The Willowz
Encyclopedia
The Willowz are a garage rock
band based in Anaheim, California
, formed 2002. The band's sound incorporates influences from punk
, soul
, and blues from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The band has released several albums on the label Sympathy for the Record Industry
and has done a split single with the band Scarling.
Their two latest albums Chautauqua and Everyone produced by Paul Kostabi
and Stuart Sikes
were released on Dim Mak Records
.
The Willowz received national exposure (in the United States) as a finalist in December 2005 Yahoo.com's Who's Next. They lost to BarlowGirl
.
The band collaborated with director
Michel Gondry
on their music video
"I Wonder" and in turn produced two songs on the movie soundtrack
for Gondry's film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
. Two of their songs, "Making Certain" and "Ulcer Soul" were used in the 2006 film The Science of Sleep
. In 2007 Michel Gondry's son Paul directed the music video for "Take A Look Around" collaborating with artists Valerie Pirson, Will Robertson, Owen Levelle, Shoko Komori, Ivan Abel, Hristi Bertelsen, Yota Bertrang and Paul Barman.
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Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
band based in Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
, formed 2002. The band's sound incorporates influences from 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...
, soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
, and blues from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The band has released several albums on the label Sympathy for the Record Industry
Sympathy for the Record Industry
Sympathy for the Record Industry is a mainly independent garage rock and punk label formed in 1988 by record industry anti-mogul Long Gone John...
and has done a split single with the band Scarling.
Scarling.
Scarling. is an American alternative rock band from Los Angeles, whose core members are Jessicka and Christian Hejnal-Addams. The band formed in 2002. They have released two albums, Sweet Heart Dealer and So Long, Scarecrow.-Name:...
Their two latest albums Chautauqua and Everyone produced by Paul Kostabi
Paul Kostabi
Paul Indrek Kostabi is an American artist, musician, music producer and audio engineer. He is the brother of artist Mark Kostabi....
and Stuart Sikes
Stuart Sikes
Stuart Sikes is an American recording engineer.He has won a Grammy Award in 2005 in the Best Country Album category for engineering the album Van Lear Rose by Loretta Lynn. He also produced critically acclaimed singer Cat Power's 2006 Shortlist Music Prize- winning album The Greatest.-External...
were released on Dim Mak Records
Dim Mak Records
Dim Mak Records is a record label founded in 1996 by Steve Aoki and based in Los Angeles, CA. Dim Mak's first release was a 7" by a little known hardcore band from southern California, Stickfigurecarousel.-Roster:Active* Steve Aoki* All Leather...
.
The Willowz received national exposure (in the United States) as a finalist in December 2005 Yahoo.com's Who's Next. They lost to BarlowGirl
BarlowGirl
BarlowGirl is an American Christian rock–CCM all-female band from Chicago, Illinois. The band is composed of sisters Alyssa , Rebecca , and Lauren Barlow . The band has won several awards in their genre; their song "Never Alone" was the longest running No...
.
The band collaborated with director
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Michel Gondry
Michel Gondry
Michel Gondry is an Academy Award winning filmmaker, whose works include being a commercial director, music video director, and a screenwriter. He is noted for his inventive visual style and manipulation of mise en scène. - Life and career :...
on their music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
"I Wonder" and in turn produced two songs on the movie soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
for Gondry's film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a 2004 American romantic science fiction film about an estranged couple who have each other erased from their memories, scripted by Charlie Kaufman and directed by the French director, Michel Gondry. The film uses elements of science fiction, psychological...
. Two of their songs, "Making Certain" and "Ulcer Soul" were used in the 2006 film The Science of Sleep
The Science of Sleep
The Science of Sleep is a 2006 French film written and directed by Michel Gondry. The film stars Gael García Bernal, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Miou-Miou, and Alain Chabat.-Plot:...
. In 2007 Michel Gondry's son Paul directed the music video for "Take A Look Around" collaborating with artists Valerie Pirson, Will Robertson, Owen Levelle, Shoko Komori, Ivan Abel, Hristi Bertelsen, Yota Bertrang and Paul Barman.
Band members
- Richie James Follin (lead vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, 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...
) - Aric Bohn (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...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
) - Jessica Reynoza (bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
) - Loren (Ted) Humphrey (drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
) - Alex Nowicki (drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
)
Discography
- The Willowz (5"MCD on Wanker RecordsWanker RecordsWanker Records is a Marburg, Hessen-based independent record label, focused on punk rock, which was started by Nick Wanker in 2001.Wanker Records have released and worked with artists like Dee Dee Ramone, One Way Down Wanker Records is a Marburg, Hessen-based independent record label, focused on...
, Germany 2002) - The Willowz (2003)(7" That Willowz Feelin' b/w Think Again) Posh Boy RecordsPosh Boy RecordsPosh Boy Records was a Hollywood, California based record label owned by Robbie Fields, a high school substitute teacher and former copyboy at the L A Times who took an interest in the emerging punk rock scene in Orange County, California during the late 1970s...
- Willowz With A Z (2003) Artmonkey Records
- The Willowz (2004) Dionysus Records
- The Willowz Are Coming (2005) Sympathy for the Record IndustrySympathy for the Record IndustrySympathy for the Record Industry is a mainly independent garage rock and punk label formed in 1988 by record industry anti-mogul Long Gone John...
- "Scarling" (split 7", Sympathy for the Record Industry (2005)
- Talk In Circles (2005) Sympathy for the Record Industry
- "Equation #6" b/w "Questionnaire" (2005) Acid Bird Records 7"
- Chautauqua (2007) Dim Mak Records
- Unveil (2007) LeGrand Bag Records
- Everyone (2009) Dim Mak Records
External links
- The Willowz official website
- Lazy-i Interview: August 2005
- The Willowz Artist Commentary
- Rolling Stone December 2005
- http://www.reaxmusic.com/tiki-read_article.php?articleId=63
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