Silos (band)
Encyclopedia
The Silos are a rock
band formed by Walter Salas-Humara and Bob Rupe
in New York City in 1985.
, and Rupe was in a Florida band, The Bobs. The band put out the independently-released album About Her Steps in 1986, which received a warm critical reception. Rupe composed songs for the band and contributed to Salas-Humara's songs, but according to record and CD credits, was primarily a key figure in production and engineering between 1985 and 1990. The band's 1987 follow-up album, Cuba, also independently released, received even more recognition. The Silos were named Best New Artist in the Rolling Stone
magazine critics' poll. Cuba continues to be cited as highly influential among alternative country artists. The band subsequently signed to RCA Records
and released their self-titled third album, produced by Salas-Humara and Rupe along with Peter Moore. Commonly referred to as "the bird album" or "The One With The Bird On The Cover," The Silos led to the band's network TV debut appearance on Late Night with David Letterman
.
Salas-Humara quit the band following the release of The Silos, and purchased the rights to The Silos name from Rupe in 1991, thus dissolving the partnership. Subsequent albums included Hasta La Victoria (1992), Susan Across The Ocean (1994), Heater and its remix companion Cooler (both 1998). After Heater was recorded, Salas-Humara turned the band into a three piece with Drew Glackin on bass and lap steel guitar and Konrad Meissner on drum and backing vocals. The subsequent records were Laser Beam Next Door (2001), When The Telephone Rings (2004), and the live This Highway Is A Circle followed. Bloodshot Records
released the Silos' 2007 offering, Come On Like The Fast Lane. In 2008, Glackin died. Salas-Humara and Meissner continue to perform with other players. In 2011, the band released Florizona with Rod Hohl playing bass, Bruce Martin on keyboards and Jason Victor on guitar.
Salas-Humara has also released the solo albums, Lagartija (1988), which also featured Bob Rupe, and Radar (1995), and joined Alejandro Escovedo
in a side project called the Setters. The novelist and music aficionado Jonathan Lethem
called Salas-Humara "a melodic genius, one of our greatest songwriters." Rolling Stone said Salas-Humara "has a deft songwriting touch, creating terse, stripped-down songs as elegant as Shaker furniture.
Bob Rupe
went on to record with House of Freaks
, Gutterball and Sparklehorse
. He was a member of Cracker
from 1994 to 2000 and has appeared as a guest artist on releases by many other artists.
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 formed by Walter Salas-Humara and Bob Rupe
Bob Rupe
Bob Rupe, born in Detroit, Michigan on September 16, 1956, was co-founder of the NYC based indie band Silos. He was lead guitarist, writer and producer for the band from 1985-1991. Bob Rupe was also a member of the indie supergroup Gutterball in 1992. Bassist for Cracker from 1994-2000...
in New York City in 1985.
History
Prior to starting the Silos, Salas-Humara had been a member of The Vulgar BoatmenThe Vulgar Boatmen
The Vulgar Boatmen are an American rock band formed in Gainesville, Florida in the early 1980s by a group of students at the University of Florida, including John Eder and Walter Salas-Humara. In its original configuration the group issued several cassette-only releases, including Women and Boatmen...
, and Rupe was in a Florida band, The Bobs. The band put out the independently-released album About Her Steps in 1986, which received a warm critical reception. Rupe composed songs for the band and contributed to Salas-Humara's songs, but according to record and CD credits, was primarily a key figure in production and engineering between 1985 and 1990. The band's 1987 follow-up album, Cuba, also independently released, received even more recognition. The Silos were named Best New Artist in the Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine critics' poll. Cuba continues to be cited as highly influential among alternative country artists. The band subsequently signed to RCA Records
RCA Records
RCA Records is one of the flagship labels of Sony Music Entertainment. The RCA initials stand for Radio Corporation of America , which was the parent corporation from 1929 to 1985 and a partner from 1985 to 1986.RCA's Canadian unit is Sony's oldest label...
and released their self-titled third album, produced by Salas-Humara and Rupe along with Peter Moore. Commonly referred to as "the bird album" or "The One With The Bird On The Cover," The Silos led to the band's network TV debut appearance on Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman
Late Night with David Letterman is a nightly hour-long comedy talk show on NBC that was created and hosted by David Letterman. It premiered in 1982 as the first incarnation of the Late Night franchise and went off the air in 1993, after Letterman left NBC and moved to Late Show on CBS. Late Night...
.
