Karl Blau
Encyclopedia
Karl Blau is an indie rock
and folk musician
based in Anacortes, Washington
, and member of the Knw-Yr-Own
/K Records
collective. His music is eclectic, incorporating elements of folk, dub
, R&B, bossa nova
, grunge
, hip hop, drone
, and worldbeat
.
Blau is a singer-songwriter
who releases his music through a subscription service called the "Kelp Lunacy Advanced Plagiarism Society", retitled from "Kelp Monthly" as new releases were not produced and sent out on time. He has played in several bands over the years, such as D+, Brothers Blau, Captain Fathom and Your Heart Breaks
. He also has collaborated extensively with other Washington-based musicians, including Phil Elvrum
of the groups The Microphones
and Mount Eerie
. In addition, he has toured and recorded with Laura Veirs
, whose career also began in the Pacific Northwest
. He currently plays bass in Earth
.
In December 2007, a grassroots online petition drive began gathering signatures urging Knw-Yr-Own Records in Anacortes to reissue the Shell Collection compilation of Blau's early 4-track recordings. As part of the campaign, Blau posted a statement on his MySpace page calling for the release of the album on vinyl, stating "everything sounds better on LP not to mention the art is bigger".
Blau was referenced in a song carrying his name by London punk band Video Nasties.
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
and folk musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
based in Anacortes, Washington
Anacortes, Washington
Anacortes is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The name "Anacortes" is a consolidation of the name Anna Curtis, who was the wife of early Fidalgo Island settler Amos Bowman. Anacortes' population was 15,778 at the time of the 2010 census...
, and member of the Knw-Yr-Own
Knw-Yr-Own
Knw-Yr-Own Records is a small record label operating out of Anacortes, Washington, home to releases from such notoriously independent Northwest bands as D+, Karl Blau, and Little Wings...
/K Records
K Records
K Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington, co-founded, owned, and operated by Calvin Johnson, formerly of the bands Cool Rays, Beat Happening, The Go Team, The Halo Benders and presently in the bands Dub Narcotic Sound System and The Hive Dwellers...
collective. His music is eclectic, incorporating elements of folk, dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
, R&B, bossa nova
Bossa nova
Bossa nova is a style of Brazilian music. Bossa nova acquired a large following in the 1960s, initially consisting of young musicians and college students...
, 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...
, hip hop, drone
Drone (music)
In music, a drone is a harmonic or monophonic effect or accompaniment where a note or chord is continuously sounded throughout most or all of a piece. The word drone is also used to refer to any part of a musical instrument that is just used to produce such an effect.-A musical effect:A drone...
, and worldbeat
Worldbeat
Worldbeat is a music genre that primarily refers to a blending of Western pop music with traditional/folk or world music influences...
.
Blau is a singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
who releases his music through a subscription service called the "Kelp Lunacy Advanced Plagiarism Society", retitled from "Kelp Monthly" as new releases were not produced and sent out on time. He has played in several bands over the years, such as D+, Brothers Blau, Captain Fathom and Your Heart Breaks
Your Heart Breaks
Your Heart Breaks is a collaborative music project. It began in Bellingham, Washington in 1999.The project has spread throughout the United States, but resides in Seattle, Washington when not on tour. They now have over 50 members in the lower 48 states and have produced seven albums...
. He also has collaborated extensively with other Washington-based musicians, including Phil Elvrum
Phil Elvrum
Phil Elverum is the sole permanent member of the Anacortes, Washington-based indie rock bands The Microphones and Mount Eerie.Phil Elverum manipulates analog recording devices in his work...
of the groups The Microphones
The Microphones
The Microphones was a lo-fi band based in Olympia, Washington, and fronted by Phil Elvrum. Elvrum is the principal member of the band, but he has collaborated with many other musicians on his records....
and Mount Eerie
Mount Eerie
Mount Eerie is an Anacortes, Washington-based band fronted by Phil Elverum. Elverum is the principal member of the band, but he has collaborated with many other musicians on his records.-History:...
