United State of Electronica
Encyclopedia
The United State of Electronica, or U.S.E., is a Seattle
, Washington-based dance
/rock
band formed in 2002. It includes the four members of the band Wonderful: Jason Holstrom
(guitar
), Jon e. Rock (drums
, vocals
), Peter Sali (guitar, vocals), and Noah Star Weaver (keyboards, vocoder
), as well as Derek Chan (bass guitar
), Carly Nicklaus (backup vocals), and Amanda Khanjian (backup vocals).
posed as an imaginary electronica band from Mannheim
, Germany
at a Seattle-area nightclub. When the group noticed the audience's enthusiasm about their improvised dance songs, they decided to form a side project that would take dance music more seriously. Carly Nicklaus, Amanda Okonek and Derek Chan joined the members of Wonderful to develop that project, which would become the United State of Electronica.
U.S.E. released its debut self-titled, self-recorded album with handpainted covers in 2004. With no distribution, U.S.E turned to the Internet and gave the album to the world for free via http://www.mannheimworldwide.com. The album was released nationally through Sonic Boom Recordings in early 2005 and released in Japan in 2005 on Side-Out Records. U.S.E continued to tour the U.S. extensively with The Presidents of the United States of America
, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
, The Hold Steady
, Aqueduct
, Schoolyard Heroes
, The Divorce
and many more. After "Open Your Eyes" reached #4 on the Japanese music charts, U.S.E made three trips to Japan in 2005, including the 2005 Fuji Rock Festival
and played the Sasquatch! Music Festival
in Central Washington.
After another trip to Japan and tours to SXSW in 2006 and 2007, the U.S.E.
album was again re-released in the U.K. by The Original Electronic Recording Company.
U.S.E's recently completed second full length "L O V E W O R L D" was recorded in Seattle at AVAST studio's with engineer Cameron Nicklaus and with U.S.E at the Cabana. The songs "All The World", "Get That Feeling", "River of Love", live favorites "Dance With Me" and "Party People" are among others to be on the new LP. It was released on August 26, 2009.
Their song "Open Your Eyes" was used at E3 2008 for the New Xbox Experience Promo.
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, Washington-based dance
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
/rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band formed in 2002. It includes the four members of the band Wonderful: Jason Holstrom
Jason Holstrom
Jason Holstrom is a Seattle-based musician/producer. He is member of Seattle bands United State of Electronica and Wonderful....
(guitar
Guitar
The 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...
), Jon e. Rock (drums
Drum kit
A 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 ....
, vocals
Singing
Singing 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...
), Peter Sali (guitar, vocals), and Noah Star Weaver (keyboards, vocoder
Vocoder
A vocoder is an analysis/synthesis system, mostly used for speech. In the encoder, the input is passed through a multiband filter, each band is passed through an envelope follower, and the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated to the decoder...
), as well as Derek Chan (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
), Carly Nicklaus (backup vocals), and Amanda Khanjian (backup vocals).
History
U.S.E. was formed when the members of Wonderful and Shane TutmarcShane Tutmarc
Shane Tutmarc is an American musician. He is the great-grandson of Paul Tutmarc, who has been credited as the inventor of the electric bass . His grandfather, Bud Tutmarc, was a well-known Hawaiian steel guitar player. Shane was the leader of Seattle band Dolour from 1997 to 2007...
posed as an imaginary electronica band from Mannheim
Mannheim
Mannheim is a city in southwestern Germany. With about 315,000 inhabitants, Mannheim is the second-largest city in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg, following the capital city of Stuttgart....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
at a Seattle-area nightclub. When the group noticed the audience's enthusiasm about their improvised dance songs, they decided to form a side project that would take dance music more seriously. Carly Nicklaus, Amanda Okonek and Derek Chan joined the members of Wonderful to develop that project, which would become the United State of Electronica.
