Wellwater Conspiracy
Encyclopedia
Wellwater Conspiracy was an American rock
band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1993. The band was created by members of the grunge
-era side project Hater
. Wellwater Conspiracy featured Soundgarden
drummer Matt Cameron
and ex-Monster Magnet
guitarist John McBain
. The band originally featured Soundgarden bassist Ben Shepherd
, who left the band in 1998. Various other artists have contributed to the band's albums.
, Ben Shepherd
, and John McBain
. All three were also members of the band Hater
at the time. Wellwater Conspiracy's first recording sessions took place in the basement of Cameron's house. The band released three singles in the mid-1990s. The group released its debut album, Declaration of Conformity
, on June 17, 1997 through Third Gear Records to general critical acclaim. Matt Diehl of Rolling Stone
said, "Declaration of Conformity suggests that these Soundgarden expats have left the Seattle sound behind for trippy psychedelia
that recalls such '60s freak icons as Syd Barrett
and 13th Floor Elevators
."
Shortly after the release of the band's debut album, Shepherd left the band, and Cameron was chosen to replace Jack Irons
as the drummer
for the rock
group Pearl Jam
. However, Cameron and McBain were intent on keeping the band going as a permanent side project, and with Cameron taking over lead vocal duties, the band released three more Wellwater Conspiracy albums following its debut album. The band's second album, Brotherhood of Electric: Operational Directives
, was released on February 9, 1999 through Time Bomb Recordings
. Greg Prato of Allmusic said Wellwater Conspiracy "offer another intriguing collection of 60's-tinged ditties."
On May 22, 2001, Wellwater Conspiracy released its third album, The Scroll and Its Combinations
, through TVT Records
. Chris Handyside of Rolling Stone
said that "amid all the fuzz and minor chord bombast is an edgy, hard-rock
post-millenial tension." On September 9, 2003, the band released the self-titled Wellwater Conspiracy
through Megaforce Records
. David Fricke
of Rolling Stone
said Wellwater Conspiracy "upgrade the fragrant eccentricity of vintage U.K. flower power—spaced riffing, spiked-afternoon-tea lyrics—with modern muscle."
The band's music featured a psychedelic
garage rock
sound. The band often performed with other musicians, many of whom were friends of the band. Notable appearances included keyboardist Glenn Slater of folk rock group The Walkabouts
, guitarist Kim Thayil
of Soundgarden
, vocalist Eddie Vedder
of Pearl Jam
, and vocalist/guitarist Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age
and Kyuss
.
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 that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1993. The band was created by members of the grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
-era side project Hater
Hater (band)
Hater was an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1993. The band formed as a side project mostly under the direction of Soundgarden bassist Ben Shepherd...
. Wellwater Conspiracy featured Soundgarden
Soundgarden
Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
drummer Matt Cameron
Matt Cameron
Matthew David "Matt" Cameron is an American musician who serves as the drummer for the American rock bands Pearl Jam and Soundgarden...
and ex-Monster Magnet
Monster Magnet
Monster Magnet is an American stoner rock band. Hailing from Red Bank, New Jersey, the group was founded by Dave Wyndorf , John McBain and Tim Cronin...
guitarist John McBain
John McBain (musician)
John Paul McBain was a guitarist for Monster Magnet, Wellwater Conspiracy, his solo work, and has contributed to The Desert Sessions...
. The band originally featured Soundgarden bassist Ben Shepherd
Ben Shepherd
Ben Shepherd is an American musician, two-time Grammy Award Winner best known for playing bass in the grunge band Soundgarden from 1990 until the band's 1997 break-up...
, who left the band in 1998. Various other artists have contributed to the band's albums.
History
Wellwater Conspiracy was formed in 1993 by Matt CameronMatt Cameron
Matthew David "Matt" Cameron is an American musician who serves as the drummer for the American rock bands Pearl Jam and Soundgarden...
, Ben Shepherd
Ben Shepherd
Ben Shepherd is an American musician, two-time Grammy Award Winner best known for playing bass in the grunge band Soundgarden from 1990 until the band's 1997 break-up...
, and John McBain
John McBain (musician)
John Paul McBain was a guitarist for Monster Magnet, Wellwater Conspiracy, his solo work, and has contributed to The Desert Sessions...
