Crocodiles (band)
Encyclopedia
Not to be confused with the New Zealand band of the same name
, Crocodiles are an noise pop
/indie pop
band from San Diego, California
, USA. The group was formed in 2008 by core members Brandon Welchez and Charles Rowell after the break-up of their former hardcore bands Some Girls
and The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower
. Crocodiles' sound has typically been likened to The Jesus and Mary Chain
, Echo & the Bunnymen
, and Spacemen 3
.
Whilst at the same time playing in an early incarnation of Dum Dum Girls
(Welchez is married to frontwoman Dee Dee Penny), Crocodiles initially gained exposure in 2008 after fellow Southern California
noise pop band No Age
included their single "Neon Jesus" in a list of the year's best songs. This led to the duo being signed to Mississippi-based label Fat Possum Records
, who released the band's self-recorded debut album Summer of Hate
, in April 2009.
After touring in support of their debut full-length, the first half of 2010 saw Crocodiles go into a studio in the Mojave Dessert with British producer James Ford
. The resultant sessions comprise the band's second album Sleep Forever
. The record was released by Fat Possum in the September of that year.
In addition to their own recordings, Crocodiles have collaborated with Television Personalties' frontman Dan Treacy as well as Dum Dum Girls.
Although initially gigging as a two piece, Welchez and Rowell have expanded the band to include a live drummer, bassist and keyboard player. Musicians in the live band have included members of Blank Dogs
and The Slits
.
Outside of his activities with Crocodiles, Rowell has published a book of prose writing with Cold Cave front-man Wes Eisold, while Welchez along with wife Penny, occasionally releases records by West-Coast bands under the ZOO MUSIC label name .
The Crocodiles
The Crocodiles was a New Zealand pop band formed in 1979 with lead singer Jenny Morris, who went on to commercial success as a solo artist in Australia; and later included drummer Barton Price who subsequently joined Sardine v and then Models...
, Crocodiles are an noise pop
Noise pop
Noise pop is a subgenre of alternative rock developed in the mid 1980s in the UK and US, that mixes atonal noise or feedback, or both, with the melodic instrumentation and production elements more often found in pop music, making it more melodic and angst-free than noise rock.-History:Noise pop has...
/indie pop
Indie pop
Indie pop is a genre of alternative rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid 1980s, with its roots in the Scottish post-punk bands on the Postcard Records label in the early '80s, such as Orange Juice, Josef K and Aztec Camera, and the dominant UK independent band of the mid...
band from San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, USA. The group was formed in 2008 by core members Brandon Welchez and Charles Rowell after the break-up of their former hardcore bands Some Girls
Some Girls
Some Girls is the 14th British and 16th American studio album by The Rolling Stones, released in 1978 on Rolling Stones Records, catalogue COC 39108...
and The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower
The Plot To Blow Up The Eiffel Tower
The Plot to Blow Up the Eiffel Tower was a four-piece punk/noise band from San Diego, California, that formed in 2001. After disbanding in 2006, drummer Brian Hill now plays with The Soft Pack , while singer Brandon Welchez and Charles Rowell formed the duo Crocodiles.-Members:* Brandon Welchez -...
. Crocodiles' sound has typically been likened to The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain
The Jesus and Mary Chain are a Scottish alternative rock band formed in East Kilbride, Glasgow in 1983. The band revolves around the songwriting partnership of brothers Jim and William Reid...
, Echo & the Bunnymen
Echo & the Bunnymen
Echo & the Bunnymen are an English post-punk band, formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bass player Les Pattinson, supplemented by a drum machine. By 1980, Pete de Freitas had joined as the band's drummer, and their debut...
, and Spacemen 3
Spacemen 3
Spacemen 3 were an English alternative rock band, formed in 1982 in Rugby, Warwickshire by Peter Kember and Jason Pierce. Their music was "colorfully mind-altering, but not in the sense of the acid rock of the '60s; instead, the band developed its own minimalistic psychedelia"...
.
Whilst at the same time playing in an early incarnation of Dum Dum Girls
Dum Dum Girls
Dum Dum Girls are an American indie pop band from California that formed in 2008. Their name comes from both The Vaselines' album Dum Dum and the Iggy Pop song "Dum Dum Boys"...
(Welchez is married to frontwoman Dee Dee Penny), Crocodiles initially gained exposure in 2008 after fellow Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
noise pop band No Age
No Age
No Age is a two-person American indie rock group consisting of guitarist Randy Randall and drummer/vocalist Dean Allen Spunt. The band is based in Los Angeles and is currently signed to Sub Pop records...
included their single "Neon Jesus" in a list of the year's best songs. This led to the duo being signed to Mississippi-based label Fat Possum Records
Fat Possum Records
Fat Possum Records is an American independent record label based in Oxford, Mississippi. At first Fat Possum focused almost entirely on recording hitherto unknown Mississippi blues artists . Recently, Fat Possum has signed younger rock acts to its roster...
, who released the band's self-recorded debut album Summer of Hate
Summer of Hate
Summer of Hate is the debut studio album by the San Diego band Crocodiles. The New York Times featured the album in its Critics' Choice section, saying that Summer of Hate has "some catchy choruses and efficient low-fi landscapes."-Track listing:...
, in April 2009.
After touring in support of their debut full-length, the first half of 2010 saw Crocodiles go into a studio in the Mojave Dessert with British producer James Ford
James Ford
James Ford may refer to:*James A. Ford, American archaeologist*James Ford , benefactor of the Ford Lectures at Oxford University*James Ford , cricketer*James Ford , American newsreader and journalist for WPIX...
. The resultant sessions comprise the band's second album Sleep Forever
Sleep Forever
Sleep Forever is the second album by San Diego rock band Crocodiles. It was released by American label Fat Possum Records the year after the band's debut Summer of Hate. Sleep Forever was recorded in a vintage studio in Joshua Tree in California's Mojave Desert by James Ford of Simian Mobile Disco...
. The record was released by Fat Possum in the September of that year.
In addition to their own recordings, Crocodiles have collaborated with Television Personalties' frontman Dan Treacy as well as Dum Dum Girls.
Although initially gigging as a two piece, Welchez and Rowell have expanded the band to include a live drummer, bassist and keyboard player. Musicians in the live band have included members of Blank Dogs
Blank Dogs
Blank Dogs is an American post-punk project from Brooklyn. It is essentially a stage name for Mike Sniper, a multi-instrumentalist who had previously played with DC Snipers....
and The Slits
The Slits
The Slits were a British punk rock band. The quartet was formed in 1976 by members of the bands The Flowers of Romance and The Castrators. The members were Ari Up , who died of cancer in October 2010, and Palmolive , with Viv Albertine and Tessa Pollitt replacing founding members, Kate Korus and...
.
Outside of his activities with Crocodiles, Rowell has published a book of prose writing with Cold Cave front-man Wes Eisold, while Welchez along with wife Penny, occasionally releases records by West-Coast bands under the ZOO MUSIC label name .