The Templars (band)
Encyclopedia
The Templars are an Oi!
band formed in Long Island
, New York
in April 1991.
Originally composed of black
and white
skinhead
members, their musical influences include Oi!, punk
, glam rock
, and rock and roll
. They have tended to purposely use low-quality recording techniques (their Acre Studios is a garage). Side projects include Stamford Bridge, The Butchers, Nadsat Psychos, Wodnes Thegnas, Stomper 98, Ukkos Jumala, First Strike, Oxblood, and Tartan Mushroom.
The band's name comes from an ancient order of Christian
militants called the Knights Templar
. Band members have mined the films of Amando de Ossorio
, a Spanish cult film
maker best known for his Blind Dead series. This series, which started with La noche del terror ciego (1971), is based on the concept that the scorned Templars have returned from the dead with their eyes burned out, in order to take revenge. The Templars' focus on history is largely informed by singer Carl's and Phil's historical studies and interests in Viking, Scandinavian, and Middle Ages history.
A Templars album cover was recently featured on a History Channel documentary about the Knight's Templar. The narrator states that the legacy of the medieval organization has influenced such varied aspects of modern society as film, literature and "hardcore punk music."
Note: The band recognizes Perry Hardy as their full-time bassist and Chris White as full-time guitarist, even though they do not record on the albums (with the exception of Perry on two albums). The band currently uses a lineup of 4 for live shows, with a second guitar player, but still usually records as only a 2-piece (with Carl playing all bass and guitar parts, as well as vocals with Phil on drums).
Note: Many exclusive tracks on 7"s or compilations have been later compiled on CD (such as Milites Templi) or certain releases reissued on different labels and/or formats (such as Clockwork Orange Horrorshow). Templars completists often struggle to keep up.
Oi!
Oi! is a working class subgenre of punk rock that originated in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s. The music and its associated subculture had the goal of bringing together punks, skinheads and other working-class youths ....
band formed in Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in April 1991.
Originally composed of black
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
and white
White people
White people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
skinhead
Skinhead
A skinhead is a member of a subculture that originated among working class youths in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, and then spread to other parts of the world. Named for their close-cropped or shaven heads, the first skinheads were greatly influenced by West Indian rude boys and British mods,...
members, their musical influences include Oi!, punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, glam rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
, and rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
. They have tended to purposely use low-quality recording techniques (their Acre Studios is a garage). Side projects include Stamford Bridge, The Butchers, Nadsat Psychos, Wodnes Thegnas, Stomper 98, Ukkos Jumala, First Strike, Oxblood, and Tartan Mushroom.
The band's name comes from an ancient order of Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
militants called the Knights Templar
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
. Band members have mined the films of Amando de Ossorio
Amando de Ossorio
Amando de Ossorio was one of the foremost Spanish horror film directors during the European horror film surge in the 1970s, known especially for his "Blind Dead" tetralogy....
, a Spanish cult film
Cult film
A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a highly devoted but specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside the small fanbases; however, there have been exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences...
maker best known for his Blind Dead series. This series, which started with La noche del terror ciego (1971), is based on the concept that the scorned Templars have returned from the dead with their eyes burned out, in order to take revenge. The Templars' focus on history is largely informed by singer Carl's and Phil's historical studies and interests in Viking, Scandinavian, and Middle Ages history.
A Templars album cover was recently featured on a History Channel documentary about the Knight's Templar. The narrator states that the legacy of the medieval organization has influenced such varied aspects of modern society as film, literature and "hardcore punk music."
Founding Members
- Carl Templar (Carl Fritscher) - guitar & vocals
- Phil Templar (Phil Rigaud) - drums
- Don Templar (Don Gurle) - bass & vocals
Other Members
- Perry Hardy - Bassist
- Chet Knight - Former Guitarist
- Matt Katz - Former bassist
- Chris White- Guitarist
Note: The band recognizes Perry Hardy as their full-time bassist and Chris White as full-time guitarist, even though they do not record on the albums (with the exception of Perry on two albums). The band currently uses a lineup of 4 for live shows, with a second guitar player, but still usually records as only a 2-piece (with Carl playing all bass and guitar parts, as well as vocals with Phil on drums).
Albums
- The Return of Jacques DeMolay - 1994 - Dim Records
- Phase II - 1997 - Dim Records Germany/Vulture Rock
- Omne Datum Optimum - 1999 - GMM Records
- Horns of Hattin - 2001 - GMM Records
- Outremer 2005 - GMM Records
- there is also a compilation LP of their earliest recorded material entitled "'Pure Brickwall recordings' 6/92-8/92 and demos early 1993. First 4 track tapes!" which is confusingly labeled as being put out by Vulture Rock and When Typhoid Courtney Drops, a possible subsidiary of Vulture Rock records.
Split 12"s
- Super Yobs Showdown (split with Red Alert) - 1994 - Vulture Rock
- Split with The Glory Stompers - 1996 - Knockout Records
7"s
- The Poor Knights of Acre - 1993 - Sonic Aggression
- Clockwork Orange Horrorshow (double 7") - 1995 - Vulture Rock
- La noche de las gaviotas(sic) (aka Night of the Seagulls) - 1997 - Headache Records.
- Milites Templi - 2000 - TKO/Templecombe
- The French Connection - 2004 - Bords de Seine
- Out of the Darkness - 2008 - TKO/Templecombe
EPs
- Beauséant (mini CD)- 1994 - Dim Records
- 1118-1312 (CD/10") - 1997 - Do A Runner/Go-Kart
- I.S.P. Connection (with Stomper 98 and Vortex) - DSS/Cargo
Split 7"s
- Powerfist (split with Oxblood) - 1994 - Vulture Rock
- split with 90 Proof - 1996 - 90 Proof Records
- split with Bottom of the Barrel - 1997 - Oink! Records
- split with Lower Class Brats - 1997 - TKO Records
- split with Wodnes Thegnas - Haunted Town Records
- split with Gundog - 1999 - New Blood
- Ivano + The Templars - 1999 - Durango 95/Pinhead Generation
- We Stick Together (split with Stomper 98) -1999 - DSS Records
- split with P38 -2000
- split with Devilskins - 2001 - Oi!Strike
- Battle for the Airwaves Vol 2 (split with Workin Stiffs, The Bodies, The Wretched Ones) - 200? -Radio Records
- split with Crashed Out - 2005 - TKO/Templecombe
Compilation Appearances
- Anti-Disco League - Templecombe/TKO
- Oi! It's a World Invasion! Vol. 1 - Step 1/Bronco Bullfrog
- Oi! This is Dynamite! - Step 1/Bronco Bullfrog
- Step on a Crack - Sound Views/Go-Kart
- Oi! It's a World Invasion! Vol. 2 - Step 1/Bronco Bullfrog
- Oi! The Gathering - Sta-Prest
- Backstreets of American Oi! - Sta-Prest
- Oi Against Racism - Havin' A Laugh
- Super Yobs Showdown Vol. 1 - Vulture Rock
- US of Oi Vol. 2 - GMM
- Urban Soldiers: Tribute to the Oppressed - DSS/Longshot
Note: Many exclusive tracks on 7"s or compilations have been later compiled on CD (such as Milites Templi) or certain releases reissued on different labels and/or formats (such as Clockwork Orange Horrorshow). Templars completists often struggle to keep up.