Argyle Park
Encyclopedia
For the park of the same name in Babylon, NY, see Argyle Lake Park
Argyle Park was an underground industrial rock
supergroup founded in New York City
in 1994 and active until 1996. Members of the group reformed under the name AP2 in 1998, and were active under that name until winter 2000. Signed to Christian music labels, the band suffered repeated controversies within the Christian music scene for not being positive and evangelistic enough in its lyrics and outlook. The project was named after an actual park in Babylon, Long Island, where the members of Argyle Park grew up together.
iconoclast Steve Taylor
in 1995. The full-length Argyle Park album, Misguided
, was released later that year on R.E.X. Records
. The album was musically varied, combining elements such as techno, metal guitar, ragtime piano, horns, samples, and dark vocals and was credited in the liner notes to three pseudonymous individuals: Dred, Deathwish, and Buka. Dred, Deathwish, and Celldweller, another individual credited as the album's producer, were all aliases for Scott Albert of the underground industrial metal band Circle of Dust
. Buka has never been officially identified, though according to according to a Facebook
post by Klank
, his real name is Chris Martello. Jim Thirlwell claims that Buka was a producer at MTV Sports
. Misguided also featured a myriad of guest appearances from the Christian alternative music scene, as well as several from cult-status mainstream industrial rock bands of the time. These appearances include Mark Salomon
, Dirk Lemmenes, and Jeff Bellew of Stavesacre
, Jim Thirlwell
(Foetus
), Klank
, Jyro Xhan
(Mortal
), Tommy Victor
(Prong), and Lauren Boquette and Marco Forcone (Drown).
In the summer of 1995, Argyle Park made their only live appearance at the Cornerstone Music Festival in Bushnell, Illinois
. The musicians onstage included Dan Levler, who would later became a full member of AP2 under the alias Level. Argyle Park made one more recorded appearance in 1996, this time with a song on a tribute album to Stryper
. Then the band announced that they were shutting down. In a later interview, Scott Albert cited clashes with R.E.X. over lyrical content, unrealistic expectations within the Christian music industry
, and negative or "holier-than-thou" fan reactions to lyrical content as reasons for shutting down both Argyle Park and his main music project, Circle of Dust. In a different interview, Buka also described much of the negative reactions Argyle Park faced from within the Christian music scene.
. The two members of Backwoods were Buka and Level, thus pointing the way to the resurrection of Argyle Park in 1998.
. AP2 released one album called Suspension of Disbelief
in 2000. Scott Albert, now using the name Klayton, produced the album and wrote only two of the songs while his younger brother, Level
, did the bulk of the actual song crafting and Buka provided thematic direction for the project. Guest appearances were made once more, but not nearly as numerously as on Misguided: Klank
returned, as did Mark Salomon
, and Joel Timothy Bell of the Tooth & Nail punk band Ghoti Hook
also provided some vocals. The music on Suspension of Disbelief was just as varied as that on Misguided, with the band this time experimenting with gabber techno
, pop dance, drum'n'bass, R&B, punk rock, and metal. The members planned to keep the project open and release additional albums, but again shut down later in 2000, this time due to low sales through Tooth & Nail and a resurgence of the criticisms that dogged the band the first time around.
that bands will be positive and evangelistic. This, along with the generally dark image of the band, led to much of the criticism that Argyle Park faced from within the underground Christian music scene and music press. Listeners heavily and openly criticized the band and band members in online message boards and via email, causing the members personal insult to the point that they disbanded.
These same issues arose again when the band reformed as AP2. The members expressed disappointment, puzzlement, and frustration at the constant criticism of Argyle Park, which they said came only from within the Christian music scene, but were never apologetic, stating "there are enough fluff bands out there anyway [...] We're writing about real issues that have a real impact" and even anticipated the return of these criticisms with the release of AP2's album. Online debates and slander continued long after the disbanding of AP2, causing former members to occasionally post angry retorts and chastisements on the message boards and, if one post by Buka was to be believed, caused the band to scrap a proposed tenth anniversary remix project in 2004.
Apart from all the controversies surrounding both incarnations of Argyle Park, however, their albums have been massively popular within the genre and subgenres of Christian industrial and electronic music. A wide variety of bands that have appeared on the scene have cited Argyle Park and AP2 as influences in their biographies and press releases. Tribute albums have been proposed at various times, with at least a handful of cover songs recorded. The more recent success of Klayton's Celldweller has also resulted in renewed interest in his older projects, including both Argyle Park albums.
Compilation Appearances:
Argyle Park was an underground industrial rock
Industrial rock
Industrial rock is a musical genre that fuses industrial music and specific rock subgenres. Industrial rock spawned industrial metal, with which it is often confused...
supergroup founded in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1994 and active until 1996. Members of the group reformed under the name AP2 in 1998, and were active under that name until winter 2000. Signed to Christian music labels, the band suffered repeated controversies within the Christian music scene for not being positive and evangelistic enough in its lyrics and outlook. The project was named after an actual park in Babylon, Long Island, where the members of Argyle Park grew up together.
