Warpaint (band)
Encyclopedia
Warpaint is an American art rock
group from Los Angeles
, formed in 2004. The band's members are Emily Kokal (vocals, guitar), Theresa Wayman (guitar, vocals), Jenny Lee Lindberg (bass, vocals), and Stella Mozgawa (drums). The band's membership has also included actress Shannyn Sossamon
and Red Hot Chili Peppers
guitarist Josh Klinghoffer
. Warpaint released their debut EP, Exquisite Corpse
, in 2009, followed by their full length album, The Fool
, released on 25 October 2010.
On 6 December 2010, the BBC
announced that Warpaint had been nominated for the BBC's Sound of 2011
poll and they were the cover stars of Beat magazine's Winter 2010 launch issue.
and Jenny Lee Lindberg. The band played in the Los Angeles area for three years, writing songs ("Stars", "Beetles", and "Elephants") which would eventually comprise their debut EP, Exquisite Corpse
.
, in December 2007, with producer Jacob Bercovici. The sessions took over two months and concluded with mixing and mastering by then Red Hot Chili Peppers
guitarist John Frusciante
who was also Emily's boyfriend at the time. Warpaint self-released the EP in 2008, which quickly moved to #1 on the Los Angeles Amoeba Records local artist chart. In 2009, Exquisite Corpse was re-released worldwide on Manimal Vinyl
records to critical acclaim. The song "Elephants" featured in the 2011 independent feature film "Siren", a horror genre film, directed by Andrew Hull
and released by Lionsgate.
Drummer Stella Mozgawa joined the band in the winter of 2009. Shortly afterwards, Warpaint were signed to Rough Trade Records
, and immediately began extensive touring throughout the United States and Europe including an opening slot for The xx
.
. The album received a glowing review in the NME
. Prior to the album's release, the band contributed a cover of the David Bowie
song, "Ashes to Ashes
", to We Were So Turned On
, a Bowie tribute album released in conjunction with War Child
.
In November 2010, the band revealed that the song, "Shadows", would be the first single release from their debut album and would be released as a digital download
and 12" vinyl
on 10 January 2011. A remix of the single, "Shadows (Neon Lights Remix)" has proven popular; managing to be playlisted by BBC Radio 1
as part of the In New Music We Trust.
Warpaint were on tour in the United States and Europe in the spring and summer of 2011 to promote the album. They played at various major festivals including Glastonbury Festival
, Reading and Leeds Festivals
, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
and Rock Werchter
.
, Joni Mitchell
, and Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Past
Pedals
Amps
Art rock
Art rock is a subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the 1960s, with influences from art, avant-garde, and classical music. The first usage of the term, according to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, was in 1968. Influenced by the work of The Beatles, most notably their Sgt...
group from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, formed in 2004. The band's members are Emily Kokal (vocals, guitar), Theresa Wayman (guitar, vocals), Jenny Lee Lindberg (bass, vocals), and Stella Mozgawa (drums). The band's membership has also included actress Shannyn Sossamon
Shannyn Sossamon
Shannon Marie Kahololani Sossamon is an American actress. She starred in the film A Knight's Tale, which gained her wider fame and praise. She has since established herself in Hollywood after starring in several films such as 40 Days and 40 Nights, Wristcutters: A Love Story, and One Missed Call...
and Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
guitarist Josh Klinghoffer
Josh Klinghoffer
Joshua Adam "Josh" Klinghoffer is an American multi-instrumentalist, who is best known as the current guitarist for the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Klinghoffer replaced his friend and frequent collaborator John Frusciante, who left the band in 2009.Klinghoffer also fronts Dot Hacker, and was...
. Warpaint released their debut EP, Exquisite Corpse
Exquisite Corpse (Warpaint album)
Exquisite Corpse is the debut EP from experimental Los Angeles-based group Warpaint. The songs were recorded back in 2007, and the set was self-released by the band in late 2008 and released by Manimal Vinyl in October of 2009. Some of the songs have been in the group's repertoire for over five years...
, in 2009, followed by their full length album, The Fool
The Fool (Warpaint album)
The Fool is the full-length debut by Los Angeles-based quartet Warpaint, released on October 25, 2010. It will be their first release since signing to UK-based record label, Rough Trade. It was produced by Tom Biller, and features mixing duties by Andrew Weatherall and Adam Samuels. It was streamed...
, released on 25 October 2010.
On 6 December 2010, the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
announced that Warpaint had been nominated for the BBC's Sound of 2011
Sound of... (BBC poll)
Sound of... is an annual poll of music critics and industry figures to find the most promising new music talent. It was first conducted by the BBC News website in 2003. A top 10 list is published each January.-Winners:-Sound of 2009:...
poll and they were the cover stars of Beat magazine's Winter 2010 launch issue.
