The Features
Encyclopedia
The Features are an American indie rock
band from Tennessee
. Though they have had limited success in the United States, they have been very well received in the United Kingdom
and have a very loyal following in the Southeastern United States.
, Neil Young
, Guns N' Roses
, and others. As they continued through high school, they continued to play together at local events like parties and talent shows, then graduated to playing at various bars and clubs around nearby college town Murfreesboro
and in Nashville
.
, a local independent label that featured several of the biggest rock acts in the Nashville area such as Self
, The Katies
, and Fluid Ounces
. Their first release, a six-song self-titled EP, was released in 1997.
Once they graduated from high school, Pelham and Dabbs moved to Murfreesboro to study music at Middle Tennessee State University
while Sergio and Yaw went to Tennessee Technological University
in nearby Cookeville
. It was here that Pelham and Dabbs brought classmate Jason Taylor on to play drums, and Sergio brought Yaw on to play keyboards. Murfreesboro was a much larger town than Sparta, and The Features began to play at various bars and clubs around town, eventually dropping out of college to focus on the band.
In 1998, the band recorded a full-length LP for Spongebath. The album was never released, although two tracks from the sessions, "Thursday" and "Rabbit March", were released as a limited 10" vinyl record. Around this time, original members Don Sergio and Jason Taylor both left the band. Taylor was replaced by Rollum Haas.
In 1999-2000, they recorded their second full-length LP with Matt Mahaffey
at his studio in Murfreesboro, which was also never released. In 2001, they released "The Beginning" EP. Their incessant touring and critical buzz led to a deal with Universal Records. Universal re-released "The Beginning" EP in 2004, and followed with their first-officially released album, Exhibit A. The band gained a lot of exposure opening for fellow Tennesseans Kings of Leon
on various tours.
Currently, the band consists of Matthew Pelham, Roger Dabbs, Mark Bond, and Rollum Haas. They are unsigned and have had limited success, but have been well received by British media. They are expected to release new material soon, and are currently supporting the Kings of Leon on their U.S. tour.
In 2007, they won the international Diesel:U:Music Awards, placing first in the Rock/Indie category and in the Public Vote award.
After winning the regional competition "Bonnaroo 8 off 8th" in Nashville by placing first with a panel of judges and a public vote, the band performed at the 2009 Bonnaroo Music Festival
.
In 2010, the band was the opening act for Manchester Orchestra
, an indie rock band from Atlanta that shares a similar sound.
(later named "Serpents & Snakes"). For this new imprint, Kings of Leon has the freedom to sign and champion artists of their choice. The Features were the first band to be signed to the imprint, and the first release as part of the deal was the Some Kind Of Salvation
LP, released July 28, 2009.
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...
band from 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...
. Though they have had limited success in the United States, they have been very well received in the United Kingdom
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 have a very loyal following in the Southeastern United States.
Early years
Matt Pelham, Roger Dabbs, Don Sergio, and Parrish Yaw attended middle school together in Sparta, Tennessee, a rural town that at the time had a population of less than 5,000. Pelham, Dabbs, and Sergio started a band when they were in the eighth grade out of boredom, and they started playing covers of Camper Van BeethovenCamper Van Beethoven
Camper Van Beethoven is an American alternative rock group formed in Redlands, California in 1983.An eclectic band, Camper Van Beethoven mixes elements of pop, ska, punk rock, folk and alternative country, as well as various types of world music. Their aggressive musical pluralism created a...
, Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
, Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...
, and others. As they continued through high school, they continued to play together at local events like parties and talent shows, then graduated to playing at various bars and clubs around nearby college town Murfreesboro
Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Murfreesboro is a city in and the county seat of Rutherford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 108,755 according to the United States Census Bureau's 2010 U.S. Census, up from 68,816 residents certified during the 2000 census. The center of population of Tennessee is located in...
and in Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
.
Recent activities
Within a few years they had become a fixture of Murfreesboro and nearby Nashville, and soon signed a deal with Spongebath RecordsSpongebath Records
Spongebath Records was an independent record label based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee during the mid-nineties. During its heyday, Spongebath was often viewed as the vibrant epicenter of Murfreesboro/Nashville's music scene with a robust artist roster of critically acclaimed bands, singers, and...
, a local independent label that featured several of the biggest rock acts in the Nashville area such as Self
Self (band)
Self is an American alternative pop/rock band from Murfreesboro, Tennessee and largely the brainchild of writer, singer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Matt Mahaffey....
, The Katies
The Katies
The Katies were a three-piece, power-pop band from Murfreesboro, TN from approximately 1996-2007.-History:Jason Moore and Gary Welch had previously been in a Murfreesboro band called A Million Worlds...
