguely, among other issues, the plight of indigenous peoples of the Americas
, and opposed the U.S. government's involvement in Nicaragua
and Guatemala
.
Moss Icon recorded their debut 7", "Hate in Me", in January 1988, and entered the studio several months later to record their second 7", "Mahpiua Luta". Their "Lyburnum Wits End Liberation Fly" LP was recorded by Les Lentz throughout 1988 but was not released until mid-1994, three years after the band's break-up, by Vermiform Records
. Moss Icon's third 7", entitled "Memorial", was recorded in January 1991 along with a split LP with Silver Bearing. In 1994 Ebullition Records
released the "It Disappears" LP, compiling songs from "Memorial" with live versions of several songs.
In 1990 a splinter project of Moss Icon was formed called Breathing Walker
, containing all four members of Moss Icon plus Alex Badertscher on bass, Zak Fusciello on percussion, and Tim Horner on violin. Breathing Walker released a cassette that was re-released on vinyl and CD in 2001 by the Vermin Scum
label, along with live tracks.
, Born Against
, The Great Unraveling
, and The Convocation Of.... (later rechristened The Convocation). Other band members were less involved in music, excepting Laurence's drums in Lava, DiGialleonardo's Blue Condors, and Vance's solo debut LP.
Moss Icon reunited to play two shows with Zak Fusciello on drums, one at the 2001 More Than Music Fest in Columbus, Ohio
and the other at the renovated Charles Theatre
in Baltimore, Maryland.
Currently, Tonie Joy, Jonathan Vance, Zak Fusciello, and Alex Badertscher are working on material for a new recording in Baltimore, MD with live shows being a future possibility.
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
post-hardcore
Post-hardcore
Post-hardcore is a genre of music that developed from hardcore punk, itself an offshoot of the broader punk rock movement. Like post-punk, post-hardcore is a term for a broad constellation of groups...
band from 1986 to 1991. Its original members were singer Jonathan Vance, guitarist Tonie Joy
Tonie Joy
Anthony R. "Tonie" Joy is an American musician currently based in Baltimore, Maryland. Joy is known for his work, most commonly as a guitarist, in several popular underground punk and indie rock bands. In addition, Joy runs the independent record label Vermin Scum.-Musical career:Joy began...
, bassist Monica DiGialleonardo, and drummer Mark Laurence. Alex Badertscher joined as second guitarist in 1990. Moss Icon is best known for its influence on the hardcore punk splinter genre known as "emotive hardcore" or emo
Emo
Emo is a style of rock music and its associated subcultureEmo may also refer to:- Businesses :* Emo , an Irish oil company and filling station chain* Emo Speedway, a racetrack in Emo, Ontario...
, and its affiliation with Maryland's The Hated
The Hated
The Hated was an Annapolis, Maryland punk rock band from 1985 to 1990. The original members were Mike Bonner, Erik Fisher, Daniel Littleton, and Colin Meeder...
.
Formation to breakup
The band's identifying characteristics, and those that distinguished them from their contemporaries, included noticeable and abrupt transitions from loud to quiet, Joy's distinct arpeggiated guitar (often picked), and Vance's esoteric, sometimes meandering lyrical content. Earlier recordings of the band are reminiscent of early Joy DivisionJoy Division
Joy Division were an English rock band formed in 1976 in Salford, Greater Manchester. Originally named Warsaw, the band primarily consisted of Ian Curtis , Bernard Sumner , Peter Hook and Stephen Morris .Joy Division rapidly evolved from their initial punk rock influences...
, particularly in guitar style, while later songs embodied a less blunt approach, noted by some detractors as making Moss Icon "like Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
for punks." The band touched upon vaguely, among other issues, the plight of indigenous peoples of the Americas
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
, and opposed the U.S. government's involvement in Nicaragua
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
and Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
.
Moss Icon recorded their debut 7", "Hate in Me", in January 1988, and entered the studio several months later to record their second 7", "Mahpiua Luta". Their "Lyburnum Wits End Liberation Fly" LP was recorded by Les Lentz throughout 1988 but was not released until mid-1994, three years after the band's break-up, by Vermiform Records
Vermiform Records
Vermiform Records was an American independent record label that specialized in releasing punk rock music from 1990 until 2002. Over the course of those twelve years Vermiform released 57 albums and relocated many times, being headquartered in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Rhode Island and...
