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Redding (band)
Encyclopedia
Redding is an American
indie
rock
band
from Belleville, Illinois
, near St. Louis, Missouri
. Heavily influenced by British
bands like Coldplay
, Elbow
, Travis
, and Radiohead
, Redding take their name from the character of Ellis Redding (played by Morgan Freeman
) in one of the band’s favorite films, The Shawshank Redemption
.
The band consists of:
In the early part of 2004, the hard work would pay off. The band decided to retreat back into their home studio from February until April, with intentions of recording a four-song EP
completely on their own. Of course, this posed a serious problem: they were lacking a vital member of the band – a bassist. Naturally, Graves thought of his first cousin Jeff McCullough. Although he was nearly 5 years older and already had a degree from Greenville College
, McCullough’s musical background and instant connection with the band was a perfect fit. He not only took on the role of bassist, but keyboardist, backing vocalist, and lyricist as well. Additionally, he would become a major creative force in the group. According to Stamm, “It was Jeff who opened our ears to Britpop
, which immediately led to a complete obsession.”
, who expressed the possibility of signing For the Moment to his label. But Derr and co-owner Chris Henderson (guitarist in alternative rock group 3 Doors Down) requested additional music. The band quickly wrote and recorded an early version of “Gleam,” which consequently helped seal the deal with Rock Ridge Music. In the fall, Graves, Gula, and Stamm started school at Southwestern Illinois College
as music majors.
Also in January, a new recording session began at Chris Henderson’s Rivergate Studios in Biloxi, Mississippi
. Redding was introduced to former Creed
producer Kirk Kelsey, who would be producing, engineering, and mixing the project. However, recording was not completed by the end of the allotted week, and the band would have to wait eight months before resuming, due to the tour schedule of 3 Doors Down. In the meantime, Redding began to establish a fan base by playing several shows around their local St. Louis area. On August 6, the band was afforded the opportunity to perform at UMB Bank Pavilion for a crowd of nearly 20,000 before Staind
and 3 Doors Down. In the week following, and again in October, recording sessions resumed, this time at Greenville College
. On October 18, recording was completed. The project would then be mixed and mastered over the next three months. Redding's eponymous eight track debut album was released on July 11, 2006.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
indie
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...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
from Belleville, Illinois
Belleville, Illinois
Belleville is a city in St. Clair County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city has a population of 44,478. It is the eighth-most populated city outside of the Chicago Metropolitan Area and the most populated city south of Springfield in the state of Illinois. It is the county...
, near St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. Heavily influenced by British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
bands like Coldplay
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
, Elbow
Elbow (band)
Elbow are an English rock band. They have played together since 1990 and recorded five studio albums, the most recent of which is Build a Rocket Boys!, released in March 2011...
, Travis
Travis (band)
Travis are a post-Britpop band from Glasgow, Scotland, comprising Fran Healy , Dougie Payne , Andy Dunlop and Neil Primrose...
, and 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...
, Redding take their name from the character of Ellis Redding (played by Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman
Morgan Freeman is an American actor, film director, aviator and narrator. He is noted for his reserved demeanor and authoritative speaking voice. Freeman has received Academy Award nominations for his performances in Street Smart, Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption and Invictus and won...
) in one of the band’s favorite films, The Shawshank Redemption
The Shawshank Redemption
The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont and starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman....
.
The band consists of:
- Joseph Graves: lead vocals, 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...
- Jeff McCullough: bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
/keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, backing vocals - Daniel Gula: 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...
- Jon Stamm: 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 ....
/percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
Origin and early years (1999 – April 2004)
“First we created the band,” recalls drummer Jon Stamm, “and with that established, we faced the problem of learning how to play instruments.” Having grown up playing music together since grade school, Graves, Stamm, and Gula had become a formidable garage band by high school. In their junior year, the trio adopted the name For the Moment, with the joint decision to step back and get serious. 2003 would be a quiet but crucial year for the developing band. In the singer’s basement, a cheap recording studio was built, which opened an important new door to the writing process. In contrast to previous years, ‘03 would be spent in the studio polishing just a handful of songs, rather than aimlessly playing live shows. Graves found himself at the helm of writing the music, with acoustic guitars and vocal harmonies working their way into the maturing sound. Stamm found a niche as the dominant lyricist.In the early part of 2004, the hard work would pay off. The band decided to retreat back into their home studio from February until April, with intentions of recording a four-song 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...
completely on their own. Of course, this posed a serious problem: they were lacking a vital member of the band – a bassist. Naturally, Graves thought of his first cousin Jeff McCullough. Although he was nearly 5 years older and already had a degree from Greenville College
Greenville College
Greenville College is located in Greenville, Illinois, a small Illinois city, located 45 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri on Interstate 70...