, and Fluid Ounces
Fluid Ounces
Fluid Ounces were a piano-based, power pop band from Murfreesboro, Tennessee that garnered a cult following for their critically acclaimed records, which featured a distinctive blend of hooks, varied musical styles, clever wordplay, and intricate, complex arrangements.-Inception:Seth Timbs had...
. Their first release, a six-song self-titled EP, was released in 1997.
Once they graduated from high school, Pelham and Dabbs moved to Murfreesboro to study music at Middle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University, commonly abbreviated as MTSU, is a public university located in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, United States....
while Sergio and Yaw went to Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University
Tennessee Technological University, popularly known as Tennessee Tech, is an accredited public university located in Cookeville, Tennessee, US, a city approximately seventy miles east of Nashville. It was formerly known as Tennessee Polytechnic Institute , and before that as Dixie College, the...
in nearby Cookeville
Cookeville, Tennessee
Cookeville is a city in Putnam County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 23,923 at the 2000 census. of Cookeville's population was 30,435, and the combined total of those living in Cookeville's in 2010 was 65,014. It is the county seat of Putnam County and home to Tennessee...
. It was here that Pelham and Dabbs brought classmate Jason Taylor on to play drums, and Sergio brought Yaw on to play keyboards. Murfreesboro was a much larger town than Sparta, and The Features began to play at various bars and clubs around town, eventually dropping out of college to focus on the band.
In 1998, the band recorded a full-length LP for Spongebath. The album was never released, although two tracks from the sessions, "Thursday" and "Rabbit March", were released as a limited 10" vinyl record. Around this time, original members Don Sergio and Jason Taylor both left the band. Taylor was replaced by Rollum Haas.
In 1999-2000, they recorded their second full-length LP with Matt Mahaffey
Matt Mahaffey
Matt Mahaffey is an American multi-instrumentalist, record producer, and recording engineer best known for his band Self.-Personal:Matt grew up in Kingsport, Tennessee and was involved with music from a young age...
at his studio in Murfreesboro, which was also never released. In 2001, they released "The Beginning" EP. Their incessant touring and critical buzz led to a deal with Universal Records. Universal re-released "The Beginning" EP in 2004, and followed with their first-officially released album, Exhibit A. The band gained a lot of exposure opening for fellow Tennesseans Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon
Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion, Oklahoma but formed in Nashville, Tennessee in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Anthony Caleb Followill , Ivan Nathan Followill and Michael Jared Followill Kings of Leon is an American rock band that originated in Albion,...
on various tours.
Currently, the band consists of Matthew Pelham, Roger Dabbs, Mark Bond, and Rollum Haas. They are unsigned and have had limited success, but have been well received by British media. They are expected to release new material soon, and are currently supporting the Kings of Leon on their U.S. tour.
In 2007, they won the international Diesel:U:Music Awards, placing first in the Rock/Indie category and in the Public Vote award.
After winning the regional competition "Bonnaroo 8 off 8th" in Nashville by placing first with a panel of judges and a public vote, the band performed at the 2009 Bonnaroo Music Festival
2009 Bonnaroo Music Festival
The 2009 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival was held June 11–14, 2009 at a farm in Manchester, Tennessee, . There were roughly 75,000 people in attendance....
.
In 2010, the band was the opening act for Manchester Orchestra
Manchester orchestra
Manchester Orchestra is an American indie rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, formed in 2005. The group is currently composed of rhythm guitarist-singer-songwriter Andy Hull, lead guitarist Robert McDowell, keyboardist and percussionist Chris Freeman, bassist Jonathan Corley, and drummer Tim Very...
, an indie rock band from Atlanta that shares a similar sound.
Serpents & Snakes
On June 17, 2009, Bug Music CEO John Rudolph announced that his company and Kings of Leon would be entering into a joint venture to establish a new record label imprintImprint
In the publishing industry, an imprint can mean several different things:* As a piece of bibliographic information about a book, it refers to the name and address of the book's publisher and its date of publication as given at the foot or on the verso of its title page.* It can mean a trade name...
(later named "Serpents & Snakes"). For this new imprint, Kings of Leon has the freedom to sign and champion artists of their choice. The Features were the first band to be signed to the imprint, and the first release as part of the deal was the Some Kind Of Salvation
Some Kind Of Salvation
Some Kind of Salvation is the second full-length album from Tennessee-based band The Features. It was originally self-released on June 23, 2008 with no advance notice or publicity....
LP, released July 28, 2009.