. Moss Icon's third 7", entitled "Memorial", was recorded in January 1991 along with a split LP with Silver Bearing. In 1994 Ebullition Records
Ebullition Records
Ebullition Records is an independent record label and distro based out of Goleta, California. It published HeartattaCk, a zine focusing on independent punk and hardcore from around the world, informed by an anti-consumerist and D.I.Y. ideology....
released the "It Disappears" LP, compiling songs from "Memorial" with live versions of several songs.
In 1990 a splinter project of Moss Icon was formed called Breathing Walker
Breathing Walker
Breathing Walker was an indie rock band formed by Tonie Joy , Jonathan Vance , Mark Laurence , Tim Horner , Monica DiGialleonardo , Zak Fusciello and Alex Badertscher as a side project of Joy, Vance, DiGialleonardo and Laurence's band, Moss Icon.Breathing Walker only released one album, which was...
, containing all four members of Moss Icon plus Alex Badertscher on bass, Zak Fusciello on percussion, and Tim Horner on violin. Breathing Walker released a cassette that was re-released on vinyl and CD in 2001 by the Vermin Scum
Vermin Scum
Vermin Scum is an Annapolis, Maryland-based record label founded by Kenny Hill of the bands Spastic Rats and, later, the Hated. The name was given to fit the theme of the label's first release, the Spastic Rats' "Rodentia."...
label, along with live tracks.
Post-breakup and 2001 reformation
After the dissolution of Moss Icon, guitarist Tonie Joy was a member of the bands Universal Order of ArmageddonUniversal Order of Armageddon
Universal Order of Armageddon was an American hardcore band, active in the early to mid 1990s.-History:The band formed in September 1992 and by early 1993, after quickly gaining a small but devoted following, they were recording and touring the East Coast. Known for their extreme short chaotic...
, Born Against
Born Against
Born Against was an American hardcore punk band from New York active between 1989–1993. In addition to their radical leftist politics, the group espoused a DIY punk message and challenged what they perceived as problematic within the punk subculture of their time.-History:The group was founded in...
, The Great Unraveling
The Great Unraveling
The Great Unraveling: Losing Our Way in the New Century is a book by Paul Krugman, consisting of a collection of his columns for the New York Times . The collected columns were concerned mainly with the US economy in the early 2000s, and about the economic and foreign policies of the George W...
, and The Convocation Of.... (later rechristened The Convocation). Other band members were less involved in music, excepting Laurence's drums in Lava, DiGialleonardo's Blue Condors, and Vance's solo debut LP.
Moss Icon reunited to play two shows with Zak Fusciello on drums, one at the 2001 More Than Music Fest in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
and the other at the renovated Charles Theatre
Charles Theatre
The Charles Theatre, often referred to as simply the Charles, is the oldest movie theatre in Baltimore. The theatre is a Beaux-Arts building designed as a streetcar barn in 1892 by Jackson C. Gott, located in what is now the Station North arts and entertainment district...
in Baltimore, Maryland.
2008 activity
In July 2008, Moss Icon was named one of the "23 Bands Who Shaped Punk" by Alternative Press magazine.Currently, Tonie Joy, Jonathan Vance, Zak Fusciello, and Alex Badertscher are working on material for a new recording in Baltimore, MD with live shows being a future possibility.
Discography
- Demo Tape cassetteCompact CassetteThe Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
(1987, self-released)
- Hate in Me
- What They Lack
- Never Turning
- My Strength, My Weakness
- Mirror
- We Deny
- Sorrow
- Hate in Me 7" (1988, Vermin ScumVermin ScumVermin Scum is an Annapolis, Maryland-based record label founded by Kenny Hill of the bands Spastic Rats and, later, the Hated. The name was given to fit the theme of the label's first release, the Spastic Rats' "Rodentia."...
