Doll Factory
Encyclopedia
Doll Factory is an Electronic rock / Post-punk revival
/ Electronic music
band from Seattle, WA
(US
). Founded in 1998 (after working together under various names including "Crown of Thorns", "Guernica", "Micronism", and others) by musicians Garrick Antikajian and Chris Roy, the band primarily works as a studio-based duo with Antikajian and Roy handling all writing, performance, and production duties, with additional musicians added to the lineup for live performances.
cassette
portastudio
demos in Eugene, Oregon
and Junction City, Oregon
as "Crown of Thorns" and later, "Guernica". Performing regionally at such venues as Portland, Oregon
's X-Ray Cafe
and Eugene, Oregon
's W.O.W. Hall
throughout their high school and college years, the duo recorded at Antikajian's 16-track home studio, releasing several demos and a self-released cassette, "Multichrome Universe", before Antikajian's departure, due to creative differences, in 1992. Roy and the remaining members of "Guernica" moved to Seattle, Washington
in 1993, where the band performed a single show before breaking up.
Following the breakup of "Guernica", Antikajian and Roy began to correspond, mailing demo tapes of their respective solo material between Roy's home in Seattle, Washington
and Antikajian's project studio in Rancho Cucamonga, California
, resulting in Antikajian's eventual move to Seattle to collaborate on new material. Eventually settling on the name "Doll Factory", the duo recorded the self-released "Premonition EP" in 1999, resulting in several compilation album
and remix
appearances, and attracting the attention of Neue Ästhetik Multimedia, an independent record label
known for releases from Faith and the Muse
, Jane Jensen (musician)
, and Das Ich
.
Releasing "Weightless" in 2003, Doll Factory parted ways with Neue Ästhetik after the label fell victim to changes in the music industry - particularly the bankruptcy proceedings of Tower Records
and their subsidiary, Bayside Distribution, who held the majority of existing copies of "Weightless" at the time.
After a hiatus while Antikajian was living in New York City
, the band began work on a new release, tentatively titled "Artifacts", expected to be released in 2010.
, goth, electronica
, and a slight touch of experimentalism" and "industrial rock with creative electronics" with "an electroclash
-ish edge" in magazine reviews of "Weightless", the band claims to be moving toward a sound that is "more new wave, post punk, or indie electronic rock and not so specifically goth or industrial", citing "current favorites such as The Faint
, Interpol, Editors, Muse, Alpinestars, LCD Soundsystem
, Ladytron
, Fischerspooner
, orchestral music, and Eastern-influenced artists like Niyaz
, Silk Road Ensemble, Talvin Singh
, Natacha Atlas
, and Bollywood
film soundtracks".
Post-punk revival
The post-punk revival was a development in alternative rock of the late 20th and early 21st centuries in which bands took inspiration from the original sounds and aesthetics of garage rock of the 1960s and post-punk and New Wave of the late 1970s...
/ Electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
band from Seattle, WA
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
(US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
). Founded in 1998 (after working together under various names including "Crown of Thorns", "Guernica", "Micronism", and others) by musicians Garrick Antikajian and Chris Roy, the band primarily works as a studio-based duo with Antikajian and Roy handling all writing, performance, and production duties, with additional musicians added to the lineup for live performances.
History
Antikajian and Roy first met as junior high school students, originally recording 4-track4-track
4-track or 4-track tape may refer to:* The 4-track cartridge as an analogue music storage format popular from the late 1950s* A 4-track tape used in professional recording studios for multitrack recording...
cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
portastudio
Portastudio
The TASCAM Portastudio was the world's first four track recorder based on a standard compact audio cassette tape.When the original Portastudio 144 made its debut in 1979 it was a revolutionary creative tool...
demos in Eugene, Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
and Junction City, Oregon
Junction City, Oregon
Junction City is a city in Lane County, Oregon, United States. The population was 5,392 at the 2010 census.- History :In the 1870s, Junction City was named by railroad magnate Ben Holladay, who decided this would be where the rail line on the east side of the Willamette Valley would meet the rail...
as "Crown of Thorns" and later, "Guernica". Performing regionally at such venues as Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
's X-Ray Cafe
X-Ray Cafe
The X-Ray Cafe was a small music venue in Portland, Oregon, United States from 1990 to 1994. An all-ages and community-oriented club, the X-Ray played a "heavyweight role in shaping Portland's underground culture," fostering such musical acts as Elliott Smith, Team Dresch, and Quasi, and was...
and Eugene, Oregon
Eugene, Oregon
Eugene is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Lane County. It is located at the south end of the Willamette Valley, at the confluence of the McKenzie and Willamette rivers, about east of the Oregon Coast.As of the 2010 U.S...
's W.O.W. Hall
W.O.W. Hall
The W.O.W. Hall is a performing arts venue in Eugene, Oregon, United States.It was formerly a Woodmen of the World lodge.The W.O.W. Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996....
throughout their high school and college years, the duo recorded at Antikajian's 16-track home studio, releasing several demos and a self-released cassette, "Multichrome Universe", before Antikajian's departure, due to creative differences, in 1992. Roy and the remaining members of "Guernica" moved to Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
in 1993, where the band performed a single show before breaking up.