. All three were also members of the band Hater
Hater (band)
Hater was an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington in 1993. The band formed as a side project mostly under the direction of Soundgarden bassist Ben Shepherd...
at the time. Wellwater Conspiracy's first recording sessions took place in the basement of Cameron's house. The band released three singles in the mid-1990s. The group released its debut album, Declaration of Conformity
Declaration of Conformity
Japanese bonus tracks-Personnel:Wellwater Conspiracy*Matt Cameron – drums, vocals, mini-moog, simulated rain, acoustic guitar, guitar solo on "Lucy Leave"*John McBain – guitars, bass guitar, drums on "Far Side of Your Moon" and "Palomar Observatory"...
, on June 17, 1997 through Third Gear Records to general critical acclaim. Matt Diehl of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
said, "Declaration of Conformity suggests that these Soundgarden expats have left the Seattle sound behind for trippy psychedelia
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
that recalls such '60s freak icons as Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett
Syd Barrett , born Roger Keith Barrett, was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, and painter, best remembered as a founding member of the band Pink Floyd. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter during the band's psychedelic years, providing major musical and stylistic...
and 13th Floor Elevators
13th Floor Elevators
The 13th Floor Elevators were an American rock band from Austin, Texas formed by guitarist and vocalist Roky Erickson, electric jug player Tommy Hall, and guitarist Stacy Sutherland, which existed from 1965 to 1969...
."
Shortly after the release of the band's debut album, Shepherd left the band, and Cameron was chosen to replace Jack Irons
Jack Irons
Jack Steven Irons is an American musician who is best known as the original drummer of the American rock band The Red Hot Chili Peppers, as well as the former drummer for Eleven and Pearl Jam. He has also worked with Joe Strummer and The Latino Rockabilly War, Redd Kross, Raging Slab, Spinnerette...
as the drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
for the 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...
group Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
. However, Cameron and McBain were intent on keeping the band going as a permanent side project, and with Cameron taking over lead vocal duties, the band released three more Wellwater Conspiracy albums following its debut album. The band's second album, Brotherhood of Electric: Operational Directives
Brotherhood of Electric: Operational Directives
- Personnel :Wellwater Conspiracy* Matt Cameron – drums, vocals, guitars, bass guitar, keyboards, artwork* John McBain – guitars, bass guitar, keyboards, screamsAdditional musicians and production...
, was released on February 9, 1999 through Time Bomb Recordings
Time Bomb Recordings
Time Bomb Recordings is a Laguna Beach, California based record label founded by Social Distortion manager Jim Guerinot in a 1994 joint-venture agreement with Arista Records...
. Greg Prato of Allmusic said Wellwater Conspiracy "offer another intriguing collection of 60's-tinged ditties."
On May 22, 2001, Wellwater Conspiracy released its third album, The Scroll and Its Combinations
The Scroll and Its Combinations
-Personnel:Wellwater Conspiracy*Matt Cameron – drums, vocals, guitars, keyboards, photography*John McBain – guitars, bass guitar, drums, keyboardsAdditional musicians and production*Gerry Amandes – vocals on "What Becomes of the Clock"...
, through TVT Records
TVT Records
TVT Records was an independent US record label founded by Steve Gottlieb. Over the course of its 25 year history the label released some 25 Gold, Platinum and Multi-platinum releases. Its roster included Nine Inch Nails, Ja Rule, Lil Jon, Underworld, The KLF, Sevendust, Brian Jonestown Massacre and...
. Chris Handyside of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
said that "amid all the fuzz and minor chord bombast is an edgy, hard-rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
post-millenial tension." On September 9, 2003, the band released the self-titled Wellwater Conspiracy
Wellwater Conspiracy (album)
-Personnel:Wellwater Conspiracy*Matt Cameron – drums, vocals, guitars*John McBain – guitar, bass guitar, keyboardsAdditional musicians and production*Gerry Amandes – quasi-horns on "Galaxy 265"*Chelsea Chiodo – artwork...
through Megaforce Records
Megaforce Records
Megaforce Records is an American independent record label which was founded in 1982 by Jon and Marsha Zazula to publish the first works of Metallica. It has offices in New York and Philadelphia. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony Music Entertainment/RED Distribution...
. David Fricke
David Fricke
David Fricke is a senior editor at Rolling Stone magazine, where he writes predominantly on rock music. In the 1990s, he was managing editor before stepping down.-Background:David Fricke is a graduate of Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania...
of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
said Wellwater Conspiracy "upgrade the fragrant eccentricity of vintage U.K. flower power—spaced riffing, spiked-afternoon-tea lyrics—with modern muscle."
The band's music featured a psychedelic
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
garage rock
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...
sound. The band often performed with other musicians, many of whom were friends of the band. Notable appearances included keyboardist Glenn Slater of folk rock group The Walkabouts
The Walkabouts
The Walkabouts is an American rock band formed in Seattle in 1984. The core members are vocalist Carla Torgerson and vocalist and songwriter Chris Eckman...