/Dancing Song)
- Hate In Me
- What They Lack
- I'm Back Sleeping or Fucking or Something
- Kiss The Girls and Make Them Die
- Mahpiua Luta 7" (1989, Vermin Scum)
- The Life or This Grape’s Juice Drink
- Kicks the Can
- Memorial 7" (1991, Vermin Scum)
- Memorial
- Moth
- Moss Icon/Silver Bearing split LP with Silver Bearing (1991, Vermin Scum)
- Guatemala
- Gravity
- Familiar Presides
- As Afterwards The Words Still Ring
- Lyburnum Wits End Liberation Fly LP (1994, Vermiform RecordsVermiform RecordsVermiform Records was an American independent record label that specialized in releasing punk rock music from 1990 until 2002. Over the course of those twelve years Vermiform released 57 albums and relocated many times, being headquartered in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Rhode Island and...
)- reissueReissueA reissue is the repeated issue of a published work. In common usage, it refers to an album which has been released at least once before and is released again, sometimes with alterations or additions....
d in 1997 on CDCompact DiscThe Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
with selected tracks from It Disappears as Lyburnum on Vermiform Records
- reissue
- Mirror
- I'm Back Sleeping or Fucking or Something
- The Life
- Divinity Cove
- Locket
- Kick the Can
- Lyburnum Wits End Liberation Fly
- Cricketty Rise
- As Afterwards The Words Still Ring
- Happy (Unbounded Glory)
- It Disappears LP (1994, Ebullition RecordsEbullition RecordsEbullition Records is an independent record label and distro based out of Goleta, California. It published HeartattaCk, a zine focusing on independent punk and hardcore from around the world, informed by an anti-consumerist and D.I.Y. ideology....
/ Vermin Scum)
- Guatemala
- Memorial
- Moth
- Gravity
- I'm Back Sleeping or Fucking or Something (Live)
- It Disappears
Compilation appearances
- Panx Zine #3 compilationCompilation albumA compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
7" - song "Mirror" (1988, Panx) - Life is Change comp CD - song "Guatemala" (1991, Bari Beri)
- Superpowers cassette compilation - song "Sioux Day" (1992, Troubleman Unlimited)
- Powerless II comp LP - song "Divinity Cove" (1992)
- Fear of Smell comp LP - song "Excerpt From It Disappears" (1993, Vermiform)
- False Object Sensor comp LP/CD - song "Cornflower Blue" with The HatedThe HatedThe Hated was an Annapolis, Maryland punk rock band from 1985 to 1990. The original members were Mike Bonner, Erik Fisher, Daniel Littleton, and Colin Meeder...
(2001, Vermiform—also appears on The Hated "unreleased songs" bootleg LP)
Related bands
- Born AgainstBorn AgainstBorn Against was an American hardcore punk band from New York active between 1989–1993. In addition to their radical leftist politics, the group espoused a DIY punk message and challenged what they perceived as problematic within the punk subculture of their time.-History:The group was founded in...
- Tonie Joy - Breathing WalkerBreathing WalkerBreathing Walker was an indie rock band formed by Tonie Joy , Jonathan Vance , Mark Laurence , Tim Horner , Monica DiGialleonardo , Zak Fusciello and Alex Badertscher as a side project of Joy, Vance, DiGialleonardo and Laurence's band, Moss Icon.Breathing Walker only released one album, which was...
- Jonathan Vance, Mark Laurence, Monica DiGialleonardo, Tonie Joy, Alex Badertscher - The Convocation Of...The Convocation Of...The Convocation is an American post rock band from Baltimore, Maryland.-History:As The Convocation Of..., the band was formed by George France, Tonie Joy, and Guy Blakeslee in August 1998...
- Tonie Joy - The Great UnravelingThe Great Unraveling (band)The Great Unraveling were an American post-punk rock band from Baltimore, Maryland, a later project from Tonie Joy of Moss Icon, Universal Order of Armageddon and Born Against. The band was active from 1995–1997.-History:...
- Tonie Joy - Jonathan Vance - Jonathan Vance
- Lava - Mark Laurence
- Universal Order of ArmageddonUniversal Order of ArmageddonUniversal Order of Armageddon was an American hardcore band, active in the early to mid 1990s.-History:The band formed in September 1992 and by early 1993, after quickly gaining a small but devoted following, they were recording and touring the East Coast. Known for their extreme short chaotic...
- Tonie Joy