The Cloud Room
Encyclopedia
The Cloud Room, named after the Prohibition-era
speakeasy
at the top of the Chrysler Building
, is an American
band based in Brooklyn, New York. Their self titled album
was released in 2005 and contains the hit "Hey Now Now", a song that garnered the band rapid popularity on MP3
blogs but, being an indie
release, had difficulty getting airplay on Commercial
American radio.
Composer Philip Glass
, founded The Cloud Room after moving from California
to New York
in 2000 to work with filmmaker Hal Hartley
. In 2004, Stuart suffered a health crisis, leading to a false positive HIV
test result, an event that was later revealed in a week-long feature on the band by Pitchfork Media
. It was during this time that he began writing songs, one of which would become "Hey Now Now". When the test was later proven false, Stuart decided to focus his life on his first love, music.
In 2006, "Hey Now Now" was named by Rolling Stone
as a top ten single of the year. Later that year, as the band was recording their second album in Stuart's apartment, a fire broke out and destroyed their equipment. However, the new recordings survived. In 2007, The Cloud Room became the first unsigned band to be used in an international ad campaign when Pepsi
used "Hey Now Now" in a Frédéric Planchon-directed spot titled "Destinies" and featuring Ronaldinho
. In September 2007, The Cloud Room played the Sopot Festival
in Poland, representing the U.S.
along with music stars such as Sophie Ellis-Bextor
, Norah Jones
, M. Ward
and Monrose
.
On September 18, 2007, The Cloud Room self-released a follow-up EP
to their debut album entitled Please Don't Almost Kill Me. The album includes a guest appearance by Columbia
recording artist Nicole Atkins
. There is also a limited edition version packaged in melted jewel cases from J Stuart's apartment fire. Their debut cd was released in the UK on March 17, 2008 with new songs and artwork.
The band released what they called a "Fake 7"" on February 14, 2008. It required "playing" a 7" on a website to hear the songs. The A-side consists of "February 14" by Huggy Bear and Leonard Cohen
's "Memories" on the B-side.
Bands The Cloud Room have toured or played with include Feist, Cut Copy
, The Magic Numbers
, The Go! Team
, Pernice Brothers, Phosphorescent
, Dandy Warhols, Foreign Born
, Editors
, We Are Scientists
, Maxïmo Park
, Matt Pond PA
, Film School
, The National
, Talkdemonic
, End of Fashion
, Van She
, Elbow
, Muse
, Patrick Wolf
, A Place to Bury Strangers
, Working For A Nuclear Free City
and Norah Jones
.
Songs the band has been known to cover include "Always On My Mind
", "Who Loves The Sun" by The Velvet Underground
, "Strangers" by The Kinks
, "Weird Fishes
" by Radiohead
and "Heroes" by David Bowie
. Incidentally, David Bowie
, The Arcade Fire
and Spoon (band)
are among the artists reported to have been at Cloud Room concerts.
In December 2008 the Cloud Room recorded an original Christmas song titled 'Melody, Like Snow' for a compilation called 'An Indiecater Christmas'.
In February 2010 they updated their website, saying that the album is just about done. It will be titled Zither. They also posted a new song entitled Crashing in Love.
Prohibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
speakeasy
Speakeasy
A speakeasy, also called a blind pig or blind tiger, is an establishment that illegally sells alcoholic beverages. Such establishments came into prominence in the United States during the period known as Prohibition...
at the top of the Chrysler Building
Chrysler Building
The Chrysler Building is an Art Deco style skyscraper in New York City, located on the east side of Manhattan in the Turtle Bay area at the intersection of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Standing at , it was the world's tallest building for 11 months before it was surpassed by the Empire State...
, is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
band based in Brooklyn, New York. Their self titled album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
was released in 2005 and contains the hit "Hey Now Now", a song that garnered the band rapid popularity on MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
blogs but, being an 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...
release, had difficulty getting airplay on Commercial
Commercial broadcasting
Commercial broadcasting is the broadcasting of television programs and radio programming by privately owned corporate media, as opposed to state sponsorship...
American radio.
History
J Stuart, relative of American MinimalistMinimalism
Minimalism describes movements in various forms of art and design, especially visual art and music, where the work is set out to expose the essence, essentials or identity of a subject through eliminating all non-essential forms, features or concepts...
Composer Philip Glass
Philip Glass
Philip Glass is an American composer. He is considered to be one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century and is widely acknowledged as a composer who has brought art music to the public .His music is often described as minimalist, along with...
, founded The Cloud Room after moving from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to New York
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...
in 2000 to work with filmmaker Hal Hartley
Hal Hartley
Hal Hartley is an American film director, screenwriter, producer composer, who became a key figure in the American independent film movement of the 1980s and 1990s...
. In 2004, Stuart suffered a health crisis, leading to a false positive HIV
HIV
Human immunodeficiency virus is a lentivirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome , a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive...
test result, an event that was later revealed in a week-long feature on the band by Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media
Pitchfork Media, usually known simply as Pitchfork or P4k, is a Chicago-based daily Internet publication established in 1995 that is devoted to music criticism and commentary, music news, and artist interviews. Its focus is on underground and independent music, especially indie rock...
