Even in Blackouts
Encyclopedia
Even in Blackouts, known occasionally by the acronym EiB, were an acoustic pop-punk band from Chicago
, Illinois
. The band was formed in 2002 by veteran pop-punk guitarist John 'Jughead' Pierson following the demise of the pop-punk band Screeching Weasel
, for which Pierson had performed since 1986. The core of the band is formed by lead vocalist Liz Eldredge and Pierson, although a number of additional musicians have performed with the band. Even in Blackouts have been lauded by critics and fans alike for their musicianship and sense of innovation in bringing pop-punk to a new format. The energy and intimacy of Even in Blackout's live performances have attracted particular acclaim.
, where guitarist and "punk rock renaissance man" John 'Jughead' Pierson had been visiting his friends in the Italian
band, The Manges, following the dissolution of his previous band Screeching Weasel. Pierson rented a flat in Palermo
with the intention of relaxing, but could not stay away from music. There he wrote the song "Missing Manifesto". He decided to create the world's first acoustic pop-punk band, and called it "Even in Blackouts" in reference to their capability to perform without electricity.
Once back in Chicago
, Pierson set about recruiting a group of younger musicians to fill out the band, including Eldredge as lead vocalist. Producer Mass Giorgini
discovered Eldredge outside Sonic Iguana Recording Studio, where she had been waiting for some friends to finish recording, and Giorgini introduced her to Pierson.
Pierson had initially intended for the band only to perform live, a reflex reaction perhaps to the studio-bound fate of Screeching Weasel
, which didn't play a live show between 1994 and late 2000. But in late 2002, EiB released its debut record, Myths & Imaginary Magicians. The album was originally released on Pierson's own label, limited to 2,000 copies, and sold exclusively through online independent music store Interpunk. When fans of Screeching Weasel heard of the album, they bought up all of the available copies and Pierson re-released the album with Lookout! Records
in March 2003. The album featured covers of Screeching Weasel's "Hey Suburbia," Operation Ivy's
"Knowledge" and Yazoo
's "Only You".
In December 2008, Pierson announced the band will be breaking up, with their last show being March 14, 2009 being held in his basement.
EPs
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. The band was formed in 2002 by veteran pop-punk guitarist John 'Jughead' Pierson following the demise of the pop-punk band Screeching Weasel
Screeching Weasel
Screeching Weasel is an American punk rock band originally from Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1986 by Ben Weasel and John Jughead.Since their formation, Screeching Weasel have broken up and reformed numerous times with numerous line-up changes. Ben Weasel has been the only constant...
, for which Pierson had performed since 1986. The core of the band is formed by lead vocalist Liz Eldredge and Pierson, although a number of additional musicians have performed with the band. Even in Blackouts have been lauded by critics and fans alike for their musicianship and sense of innovation in bringing pop-punk to a new format. The energy and intimacy of Even in Blackout's live performances have attracted particular acclaim.
History
The story supposedly begins in SicilySicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, where guitarist and "punk rock renaissance man" John 'Jughead' Pierson had been visiting his friends in the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
band, The Manges, following the dissolution of his previous band Screeching Weasel. Pierson rented a flat in Palermo
Palermo
Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old...
with the intention of relaxing, but could not stay away from music. There he wrote the song "Missing Manifesto". He decided to create the world's first acoustic pop-punk band, and called it "Even in Blackouts" in reference to their capability to perform without electricity.
Once back in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Pierson set about recruiting a group of younger musicians to fill out the band, including Eldredge as lead vocalist. Producer Mass Giorgini
Mass Giorgini
Mass Giorgini is an Italian-American bassist and record producer, who rose to fame when several of the bands he produced experienced huge gains in popularity during the pop-punk boom on the mid-90's. Among these bands was Giorgini's own Squirtgun, which received minor MTV rotation and several...
discovered Eldredge outside Sonic Iguana Recording Studio, where she had been waiting for some friends to finish recording, and Giorgini introduced her to Pierson.
Pierson had initially intended for the band only to perform live, a reflex reaction perhaps to the studio-bound fate of Screeching Weasel
Screeching Weasel
Screeching Weasel is an American punk rock band originally from Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1986 by Ben Weasel and John Jughead.Since their formation, Screeching Weasel have broken up and reformed numerous times with numerous line-up changes. Ben Weasel has been the only constant...
