The Cinematic Underground
Encyclopedia
The Cinematic Underground are an alternative rock
group, with members from the UK
and the U.S.
(Colorado
). Their debut album, Annasthesia, is a "concept narrative" about risk and escape which follows two main characters through two days in an un-named city. Fronted by Nathan Johnson
, the group is more of an artistic collective than a band, with revolving members of family and friends from both sides of the Atlantic. In 2004 various members contributed to the junk-yard score Brick
for the award-winning film of the same name
. In 2009 various members contributed to the score for the film "The Brothers Bloom
." In the autumn of 2005, the group relocated to Boston, Massachusetts in order to mount a year-long live touring production of the Annasthesia show. The show mixes projected images from Zachary Johnson's Annasthesia graphic novella with film, samples and a live concert.
The present line-up consists of:
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
group, with members from the UK
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...
and the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
). Their debut album, Annasthesia, is a "concept narrative" about risk and escape which follows two main characters through two days in an un-named city. Fronted by Nathan Johnson
Nathan Johnson (musician)
Nathan Tyler Johnson is a film composer, songwriter and music producer.He was born in Washington, DC in 1976 and grew up in Colorado. After living in England in the mid-2000s, Johnson relocated to the East coast of the U.S. where he launched a live touring project with his band, The Cinematic...
, the group is more of an artistic collective than a band, with revolving members of family and friends from both sides of the Atlantic. In 2004 various members contributed to the junk-yard score Brick
Brick (soundtrack)
Brick: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack to the 2006 film of the same name. It was released on March 21, 2006 by Lakeshore Records...
for the award-winning film of the same name
Brick (film)
Brick is a 2005 American neo-noir film written and directed by Rian Johnson. It was Johnson's directorial debut and won the Special Jury Prize for Originality of Vision at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival...
. In 2009 various members contributed to the score for the film "The Brothers Bloom
The Brothers Bloom
The Brothers Bloom is a 2008 American postmodern caper film written and directed by Rian Johnson. The film stars Mark Ruffalo, Adrien Brody, Rachel Weisz, Ricky Jay, Rinko Kikuchi, and Robbie Coltrane...
." In the autumn of 2005, the group relocated to Boston, Massachusetts in order to mount a year-long live touring production of the Annasthesia show. The show mixes projected images from Zachary Johnson's Annasthesia graphic novella with film, samples and a live concert.
The present line-up consists of:
- Nathan JohnsonNathan Johnson (musician)Nathan Tyler Johnson is a film composer, songwriter and music producer.He was born in Washington, DC in 1976 and grew up in Colorado. After living in England in the mid-2000s, Johnson relocated to the East coast of the U.S. where he launched a live touring project with his band, The Cinematic...
: writer, director, lead vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together... - Zachary JohnsonZachary JohnsonZachery Joinson is the drummer of The Cinematic Underground. He is also Katie Chastain's drummer, and he was the drummer for The Fray before he quit the band to become a famous actor. This didn't really work out....
: drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s, illustrationIllustrationAn illustration is a displayed visualization form presented as a drawing, painting, photograph or other work of art that is created to elucidate or dictate sensual information by providing a visual representation graphically.- Early history :The earliest forms of illustration were prehistoric... - Bethany Johnson: harmony vocals
- Marke Johnson: 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...
, graphic designGraphic designGraphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
, stage design, architectureArchitectureArchitecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art... - Kimberly Johnson: director of materials & business management
- China Kent: keyboardsKeyboard 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...
, pianosPianosPianos is a two-story bar/restaurant/live music venue in the Lower East Side section of Manhattan at 158 Ludlow Street.Its stage attracts local and national alternative rock groups as well as DJs, though a more typical performance consists of smaller name local and touring acts...
, talk boxTalk boxA talk box is an effects unit that allows a musician to modify the sound of a musical instrument. The musician controls the modification by lip syncing, or by changing the shape of the mouth... - Seth Kent: technical management, instrument repair and creation
- Chris Mears: 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...
, metallophoneMetallophoneA metallophone is any musical instrument consisting of tuned metal bars which are struck to make sound, usually with a mallet.Metallophones have been used in music for hundreds of years. There are several different types used in Balinese and Javanese gamelan ensembles, including the gendér, gangsa...
, samplesSampling (music)In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically... - Chris Pedley: bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Kate Scott: photographer
- Chris Jacobs: managerTalent managerA talent manager, also known as an artist manager or band manager, is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry...
- Joe Lanman: web designer, visuals