Argyle Park
Argyle Park first appeared on a tribute album to 80s Contemporary Christian MusicContemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
iconoclast Steve Taylor
Steve Taylor
Roland Stephen Taylor , is an American Christian singer, songwriter, record producer and film director.-Early life:Taylor, the eldest of three children, was born in Brawley, California. Taylor's father, Roland Taylor, was a Baptist minister. When Taylor was six years old, the family relocated to...
in 1995. The full-length Argyle Park album, Misguided
Misguided
Misguided is Argyle Park's first and only album under that name. The album was released by R.E.X. Records into the Christian rock market, and sits alongside other early 90s work by Circle of Dust and Mortal as being instrumental in introducing industrial music to the Christian music scene.Misguided...
, was released later that year on R.E.X. Records
R.E.X. Records
R.E.X. Records was an independent record label founded by Doug Mann and Gavin Morkel, which operated from 1987 until running into financial difficulty in 1995. Operations were based in Chicago until 1990 when the company moved to Nashville...
. The album was musically varied, combining elements such as techno, metal guitar, ragtime piano, horns, samples, and dark vocals and was credited in the liner notes to three pseudonymous individuals: Dred, Deathwish, and Buka. Dred, Deathwish, and Celldweller, another individual credited as the album's producer, were all aliases for Scott Albert of the underground industrial metal band Circle of Dust
Circle of Dust
Circle of Dust were a 1990s Industrial rock band created and run by Klayton who is now more widely known for his solo band Celldweller. Circle of Dust was, along with contemporaries Mortal and Deitiphobia, instrumental in bringing industrial metal to the Christian alternative metal scene...
. Buka has never been officially identified, though according to according to a Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
post by Klank
Klank
Klank is the nickname for New York City-based musician Daren Diolosa and the name of Diolosa's band. Diolosa formed Klank in the mid 90's when he was a member of industrial metal band Circle of Dust, for whom Klank was a guitarist...
, his real name is Chris Martello. Jim Thirlwell claims that Buka was a producer at MTV Sports
MTV Sports
MTV Sports is a show that ran on MTV from 1992 to 1997. Dan Cortese hosts this Emmy-winning reality sports show featuring radical sports from around the country. It was later hosted by athlete/model Gabrielle Reece from 1993 to 1995....
. Misguided also featured a myriad of guest appearances from the Christian alternative music scene, as well as several from cult-status mainstream industrial rock bands of the time. These appearances include Mark Salomon
Mark Salomon
Mark Salomon is an American singer and author best known as the lead singer of the hard rock bands Stavesacre and The Crucified. Other bands in which he has been a key member include the punk rock Outer Circle and rap-oriented Native Son and is rumored to be one of the voices of Neon Horse, though...
, Dirk Lemmenes, and Jeff Bellew of Stavesacre
Stavesacre
Stavesacre was an American rock band from Huntington Beach, California formed in 1995. The band was composed of vocalist Mark Salomon, guitarists Jeff Bellew and Ryan Dennee, bassist Dirk Lemmenes and drummer Sam West....
, Jim Thirlwell
J. G. Thirlwell
James George Thirlwell , aka Clint Ruin, aka Frank Want, aka Foetus, is an Australian vocalist, composer and record producer...
(Foetus
Foetus (band)
Foetus is the primary musical outlet of industrial music pioneer J. G. Thirlwell. Until 1995 the band underwent various name changes, all including the word foetus. Monikers adopted at different times include Foetus Under Glass, You've Got Foetus On Your Breath and Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel...
), Klank
Klank
Klank is the nickname for New York City-based musician Daren Diolosa and the name of Diolosa's band. Diolosa formed Klank in the mid 90's when he was a member of industrial metal band Circle of Dust, for whom Klank was a guitarist...
, Jyro Xhan
Jyro Xhan
Jyro Xhan is the stage/pen name of Filipino American musician Jeff La Villa. He lives in California. He is a singer, songwriter, producer, guitarist and keyboard player. He has been in several bands such as Jyradelix, Cush, Juggernautz, but most notably Mortal and Fold Zandura. He was the main...
(Mortal
Mortal (band)
Mortal was a Christian industrial/dance band fronted by Jerome Fontamillas and Jyro Xhan. Both members went on to found the alternative rock group Fold Zandura, and for a time were members of both bands simultaneously...
), Tommy Victor
Tommy Victor
Tommy Victor is the lead singer and guitarist for the crossover thrash/industrial metal band Prong that he founded in New York in 1986. In the late 1980s Victor worked as a soundman at CBGB's. After the release of Rude Awakening in 1996, Prong disbanded and Victor moved to Los Angeles. Since then...