Following the breakup of "Guernica", Antikajian and Roy began to correspond, mailing demo tapes of their respective solo material between Roy's home in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
and Antikajian's project studio in Rancho Cucamonga, California
Rancho Cucamonga, California
Rancho Cucamonga is a suburban city in San Bernardino County, California. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,269, up from 127,743 at the 2000 census. L. Dennis Michael was elected as Mayor on November 2, 2010. Jack Lam is the City Manager...
, resulting in Antikajian's eventual move to Seattle to collaborate on new material. Eventually settling on the name "Doll Factory", the duo recorded the self-released "Premonition EP" in 1999, resulting in several compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
and remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
appearances, and attracting the attention of Neue Ästhetik Multimedia, an independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
known for releases from Faith and the Muse
Faith and the Muse
Faith and the Muse is an American, underground gothic/darkwave band composed of two musicians, Monica Richards and William Faith. They are well regarded in the gothic music scene as innovators and icons. Their music encompasses many genres, from folk-style songs to darker compositions. Richards is...
, Jane Jensen (musician)
Jane Jensen (musician)
Jane Jensen studied art, dance, music and theatre at Columbia College Chicago. She began performing in avant-garde productions at the Organic Theatre Company, Pavo Arts Center and various performance art venues and nightclubs. Jane co-produced three episodes of “Artists Uncensored Television” with...
, and Das Ich
Das Ich
Das Ich is a German electronic music group formed in 1989. The group, fronted by Stefan Ackermann and Bruno Kramm, were one of the prominent founders of and contributors to "Neue Deutsche Todeskunst" a musical movement in the early 1990s...
.
Releasing "Weightless" in 2003, Doll Factory parted ways with Neue Ästhetik after the label fell victim to changes in the music industry - particularly the bankruptcy proceedings of Tower Records
Tower Records
Tower Records was a retail music chain that was based in Sacramento, California. It currently exists as an international franchise and an online music store....
and their subsidiary, Bayside Distribution, who held the majority of existing copies of "Weightless" at the time.
After a hiatus while Antikajian was living 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...
, the band began work on a new release, tentatively titled "Artifacts", expected to be released in 2010.
Musical style
Called a "mix of Industrial rockIndustrial 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...
, goth, electronica
Electronica
Electronica includes a wide range of contemporary electronic music designed for a wide range of uses, including foreground listening, some forms of dancing, and background music for other activities; however, unlike electronic dance music, it is not specifically made for dancing...
, and a slight touch of experimentalism" and "industrial rock with creative electronics" with "an electroclash
Electroclash
Electroclash is a style of music that fuses New Wave and electronic dance music. It emerged in New York and Detroit in the later 1990s, pioneered by acts including I-F and those associated with Gerald Donald, and is associated with acts including Peaches, Adult, and Fischerspooner...
-ish edge" in magazine reviews of "Weightless", the band claims to be moving toward a sound that is "more new wave, post punk, or indie electronic rock and not so specifically goth or industrial", citing "current favorites such as The Faint
The Faint
The Faint is an American indie rock band. Formed in Omaha, Nebraska, the band consists of Todd Fink, Jacob Thiele, Dapose, Joel Petersen and Clark Baechle. The Faint was originally known as Norman Bailer and included Conor Oberst...
, Interpol, Editors, Muse, Alpinestars, LCD Soundsystem
LCD Soundsystem
LCD Soundsystem was a prominent American dance-punk band from New York City. It was fronted by American singer-songwriter and producer James Murphy, co-founder of record label DFA Records...
, Ladytron
Ladytron
Ladytron are an English electronic band formed in 1999 in Liverpool, Merseyside. The group consists of Helen Marnie , Mira Aroyo , Daniel Hunt and Reuben Wu .Their sound blends electropop with New Wave and shoegazing elements. Ladytron described their sound as "electronic pop"...
, Fischerspooner
Fischerspooner
Fischerspooner is an electroclash duo and performance troupe formed in 1998 in New York. The name is a portmanteau of the founders' last names, Warren Fischer and Casey Spooner...
, orchestral music, and Eastern-influenced artists like Niyaz
Niyaz
Niyaz is an Iranian musical trio. The group was created in 2005 by DJ, programmer/producer and remixer Carmen Rizzo, vocalist and hammered dulcimer player Azam Ali, formerly of the group Vas, and Ali's husband, Loga Ramin Torkian, of the Iranian crossover group Axiom Of Choice...
, Silk Road Ensemble, Talvin Singh
Talvin Singh
Talvin Singh Matharoo , is a producer and composer and tabla player, known for creating an innovative fusion of Indian classical music and drum and bass...
, Natacha Atlas
Natacha Atlas
Natacha Atlas is a Belgian singer known for her fusion of Arabic and Western electronic music, particularly hip-hop. She once termed her music "cha'abi moderne" . Her music has been influenced by many styles including Arabic, hip hop, drum 'n' bass and reggae.Atlas began her career as part of...
, and Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
film soundtracks".
Band members
- Garrick Antikajian – vocals, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, 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...
