Park Ave.
Encyclopedia
Park Ave. was an indie pop
band which started in January 1996 in Omaha, Nebraska
.
The band lasted only two and a half years, but still retains a substantial fanbase. During their short time together, Park Ave. (named after an actual street in their hometown of Omaha, Nebraska
) received rave reviews for their brand of indie pop music. The band was born out of members' desire to write pop, almost bubblegum pop, music.
Strangely, none of the members could play their respective musical instruments prior to forming the band. Conor Oberst
had been playing guitar since a very young age, yet played drums in the band. Clark Baechle
had played drums previously, but played guitar for Park Ave. Park Ave. performed about 10-15 times during its existence. When Jamie moved to London to work in art, the band broke up, hence the name of their 1999 album. Before she went to London they recorded some songs on 4-track to have for themselves, these recordings eventually became their first and only album. However, Jamie returned and she and Jenkins reunited in Tilly and the Wall
, which also includes Nick White
, Kianna Alarid
, and Derek Pressnall
. Conor Oberst
now has a successful career as Bright Eyes with work in Desaparecidos
, Mystic Valley Band as well as Monsters of Folk
while Clark Baechle
is the drummer of The Faint
.
)
The Wrens
/Park Ave. Split 7" (1998 - Saddle Creek Records
)
Indie pop
Indie pop is a genre of alternative rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid 1980s, with its roots in the Scottish post-punk bands on the Postcard Records label in the early '80s, such as Orange Juice, Josef K and Aztec Camera, and the dominant UK independent band of the mid...
band which started in January 1996 in Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
.
The band lasted only two and a half years, but still retains a substantial fanbase. During their short time together, Park Ave. (named after an actual street in their hometown of Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
) received rave reviews for their brand of indie pop music. The band was born out of members' desire to write pop, almost bubblegum pop, music.
Strangely, none of the members could play their respective musical instruments prior to forming the band. Conor Oberst
Conor Oberst
Conor Mullen Oberst is an American singer-songwriter best known for his work in Bright Eyes. He has also played in several other bands, including Desaparecidos, Norman Bailer , Commander Venus, Park Ave., Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, and Monsters of Folk.-Musical career:Oberst began...
had been playing guitar since a very young age, yet played drums in the band. Clark Baechle
Clark Baechle
Clark Alan Baechle is the drummer in the band The Faint. He also played in another Nebraskan band, Park Ave. He has also played on many releases and tours for Bright Eyes, playing drums and clarinet...
had played drums previously, but played guitar for Park Ave. Park Ave. performed about 10-15 times during its existence. When Jamie moved to London to work in art, the band broke up, hence the name of their 1999 album. Before she went to London they recorded some songs on 4-track to have for themselves, these recordings eventually became their first and only album. However, Jamie returned and she and Jenkins reunited in Tilly and the Wall
Tilly and the Wall
Tilly and the Wall is an indie pop group from Omaha, Nebraska. Their name originated from a children's book called Tillie and the Wall, written by Leo Lionni...
, which also includes Nick White
Nick White
Nicholas Edward White is a musician who plays keyboards in the indie-pop group Tilly and the Wall from Omaha, Nebraska. He has also been known to play keyboards for Bright Eyes on tour...
, Kianna Alarid
Kianna Alarid
Kianna Alarid is the lead singer and bass guitarist for the band Tilly and the Wall from Omaha, Nebraska. She was formerly in a band called Magic Kiss with members of Park Ave...
, and Derek Pressnall
Derek Pressnall
Derek Scott Pressnall is the guitarist for indie-pop group Tilly and the Wall from Omaha, Nebraska. He is also in the bands The Flamboyant Gods, Flowers Forever, and Dead Bird.He and fellow bandmate Nick White are from Dunwoody, Georgia...
. Conor Oberst
Conor Oberst
Conor Mullen Oberst is an American singer-songwriter best known for his work in Bright Eyes. He has also played in several other bands, including Desaparecidos, Norman Bailer , Commander Venus, Park Ave., Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, and Monsters of Folk.-Musical career:Oberst began...
now has a successful career as Bright Eyes with work in Desaparecidos
Desaparecidos (band)
Desaparecidos was a short-lived American emo/post-hardcore band. It was a side project headed by singer/guitarist Conor Oberst, the frontman of the indie folk band Bright Eyes....
