Dead Confederate
Encyclopedia
Dead Confederate is an American alternative rock
band formed in Augusta, Georgia
and based in Athens, Georgia
.
The band's sound has been described as a mix of alternative country
and grunge
and has drawn comparisons to Nirvana
and My Morning Jacket
.
and along with Morris's brother Dawson hooked up with Jason Scarboro and Brantley Senn to form Redbelly in college in 1997.
Redbelly's original lead singer Dawson Morris left and the band eventually went on to release its self-titled debut in October 2003 (recorded in Augusta in December 2002). At this point the band was primarily a southern rock
-influenced jam band
whose songs would often be 20 or 30 minutes long and were styled between Neil Young
and Pink Floyd
. Drummer Jason Scarboro later commented that the band had had its "share of playing 20- and 30-minute songs and really, it sucked--It's something that gets really old"; Senn also commented that "We knew we were making music that didn’t match the music we were into. We were going nowhere".
A turning point for the band came when the members relocated to Atlanta, where John Watkins joined them and they renamed themselves The Redbelly Band. The Redbelly Band released an EP entitled Underbelly in 2004 and what would become the Redbelly Band's last album, Petition To The Queen (recorded at Transduction Studios in Athens) in 2006.) The album featured the first version of the Senn-penned track The Rat, which was intentionally tighter than the band's previous looser, more improvised material.
In late 2006, the members relocated to Athens
, where Morris and Senn attended college. Taking themselves more seriously and writing tighter, more song-based material, they renamed the band Dead Confederate. When questioned about the new name, frontman Morris commented that it "sounded like we did; a bit dark, a bit militant, a bit southern"; Senn later commented that the Redbelly Band was "a terrible name". After beating hundreds of bands to win the Open Mic Madness battle of the bands competition in Atlanta, the band was given the prize of two days' free recording at the city's Nickel and Dime Studios, where they produced a four-song demo.
In 2007, former Capitol Records
president Gary Gersh, who had previously signed Sonic Youth
and Nirvana
to Geffen Records
signed Dead Confederate as the first band on his new label TAO
. Radio DJ and record company scout Scott Register had seen the band play in Birmingham, Alabama
and had played the band's demo to Gersh. On January 22, 2008, the band released its self-titled debut EP, which was a collection of early recordings. The new EP and an appearance at the South by Southwest
festival in Austin, Texas
resulted in some national exposure.
On September 16, 2008, the band released its first LP, Wrecking Ball
, on the TAO label. The band recorded the album earlier that year with producer Mike McCarthy
in Austin.
The band toured the album nationwide, including shows with Dinosaur Jr
, and in Europe
with A Place To Bury Strangers
and J Mascis
.
On October 10, Dead Confederate made its first national television appearance, performing The Rat on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
. Four months later, the song spent a week at #39 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.
In 2009, the band signed a deal with Kartel in the UK and Europe, which saw "Wrecking Ball" released on October 26, 2009, with a selection of the tracks from the band's debut EP as bonus material.
The band released its second LP, Sugar, in North America on October 24, 2010, and in the UK and Europe on September 13. The album was recorded with producer John Agnello
in Hoboken, New Jersey
, during record-setting snowfall, a factor that influenced the album's title. Morris described the album as being "more upbeat and psychedelic" than Wrecking Ball and revealed that the band deliberately didn't work on the arrangements for the songs until just days before entering the studio.
In the summer of 2010, the band co-headlined a US tour with Alberta Cross—the "DC/AC" tour, and also toured Europe and England
in February 2011 as co-headliners with UK and Europe label mates The Whigs
.
In a February 2011 interview, Senn stated that the band was working on EP of b-sides from the Sugar album sessions.
Following a number of live dates with different drummers, the band announced on its website in August 2011 that drummer Jason Scarboro had left the band to "start a family".
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band formed in Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
and based in Athens, Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
.