, guitarist Kim Thayil
Kim Thayil
Kim Thayil is an American guitarist best known as the lead guitarist of the Seattle-based grunge band Soundgarden, which he cofounded with singer Chris Cornell and bassist Hiro Yamamoto in 1984...
of Soundgarden
Soundgarden
Soundgarden is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington in 1984 by singer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil, and bassist Hiro Yamamoto...
, vocalist Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder
Eddie Vedder is an American musician and singer-songwriter who is best known for being the lead singer and one of three guitarists of the alternative rock band Pearl Jam. He is widely considered a cultural icon of alternative rock.He is also involved in soundtrack work and contributes to albums...
of Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
, and vocalist/guitarist Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997. The band's line-up has always included founding member Josh Homme , with the current line-up including longtime members Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo , alongside Michael Shuman and...
and Kyuss
Kyuss
Kyuss is a rock band, originally from Palm Desert, California. After forming in the late 1980s and releasing an EP under the name Sons of Kyuss in 1990, the band shortened its name to Kyuss. Over the next five years the band released four full-length albums, and one last split EP in 1997 with...
.
Band members
- Matt CameronMatt CameronMatthew David "Matt" Cameron is an American musician who serves as the drummer for the American rock bands Pearl Jam and Soundgarden...
– vocalSingingSinging 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...
s, drumDrum 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 ....
s - John McBainJohn McBain (musician)John Paul McBain was a guitarist for Monster Magnet, Wellwater Conspiracy, his solo work, and has contributed to The Desert Sessions...
– 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... - Ben ShepherdBen ShepherdBen Shepherd is an American musician, two-time Grammy Award Winner best known for playing bass in the grunge band Soundgarden from 1990 until the band's 1997 break-up...
– vocals (1993–1998)
Studio albums
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 1997 | Declaration of Conformity Declaration of Conformity Japanese bonus tracks-Personnel:Wellwater Conspiracy*Matt Cameron – drums, vocals, mini-moog, simulated rain, acoustic guitar, guitar solo on "Lucy Leave"*John McBain – guitars, bass guitar, drums on "Far Side of Your Moon" and "Palomar Observatory"...
|
| 1999 | Brotherhood of Electric: Operational Directives Brotherhood of Electric: Operational Directives - Personnel :Wellwater Conspiracy* Matt Cameron – drums, vocals, guitars, bass guitar, keyboards, artwork* John McBain – guitars, bass guitar, keyboards, screamsAdditional musicians and production... Time Bomb Recordings Time Bomb Recordings is a Laguna Beach, California based record label founded by Social Distortion manager Jim Guerinot in a 1994 joint-venture agreement with Arista Records... |
| 2001 | The Scroll and Its Combinations The Scroll and Its Combinations -Personnel:Wellwater Conspiracy*Matt Cameron – drums, vocals, guitars, keyboards, photography*John McBain – guitars, bass guitar, drums, keyboardsAdditional musicians and production*Gerry Amandes – vocals on "What Becomes of the Clock"... TVT Records TVT Records was an independent US record label founded by Steve Gottlieb. Over the course of its 25 year history the label released some 25 Gold, Platinum and Multi-platinum releases. Its roster included Nine Inch Nails, Ja Rule, Lil Jon, Underworld, The KLF, Sevendust, Brian Jonestown Massacre and... |
| 2003 | Wellwater Conspiracy Wellwater Conspiracy (album) -Personnel:Wellwater Conspiracy*Matt Cameron – drums, vocals, guitars*John McBain – guitar, bass guitar, keyboardsAdditional musicians and production*Gerry Amandes – quasi-horns on "Galaxy 265"*Chelsea Chiodo – artwork... Megaforce Records Megaforce Records is an American independent record label which was founded in 1982 by Jon and Marsha Zazula to publish the first works of Metallica. It has offices in New York and Philadelphia. The label is distributed in the U.S. by Sony Music Entertainment/RED Distribution... |
Singles
| Year | Single | Album |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | "Sleeveless" | Non-album single |
| "Sandy"/"Nati Bati Yi" | ||
| 1994 | "Trowerchord" | |
| 1997 | "Compellor" | |
| 2000 | "Tidepool Telegraph" | |
| 2001 | "Of Dreams" | The Scroll and Its Combinations |
Other appearances
| Year | Song | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | "Far Side of Your Moon" |
Succour: The Terrascope Benefit Album | Flydaddy |