Discography
- The Features EP, Spongebath Records, 1997
- The BeginningThe Beginning EPThe Beginning EP is the second EP released by the Tennessee-based band The Features. It was originally released independently in 2001. It was later re-released upon their signing with a major label with new cover art and the addition of the song "That's...
EP, Universal Records, 2004 - Exhibit AExhibit A (The Features album)Exhibit A is the major label debut LP album from Tennessee-based band The Features. It was released on September 14, 2004 in the USA and April 18, 2005 in the UK...
LP, Universal Records, 2004 - ContrastContrast EPContrast is a five-song EP and the first release from the Tennessee-based band The Features following their departure from Universal Records. The band released the EP on their own on October 25, 2006 via their website and then later via traditional music outlets...
EP, Self-released, 2006 - Some Kind Of SalvationSome Kind Of SalvationSome Kind of Salvation is the second full-length album from Tennessee-based band The Features. It was originally self-released on June 23, 2008 with no advance notice or publicity....
LP, Self-released, 2008- Some Kind of Salvation LP, Kings of Leon imprint, 2009
- WildernessWilderness (The Features album)Wilderness is the third studio album by American rock band The Features, which was released on July 26, 2011 on label Bug Music/Serpents and Snakes.-Track listing:# "Content" – 2:33# "Kids" – 2:36 # "Another One" – 2:48...
LP, July 2011
Singles
| Year | Title | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | "Thursday Thursday (Features Song) "Thursday" is a 2000 limited 10" vinyl single released by the Tennessee-based band The Features. It was issued by the Murfreesboro, Tennessee independent record label Spongebath Records which also released The Features EP.-Personnel:... " |
None |
| 2002 | "Buffalo Head Buffalo Head "Buffalo Head" is a 2002 limited 7" vinyl single released by the Tennessee-based band The Features. It was issued by the Nashville, Tennessee independent record label Fictitious Records.-Personnel:Matt Pelham - Vocals, GuitarRollum Haas - Drums... " |
None |
| 2004 | "The Way It's Meant to Be The Way It's Meant to Be "The Way It's Meant to Be" is a 2004 single by the Tennessee-based band The Features. It was issued by the UK record label Fierce Panda Records to promote their EP The Beginning EP. The song was included on both The Beginning EP and on their major label debut album Exhibit A... " |
The Beginning EP The Beginning EP The Beginning EP is the second EP released by the Tennessee-based band The Features. It was originally released independently in 2001. It was later re-released upon their signing with a major label with new cover art and the addition of the song "That's... |
| "There's a Million Ways to Sing the Blues There's a Million Ways to Sing the Blues "There's a Million Ways to Sing the Blues" is a 2004 single by the Tennessee-based band The Features. It is the first official single released from their album Exhibit A. The single includes the previously unreleased track "See You Through" as its b-side... " |
Exhibit A Exhibit A (The Features album) Exhibit A is the major label debut LP album from Tennessee-based band The Features. It was released on September 14, 2004 in the USA and April 18, 2005 in the UK... |
|
| "Leave It All Behind" | ||
| "The New Xmas Wishbook The New Xmas Wishbook "The New Xmas Wishbook" is a 7" Vinyl single by the Tennessee-based band The Features released during Christmas 2004 to help promote their album Exhibit A. The 7" single included the Exhibit A track "The Idea Of Growing Old" as its b-side... " |
None | |
| 2005 | "Blow It Out Blow It Out (Features song) "Blow It Out" is a 2005 single by the Tennessee-based band The Features, the third from their album Exhibit A. "Blow It Out" was the band's most successful single to date. The CD single included two previously unreleased songs recorded by producer Matt Mahaffey from the band Self... " |
Exhibit A Exhibit A (The Features album) Exhibit A is the major label debut LP album from Tennessee-based band The Features. It was released on September 14, 2004 in the USA and April 18, 2005 in the UK... |
| "The Way It's Meant to Be" | ||
| 2007 | "Late Night" | None |
| 2011 | "Rambo" | Wilderness Wilderness (The Features album) Wilderness is the third studio album by American rock band The Features, which was released on July 26, 2011 on label Bug Music/Serpents and Snakes.-Track listing:# "Content" – 2:33# "Kids" – 2:36 # "Another One" – 2:48... |
External links
- The Features Official Site
- The Features on MySpace
- [ The Features on AllMusicGuide]
- The Features on MTV
- The Features Photography
- "The Features: ...Their Beginning", MTSU Sideline
- Back To "The Drawing Board", Nashville Scene
- "Reader, Please Introduce Yourself to the Next Big Thing", East Tennessean
- The Features Message Board