The band's sound has been described as a mix of alternative country
Alternative country
Alternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
and 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...
and has drawn comparisons to Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
and My Morning Jacket
My Morning Jacket
My Morning Jacket is an American rock band from Louisville, Kentucky.The band consists of Jim James , Tom 'Two-Tone Tommy' Blankenship , Patrick Hallahan , Carl Broemel , and Bo Koster .-History:My Morning Jacket was...
.
History
Childhood friends Thomas Hardy Morris and Walker Howle have played together since high school in Augusta, GeorgiaAugusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
and along with Morris's brother Dawson hooked up with Jason Scarboro and Brantley Senn to form Redbelly in college in 1997.
Redbelly's original lead singer Dawson Morris left and the band eventually went on to release its self-titled debut in October 2003 (recorded in Augusta in December 2002). At this point the band was primarily a southern rock
Southern rock
Southern rock is a subgenre of rock music, and genre of Americana. It developed in the Southern United States from rock and roll, country music, and blues, and is focused generally on electric guitar and vocals...
-influenced jam band
Jam band
-Ambiguity:By the late 1990s use of the term jam band also became ambiguous. An editorial at jamband.com suggested that any band of which a primary band such as Phish has done a cover of be included as jam band. The example was including New York post-punk band Talking Heads after Phish performed...
whose songs would often be 20 or 30 minutes long and were styled between Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
and Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
. Drummer Jason Scarboro later commented that the band had had its "share of playing 20- and 30-minute songs and really, it sucked--It's something that gets really old"; Senn also commented that "We knew we were making music that didn’t match the music we were into. We were going nowhere".
A turning point for the band came when the members relocated to Atlanta, where John Watkins joined them and they renamed themselves The Redbelly Band. The Redbelly Band released an EP entitled Underbelly in 2004 and what would become the Redbelly Band's last album, Petition To The Queen (recorded at Transduction Studios in Athens) in 2006.) The album featured the first version of the Senn-penned track The Rat, which was intentionally tighter than the band's previous looser, more improvised material.
In late 2006, the members relocated to Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, where Morris and Senn attended college. Taking themselves more seriously and writing tighter, more song-based material, they renamed the band Dead Confederate. When questioned about the new name, frontman Morris commented that it "sounded like we did; a bit dark, a bit militant, a bit southern"; Senn later commented that the Redbelly Band was "a terrible name". After beating hundreds of bands to win the Open Mic Madness battle of the bands competition in Atlanta, the band was given the prize of two days' free recording at the city's Nickel and Dime Studios, where they produced a four-song demo.
In 2007, former Capitol Records
Capitol Records
Capitol Records is a major United States based record label, formerly located in Los Angeles, but operating in New York City as part of Capitol Music Group. Its former headquarters building, the Capitol Tower, is a major landmark near the corner of Hollywood and Vine...
president Gary Gersh, who had previously signed Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
and Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
to Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
signed Dead Confederate as the first band on his new label TAO
The Artists Organization
The Artists Organization is an artist management company whose clients include Chris Cornell, Portugal. The Man, John Legend, Soundgarden , Matisyahu, Ludo Lefebvre, Imogene & Willie, James Vincent McMorrow, and The Middle East. It is based out of Santa Monica, CA.-External links:**********...
. Radio DJ and record company scout Scott Register had seen the band play in Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
and had played the band's demo to Gersh. On January 22, 2008, the band released its self-titled debut EP, which was a collection of early recordings. The new EP and an appearance at the South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
festival in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
resulted in some national exposure.
On September 16, 2008, the band released its first LP, Wrecking Ball
Wrecking Ball (Dead Confederate album)
Wrecking Ball is the first full-length album from Athens, Georgia based band, Dead Confederate. It was recorded in Austin, TX with producer Mike McCarthy in January 2008...
