American progressive metal

Progressive metal

Progressive metal is a subgenre of heavy metal originating in the United Kingdom and North America in the late 1980s...

 band Thought Industry (formerly named "Desecrater") in Kalamazoo, Michigan

Kalamazoo, Michigan

The area on which the modern city stands was once home to Native Americans of the Hopewell culture, who migrated into the area sometime before the first millennium. Evidence of their early residency remains in the form of a small mound in downtown's Bronson Park. The Hopewell civilization began to...

 in 1989 by vocalist/bassist Brent Oberlin, drummer Dustin Donaldson (who formed I Am Spoonbender

I Am Spoonbender

I Am Spoonbender is an American/Canadian multimedia group formed in San Francisco in early 1997 by composer/multi-instrumentalist/producer Dustin Donaldson, with Brian Jackson and cub guitarist Robynn Iwata I Am Spoonbender is an American/Canadian multimedia group formed in San Francisco in early...

 in 1997), guitarist Christopher Lee Simmonds (aka Christopher Lee), and guitarist Steve Spaeth who replaced original Desecrater guitarist, Dan Roe. Spaeth left the band due to internal conflicts with Simmonds and started the band Clockmaker. The position was filled by guitarist Paul Enzio in time for 1992's "Songs For Insects

Songs For Insects

Songs For Insects was the debut album from Kalamazoo-based progressive metal band Thought Industry. It was released in 1992 on Metal Blade Records, and features cover art by Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali.-Track listing:...

", their Metal Blade Records

Metal Blade Records

Metal Blade Records is a record label which was founded by Brian Slagel in 1982. The U.S. corporate office for Metal Blade is located in Agoura Hills, California. It also has offices in Arizona, Germany, Japan, Canada, and the UK. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony BMG Music...

 debut. This was followed up by Mods Carve The Pig: Assassins, Toads and God's Flesh

Mods Carve The Pig: Assassins, Toads and God's Flesh

Mods Carve the Pig: Assassins, Toads and God's Flesh was the second album from Kalamazoo-based progressive metal band Thought Industry. It was released in 1993 on Metal Blade Records, and again features cover art by Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali...

. 1996's Outer Space Is Just a Martini Away

Outer Space Is Just a Martini Away

Outer Space is Just a Martini Away is the third album from Kalamazoo-based progressive metal band Thought Industry. Released in 1996 on Metal Blade Records.-Track listing:# Love is America Spelled Backwards 2:42...

subsequently saw a significant change in the band's sound and lineup when Donaldson was replaced by Jared Bryant. Oberlin switched to guitar and Bassist Herb Ledbetter was added. Thought Industry continued to strip down their lineup and sound with 1997's moody "Black Umbrella", which saw the departure of Lee. Bryant, Enzio and Ledbetter also left the band in 1999 which prompted Oberlin to assemble an entirely new lineup for 2001's magnum opus Short Wave on a Cold Day

Short Wave On a Cold Day

Short Wave on a Cold Day is the sixth album released by Kalamazoo-based art rock band Thought Industry. It was released in 2001 on Metal Blade Records.-Track listing:# Satan in the Gift Shop 6:47...

. Engineer Mike Roche, who recorded Black Umbrella

Black Umbrella

Black Umbrella is the fourth album from Kalamazoo-based progressive metal band Thought Industry. Features a more streamlined sound than their previous albums...

and filled in on bass from time to time, was added as a full time guitarist along with drummer Cameron Taylor, bassist Mark Baldwin and guitarist/keyboardist Jeff Borkowski.

Recent Projects

http://www.myspace.com/christopherleesimmonds Christopher Lee Simmonds continued on to perform as a singer/songwriter in the Chicago area through 1996. Simultaneously recording with Filter on 1997's "Title of Record". Simmonds also recorded 2 solo albums, toured the mid-west and east coast through late 2007 and re-located to Baltimore Maryland that September. There Simmonds established himself as a studio engineer and producer of many projects. Most notable would be Good Charlotte, Jimi's Chicken Shack, Marcy Playground, Underfoot, Bullhead and most of the local scene. Simonds continued on with his progressive metal nature and created what most consider to be the continuation of Thought Industry, Bullhead. Bullhead is a culmination of the most extreme of Simmonds' work. "Bullhead is the greatest musical outlet I have ever had! I can do what ever I want, however I want and it just gets better and better." ~Simmonds said in his first interview in more than 8 years with Metal Heads Magazine in the spring issue 2006.

