Black Eyed Snakes
Encyclopedia
The Black-eyed Snakes is an American blues rock band from Duluth
, Minnesota
. Since releasing their debut album "It's the Black-eyed Snakes" in 2001, the band has toured the U.S. with Charlie Parr
. Front man Alan Sparhawk
also performs with Low
and Retribution Gospel Choir
.
The Black-eyed Snakes often perform at the Homegrown Music Festival
in Duluth, Minnesota
. Black-eyed Snakes was selected by City Pages as the Best New Band of 2001. Their attitude towards the blues is summed up by Sparhawk: "We actually hate most blues. We were trying to destroy it. We're interested in putting the blues back into a gut level -- instead of talent, we go with feeling more.
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. Since releasing their debut album "It's the Black-eyed Snakes" in 2001, the band has toured the U.S. with Charlie Parr
Charlie Parr
Charlie Parr is an American country blues musician, born in Austin, Minnesota, United States. He started his music career in Duluth, Minnesota. His influences include Charlie Patton, Bukka White, Reverend Gary Davis, and Dave Van Ronk. He plays a National resonator guitar, a fretless open-back...
. Front man Alan Sparhawk
Alan Sparhawk
Alan Sparhawk is the guitarist and vocalist for American band Low.-Biography:George Alan Sparhawk was born in Seattle, Washington and grew up in Utah. He met Mimi Parker when he was 9, after his family moved to Minnesota. Sparhawk began writing his own compositions around the age of 13...
also performs with Low
Low (band)
Low is an American indie rock group from Duluth, Minnesota, formed in 1993. As of 2010, the group is composed of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker , both founding members, and Steve Garrington ....
and Retribution Gospel Choir
Retribution Gospel Choir
Retribution Gospel Choir is a band based out of Duluth, Minnesota that plays short, driving songs that often start out poppy melodic and then turn into psychedelic improvisations and drum and bass-heavy dub. Current members of the band include, Alan Sparhawk , Steve Garrington , both of whom are...
.
The Black-eyed Snakes often perform at the Homegrown Music Festival
Homegrown Music Festival
The Homegrown Music Festival is Duluth, Minnesota's annual showcase of local bands. The event has grown from featuring 10 acts in 1999 to 156 in 2011...
in Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
. Black-eyed Snakes was selected by City Pages as the Best New Band of 2001. Their attitude towards the blues is summed up by Sparhawk: "We actually hate most blues. We were trying to destroy it. We're interested in putting the blues back into a gut level -- instead of talent, we go with feeling more.
Lineup
- Alan Sparhawk-- 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...
, vocals - Bob Olson-- guitar
- Brad Nelson-- drums
- Justin Sparhawk-- percussion
Studio albums
- It's the Black-eyed Snakes - (Chairkickers' Union Music, 2001)
- Rise Up! - (Chairkickers' Union Music, 2003)
Compilations
- Duluth Does Dylan - (Spinout Records, 2000)
- Sun Records the Ultimate Blues Collection - (Varese Fontana, 2003)
- Perverted by Mark E. / A Tribute to the Fall - (Zick Zack indigo, 2004)
- Homegrown Rawk and/or Roll: Starfire's Mix - (Homegrown Music Festival, 2008)
DVDs
- "Cross Country with the Snakes" (film by Hansi Johnson) - (Chairkickers' Union Music, 2005)