Black Lives at the Golden Coast
Encyclopedia
Black Lives at the Golden Coast is the third full-length release from Los Angeles noise rock band The Icarus Line
. Black Lives was also the second for major label V2 Records
. Shortly after the long months of touring for Penance Soiree ended, the band returned to Los Angeles, penniless and completely frayed at the ends. All members went their separate ways except Joe Cardamone and Don Devore
. Both recently lost their homes while being on the road and had returned to Los Angeles with no place to live. After a few weeks of crashing on couches, V2 decided it was best to put the singer-songwriter and bass player in a hotel where they could continue writing for a new record.
Around this same time when Cardamone and Devore were working on various musical projects at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, Aaron North
sent an email to The Icarus Line's management notifying that he would be leaving the group. At the time it wasn't a shock considering the amount of drugs everyone was on and the fact that there had been talk of moving Don Devore into the guitar position in favor of exploring new territory stylistically.
After a couple months, and countless 8 balls later, V2 decided that it was too costly to keep the two at such a fine establishment and decided to relocate the "Toxic Twins" to a Travelodge on Vine and Melrose. A good deal of the four-track cassette demos that would later become the blueprint for Black Lives were recorded at this motel. After five months of staying in hotels and motel in their hometown of Los Angeles they two finally secured a real place to live with help from friends Ronda Doyle and Alexis Haritakis. A three-bedroom house in Los Feliz became ground zero for both Souls She Said and The Icarus Line's upcoming records. In the house was a large dining room that was re-fashioned to become a music den. Instruments and musicians of all kinds passed through, recording and hanging around the California craftsman home. Cardamone and Don shared a bachelor pad of sorts toward the back of the large house that had a separate entrance and bathroom. The Kingswell house, as it came to be known, evolved in into a refuge for an eclectic cast of like-minded individuals including members of The Mars Volta
, Need New Body
, The Warlocks
, G. Love
, Maroon 5
, Ariel Pink
, Beachwood Sparks
, Earl Greyhound
and others.
The demos that had been sketched out on four track over the months post-Penance Soiree
touring were presented to US side of the record label and were met with indifference. Cardamone refused to accept any more delays and asked to be released from the contract with V2. V2 obliged the request and band was once again without a record label. In the period that followed the band continued on, recording demos at various studios around Los Angeles wherever time was cheap or free. got a copy of the rough mixes that were floating around at the time and jumped at the chance to have the band on his label, Dim Mak Records
. The Icarus Line was signed to a "one-off" US deal with the label known as much for the records they put out as the parties they threw. Around this same time V2 Records UK heard these tapes and made it known that they "had made a huge mistake" by letting the band go. The label soon re-signed the group to a contract in the UK. Jeff Watson had relocated to Portland, Oregon over the course of these months but was visited by Joe and Alvin to continue writing for the new record. Eventually Jeff returned to Los Angeles to re join the group.
Recording for Black Lives began with producer Michael Musmanno
at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles and ended in various studios in New York City. The line-up consisted of Alvin Deguzman on bass, Jeff Watson on drums, Don Devore on guitar and Joe Cardamone on vocals and guitars. During the year and a half-long process of the recording it became more evident that Joe Cardamone and Don Devore had different visions of where the musical vision of the band was headed. This led to inner turmoil during the sessions and ultimately Don leaving the project before its completion. Black Lives was mixed by Dave McNair at Avatar
in New York City, the same studio where David Bowie
had recorded Let's Dance and favorite spot of Bob Clearmountain
. The record was mastered by Howie Wienberg at Masterdisk
in New York City.
Shortly after the release of Black Lives at the Golden Coast, V2 Records went under, leaving the band without financial backing. The band's album out only for a couple weeks was released by a record label that was near its end and never received a proper push. Despite this situation the band continued to tour in support of the record. Black Lives is characterized by dark, disjointed themes similar in spirit to "There's a Riot Goin' on" by Sly Stone and "Flowers of Romance" by PiL. The record documented a time of complete chaos and self destruction for The Icarus Line. For better or worse, Black Lives at the Golden Coast brings the listener in to the disappointments and freedoms of living under the radar.
The Icarus Line
The Icarus Line is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California.The Icarus Line was formed out of the ashes of high school punk group Kanker Sores...
. Black Lives was also the second for major label V2 Records
V2 Records
V2 Records is a record label that is owned by Universal Music Group as of October 2007. The label was founded in 1996 by Richard Branson, five years after he sold Virgin Records to EMI....