Salas-Humara quit the band following the release of The Silos, and purchased the rights to The Silos name from Rupe in 1991, thus dissolving the partnership. Subsequent albums included Hasta La Victoria (1992), Susan Across The Ocean (1994), Heater and its remix companion Cooler (both 1998). After Heater was recorded, Salas-Humara turned the band into a three piece with Drew Glackin on bass and lap steel guitar and Konrad Meissner on drum and backing vocals. The subsequent records were Laser Beam Next Door (2001), When The Telephone Rings (2004), and the live This Highway Is A Circle followed. Bloodshot Records
Bloodshot Records
Bloodshot Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois which specializes in roots-inflected indie rock, punk blues, and a Chicago brand of outlaw country...
released the Silos' 2007 offering, Come On Like The Fast Lane. In 2008, Glackin died. Salas-Humara and Meissner continue to perform with other players. In 2011, the band released Florizona with Rod Hohl playing bass, Bruce Martin on keyboards and Jason Victor on guitar.
Salas-Humara has also released the solo albums, Lagartija (1988), which also featured Bob Rupe, and Radar (1995), and joined Alejandro Escovedo
Alejandro Escovedo
Alejandro Escovedo is an American singer-songwriter.-Biography:The son of Mexican immigrants to Texas, Escovedo is from a family that boasts several professional musicians, including brothers Coke Escovedo and Pete Escovedo, and Sheila E...
in a side project called the Setters. The novelist and music aficionado Jonathan Lethem
Jonathan Lethem
Jonathan Allen Lethem is an American novelist, essayist and short story writer. His first novel, Gun, with Occasional Music, a genre work that mixed elements of science fiction and detective fiction, was published in 1994. It was followed by three more science fiction novels...
called Salas-Humara "a melodic genius, one of our greatest songwriters." Rolling Stone said Salas-Humara "has a deft songwriting touch, creating terse, stripped-down songs as elegant as Shaker furniture.
Bob Rupe
Bob Rupe
Bob Rupe, born in Detroit, Michigan on September 16, 1956, was co-founder of the NYC based indie band Silos. He was lead guitarist, writer and producer for the band from 1985-1991. Bob Rupe was also a member of the indie supergroup Gutterball in 1992. Bassist for Cracker from 1994-2000...
went on to record with House of Freaks
House of Freaks
House of Freaks was a two-man band formed in Richmond, Virginia in the mid 1980s. Bryan Harvey played guitar and sang, and Johnny Hott played percussion...
, Gutterball and Sparklehorse
Sparklehorse
Sparklehorse was an American indie rock band led by the singer and multi-instrumentalist Mark Linkous.-History:Sparklehorse's first album, Vivadixiesubmarinetransmissionplot featuring Bob Rupe of the Silos and Cracker, was a modest college radio success...
. He was a member of Cracker
Cracker (band)
Cracker is an American alternative rock band featuring founders/songwriters singer David Lowery and guitarist Johnny Hickman. They are best known for their platinum-selling 1993 album, Kerosene Hat, featuring the hit songs "Low", "Euro-Trash Girl", and "Get Off This".Founders Lowery and Hickman...
from 1994 to 2000 and has appeared as a guest artist on releases by many other artists.
Discography
- 1985: About Her Steps (Record Collect)
- 1987 Cuba (Record Collect)
- 1990: The Silos (RCA) U.S. #140
- 1992 Hasta La Victoria! (Normal Records)
- 1994 Susan Across The Ocean (Watermelon Records)
- 1998 Cooler (Re-mixes of Heater) (Normal Records)
- 1998 Heater (Checkered Past Records)
- 2001 Barcelona (Live) (Return To Sender (Normal Mail Order))
- 2001 Laser Beam Next Door (Checkered Past Records)
- 2004 When the Telephone Rings (Dualtone Records)
- 2006 This Highway Is A Circle (Live) (Blue Rose Records)
- 2007 Come On Like The Fast Lane (Bloodshot Records)
- 2011 Florizona (Sonic Pyramid)
Related projects
- Woozy, Woozy, Last Call Records, France, 2000.
- Walter Salas-Humara, Radar, Watermelon Records, 1996
- The Setters, Dark Ballad Trash (with Alejandro Escovedo and Mike Hall,)
- Return To Sender (Normal Mail Order,) 1996.
- The Vulgar Boatmen, Opposite Sex, Blanco y Negro, 1995.
- Walter Salas-Humara, Lean, Return To Sender (Normal Mail Order,) 1994.
- The Setters, The Setters, Blue Million Miles, 1993.
- The Vulgar Boatmen, Please Panic, Safe House Records, 1992
- The Vulgar Boatmen, You and Your Sister, Record Collect, 1990.
- Walter Salas-Humara, Lagartija, Record Collect, 1988.
- I'm Not Jim (with the novelist Jonathan LethemJonathan LethemJonathan Allen Lethem is an American novelist, essayist and short story writer. His first novel, Gun, with Occasional Music, a genre work that mixed elements of science fiction and detective fiction, was published in 1994. It was followed by three more science fiction novels...
), You Are All My People, Bloodshot, 2008.