Glass Hammer
Encyclopedia
Glass Hammer is a progressive rock
band from Chattanooga, Tennessee
. They formed in 1992 when multi-instrumentalists Steve Babb (then known as "Stephen DeArqe") and Fred Schendel began to write and record Journey of the Dunadan, a concept album based on the story of Aragorn
from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings
. To their surprise, the album sold several thousand units via the Internet
, TV home shopping, and phone orders, and Babb and Schendel were convinced that the band was a project worth continuing.
While many musicians have appeared on Glass Hammer albums over the years, Babb and Schendel have remained the core of the band. Both men play a variety of instruments, but Babb mainly concentrates on bass guitar and keyboards while Schendel also plays keyboards as well as various guitars and drums (until the addition of live drummer Matt Mendians to the studio recording band in 2004). They also sing, although a number of other vocalists (most notably Michelle Young, Walter Moore and Susie Bogdanowicz) have also handled lead vocal duties.
Lyrically, Glass Hammer is inspired mostly by their love of fantasy literature (most notably Tolkien and C. S. Lewis
) and by their Christian faith. Although by their own admission they have tried to avoid becoming an overtly Christian band, their 2002 release Lex Rex was a concept album
based on a Roman
soldier's encounter with Jesus
.
Musically, their most apparent influences are Yes
, Kansas
, Emerson, Lake & Palmer
and, to a less noticeable extent, Genesis
. While Glass Hammer has, for the most part, combined those influences into a characteristic style of their own, they made much more direct references to the aforementioned bands on their 2000 album Chronometree, which told the story of a drug-addled progressive rock fan who becomes convinced aliens are speaking to him through the music he listens to.
The following musicians both record frequently and perform live with Glass Hammer, but can be considered "guest artists" rather than full band members:
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band from Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga, Tennessee
Chattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
. They formed in 1992 when multi-instrumentalists Steve Babb (then known as "Stephen DeArqe") and Fred Schendel began to write and record Journey of the Dunadan, a concept album based on the story of Aragorn
Aragorn
Aragorn II is a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium, one of the main protagonists of The Lord of the Rings. He is first introduced by the name Strider, which the hobbits continue to call him...
from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
. To their surprise, the album sold several thousand units via the Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
, TV home shopping, and phone orders, and Babb and Schendel were convinced that the band was a project worth continuing.
While many musicians have appeared on Glass Hammer albums over the years, Babb and Schendel have remained the core of the band. Both men play a variety of instruments, but Babb mainly concentrates on bass guitar and keyboards while Schendel also plays keyboards as well as various guitars and drums (until the addition of live drummer Matt Mendians to the studio recording band in 2004). They also sing, although a number of other vocalists (most notably Michelle Young, Walter Moore and Susie Bogdanowicz) have also handled lead vocal duties.
Lyrically, Glass Hammer is inspired mostly by their love of fantasy literature (most notably Tolkien and C. S. Lewis
C. S. Lewis
Clive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as "Jack", was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland...
) and by their Christian faith. Although by their own admission they have tried to avoid becoming an overtly Christian band, their 2002 release Lex Rex was a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
based on a Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
soldier's encounter with Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
.
Musically, their most apparent influences are Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...
, Kansas
Kansas (band)
Kansas is an American rock band that became popular in the 1970s initially on Album-Oriented Rock charts, and later with hit singles such as "Carry On Wayward Son" and "Dust in the Wind"...
, Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
and, to a less noticeable extent, Genesis
Genesis (band)
Genesis are an English rock band that formed in 1967. The band currently comprises the longest-tenured members Tony Banks , Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins . Past members Peter Gabriel , Steve Hackett and Anthony Phillips , also played major roles in the band in its early years...
. While Glass Hammer has, for the most part, combined those influences into a characteristic style of their own, they made much more direct references to the aforementioned bands on their 2000 album Chronometree, which told the story of a drug-addled progressive rock fan who becomes convinced aliens are speaking to him through the music he listens to.
Current members
- Fred Schendel - Keyboards, steel guitar
- Steve Babb - Bass guitar, keyboards
- Jon Davison - Lead vocals
- Alan Shikoh - Guitars
- Randall Williams - Drums
The following musicians both record frequently and perform live with Glass Hammer, but can be considered "guest artists" rather than full band members:
- Walter Moore – vocals (and guitar in live performances)
- Sarah Snyder – vocals
- Bethany Warren – vocals (she is also Susie Bogdanowicz's younger sister)
- Flo Paris – vocals
- Eric Parker – steel-string acoustic guitarSteel-string acoustic guitarA steel-string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar descended from the classical guitar, but strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound...
Former members
- Carl Groves – lead vocals
- Susie Bogdanowicz – lead vocals
- Matt Mendians – drumDrum 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 ....
s - The Adonia String Trio – string trioString trioA string trio is a group of three string instruments or a piece written for such a group. The term is generally used with reference to works of chamber music from the Classical period to the present.-History:...
- Rebecca James – violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
- Susan Whitacre – violaViolaThe viola is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin and the cello.- Form :The viola is similar in material and construction to the violin. A full-size viola's body is between and longer than the body of a full-size violin , with an average...
- Rachel Hackenberger – celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
- Rebecca James – violin
- Michelle YoungMichelle YoungMichelle Young is an American musician. She has performed on a wide variety of recordings and is probably best known for her work with the progressive rock group Glass Hammer. Citing Kate Bush as an influence, Young was professionally trained in classical voice at the University of...
– vocals - David Carter – guitars
- Brad Marler – lead vocals on Chronometree
- David Wallimann - guitars
Discography
- Journey of the DunadanJourney of the DunadanJourney of the Dunadan is the first studio album of the band Glass Hammer. It is a concept album based on the story of Aragorn from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.-Track listing:# Shadows of the Past - # Something's Coming -...
(1993) - PerelandraPerelandra (album)Perelandra is the second studio album of the progressive rock band Glass Hammer. Its concept is based around the stories of Space Trilogy and The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S...
(1995) - On To EvermoreOn To Evermore-Track listing:# On to Evermore - # The Mayor of Longview - # The Conflict - # Muse - # Arianna - # Only Red - # This Fading Age - # Junkyard Angel - # Twilight On Longview - # Wind -...
(1998) - ChronometreeChronometreeChronometree is the fourth studio album of the band Glass Hammer. It is a tongue-in-cheek concept album concerning a young man called Tom, who becomes convinced that aliens are trying to communicate to him through his albums...
(2000) - The Middle Earth Album (2001)
- Lex Rex (2002)
- Shadowlands (2004)
- The Inconsolable Secret (2005)
- Culture of AscentCulture of AscentCulture of Ascent is a 2007 album by progressive rock band Glass Hammer. It is a concept album based on Jon Krakauer's novel Into Thin Air. It features Jon Anderson of Yes as a guest vocalist.-Track listing:...
(2007) - Three Cheers For The Broken-Hearted (2009)
- If (2010)
- Cor Cordium (2011)
External links
- Glass Hammer Official website
- Glass Hammer Semi-Official fansite
- Glass Hammer Discography on Amazon.comAmazon.comAmazon.com, Inc. is a multinational electronic commerce company headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States. It is the world's largest online retailer. Amazon has separate websites for the following countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan, and...