. Shortly after the long months of touring for Penance Soiree ended, the band returned to Los Angeles, penniless and completely frayed at the ends. All members went their separate ways except Joe Cardamone and Don Devore
Don Devore
Don Devore is an American musician who currently plays in the alternative rock band Amazing Baby. He has also been a member of Ink & Dagger, Frail, The Icarus Line, Historics, Lilys, Mazarin and Souls She Said.-Discography:Historics.2009...
. Both recently lost their homes while being on the road and had returned to Los Angeles with no place to live. After a few weeks of crashing on couches, V2 decided it was best to put the singer-songwriter and bass player in a hotel where they could continue writing for a new record.
Around this same time when Cardamone and Devore were working on various musical projects at the Magic Castle in Hollywood, Aaron North
Aaron North
Aaron Wright North, born March 22, 1979 is the co-founder and former guitarist of punk band The Icarus Line, the former lead guitarist of the industrial rock group Nine Inch Nails and currently the vocalist and guitarist of the band Jubilee...
sent an email to The Icarus Line's management notifying that he would be leaving the group. At the time it wasn't a shock considering the amount of drugs everyone was on and the fact that there had been talk of moving Don Devore into the guitar position in favor of exploring new territory stylistically.
After a couple months, and countless 8 balls later, V2 decided that it was too costly to keep the two at such a fine establishment and decided to relocate the "Toxic Twins" to a Travelodge on Vine and Melrose. A good deal of the four-track cassette demos that would later become the blueprint for Black Lives were recorded at this motel. After five months of staying in hotels and motel in their hometown of Los Angeles they two finally secured a real place to live with help from friends Ronda Doyle and Alexis Haritakis. A three-bedroom house in Los Feliz became ground zero for both Souls She Said and The Icarus Line's upcoming records. In the house was a large dining room that was re-fashioned to become a music den. Instruments and musicians of all kinds passed through, recording and hanging around the California craftsman home. Cardamone and Don shared a bachelor pad of sorts toward the back of the large house that had a separate entrance and bathroom. The Kingswell house, as it came to be known, evolved in into a refuge for an eclectic cast of like-minded individuals including members of The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta
The Mars Volta is a Grammy award winning American progressive rock band from El Paso, Texas. Founded in 2001 by guitarist Omar Rodríguez-López and vocalist Cedric Bixler-Zavala, the band incorporates various influences including progressive rock, krautrock, jazz fusion, Latin American music, and...
, Need New Body
Need New Body
Need New Body is an avant garde music collective band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and beyond, numerous members of which have gone on to become members of the band Man Man.-Members:*Christopher Powell / Pow Pow – Drums*Tookie Sherman – Keyboard...
, The Warlocks
The Warlocks
The Warlocks are an American rock band based out of Los Angeles. Their music has been defined as neo-psychedelia, but much of it spans multiple genres.-Music:...
, G. Love
G. Love
Garrett Dutton , better known as G. Love, is the frontman for the band G. Love & Special Sauce.-Biography:Dutton, the son of a banking lawyer, was born in the Society Hill neighborhood of Philadelphia, and began playing guitar at age eight. He wrote his first song by the time he was in the ninth...
, Maroon 5
Maroon 5
Maroon 5 is an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. While they were in high school, lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Adam Levine, keyboardist Jesse Carmichael, bass guitarist Mickey Madden, and drummer Ryan Dusick formed a garage band called Kara's Flowers and released one album...
, Ariel Pink
Ariel Pink
Ariel Pink is a Los Angeles-based recording artist who is sometimes associated with the freak folk scene.-Biography:...
, Beachwood Sparks
Beachwood Sparks
Beachwood Sparks are an American alternative country band from Los Angeles. A Daily Telegraph article on America's underground psychedelic pop scene described Beachwood Sparks as "country through a kaleidoscope".-Biography:...
, Earl Greyhound
Earl Greyhound
Earl Greyhound is an American rock trio from Brooklyn consisting of Matt Whyte , Kamara Thomas and Ricc Sheridan . Sheridan replaced original drummer Christopher Bear just after the band recorded its first full-length album. They were previously signed to Some Records but have since started their...
and others.
The demos that had been sketched out on four track over the months post-Penance Soiree
Penance Soiree
Penance Soiree was the second full-length album released by The Icarus Line. It was one of 2004's most critically acclaimed releases, and its reputation has subsequently earned praise in various publications, including the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.Due to infighting with the...
touring were presented to US side of the record label and were met with indifference. Cardamone refused to accept any more delays and asked to be released from the contract with V2. V2 obliged the request and band was once again without a record label. In the period that followed the band continued on, recording demos at various studios around Los Angeles wherever time was cheap or free. got a copy of the rough mixes that were floating around at the time and jumped at the chance to have the band on his label, Dim Mak Records
Dim Mak Records
Dim Mak Records is a record label founded in 1996 by Steve Aoki and based in Los Angeles, CA. Dim Mak's first release was a 7" by a little known hardcore band from southern California, Stickfigurecarousel.-Roster:Active* Steve Aoki* All Leather...