Beginning and formation (2004-2007)
Warpaint formed in Los Angeles on Valentine's Day, 2004. The original line-up consisted of childhood friends, Theresa Wayman and Emily Kokal, alongside sisters, Shannyn SossamonShannyn Sossamon
Shannon Marie Kahololani Sossamon is an American actress. She starred in the film A Knight's Tale, which gained her wider fame and praise. She has since established herself in Hollywood after starring in several films such as 40 Days and 40 Nights, Wristcutters: A Love Story, and One Missed Call...
and Jenny Lee Lindberg. The band played in the Los Angeles area for three years, writing songs ("Stars", "Beetles", and "Elephants") which would eventually comprise their debut EP, Exquisite Corpse
Exquisite Corpse (Warpaint album)
Exquisite Corpse is the debut EP from experimental Los Angeles-based group Warpaint. The songs were recorded back in 2007, and the set was self-released by the band in late 2008 and released by Manimal Vinyl in October of 2009. Some of the songs have been in the group's repertoire for over five years...
.
Exquisite Corpse (2007-2009)
The band began recording their debut EP, Exquisite CorpseExquisite Corpse (Warpaint album)
Exquisite Corpse is the debut EP from experimental Los Angeles-based group Warpaint. The songs were recorded back in 2007, and the set was self-released by the band in late 2008 and released by Manimal Vinyl in October of 2009. Some of the songs have been in the group's repertoire for over five years...
, in December 2007, with producer Jacob Bercovici. The sessions took over two months and concluded with mixing and mastering by then Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Red Hot Chili Peppers is an American rock band, formed in Los Angeles in 1983. The group's musical style primarily consists of rock with an emphasis on funk, as well as elements from other genres such as punk, hip hop and psychedelic rock...
guitarist John Frusciante
John Frusciante
John Anthony Frusciante is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, record and film producer. He is best known as the former lead guitarist of the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers, with whom he had been for a number of years and recorded five studio albums...
who was also Emily's boyfriend at the time. Warpaint self-released the EP in 2008, which quickly moved to #1 on the Los Angeles Amoeba Records local artist chart. In 2009, Exquisite Corpse was re-released worldwide on Manimal Vinyl
Manimal Vinyl
Manimal Vinyl is a Los Angeles based record label founded in 2006 by fashion stylist, Paul Beahan. They are known for releasing underground and experimental pop music. They were originally known as a folk label that makes annual tribute records for worldwide charities, having eventually switched to...
records to critical acclaim. The song "Elephants" featured in the 2011 independent feature film "Siren", a horror genre film, directed by Andrew Hull
Andrew Hull
Andrew Hull was a Canadian born film maker, film director and architect. Born Andrew Mackenzie Hull, August 15, 1963, Oshawa, Ontario, Canada and died May 8, 2010 in London.-Early life:...
and released by Lionsgate.
Drummer Stella Mozgawa joined the band in the winter of 2009. Shortly afterwards, Warpaint were signed to Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records
Rough Trade Records is an independent record label based in London. It was formed in 1978 by Geoff Travis who had opened a record store off Ladbroke Grove...
, and immediately began extensive touring throughout the United States and Europe including an opening slot for The xx
The xx
The xx are an English indie pop band, formed in London in 2005. The band's members met while studying at Elliott School, the same school that produced Hot Chip, Burial and Four Tet. They became a trio when their second guitarist and keyboardist, Baria Qureshi, departed in late 2009. In September...
.
The Fool (2010-present)
On October 25, 2010, the band released their debut album, The FoolThe Fool (Warpaint album)
The Fool is the full-length debut by Los Angeles-based quartet Warpaint, released on October 25, 2010. It will be their first release since signing to UK-based record label, Rough Trade. It was produced by Tom Biller, and features mixing duties by Andrew Weatherall and Adam Samuels. It was streamed...
. The album received a glowing review in the NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
. Prior to the album's release, the band contributed a cover of the David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
song, "Ashes to Ashes
Ashes to Ashes (David Bowie song)
"Ashes to Ashes" is a single by David Bowie, released in 1980. It made #1 in the UK and was the first cut from the Scary Monsters album, also a #1 hit. As well as its musical qualities, it is noted for its innovative video, directed by Bowie and David Mallet...
", to We Were So Turned On
We Were So Turned On
We Were So Turned On: A Tribute to David Bowie is a David Bowie tribute album released worldwide on September 6, 2010 by Manimal Vinyl as a charity for War Child UK...
, a Bowie tribute album released in conjunction with War Child
War Child (charity)
War Child is a non-governmental organisation founded in the UK 1993, which focuses on providing assistance to children in areas of conflict and post-conflict. They use their film and entertainment background to raise money for aid agencies operating in former Yugoslavia...
.
In November 2010, the band revealed that the song, "Shadows", would be the first single release from their debut album and would be released as a digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
and 12" vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
on 10 January 2011. A remix of the single, "Shadows (Neon Lights Remix)" has proven popular; managing to be playlisted by BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
as part of the In New Music We Trust.