, on the TAO label. The band recorded the album earlier that year with producer Mike McCarthy
Mike McCarthy (producer)
Michael McCarthy was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on February 22, 1965. He is a record producer and has been recording music since 1984.McCarthy has worked with a range of acts...
in Austin.
The band toured the album nationwide, including shows with Dinosaur Jr
Dinosaur Jr
Dinosaur Jr. is an American alternative rock band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts in 1984. Originally called Dinosaur, prior to legal issues that forced the group to change their name, the band disbanded in 1997 until reuniting in 2005...
, and in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
with A Place To Bury Strangers
A Place to Bury Strangers
A Place to Bury Strangers are a New York–based noise rock band composed of Oliver Ackermann , Dion Lunadon and Jay Space . The band plays a heavy, atmospheric wall of sound-influenced blend of psychedelic rock, shoegaze and space rock...
and J Mascis
J Mascis
J Mascis is an American musician, best known as the singer, guitarist and songwriter for Dinosaur Jr.. In 2011, he was ranked in Rolling Stone's list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time.- Biography :...
.
On October 10, Dead Confederate made its first national television appearance, performing The Rat on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
. Four months later, the song spent a week at #39 on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.
In 2009, the band signed a deal with Kartel in the UK and Europe, which saw "Wrecking Ball" released on October 26, 2009, with a selection of the tracks from the band's debut EP as bonus material.
The band released its second LP, Sugar, in North America on October 24, 2010, and in the UK and Europe on September 13. The album was recorded with producer John Agnello
John Agnello
John Agnello is a producer, recording engineer and mixer who has been involved with many albums throughout the last 25 years. Most recently, John has been involved with Kurt Vile, Sonic Youth, Sweet Apple, Dinosaur Jr...
in Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
, during record-setting snowfall, a factor that influenced the album's title. Morris described the album as being "more upbeat and psychedelic" than Wrecking Ball and revealed that the band deliberately didn't work on the arrangements for the songs until just days before entering the studio.
In the summer of 2010, the band co-headlined a US tour with Alberta Cross—the "DC/AC" tour, and also toured Europe and England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in February 2011 as co-headliners with UK and Europe label mates The Whigs
The Whigs
The Whigs are an American garage rock band from Athens, Georgia, consisting of lead singer and guitarist Parker Gispert, drummer Julian Dorio and bassist Timothy Deaux.-Biography:...
.
In a February 2011 interview, Senn stated that the band was working on EP of b-sides from the Sugar album sessions.
Following a number of live dates with different drummers, the band announced on its website in August 2011 that drummer Jason Scarboro had left the band to "start a family".
Albums
- Dead Confederate EPDead Confederate EPDead Confederate is the eponymous debut EP by Georgia-based psychedelic rock band Dead Confederate.-Track listing:#"Memorial Day Night" - 3:14#"The Rat" - 5:10#"Tortured-Artist Saint" - 6:37#"Get Out" - 4:50#"Shadow the Walls" - 5:28...
(2008, TAO) - Wrecking BallWrecking Ball (Dead Confederate album)Wrecking Ball is the first full-length album from Athens, Georgia based band, Dead Confederate. It was recorded in Austin, TX with producer Mike McCarthy in January 2008...
(2008, TAO) - Dirty Ammo (EP)Dirty Ammo (EP)Dirty Ammo is the second EP by the band Dead Confederate by The Artists Organization. The Alternative Rock EP is the first live EP released by the band; all of the songs on Dirty Ammo were recorded in Atlanta, GA at the Earl on May 27, 2009. Dirty Ammo includes four original songs, one unreleased...
(2009) - SugarSugar (Dead Confederate album)Sugar is the second full-length album from Athens, Georgia based band, Dead Confederate. It was recorded with producer John Agnello . After their June 26 hometown show at Athfest, the band will begin its tour in Louisville on July 9...
(2010, TAO/Old Flame)
Singles
- "The Rat" (2009) #39 Billboard Alternative Songs chart
- "Start Me Laughing" (2009)