(Prong), and Lauren Boquette and Marco Forcone (Drown).
In the summer of 1995, Argyle Park made their only live appearance at the Cornerstone Music Festival in Bushnell, Illinois
Bushnell, Illinois
Bushnell is a city in McDonough County, Illinois, United States. The population was 3,221 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bushnell is located at ....
. The musicians onstage included Dan Levler, who would later became a full member of AP2 under the alias Level. Argyle Park made one more recorded appearance in 1996, this time with a song on a tribute album to Stryper
Stryper
Stryper is a Christian glam metal band from Orange County, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet , Oz Fox , Tim Gaines , and Robert Sweet...
. Then the band announced that they were shutting down. In a later interview, Scott Albert cited clashes with R.E.X. over lyrical content, unrealistic expectations within the Christian music industry
Christian music industry
The Christian music industry is a small part of the larger music industry, that focuses on traditional Gospel music, Southern Gospel music, Contemporary Christian music, and alternative Christian music. It is sometimes called the gospel music industry, although this designation is not a limitation...
, and negative or "holier-than-thou" fan reactions to lyrical content as reasons for shutting down both Argyle Park and his main music project, Circle of Dust. In a different interview, Buka also described much of the negative reactions Argyle Park faced from within the Christian music scene.
Backwoods
In 1996, Buka had planned to start up his own record label called Backwoods Records. The first release was to be a split album that would feature songs by Klank, Buka's new project Soil, and Argyle Park. However, the record label and the split album never saw the light of day. A single song attributed to a band called Backwoods was then released later in 1996 on a Christmas compilation put out by Flying Tart RecordsFlying Tart
Flying Tart was an independent record label based in Nashville, Tennessee. It was started by Alex Parker, formerly of R.E.X. Records, and operated from 1990 until 1996 when it was purchased by Light Records.-Bands:*Aleixa...
. The two members of Backwoods were Buka and Level, thus pointing the way to the resurrection of Argyle Park in 1998.
AP2
Argyle Park "reopened" in 1999 under the name AP2, signing to alternative Christian music label Tooth & Nail RecordsTooth & Nail Records
Tooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
. AP2 released one album called Suspension of Disbelief
Suspension of Disbelief (Argyle Park album)
Suspension of Disbelief was the lone AP2 release, put out by Tooth & Nail Records in 2000. AP2 was a sequel of sorts to the band Argyle Park, who released their only album Misguided in 1995. Argyle Park had consisted of Buka and Klayton, while AP2 featured primary players Buka and Level, with...
in 2000. Scott Albert, now using the name Klayton, produced the album and wrote only two of the songs while his younger brother, Level
LVL (band)
lvl is both the solo music project and personal moniker for New York City musician Dan Levler. lvl was formerly called Level but changed the name to avoid confusion with a handful of other bands with the same name. lvl's musical output ranges from fast-paced industrial metal to mellow electronica...
, did the bulk of the actual song crafting and Buka provided thematic direction for the project. Guest appearances were made once more, but not nearly as numerously as on Misguided: Klank
Klank
Klank is the nickname for New York City-based musician Daren Diolosa and the name of Diolosa's band. Diolosa formed Klank in the mid 90's when he was a member of industrial metal band Circle of Dust, for whom Klank was a guitarist...
returned, as did Mark Salomon
Mark Salomon
Mark Salomon is an American singer and author best known as the lead singer of the hard rock bands Stavesacre and The Crucified. Other bands in which he has been a key member include the punk rock Outer Circle and rap-oriented Native Son and is rumored to be one of the voices of Neon Horse, though...
, and Joel Timothy Bell of the Tooth & Nail punk band Ghoti Hook
Ghoti Hook
Ghoti Hook was a pop punk band from Fairfax, Virginia. The band formed in 1991, signed to Tooth & Nail Records in 1996, and disbanded in 2002.-History:...
also provided some vocals. The music on Suspension of Disbelief was just as varied as that on Misguided, with the band this time experimenting with gabber techno
Gabber
Gabber , is a style of electronic music and a subgenre of hardcore techno. "Gabber" is a slang word of Yiddish origin that means "mate", "buddy" or "friend"....
, pop dance, drum'n'bass, R&B, punk rock, and metal. The members planned to keep the project open and release additional albums, but again shut down later in 2000, this time due to low sales through Tooth & Nail and a resurgence of the criticisms that dogged the band the first time around.