, Mystic Valley Band as well as Monsters of Folk
Monsters of Folk
Monsters of Folk is an American supergroup, consisting of Jim James from My Morning Jacket, Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis from Bright Eyes, and M. Ward, renowned solo artist. The band was formed in 2004 when the members were on tour with their respective bands and solo projects. After playing...
while Clark Baechle
Clark Baechle
Clark Alan Baechle is the drummer in the band The Faint. He also played in another Nebraskan band, Park Ave. He has also played on many releases and tours for Bright Eyes, playing drums and clarinet...
is the drummer of The Faint
The Faint
The Faint is an American indie rock band. Formed in Omaha, Nebraska, the band consists of Todd Fink, Jacob Thiele, Dapose, Joel Petersen and Clark Baechle. The Faint was originally known as Norman Bailer and included Conor Oberst...
.
Band members
- Clark BaechleClark BaechleClark Alan Baechle is the drummer in the band The Faint. He also played in another Nebraskan band, Park Ave. He has also played on many releases and tours for Bright Eyes, playing drums and clarinet...
(guitar, vocals) - Jenn Bernard (keyboards, vocals)
- Neely JenkinsNeely JenkinsNeely Jo Jenkins is a musician from Omaha, Nebraska best known for being a singer in the band Tilly and the Wall. She was also a member of the band Park Ave. with Tilly and the Wall bandmate Jamie Pressnall, . Previously, Jenkins sang "Contrast and Compare" and "Pull My Hair" with Bright Eyes on...
(bass guitar, vocals) - Conor OberstConor OberstConor Mullen Oberst is an American singer-songwriter best known for his work in Bright Eyes. He has also played in several other bands, including Desaparecidos, Norman Bailer , Commander Venus, Park Ave., Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, and Monsters of Folk.-Musical career:Oberst began...
(drums, vocals) - Jamie WilliamsJamie PressnallJamie Lynn Pressnall is a musician from Omaha, Nebraska and is a member of the band Tilly and the Wall. She was also in a band with Clark Baechle, Neely Jenkins, and Conor Oberst called Park Ave. and a band called Magic Kiss with Kianna Alarid...
(guitar, vocals)
Discography
When Jamie Went to London... We Broke Up (1999 - Urinine RecordsUrinine Records
URININE Records was an independent record label started by Sid Sowder in Indianapolis in 1994. The record label shared its name with his zine. In the years that followed, the record label would move with Sowder to Kansas City and ultimately to Boston...
)
- Although the original pressing of When Jamie Went To London...We Broke Up went out of printOut of printOut of print refers to an item, typically a book , but can include any print or visual media or sound recording, that is in the state of no longer being published....
due to Urinine Records' closure, Team Love Records re-pressed it in late 2005.
The Wrens
The Wrens (band)
The Wrens are an indie rock band that formed in the late 1980s in New Jersey. The group consists of Charles Bissell, Greg Whelan, Kevin Whelan, and Jerry MacDonald. Their debut album Silver was released in 1994...
/Park Ave. Split 7" (1998 - Saddle Creek Records
Saddle Creek Records
Saddle Creek Records is an American record label based in Omaha, Nebraska. Started as a college class project on entrepreneurship, the label was founded by Conor Oberst and Justin Oberst in 1993 . Conor soon turned over his role in the company to Robb Nansel...
)
See also
- Bright Eyes
- DesaparecidosDesaparecidos (band)Desaparecidos was a short-lived American emo/post-hardcore band. It was a side project headed by singer/guitarist Conor Oberst, the frontman of the indie folk band Bright Eyes....
- The FaintThe FaintThe Faint is an American indie rock band. Formed in Omaha, Nebraska, the band consists of Todd Fink, Jacob Thiele, Dapose, Joel Petersen and Clark Baechle. The Faint was originally known as Norman Bailer and included Conor Oberst...
- Tilly and the WallTilly and the WallTilly and the Wall is an indie pop group from Omaha, Nebraska. Their name originated from a children's book called Tillie and the Wall, written by Leo Lionni...