Syd Butler
Encyclopedia
Syd Butler is the bass player
for Les Savy Fav
and the owner and founder of Frenchkiss Records
. Although born in Memphis
, Tennessee
, Butler grew up in Washington, D.C.
in the 80s during the height of Dischord Records
, an influence that led to his creation of Frenchkiss.
while studying film and video at Rhode Island School of Design
in Providence, Rhode Island
, with his band mates. The energy and idiosyncrasies of their live show soon attracted a following and the band started playing shows and touring both across the United States
and Europe
. Butler started Frenchkiss in August 1999 from an office in the Meatpacking District
of New York City
. Its first purpose was to release Les Savy Fav's second full length album The Cat and the Cobra
. Originally a partnership with video director Juan Monastereo, Frenchkiss is responsible for discovering and signing a wide array of bands such as The Hold Steady
, Local Natives
, The Dodos
, and Passion Pit
.
Butler has performed in various side musical projects such as Juiced Elfers, with Nicholas Thorburn
of Islands
, and with Desiderada with Amanda McKaye. An avid hockey fan, he has been a guest celebrity blogger for the National Hockey League
during the Playoffs. He has two children with his wife, actress Amy Carlson
.
In addition, Butler is credited as director of some of the music videos for the label's bands; including Ex Models
's "Sex Automata", S Prcss's "Our Bikes Are Silver", Smoke and Smoke's "Into The Smoke And Smoke", The Dodos
's "Winter", as well as his own band's videos for "Patty Lee" and "Rodeo".
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
for Les Savy Fav
Les Savy Fav
Les Savy Fav is a New York City indie rock band. Their style is influenced by art rock and post-hardcore. The group is known for the stage presence of lead singer Tim Harrington...
and the owner and founder of Frenchkiss Records
Frenchkiss Records
Frenchkiss Records is an independent record label based in New York, New York. The label was started in 1999 by Syd Butler, bassist and founder of Les Savy Fav...
. Although born in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, Butler grew up in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in the 80s during the height of Dischord Records
Dischord Records
Dischord Records is a Washington, D.C.-based independent record label specializing in the independent punk music of the D.C.-area music scene. The label is co-owned by Ian MacKaye and Jeff Nelson, who founded Dischord in 1980 to release Minor Disturbance by The Teen Idles...
, an influence that led to his creation of Frenchkiss.
Music career
Butler formed Les Savy FavLes Savy Fav
Les Savy Fav is a New York City indie rock band. Their style is influenced by art rock and post-hardcore. The group is known for the stage presence of lead singer Tim Harrington...
while studying film and video at Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design is a fine arts and design college located in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1877. Located at the base of College Hill, the RISD campus is contiguous with the Brown University campus. The two institutions share social, academic, and community resources and...
in Providence, Rhode Island
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, with his band mates. The energy and idiosyncrasies of their live show soon attracted a following and the band started playing shows and touring both across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Butler started Frenchkiss in August 1999 from an office in the Meatpacking District
Meatpacking District, Manhattan
The Meatpacking District is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan which runs roughly from West 14th Street south to Gansevoort Street, and from the Hudson River east to Hudson Street, although recently it is sometimes considered to have extended north to West 16th Street and east...
of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Its first purpose was to release Les Savy Fav's second full length album The Cat and the Cobra
The Cat and the Cobra
The Cat and the Cobra was the second album by Les Savy Fav. It was the first CD released by Frenchkiss Records, bassist Syd Butler's label. The vinyl LP was released by Self-Starter Foundation...
. Originally a partnership with video director Juan Monastereo, Frenchkiss is responsible for discovering and signing a wide array of bands such as The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2004. The band consists of Craig Finn , Tad Kubler , Galen Polivka , Bobby Drake , and Steve Selvidge...
, Local Natives
Local Natives
Local Natives are an indie rock band based in Silver Lake, Los Angeles, USA. Their debut album, Gorilla Manor, was first released in the UK in November 2009, and later released in the US on February 16, 2010...
, The Dodos
The Dodos
The Dodos are an American indie rock band consisting of Meric Long and Logan Kroeber.- History :The Dodos began playing music together in 2005, when musician Meric Long, who had been gigging steadily in San Francisco as a solo singer-songwriter, was introduced to Logan Kroeber through a mutual...
, and Passion Pit
Passion Pit
Passion Pit is an American electropop band from Cambridge, Massachusetts. The group, which formed in 2007, consists of Michael Angelakos , Ian Hultquist , Ayad Al Adhamy , Jeff Apruzzese and Nate Donmoyer...
.
Butler has performed in various side musical projects such as Juiced Elfers, with Nicholas Thorburn
Nicholas Thorburn
Nicholas Thorburn is a Canadian musician who has fronted The Unicorns, Th' Corn Gangg, Islands, Reefer, and Human Highway. He has gone by the stage name "Nick Diamonds."...
of Islands
Islands (band)
Islands is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 2005 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and currently based in Brooklyn, New York.-Return to the Sea:In mid-2005 Islands recorded a debut album titled Return to the Sea, which was released in April 2006...
, and with Desiderada with Amanda McKaye. An avid hockey fan, he has been a guest celebrity blogger for the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
during the Playoffs. He has two children with his wife, actress Amy Carlson
Amy Carlson
Amy Lynn Carlson is an American actress best known for playing Josie Watts on Another World and Alex Taylor on Third Watch. More recently, she played Kelly Gaffney on the short-lived NBC courtroom drama, Law & Order: Trial by Jury. She currently plays Linda Reagan on the CBS drama Blue Bloods...
.
In addition, Butler is credited as director of some of the music videos for the label's bands; including Ex Models
Ex Models
Ex Models is a no wave-influenced band based in Brooklyn, New York.-Career:The band, based around brothers Shahin and Shahryar Motia, was started while they were in high school. They reunited after college to make their first album, Other Mathematics, released in 2001 on Ace Fu Records...
's "Sex Automata", S Prcss's "Our Bikes Are Silver", Smoke and Smoke's "Into The Smoke And Smoke", The Dodos
The Dodos
The Dodos are an American indie rock band consisting of Meric Long and Logan Kroeber.- History :The Dodos began playing music together in 2005, when musician Meric Long, who had been gigging steadily in San Francisco as a solo singer-songwriter, was introduced to Logan Kroeber through a mutual...
's "Winter", as well as his own band's videos for "Patty Lee" and "Rodeo".