, percussion, songwriting, programming, production - Chris Roy – vocals, 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...
, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, electric violinElectric violinAn electric violin is a violin equipped with an electronic output of its sound. The term most properly refers to an instrument purposely made to be electrified with built-in pickups, usually with a solid body...
, percussion, songwriting, programming, production
Additional musicians
- Jason Bazinet – live drums, vocals (2001 – present)
- Bazinet performed live drums on "Weightless"-era concert appearances, as well as contributing acoustic drums to several tracks on "Weightless", "Artifacts", and guest vocals on the song "We Are The Hollow Men".
- Bazinet is the founding member of Sounds of Mass ProductionSounds of Mass ProductionSounds of Mass Production is a cyberpunk/rap/nu metal/Industrial music band from Seattle, WA . The band name is often referred to by the acronym SMP...
, and a collaborator with Antikajian in the side project, "The Loyal Opposition".- Mars Saxman - live keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, synthesizers, electronic instruments, vocals (2003 – present)
- Mars Saxman - live keyboards
- Saxman performed live keyboards and electronics on "Weightless"-era concert appearances, as well as contributing guest vocals on the song "We Are The Hollow Men".
- Matt Frickelton - live bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals (1998–1999) - Marc Alex Ryan - live electric guitarElectric guitarAn electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
, vocals (1998–1999) - V. Scott "Scotty" Parker - live drums, electronic percussion (1998–1999)
- Matt Frickelton - live bass guitar
Trivia
- Both Antikajian (on keyboards) and Roy (on guitar and percussion) have performed - at separate times - as members of the live lineup of Sounds of Mass ProductionSounds of Mass ProductionSounds of Mass Production is a cyberpunk/rap/nu metal/Industrial music band from Seattle, WA . The band name is often referred to by the acronym SMP...
, with Roy appearing as session guitarist and Antikajian as producer on later SMP recordings. Bazinet has appeared as a live musician and on various Doll Factory recordings. - Both Antikajian and Roy are sons of visual artists; Antikajian's father is the painterPaintingPainting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
Sarkis AntikajianSarkis AntikajianSarkis Antikajian is an Armenian-American artist who resides in Cheshire, near Eugene, Oregon. He paints landscapes, seascapes, figures, still lifes, and abstracts, using oil, acrylic, watercolor and pastel. His drawings are created with ink, charcoal, graphite and watercolor.Antikajian was born...
, and Roy is the son of a University of OregonUniversity of Oregon-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
art professor and a textile artist. - The band embraces an "indie" or "DIY" aesthetic, handling everything from audio and video production and graphic design to repairing and modifying their own equipment, both out of a desire for artistic controlArtistic controlArtistic control or Creative Control is a term commonly used in media production, such as movies, television, and music production. A person with artistic control has the authority to decide how the final product will appear. In movies, this commonly refers to the authority to decide on the final...
and out of economic necessity. - The band makes use of novel instrumentation in their recordings, often extensively processed with hardware and software audio effects, such as toy pianoToy pianoThe toy piano, also known as the kinderklavier , is a small piano-like musical instrument. The present form of the toy piano was invented in Philadelphia by a 17-year-old German immigrant named Albert Schoenhut. He worked as a repairman at Wanamaker's department store, repairing broken glass...
, erhuErhuThe erhu is a two-stringed bowed musical instrument, more specifically a spike fiddle, which may also be called a "southern fiddle", and sometimes known in the Western world as the "Chinese violin" or a "Chinese two-stringed fiddle". It is used as a solo instrument as well as in small ensembles...
, dudukDudukThe duduk , traditionally known since antiquity as a Ծիրանափող is a traditional woodwind instrument indigenous to Armenia. Variations of it are popular in the Middle East and Central Asia...
, kalimba, found objectFound objectA found object, in an artistic sense, indicates the use of an object which has not been designed for an artistic purpose, but which exists for another purpose already. Found objects may exist either as utilitarian, manufactured items, or things which occur in nature...
percussion such as bags of frozen vegetables, washing machines, and scrap metal, educational toysEducational toysEducational toys, are typically built for and used by children. One could make the argument that an educational toy is actually any toy. Most children are constantly interacting with and learning about the world...
such as the Talking Computron and Baby LeapFrog, various iPhoneIPhoneThe iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
apps, speech synthesisSpeech synthesisSpeech synthesis is the artificial production of human speech. A computer system used for this purpose is called a speech synthesizer, and can be implemented in software or hardware...
software, and the Bleep Labs Thingamagoop, a variant on the 'optical theremin'.
Albums
- Premonition EP (1999)
- Weightless (2003)
- Artifacts (Working title - currently in production) (2010)
Compilation appearances
- Various Artists: Syncromesh 001
- Various Artists: Syncromesh 002
- Various Artists: Unquiet Grave III
- Various Artists: Tribute to Marilyn Manson
- Various Artists: The Nature of Gothic
- Various Artists: Teen Feeding Frenzy
- Various Artists: Eighteen
Remixes
- Sounds of Mass Production: Megaton
- Sounds of Mass Production: Chemicals
- Idiot Stare: Ghost