Warpaint were on tour in the United States and Europe in the spring and summer of 2011 to promote the album. They played at various major festivals including Glastonbury Festival
Glastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
, Reading and Leeds Festivals
Reading and Leeds Festivals
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend, sharing the same bill. The Reading Festival is held at Little John's Farm...
, Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is a three-day annual music and arts festival, organized by Goldenvoice and held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Inland Empire's Coachella Valley...
and Rock Werchter
Rock Werchter
Rock Werchter is a Belgian annual music festival held in the village of Werchter, near Leuven, since 1974. It is one of the five biggest annual rock music festivals in Europe...
.
Style
Warpaint have been compared to Cocteau TwinsCocteau Twins
Cocteau Twins were a Scottish alternative rock band active from 1979 to 1997, known for innovative instrumentation and atmospheric, non-lyrical vocals...
, Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...
, and Siouxsie and the Banshees.
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
|||
| 2010 | The Fool The Fool (Warpaint album) The Fool is the full-length debut by Los Angeles-based quartet Warpaint, released on October 25, 2010. It will be their first release since signing to UK-based record label, Rough Trade. It was produced by Tom Biller, and features mixing duties by Andrew Weatherall and Adam Samuels. It was streamed...
|
176 | 41 | |
| "—" denotes a title that did not chart. | ||||
Extended plays
| Title | EP details |
|---|---|
| Exquisite Corpse Exquisite Corpse (Warpaint album) Exquisite Corpse is the debut EP from experimental Los Angeles-based group Warpaint. The songs were recorded back in 2007, and the set was self-released by the band in late 2008 and released by Manimal Vinyl in October of 2009. Some of the songs have been in the group's repertoire for over five years... |
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
|||
| 2010 | "Undertow" | – | The Fool |
| 2011 | "Shadows" | – | |
| "Undertow" (re-release Reissue A reissue is the repeated issue of a published work. In common usage, it refers to an album which has been released at least once before and is released again, sometimes with alterations or additions.... ) |
– | ||
Guest appearances
| Year | Single | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | "Ashes to Ashes" (cover of David Bowie David Bowie David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s... song) |
We Were So Turned On We Were So Turned On We Were So Turned On: A Tribute to David Bowie is a David Bowie tribute album released worldwide on September 6, 2010 by Manimal Vinyl as a charity for War Child UK... |
Music videos
| Year | Title | Director |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | "Stars" | Burke Roberts + Adam Harding |
| 2010 | "Elephants" | Bruce Muller |
| "Beetles" | Takayuki Okada + Koji Nishida | |
| "Undertow" | Shannyn Sossamon | |
| 2011 | "Warpaint" | Ted Newsome |
Members
Current- Emily Kokal – vocals, guitar (2004–present)
- Jenny Lee Lindberg – bass, vocals (2004–present)
- Theresa Wayman – vocals, guitar, keyboards, drums (2004–present)
- Stella Mozgawa – drums, keyboards, vocals, guitar (2009–present)
Past
- Shannyn SossamonShannyn SossamonShannon Marie Kahololani Sossamon is an American actress. She starred in the film A Knight's Tale, which gained her wider fame and praise. She has since established herself in Hollywood after starring in several films such as 40 Days and 40 Nights, Wristcutters: A Love Story, and One Missed Call...
– drums, vocals (2004–2008) - David Orlando – drums (2007–2009)
- Michael Quinn – drums, cello (2009)
- Josh KlinghofferJosh KlinghofferJoshua Adam "Josh" Klinghoffer is an American multi-instrumentalist, who is best known as the current guitarist for the rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers. Klinghoffer replaced his friend and frequent collaborator John Frusciante, who left the band in 2009.Klinghoffer also fronts Dot Hacker, and was...
– drums, guitar (2009)
Equipment
Instruments- Emily Kokal – Fender '62 Jaguar US
- Theresa Wayman - Fender Classic Series '65 Mustang
- Jenny Lee Lindberg - 78' Rickenbacker 4001, 71' Fender Precision Bass
Pedals
- Emily Kokal - Boss VB-2 Vibrato, Boss RV-5 Digital Reverb, Boss BF-3 Flanger, MXR Carbon Copy Delay, Ibanez TS9DX Turbo Tube Screamer, Boss PS-2 Digital Pitch Shifter/Delay, Korg Pitchblack Tuner
- Jenny Lee Lindberg - Boss DD-3 Digital Delay, Boss Chorus, Way Huge Pork Loin Overdrive, EHX Holy Grail nano
- Theresa Wayman - Boss TU-3 Tuner, Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer, EHX nano Small Stone, Digitech Hardwire RV-7, Boss DD-7 Digital Delay, Ibanez DDL-20 Delay. Previously used EHX Holy Stain, MXR Phase 100, Boss CE-2 Chorus, Boss TW-1 T Wah
Amps
- Emily Kokal - Roland Jazz Chorus 2X12s
- Theresa Wayman - VOX AC30 CC2X