, McCullough’s musical background and instant connection with the band was a perfect fit. He not only took on the role of bassist, but keyboardist, backing vocalist, and lyricist as well. Additionally, he would become a major creative force in the group. According to Stamm, “It was Jeff who opened our ears to Britpop
Britpop
Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s...
, which immediately led to a complete obsession.”
Sinclair Aircraft EP (May 2004 – December 2004)
May 2004 was a pivotal time for the band. Recording was finally finished, and the resultant four songs were packaged and released as an independent EP called Sinclair Aircraft. The disc was made available on May 8, just two weeks before Graves, Stamm, and Gula graduated from high school. However, the band was able to sell nearly all 300 copies before school ended, which was beneficial to the local success that followed through the summer. Most importantly, one copy of the Sinclair Aircraft EP managed to make its way into the hands of Tom Derr, owner of Rock Ridge MusicRock Ridge Music
Rock Ridge Music is an independent record label based in Newark, New Jersey. Some of the more recognized artists on the Rock Ridge roster include Reel Big Fish, Sister Hazel, Psychostick, Attack! Attack! UK, The Ike Reilly Assassination, and Ingram Hill....
, who expressed the possibility of signing For the Moment to his label. But Derr and co-owner Chris Henderson (guitarist in alternative rock group 3 Doors Down) requested additional music. The band quickly wrote and recorded an early version of “Gleam,” which consequently helped seal the deal with Rock Ridge Music. In the fall, Graves, Gula, and Stamm started school at Southwestern Illinois College
Southwestern Illinois College
Southwestern Illinois College is the sixth largest community college in Illinois with campuses in Belleville, Granite City, and Red Bud, plus 20 off-campus sites throughout the district, including Scott Air Force Base and East St. Louis Community College Center...
as music majors.
Development with Rock Ridge Music (January 2005 – present)
2005 presented the band with new opportunities and challenges. To begin with, a name change was necessary after receiving news that “For the Moment” was already in use. According to Graves, this wasn’t a disappointment. “We needed a more fitting name anyway. No one was comfortable with For the Moment.” Within a few weeks, the quartet agreed to call itself Redding.Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. Redding was introduced to former Creed
Creed (band)
Creed is an American rock band formed in 1995 in Tallahassee, Florida. Becoming popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the band has released three consecutive multi-platinum albums, one of which has been certified diamond, and has sold over 28 million records in the United States, with an...
producer Kirk Kelsey, who would be producing, engineering, and mixing the project. However, recording was not completed by the end of the allotted week, and the band would have to wait eight months before resuming, due to the tour schedule of 3 Doors Down. In the meantime, Redding began to establish a fan base by playing several shows around their local St. Louis area. On August 6, the band was afforded the opportunity to perform at UMB Bank Pavilion for a crowd of nearly 20,000 before Staind
Staind
Staind is an American rock band that was formed in 1995 in Springfield, Massachusetts. For 16 years, the band consisted of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Aaron Lewis, lead guitarist Mike Mushok, bassist Johnny April, and drummer Jon Wysocki...
and 3 Doors Down. In the week following, and again in October, recording sessions resumed, this time at Greenville College
Greenville College
Greenville College is located in Greenville, Illinois, a small Illinois city, located 45 miles east of St. Louis, Missouri on Interstate 70...
. On October 18, recording was completed. The project would then be mixed and mastered over the next three months. Redding's eponymous eight track debut album was released on July 11, 2006.
Influences (alphabetical)
- The BeatlesThe BeatlesThe Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
- ColdplayColdplayColdplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
- Doves
- ElbowElbow (band)Elbow are an English rock band. They have played together since 1990 and recorded five studio albums, the most recent of which is Build a Rocket Boys!, released in March 2011...
- GusterGusterGuster is an American alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 1991, the group is known for its live performances and humor, founding members Adam Gardner, Ryan Miller, and Brian Rosenworcel came about to begin practice sessions while attending Tufts University in Medford,...
- RadioheadRadioheadRadiohead 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...
- Elliott SmithElliott SmithSteven Paul "Elliott" Smith was an American singer-songwriter and musician. Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and resided for a significant portion of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he first gained popularity...
- Sufjan StevensSufjan StevensSufjan Stevens is an American singer-songwriter and musician born in Detroit, Michigan. Stevens first began releasing his music on Asthmatic Kitty, a label co-founded with his stepfather, beginning with the 1999 release, A Sun Came...
- TravisTravis (band)Travis are a post-Britpop band from Glasgow, Scotland, comprising Fran Healy , Dougie Payne , Andy Dunlop and Neil Primrose...
- U2U2U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
- WilcoWilcoWilco is an American alternative rock band based in Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1994 by the remaining members of alternative country group Uncle Tupelo following singer Jay Farrar's departure. Wilco's lineup has changed frequently, with only singer Jeff Tweedy and bassist John...