. The Icarus Line was signed to a "one-off" US deal with the label known as much for the records they put out as the parties they threw. Around this same time V2 Records UK heard these tapes and made it known that they "had made a huge mistake" by letting the band go. The label soon re-signed the group to a contract in the UK. Jeff Watson had relocated to Portland, Oregon over the course of these months but was visited by Joe and Alvin to continue writing for the new record. Eventually Jeff returned to Los Angeles to re join the group.
Recording for Black Lives began with producer Michael Musmanno
Michael Musmanno
Michael Angelo Musmanno was an American jurist, politician, and naval officer of Italian heritage.Musmanno was born in Stowe Township, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, an industrial neighborhood a few miles west of Pittsburgh.Musmanno rose to the rank of Rear Admiral in the United States Navy...
at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles and ended in various studios in New York City. The line-up consisted of Alvin Deguzman on bass, Jeff Watson on drums, Don Devore on guitar and Joe Cardamone on vocals and guitars. During the year and a half-long process of the recording it became more evident that Joe Cardamone and Don Devore had different visions of where the musical vision of the band was headed. This led to inner turmoil during the sessions and ultimately Don leaving the project before its completion. Black Lives was mixed by Dave McNair at Avatar
Avatar Studios
Avatar Studios, formerly known as The Power Station, is a recording studio at 441 West 53rd Street in Manhattan, New York City.The building was originally a Consolidated Edison power plant; but after a period of vacancy, it was used as a sound stage for the television game show Let's Make a Deal...
in New York City, the same studio where 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...
had recorded Let's Dance and favorite spot of Bob Clearmountain
Bob Clearmountain
Bob Clearmountain is an award-winning American music engineer, mixer and producer. He has worked with many prominent names in music including Bruce Springsteen , The Rolling Stones , Bryan Adams , Robbie Williams Bob Clearmountain is an award-winning American music engineer, mixer and producer. He...
. The record was mastered by Howie Wienberg at Masterdisk
Masterdisk
Masterdisk is an audio mastering and multimedia company in New York City, located on West 45th Street in Manhattan. They provide production services such as audio mastering, vinyl cutting and enhanced CD and DVD production....
in New York City.
Shortly after the release of Black Lives at the Golden Coast, V2 Records went under, leaving the band without financial backing. The band's album out only for a couple weeks was released by a record label that was near its end and never received a proper push. Despite this situation the band continued to tour in support of the record. Black Lives is characterized by dark, disjointed themes similar in spirit to "There's a Riot Goin' on" by Sly Stone and "Flowers of Romance" by PiL. The record documented a time of complete chaos and self destruction for The Icarus Line. For better or worse, Black Lives at the Golden Coast brings the listener in to the disappointments and freedoms of living under the radar.
Personnel
- Joe Cardamone – Vocals
- Don DevoreDon DevoreDon Devore is an American musician who currently plays in the alternative rock band Amazing Baby. He has also been a member of Ink & Dagger, Frail, The Icarus Line, Historics, Lilys, Mazarin and Souls She Said.-Discography:Historics.2009...
- Guitar - Jeff "The Captain" Watson - Drums
- Alvin DeGuzman - Bass
- Produced & recorded by The Icarus LineThe Icarus LineThe Icarus Line is an American hard rock band from Los Angeles, California.The Icarus Line was formed out of the ashes of high school punk group Kanker Sores...
& Michael Musmanno at Sunset Sound - Mastered by Howie Wienberg at MasterdiskMasterdiskMasterdisk is an audio mastering and multimedia company in New York City, located on West 45th Street in Manhattan. They provide production services such as audio mastering, vinyl cutting and enhanced CD and DVD production....
- Mixed by Dave McNair at Avatar StudiosAvatar StudiosAvatar Studios, formerly known as The Power Station, is a recording studio at 441 West 53rd Street in Manhattan, New York City.The building was originally a Consolidated Edison power plant; but after a period of vacancy, it was used as a sound stage for the television game show Let's Make a Deal...
Track listing
- "Black Presents"
- "FSHN FVR"
- "Gets Paid"
- "Slayer"
- "Sick Bitch"
- "Amber Alert"
- "Black Lives At The Golden Coast"
- "Frankfurt Smile"
- "Victory Gardens"
- "Committed To Extinction"
- "Golden Rush"
- "Kingdom"