. It was during this time that he began writing songs, one of which would become "Hey Now Now". When the test was later proven false, Stuart decided to focus his life on his first love, music.
In 2006, "Hey Now Now" was named by 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...
as a top ten single of the year. Later that year, as the band was recording their second album in Stuart's apartment, a fire broke out and destroyed their equipment. However, the new recordings survived. In 2007, The Cloud Room became the first unsigned band to be used in an international ad campaign when Pepsi
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
used "Hey Now Now" in a Frédéric Planchon-directed spot titled "Destinies" and featuring Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho
Ronaldo de Assis Moreira , commonly known as Ronaldinho or Ronaldinho Gaúcho, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Flamengo and the Brazilian national team as an attacking midfielder or forward. He is a two-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year, awarded to the best player over the year...
. In September 2007, The Cloud Room played the Sopot Festival
Sopot International Song Festival
The Sopot International Song Festival is an international song contest held in Sopot, Poland. It was the biggest Polish music festival altogether with the National Festival of Polish Song in Opole, and one of the biggest annual song contest in Europe...
in Poland, representing the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
along with music stars such as Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Sophie Ellis-Bextor
Sophie Michelle Ellis-Bextor is an English singer, songwriter, model and occasional DJ. She first came to prominence in the late 1990s, as the lead singer of the indie rock band Theaudience. After the group disbanded, Ellis-Bextor went solo, achieving widespread success in the early 2000s...
, Norah Jones
Norah Jones
Norah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress.In 2002, she launched her solo music career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album Come Away With Me, which was certified a diamond album in 2002, selling over 20 million copies...
, M. Ward
M. Ward
Matthew Stephen Ward, known by his stage name M. Ward, is a singer-songwriter and guitarist who rose to prominence in the Portland, Oregon music scene. In addition to his solo work he is known as a member of She & Him and Monsters of Folk.-Career:...
and Monrose
Monrose
Monrose was a German pop band, first established in November 2006. Formed on the fifth installment of the German adaption of the international television talent show Popstars on the ProSieben network, the trio consisted of singers and songwriters Mandy Capristo, Senna Guemmour, and Bahar...
.
On September 18, 2007, The Cloud Room self-released a follow-up 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...
to their debut album entitled Please Don't Almost Kill Me. The album includes a guest appearance by Columbia
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
recording artist Nicole Atkins
Nicole Atkins
Nicole Atkins is an American singer-songwriter. She has been compared to Roy Orbison and singers from the Brill Building era.-Early life:...
. There is also a limited edition version packaged in melted jewel cases from J Stuart's apartment fire. Their debut cd was released in the UK on March 17, 2008 with new songs and artwork.
The band released what they called a "Fake 7"" on February 14, 2008. It required "playing" a 7" on a website to hear the songs. The A-side consists of "February 14" by Huggy Bear and Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen, is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet and novelist. Cohen published his first book of poetry in Montreal in 1956 and his first novel in 1963. His work often explores religion, isolation, sexuality and interpersonal relationships...
's "Memories" on the B-side.
Bands The Cloud Room have toured or played with include Feist, Cut Copy
Cut Copy
Cut Copy are an Australian electronic band formed in 2001 by Dan Whitford on vocals, keyboard and guitar. Other members are Tim Hoey on guitar and sampler, Ben Browning on bass guitar and Mitchell Scott on drums. Their second album, In Ghost Colours peaked at number-one on the ARIA Albums Chart in...
, The Magic Numbers
The Magic Numbers
The Magic Numbers are an English pop rock band comprising two pairs of brothers and sisters from Greenford. The group was formed in 2002, releasing their critically acclaimed debut album titled The Magic Numbers on 13 June 2005...
, The Go! Team
The Go! Team
The Go! Team are a six-piece band from Brighton, England. They combine indie rock and garage rock with a mixture of blaxploitation and Bollywood soundtracks, double dutch chants, old school hip hop and distorted guitars similar to the style of Sonic Youth. Their songs are a mix of live...
, Pernice Brothers, Phosphorescent
Phosphorescent (band)
Phosphorescent is the working moniker of American multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter Matthew Houck. Originally from Alabama, Houck began recording and performing under this nom de plume in 2001 in Athens, Georgia...
, Dandy Warhols, Foreign Born
Foreign Born
Foreign Born is an American folk rock band. They began in San Francisco during the late summer months of 2003, but soon relocated to Los Angeles. They self-released their first 12" single , and then their debut EP "In the Remote Woods" via StarTime International Records...
, Editors
Editors
Editors are a British indie rock band based in Birmingham, who formed in 2002. Previously known as Pilot, The Pride and Snowfield, the band consists of Tom Smith , Chris Urbanowicz , Russell Leetch and Ed Lay .Editors have so far released two platinum studio...
, We Are Scientists
We Are Scientists
We Are Scientists is a New York-based indie rock band that formed in Berkeley, California in 2000. Originally formed of Keith Murray on drums, Chris Cain playing bass guitar and Scott Lamb providing vocals and guitar, before Michael Tapper became drummer and Keith became vocalist and guitarist...
