Ophur - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Ophur was a rock band from the Chicago suburbs in DuPage County. The band performed in the midwestern United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

over the course of seven years with national acts including The Plain White T's, Sum 41

Sum 41

Sum 41 is a Canadian rock band from Ajax, Ontario. The band was formed in 1996 and currently consists of members Deryck Whibley , Tom Thacker , Jason McCaslin and Steve Jocz .In 1999, the band signed an international record deal with Island Records...

, Violent Femmes

Violent Femmes

Violent Femmes were an American alternative rock band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, initially active between 1980 and 1987 and again from 1988 to 2009...

, Local H

Local H

Local H is an American rock duo, formed by Joe Daniels and Scott Lucas in Zion, Illinois in 1987. Local H's 1996 album, As Good as Dead, includes the top 10 hit "Bound for the Floor" Author, rock critic and Rolling Stone contributor Greg Kot and the Chicago Tribune named the band its 2008 Chicago...

, Lucky Boys Confusion

Lucky Boys Confusion

Lucky Boys Confusion is a rock band from the Chicago suburbs in DuPage County. Their music is a mix of rock, punk, ska, and hip hop. The band consists of bassist Jason Schultejann, drummer Ryan Fergus, vocalist Kaustubh Pandav, guitarist/vocalist Adam Krier, and guitarist Joe Sell...

, Veruca Salt

Veruca Salt (band)

Veruca Salt is an alternative rock band founded in 1993 in Chicago, Illinois. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included vocalist-guitarist Louise Post. Guitarist Stephen Fitzpatrick has been with the band since 1999 and drummer Kellii Scott has worked with the group on and off since 1999...

, Two Skinee J's, Duvall

Duvall

-Places:United States* Duvall, Washington, a city* Duvall, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community...

, Sleeping at Last

Sleeping at Last

Sleeping at Last is an indie rock band that was originally formed in 1999 in Wheaton, Illinois. Lead singer and multi-instrumentalist Ryan O'Neal is the sole member of the band. The group built a significant local following and opened for bands such as Kill Hannah and Plain White T's, attracting...

, and others. Their music has been described as an eclectic amalgamation of U2

U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...

, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, 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...

History

Ophur began with lead singer Benson Krause and guitarist Bryn Martin in 1996. Shortly afterwards percussionist Nicola Palazzo and bassist Eric Olsen joined the group. Bassist Bryan Walker eventually replaced Eric Olsen and keyboardist Cheston Bogue joined the group. The band built a loyal grass-roots following in the midwest while maintaining an independent status. They performed regularly at the Chicago House of Blues

House of Blues

House of Blues is a chain of 13 live music concert halls and restaurants in major markets throughout the United States. House of Blues first location was in Cambridge's Harvard Square. It was opened in 1992 by Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe, and Dan Aykroyd, star of The Blues Brothers...

, many outdoor festivals, and college campuses while managed by Duff Entertainment. Their music received sporadic airplay on radio stations including WKQX, WXRT

WXRT

WXRT, also known as WXRT 93.1, XRT, and 93-XRT is a AAA radio station in Chicago, Illinois. For many years their slogan has been "Chicago's Finest Rock". WXRT is a primary sponsor of the Chicago nonprofit Rock For Kids.-History:...

, and was popular on a number of college radio stations, but spread primarily through the bands choice to have free music

Free music

Free music is music that, like free software, can freely be copied, distributed and modified for any purpose. Thus free music is either in the public domain or licensed under a free license by the artist or copyright holder themselves, often as a method of promotion. It does not mean that there...

available at the band's official website. Ophur was known by fans for their quirky performances which occasionally included the use of Christmas light impregnated duct tape

Duct tape

Duct tape, or duck tape, is cloth- or scrim-backed pressure sensitive tape often sealed with polyethylene. It is very similar to gaffer tape but differs in that gaffer tape was designed to be cleanly removed, while duct tape was not. It has a standard width of and is generally silver or black...

space-suits. Lead singer, Benson Krause, impressed fans with an intense, quirky, and unpredictable stage persona. The band held their final performance in 2003, citing creative differences as the reason for the groups breakup. Drummer Nick Palazzo and bassist Bryan Walker joined the band Facing Forward in 2006 and guitarist Bryn Martin began a solo project called Bryyn

Bryyn

Bryyn is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Lausanne, Switzerland formerly known as Pinkle. His music has been described to be a new wave and independent folk pop intertwined with experimental and creative sounds. Bryyn is noted for self-recording and producing all...

. Lead singer Benson Krause continued to record music as a solo musician until his death of apparent suicide on January 22, 2008 after his car was struck by a commuter train. The remaining members of the band held a reunion concert in Krause's honor on March 2008

Members

Benson Krause - lead vocals
Bryn Martin - guitar
Guitar
The 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...

, backup vocals
Bryan Walker - bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Nickola Palazzo - drums
Drum kit
A 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 ....
Cheston Bogue - keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A 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...
Eric Olsen - bass
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....

Discography

Death to the Chameleon EP (2002)
Split EP (2000)
The Wheel Theory (1998)
Nothing Hurts More (1996)
The Sweet Anchovies (1995)

Remixes:

Reality - Tim Fonadi Anderson, brain screw remix
Reality - George "Baby Rattlesnakes", i belong remix
Reality - George "Baby Rattlesnakes", illogical remix
Sweet Lovin' - Nathan "Cosmik Druid" Leigh, third remix
Sweet Lovin' - Nathan "Cosmik Druid" Leigh, Contourpilated Forest remix

External links

Side projects:

Official Bryyn Website

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.