. In addition, he has toured and recorded with Laura Veirs
Laura Veirs
Laura Pauline Veirs is an American singer-songwriter.Veirs was raised in Colorado, studied geology and Mandarin Chinese at Carleton College, worked as a translator for a geological expedition in China, and now lives in Portland, Oregon.While growing up, she heard folk-country, classical, and pop...
, whose career also began in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
. He currently plays bass in Earth
Earth (band)
Earth is an American musical group based in Seattle, Washington, formed in 1989 and led by guitarist Dylan Carlson.Earth's music is nearly all instrumental, and can be divided into two distinct stages...
.
In December 2007, a grassroots online petition drive began gathering signatures urging Knw-Yr-Own Records in Anacortes to reissue the Shell Collection compilation of Blau's early 4-track recordings. As part of the campaign, Blau posted a statement on his MySpace page calling for the release of the album on vinyl, stating "everything sounds better on LP not to mention the art is bigger".
Blau was referenced in a song carrying his name by London punk band Video Nasties.
LPs
- Doin' Things the Way They Happen (Knw-Yr-OwnKnw-Yr-OwnKnw-Yr-Own Records is a small record label operating out of Anacortes, Washington, home to releases from such notoriously independent Northwest bands as D+, Karl Blau, and Little Wings...
1997) - Shell Collection (Knw-Yr-OwnKnw-Yr-OwnKnw-Yr-Own Records is a small record label operating out of Anacortes, Washington, home to releases from such notoriously independent Northwest bands as D+, Karl Blau, and Little Wings...
1997) - A Second Culling (Knw-Yr-OwnKnw-Yr-OwnKnw-Yr-Own Records is a small record label operating out of Anacortes, Washington, home to releases from such notoriously independent Northwest bands as D+, Karl Blau, and Little Wings...
1999) - Clothes Your I's (Knw-Yr-OwnKnw-Yr-OwnKnw-Yr-Own Records is a small record label operating out of Anacortes, Washington, home to releases from such notoriously independent Northwest bands as D+, Karl Blau, and Little Wings...
2001) - Beneath Waves (K RecordsK RecordsK Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington, co-founded, owned, and operated by Calvin Johnson, formerly of the bands Cool Rays, Beat Happening, The Go Team, The Halo Benders and presently in the bands Dub Narcotic Sound System and The Hive Dwellers...
2006) - Nature's Got Away (K RecordsK RecordsK Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington, co-founded, owned, and operated by Calvin Johnson, formerly of the bands Cool Rays, Beat Happening, The Go Team, The Halo Benders and presently in the bands Dub Narcotic Sound System and The Hive Dwellers...
2008) - Zebra (K RecordsK RecordsK Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington, co-founded, owned, and operated by Calvin Johnson, formerly of the bands Cool Rays, Beat Happening, The Go Team, The Halo Benders and presently in the bands Dub Narcotic Sound System and The Hive Dwellers...
2009)
Singles
- 'Slow Down Joe' b/w 'Lake King's Daughter' (K Records/OnPurpose Records 2006)
- 'That's How I Got To Memphis' b/w Forest (collaboration with Mount Analog) (K RecordsK RecordsK Records is an independent record label in Olympia, Washington, co-founded, owned, and operated by Calvin Johnson, formerly of the bands Cool Rays, Beat Happening, The Go Team, The Halo Benders and presently in the bands Dub Narcotic Sound System and The Hive Dwellers...
)
Kelp Lunacy Advanced Plagiarism Society series
- Dark, Magic Sea
- The Coconutcracker
- Turning Tutu, Turning Leaves
- Dunkel Blau
- Purple Heart
- Deep Sandwich
- Remember Tomorrow
- Lore of Ears
- Dubble Dooty Booty
- Trust in Sirens
- It Was Hot, We Stayed in the Water
- Welsh Phantoms and Other Ghosts of Western Europe
- Sea/Saw
- Stereoearrings
- If I Knew Zen What I Know Now
- AM
- Sing Together/Lonely Under the Covers
- Beer & Chai
- Flotsam & Jetsam
- Let It All Out
- Sigh Lens
- Bread-n-Grease
- Trunkal Howl
- LAKE
- Free The Bird
- Dance Positive
- Good Lovin' County
- In Return From Ghost Country