, which didn't play a live show between 1994 and late 2000. But in late 2002, EiB released its debut record, Myths & Imaginary Magicians. The album was originally released on Pierson's own label, limited to 2,000 copies, and sold exclusively through online independent music store Interpunk. When fans of Screeching Weasel heard of the album, they bought up all of the available copies and Pierson re-released the album with Lookout! Records
Lookout! Records
-History:Larry Livermore and David Hayes formed the label in 1987. From the start, Lookout released punk rock records, but over time expanded its scope to include various types of pop rock, reggae fusion, acoustic rock, pop punk, and indie rock...
in March 2003. The album featured covers of Screeching Weasel's "Hey Suburbia," Operation Ivy's
Operation Ivy (band)
Operation Ivy was an American ska punk band that formed in Berkeley, California, and was often credited with spurring the 1990s punk revival in California. It is well-known as one of the first bands to "mix" hardcore punk with elements of ska, known as ska-core...
"Knowledge" and Yazoo
Yazoo (band)
Yazoo are a British synthpop duo from Basildon, Essex. They had a number of Top 10 hits in the UK charts in the early 1980s...
's "Only You".
In December 2008, Pierson announced the band will be breaking up, with their last show being March 14, 2009 being held in his basement.
Members
- Liz Eldrege, lead vocals (2002–2009)
- John Jughead, 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...
(2002–2009) - Scott "Gub" Conway, guitar (2004–2009)
- Phillip Hill, bass (2004–2009)
- Bice, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
(2004–2009) - Dan Lipman, guitar (2002–2004)
- Brad Lipman, bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(2002–2004) - Dan LumleyDan LumleyDan Lumley has been a drummer for many bands, including Rattail Grenadier, Squirtgun, The Riverdales, The Methadones, Even in Blackouts, The Mopes, Common Rider and Screeching Weasel. He was also a brief member of Rise Against...
, drums (2002–2004)
Discography
Albums| Year | Title | Label | Other information |
| 2002 | Myths and Imaginary Magicians | Lookout! | Originally self-released by Jughead Jughead (band) Jughead is a rock band consisting of Ty Tabor , Derek Sherinian , Matt Bissonette , and Gregg Bissonette . Jughead's catalog consists of a single self-titled album released by InsideOut Music in 2002.... , the album was re-issued in 2003 by Lookout! Includes covers of "Hey Suburbia" by Screeching Weasel Screeching Weasel Screeching Weasel is an American punk rock band originally from Chicago, Illinois. The band was formed in 1986 by Ben Weasel and John Jughead.Since their formation, Screeching Weasel have broken up and reformed numerous times with numerous line-up changes. Ben Weasel has been the only constant... , "Knowledge" by Operation Ivy Operation Ivy (band) Operation Ivy was an American ska punk band that formed in Berkeley, California, and was often credited with spurring the 1990s punk revival in California. It is well-known as one of the first bands to "mix" hardcore punk with elements of ska, known as ska-core... , and "Only You" by Yazoo Yazoo (band) Yazoo are a British synthpop duo from Basildon, Essex. They had a number of Top 10 hits in the UK charts in the early 1980s... |
| 2005 | Zeitgeist's Echo | Knock Knock | A darker and more ambitious record than its poppier predecessor. Includes a cover of the '60s hit "One Fine Day" by The Chiffons The Chiffons The Chiffons was an all girl group originating from the Bronx area of New York in 1960.-Biography:The Chiffons were one of the top girl groups of the early 1960s... |
| 2006 | The Fall of the House of Even | For Documentation Only Recordings | Released on October 31, 2006. Contains covers of "I Can See Clearly Now" by Johnny Nash Johnny Nash John Lester "Johnny" Nash, Jr. is an American pop singer-songwriter, best known in the US for his 1972 hit, "I Can See Clearly Now". He was also the first non-Jamaican to record reggae music in Kingston, Jamaica.-Life and career:... and Little Trip To Heaven by Tom Waits Tom Waits Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."... . | 2009 | Thresholds From The Basement | Little Mafia Records | Released on April 5, 2009. Contains a cover of "Randy Scouse Git" by The Monkees The Monkees The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,... . |
EPs
| Year | Title | Label | Other information |
| 2003 | Foreshadows on the Wall | Knock Knock | Six song EP featuring many songs that were later re-recorded for Zeitgeist's Echo. Includes a cover of "Every Night" by Screeching Weasel |