Reception and Controversy
Argyle Park courted controversy from the time of their first appearance, on the Steve Taylor tribute album, being criticized for their subtle changing of the meaning of the song by way of leaving out significant portions of Taylor's original lyrics. Though signed to a Christian record label, Argyle Park did not display any overtly religious themes on their album. The lyrics rather dealt with things such as suffering, pain, bitterness, violent emotions, being betrayed and taken advantage of, and losing faith in one's role models, themes summed up by Buka as "man putting too much faith in other men and men will always let you down". In so doing, Argyle Park flaunted the general expectation within the Christian music industryChristian music industry
The Christian music industry is a small part of the larger music industry, that focuses on traditional Gospel music, Southern Gospel music, Contemporary Christian music, and alternative Christian music. It is sometimes called the gospel music industry, although this designation is not a limitation...
that bands will be positive and evangelistic. This, along with the generally dark image of the band, led to much of the criticism that Argyle Park faced from within the underground Christian music scene and music press. Listeners heavily and openly criticized the band and band members in online message boards and via email, causing the members personal insult to the point that they disbanded.
These same issues arose again when the band reformed as AP2. The members expressed disappointment, puzzlement, and frustration at the constant criticism of Argyle Park, which they said came only from within the Christian music scene, but were never apologetic, stating "there are enough fluff bands out there anyway [...] We're writing about real issues that have a real impact" and even anticipated the return of these criticisms with the release of AP2's album. Online debates and slander continued long after the disbanding of AP2, causing former members to occasionally post angry retorts and chastisements on the message boards and, if one post by Buka was to be believed, caused the band to scrap a proposed tenth anniversary remix project in 2004.
Apart from all the controversies surrounding both incarnations of Argyle Park, however, their albums have been massively popular within the genre and subgenres of Christian industrial and electronic music. A wide variety of bands that have appeared on the scene have cited Argyle Park and AP2 as influences in their biographies and press releases. Tribute albums have been proposed at various times, with at least a handful of cover songs recorded. The more recent success of Klayton's Celldweller has also resulted in renewed interest in his older projects, including both Argyle Park albums.
Discography
Albums- As Argyle Park: MisguidedMisguidedMisguided is Argyle Park's first and only album under that name. The album was released by R.E.X. Records into the Christian rock market, and sits alongside other early 90s work by Circle of Dust and Mortal as being instrumental in introducing industrial music to the Christian music scene.Misguided...
(1995, R.E.X. RecordsR.E.X. RecordsR.E.X. Records was an independent record label founded by Doug Mann and Gavin Morkel, which operated from 1987 until running into financial difficulty in 1995. Operations were based in Chicago until 1990 when the company moved to Nashville...
) - As AP2: Suspension of DisbeliefSuspension of Disbelief (Argyle Park album)Suspension of Disbelief was the lone AP2 release, put out by Tooth & Nail Records in 2000. AP2 was a sequel of sorts to the band Argyle Park, who released their only album Misguided in 1995. Argyle Park had consisted of Buka and Klayton, while AP2 featured primary players Buka and Level, with...
(2000, Tooth & Nail RecordsTooth & Nail RecordsTooth & Nail Records is a record label founded by Brandon Ebel in the U.S. state of California in November 1993. The label later moved to Seattle, Washington, where it is situated today...
)
Compilation Appearances:
- I Predict A Clone (1994, R.E.X. Records, tribute to Steve TaylorSteve TaylorRoland Stephen Taylor , is an American Christian singer, songwriter, record producer and film director.-Early life:Taylor, the eldest of three children, was born in Brawley, California. Taylor's father, Roland Taylor, was a Baptist minister. When Taylor was six years old, the family relocated to...
) - "Drive, He Said (D-Wee Dub)" - Demo-lition II (1994, R.E.X. Records) - "Misanthrope 5:33" (slightly altered edit of the album track "Misanthrope")
- Can You Dig It? III (1994, R.E.X. Records) - "Misanthrope 5:33"
- R.E.X. '95 Sampler 3 (1995, R.E.X. Records)- "Gutterboy"
- Doom & Gloom: Visions of the Apocalypse (1995, Nesak International) - "Misanthrope" (album version)
- Sweet Family Music: A Tribute to StryperSweet Family Music: A Tribute to StryperSweet Family Music: A Tribute to Stryper is a various artists album, released in 1996, as a tribute to the crossover Christian metal band Stryper.- Track listing :# Cell Dweller - "The Abyss"# Steve Hindalong - "To Hell with the Devil"...
(1996, Flaying Tart Records, tribute to StryperStryperStryper is a Christian glam metal band from Orange County, California. The group's lineup consists of Michael Sweet , Oz Fox , Tim Gaines , and Robert Sweet...
) - "Lonely (Two-Timing Dub)" - Cheapskates: Harder Side (1999, Tooth & Nail Records) - "My Sympathies (Rough Mix)"
- Though uncredited, short segments of two AP2 songs were used in the Hollywood film The Butterfly EffectThe Butterfly EffectThe Butterfly Effect is a 2004 American sci-fi psychological thriller film that is written and directed by Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber and starring Ashton Kutcher and Amy Smart...
.