As of November 2007, Simmonds is performing with his newest band, http://www.thestaticdynamic.com The Static Dynamic, based out of Boston Massachusetts. There is a 10 song CD (self titled) distributed by Tunecore through iTunes and Rhapsody. Simmonds is currently recording the 2nd album from The Static Dynamic while performing weekly and embarking on the occasional east coast tour. Simmonds continues to perform as a solo singer/songwriter in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia on a regular basis.

http://www.thestaticdynamic.com
http://www.myspace.com/christopherleesimmonds

As a singer for Cosmonaut, Oberlin released “Pipebomb Full of Nails” in 2004. Cosmonaut’s debut release was on Swollen Lip Records located in Ann Arbor, MI.

Their bio from cosmonautweb.com states:

Two assholes from Lansing (Jamesen’s Brian George and Josh Stacey) met another from Grand Rapids (The Veronica Speedwell’s Rodney Johnson), and schemed about a rock-band; but they didn’t have a singer. The aforementioned contacted an asshole from Kalamazoo (Thought Industry’s Brent Oberlin). The Michigan quartet named the group Cosmonaut after minutes of heated debate.

There do not appear to be any new tour dates or news more recent than 2004.

Studio albums

Year	Title	Label
1992 1992 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1992.-January–February:*January 11**Nirvana's Nevermind album goes to #1 in the US Billboard 200 chart, establishing the widespread popularity of the Grunge movement of the 1990s....	Songs For Insects Songs For Insects Songs For Insects was the debut album from Kalamazoo-based progressive metal band Thought Industry. It was released in 1992 on Metal Blade Records, and features cover art by Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali.-Track listing:...	Metal Blade
1993 1993 in music This is a summary of significant events in music in 1993.-January–February:*January 8 – The U.S. Postal Service issues an Elvis Presley stamp. The design was voted on in February 1992....	Mods Carve The Pig: Assassins, Toads and God's Flesh Mods Carve The Pig: Assassins, Toads and God's Flesh Mods Carve the Pig: Assassins, Toads and God's Flesh was the second album from Kalamazoo-based progressive metal band Thought Industry. It was released in 1993 on Metal Blade Records, and again features cover art by Spanish surrealist Salvador Dali...	Metal Blade
1996 1996 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1996.-January:* January – At the trial of two American teenagers, Nicholaus McDonald and Brian Bassett, for the murder of Bassett's parents and young brother, defense lawyers attempt to lay the blame for the murders on the fact...	Outer Space Is Just a Martini Away Outer Space Is Just a Martini Away Outer Space is Just a Martini Away is the third album from Kalamazoo-based progressive metal band Thought Industry. Released in 1996 on Metal Blade Records.-Track listing:# Love is America Spelled Backwards 2:42...	Metal Blade
1997 1997 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy...	Black Umbrella Black Umbrella Black Umbrella is the fourth album from Kalamazoo-based progressive metal band Thought Industry. Features a more streamlined sound than their previous albums...	Metal Blade
2001 2001 in music See also:* 2001 in music Record labels established in 2001-Events:*January 1**Comeback of Guns N' Roses in House of Blues**Hum disbands.*January 17 – Bass player Jason Newsted leaves Metallica after 14 years with the band....	Short Wave On a Cold Day Short Wave On a Cold Day Short Wave on a Cold Day is the sixth album released by Kalamazoo-based art rock band Thought Industry. It was released in 2001 on Metal Blade Records.-Track listing:# Satan in the Gift Shop 6:47...	Metal Blade

Singles

Year	Title	Label
1993 1993 in music This is a summary of significant events in music in 1993.-January–February:*January 8 – The U.S. Postal Service issues an Elvis Presley stamp. The design was voted on in February 1992....	Gelatin 7"	Metal Blade

Compilations

Year	Title	Label
1998 1998 in music This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998.-Events:*January 28 – "Weird Al" Yankovic gets LASIK surgery to cure his myopia...	Recruited To Do Good Deeds For The Devil Recruited To Do Good Deeds For The Devil Recruited to do Good Deeds for the Devil is the fifth album released by Kalamazoo-based progressive metal band Thought Industry. It is a compilation album featuring previously unreleased songs and live tracks.-Track listing:...	Metal Blade

External links

• Thought Industry Myspace website
• [ Thought Industry at Allmusic]
• I Am Spoonbender
• The Static Dynamic