, Maxïmo Park
Maxïmo Park
Maxïmo Park are a British alternative rock band, formed in 2000. They are signed to Warp Records. The band consists of Paul Smith , Duncan Lloyd , Archis Tiku , Lukas Wooller and Tom English...
, Matt Pond PA
Matt Pond PA
Matt Pond PA is a New York based band formed in Philadelphia by singer-songwriter Matt Pond. They have released eight LPs and eight EPs since 1998....
, Film School
Film school
The term film school is used to describe any educational institution dedicated to teaching aspects of filmmaking, including such subjects as film production, film theory, digital media production, and screenwriting. Film history courses and hands-on technical training are usually incorporated into...
, The National
The National (band)
The National is an indie rock band formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1999 and currently based in Brooklyn, New York. The band's lyrics are written and sung by Matt Berninger, a baritone...
, Talkdemonic
Talkdemonic
Talkdemonic is an avant-instrumental duo based in Portland, Oregon. The band consists of Kevin O'Connor and Lisa Molinaro. Talkdemonic recently signed with Isaac Brock's Glacial Pace Recordings to release their fourth record in Fall 2011.- History :...
, End of Fashion
End of Fashion
End of Fashion are an Australian power pop band from Perth, Western Australia. The band consists of singer and guitarist Justin Burford, guitarist Rodney Aravena, bassist Simon Fasolo, and drummer Mike Hobbs. The group gained mainstream attention with their 2005 single "O Yeah", which reached...
, Van She
Van She
Van She is an electropop band formed in 2005 in Sydney, Australia, with Matt Van Schie on bass guitar/vocals, Tomek Archer on drums/sequencer, Michael Di Francesco on synth/guitar and Nicholas Routledge on vocals/guitar...
, 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...
, Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
, Patrick Wolf
Patrick Wolf
Patrick Wolf is an English-Irish singer-songwriter from South London. Patrick utilises a wide variety of instruments in his music, most commonly the ukulele, piano and viola...
, A Place to Bury Strangers
A Place to Bury Strangers
A Place to Bury Strangers are a New York–based noise rock band composed of Oliver Ackermann , Dion Lunadon and Jay Space . The band plays a heavy, atmospheric wall of sound-influenced blend of psychedelic rock, shoegaze and space rock...
, Working For A Nuclear Free City
Working for a Nuclear Free City
Working for a Nuclear Free City is a band from Manchester, England.-History:Original members Phil Kay and Gary McClure formed as a studio entity in 1999; WFANFC began performing live in 2004, after adding drummer Jon Kay and bassist Ed Hulme to the group...
and Norah Jones
Norah Jones
Norah Jones is an American singer-songwriter and occasional actress.In 2002, she launched her solo music career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album Come Away With Me, which was certified a diamond album in 2002, selling over 20 million copies...
.
Songs the band has been known to cover include "Always On My Mind
Always on My Mind
"Always on My Mind" is an American country music song by Johnny Christopher, Mark James and Wayne Carson, originally recorded by Brenda Lee in 1972.Allmusic lists over 300 recorded releases of the song in versions by dozens of performers...
", "Who Loves The Sun" by The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
, "Strangers" by The Kinks
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, North London, by brothers Ray and Dave Davies in 1964. Categorised in the United States as a British Invasion band, The Kinks are recognised as one of the most important and influential rock acts of the era. Their music was influenced by a...
, "Weird Fishes
Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
"Weird Fishes/Arpeggi", originally known as "Arpeggi", is a song written by the English rock group Radiohead, appearing on their album In Rainbows as the fourth track. The name comes from the chorus "I get eaten by the worms/And weird fishes" and the plural of the Italian word 'Arpeggio'...
" by 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...
and "Heroes" by David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
. Incidentally, David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, The Arcade Fire
The Arcade Fire
Arcade Fire is an indie rock band based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It consists of the husband and wife duo of Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, along with Will Butler, Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury, Jeremy Gara, and Sarah Neufeld. William Butler and Régine Chassagne attended McGill University,...
and Spoon (band)
Spoon (band)
Spoon is an American rock band formed in Austin, Texas. The band is composed of Britt Daniel ; Jim Eno ; Rob Pope and Eric Harvey .-History:...
are among the artists reported to have been at Cloud Room concerts.
In December 2008 the Cloud Room recorded an original Christmas song titled 'Melody, Like Snow' for a compilation called 'An Indiecater Christmas'.
In February 2010 they updated their website, saying that the album is just about done. It will be titled Zither. They also posted a new song entitled Crashing in Love.
Discography
| Title | Release date | Notes | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Cloud Room The Cloud Room (album) The Cloud Room is the first album by The Cloud Room, released in 2005. The album track, "Hey Now Now", was used in advertising for the carbonated drink Pepsi, which helped the band win a large group of fans.- Track listing :... |
April 19, 2005 | Debut album | Gigantic Records |
| Please Don't Almost Kill Me | September 18, 2007 | EP | self-released |
| The Cloud Room | March 17, 2008 | UK release with new artwork, songs, tracklist | A&G Records |
| Zither | TBA | Second studio album | N/A |