U.S.E. released its debut self-titled, self-recorded album with handpainted covers in 2004. With no distribution, U.S.E turned to the Internet and gave the album to the world for free via http://www.mannheimworldwide.com. The album was released nationally through Sonic Boom Recordings in early 2005 and released in Japan in 2005 on Side-Out Records. U.S.E continued to tour the U.S. extensively with The Presidents of the United States of America
The Presidents of the United States of America (band)
The Presidents of the United States of America, commonly referred to as Pot USA or "PUSA" or The Presidents, are a twice Grammy-nominated American alternative rock band. The band formed in Seattle, USA, in 1993. The three-piece group currently comprises vocalist and "basitarist" Chris Ballew,...
, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists are an American rock band formed in 1999 in Washington, D.C. and currently recording for Matador Records. They have released six full-length studio albums and have toured internationally...
, The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2004. The band consists of Craig Finn , Tad Kubler , Galen Polivka , Bobby Drake , and Steve Selvidge...
, Aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
, Schoolyard Heroes
Schoolyard Heroes
Schoolyard Heroes was a horror punk/alternative rock band from Seattle, Washington, consisting of four members: Ryann Donnelly , Jonah Bergman , Steve Bonnell , and Brian Turner .-History:...
, The Divorce
The Divorce
The Divorce was a rock band from Seattle, Washington, originally composed of Shane Berry, lead vocals, keyboard, guitar and tambourine, Jimmy Curran and Kyle Risan, drums. The band's first full-length release was There Will Be Blood Tonight on Fugitive Records in 2003...
and many more. After "Open Your Eyes" reached #4 on the Japanese music charts, U.S.E made three trips to Japan in 2005, including the 2005 Fuji Rock Festival
Fuji Rock Festival
Fuji Rock Festival is an annual rock festival held in Naeba Ski Resort, in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The 3 day event, organized by Smash Japan, features more than 200 Japanese and international musicians, making it the largest outdoor music event in Japan...
and played the Sasquatch! Music Festival
Sasquatch! Music Festival
Sasquatch! Music Festival is a music festival held annually at the Gorge Amphitheatre in George, Washington. It is presented by the House of Blues. There is an emphasis on indie rock bands and singer-songwriters, although there are also alternative rock, hip hop and comedy acts...
in Central Washington.
After another trip to Japan and tours to SXSW in 2006 and 2007, the U.S.E.
U.S.E. (album)
U.S.E. is a 2004 album by United State of Electronica. It was produced, recorded, and mixed by Jason Holstrom and U.S.E. It can be downloaded freely at -Track listing:#"IT IS ON!"#"Emerald City"#"Climb the Walls "...
album was again re-released in the U.K. by The Original Electronic Recording Company.
U.S.E's recently completed second full length "L O V E W O R L D" was recorded in Seattle at AVAST studio's with engineer Cameron Nicklaus and with U.S.E at the Cabana. The songs "All The World", "Get That Feeling", "River of Love", live favorites "Dance With Me" and "Party People" are among others to be on the new LP. It was released on August 26, 2009.
Their song "Open Your Eyes" was used at E3 2008 for the New Xbox Experience Promo.
Current members
- Derek Chan — bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Jason HolstromJason HolstromJason Holstrom is a Seattle-based musician/producer. He is member of Seattle bands United State of Electronica and Wonderful....
— 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... - Carly Nicklaus — 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...
- Amanda Khanjian — vocals
- Jon e. Rock — drums, 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...
- Peter Sali — guitar, vocals
- Noah Star Weaver — keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocoderVocoderA vocoder is an analysis/synthesis system, mostly used for speech. In the encoder, the input is passed through a multiband filter, each band is passed through an envelope follower, and the control signals from the envelope followers are communicated to the decoder...
Discography
- Emerald City EP (2002)
- Emerald City 12" (2003)
- U.S.E. (self-titled)U.S.E. (album)U.S.E. is a 2004 album by United State of Electronica. It was produced, recorded, and mixed by Jason Holstrom and U.S.E. It can be downloaded freely at -Track listing:#"IT IS ON!"#"Emerald City"#"Climb the Walls "...
(2004) - Live and Direct from the Emerald City EP (2005)
- Party People EP (2005)
- Loveworld (2009)