Quasi
Encyclopedia
Quasi is an American
indie rock
band formed in Portland, Oregon
in 1993 by ex-husband and wife Sam Coomes
(vocals, guitar
, Rocksichord
, various keyboards
) and Janet Weiss
(vocals and drums). Since 2007 the group has been a trio, following the addition of bassist
Joanna Bolme
.
in 1993. They played with various additional musicians in early live appearances, but eventually settled on playing live as a duo as well. They self-recorded and self-released a cassette and a CD in 1993. They recorded R&B Transmogrification
in the Portland band Pond's
basement recording studio and released it on Up Records
in 1997. They released two more albums with Up: Featuring "Birds" in 1998 and Field Studies
in 1999; both albums were recorded at Jackpot Studios in Portland, Oregon
.
In 1998 and 1999 they toured the U.S., Europe
, Australia
, and Japan
opening for and serving as the backup band for Elliott Smith
(who Coomes
had played with in Heatmiser
) as well as touring on their own in the U.S. and Europe. In 2001 They home-recorded The Sword of God and released it on Touch & Go
. They released Hot Shit! in 2003 and When the Going Gets Dark
in 2006, both on Touch & Go in the U.S. and Domino Records in Europe. In 2009, the band signed with Kill Rock Stars
to release their next record.
Although Coomes and Weiss remain busy with other bands, Quasi tours fairly regularly. In 2007, they toured the U.S. with Touch & Go labelmates Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
. Just prior to that tour, Quasi announced that bassist Joanna Bolme, who had toured with Quasi in 2006 and plays with Weiss in Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
, was a permanent member of the band.
In addition to her work in the Jicks, Weiss was the primary drummer for the group Sleater-Kinney
, and has recently played with Bright Eyes, John Doe
and Wild Flag, while Coomes has been working with Pink Mountain and on his solo project, Blues Goblins. He has also played with Jandek
, and has appeared on several Built to Spill
albums. According to a recent post on their website, Coomes stated they are beginning to work on new material following the end of touring.
Quasi has been somewhat political
since its inception, but their opposition to the 2003 Invasion of Iraq
showed through in a straightforward way with the release of Hot Shit! in 2003, particularly in the songs "White Devil's Dream" and "Master and Dog."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
indie rock
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...
band formed in 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...
in 1993 by ex-husband and wife Sam Coomes
Sam Coomes
Samuel J. Coomes is an American musician, and currently one-third of the Portland-area indie band Quasi, along with drummer and ex-wife Janet Weiss and bassist Joanna Bolme...
(vocals, 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...
, Rocksichord
Rocksichord
The Rock-Si-Chord is an electronic keyboard invented in 1967 to approximate the sound of the harpsichord...
, various 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...
) and Janet Weiss
Janet Weiss
Janet Lee Weiss was the drummer of now defunct Sleater-Kinney and is currently a member of Quasi and Wild Flag. She was the drummer for Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, leaving after the album Mirror Traffic.-Early life:...
(vocals and drums). Since 2007 the group has been a trio, following the addition of bassist
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Joanna Bolme
Joanna Bolme
Joanna Bolme is a multi-instrumentalist and recording engineer who works with several indie rock bands and artists, mainly in the Pacific Northwest...
.
History
In 1990 , Coomes, Weiss, and Brad Pedinov formed the band Motorgoat. The band released two self-released cassettes and one 7" single before dissolving in 1993. Quasi started recording as a duoDuet (music)
A duet is a musical composition for two performers. In classical music, the term is most often used for a composition for two singers or pianists; with other instruments, the word duo is also often used. A piece performed by two pianists performing together on the same piano is referred to as...
in 1993. They played with various additional musicians in early live appearances, but eventually settled on playing live as a duo as well. They self-recorded and self-released a cassette and a CD in 1993. They recorded R&B Transmogrification
R&B Transmogrification
R&B Transmogrification is an album by the American indie band Quasi. It was released on March 25, 1997, on Up Records.-Track listing:All tracks by Sam Coomes except "Bird's Eye View" by Janet Weiss and Coomes.# "Ghost Dreaming" – 3:24...
in the Portland band Pond's
Pond (band)
Pond was a band from Portland, Oregon. They formed in 1991 and broke up in 1998. They were signed to Sub Pop and the Work Records sub-label of Sony Records ....
basement recording studio and released it on Up Records
Up Records
Up Records is a Seattle based independent record label founded in 1994 by Chris Takino and Rich Jensen.Some of the label's best known artists are 764-Hero, Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, Quasi and Tad.Chris Takino died of leukemia in 2000...
in 1997. They released two more albums with Up: Featuring "Birds" in 1998 and Field Studies
Field Studies
Field Studies is an album by the American indie band Quasi. It was released on September 7, 1999, on Up.-Track listing:All tracks by Sam Coomes except "Two By Two" by Janet Weiss.# "All the Same" – 4:05# "The Golden Egg" – 5:16# "The Skeleton" – 1:41...
in 1999; both albums were recorded at Jackpot Studios in 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...
.
In 1998 and 1999 they toured the U.S., Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
opening for and serving as the backup band for Elliott Smith
Elliott Smith
Steven Paul "Elliott" Smith was an American singer-songwriter and musician. Smith was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and resided for a significant portion of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he first gained popularity...
(who Coomes
Sam Coomes
Samuel J. Coomes is an American musician, and currently one-third of the Portland-area indie band Quasi, along with drummer and ex-wife Janet Weiss and bassist Joanna Bolme...
had played with in Heatmiser
Heatmiser
The Music of Heatmiser is a six-song demo cassette, recorded on April 29 and 30, 1992, at Sound Impressions in Milwaukie, Oregon. It was made available only at shows or by mail order....
) as well as touring on their own in the U.S. and Europe. In 2001 They home-recorded The Sword of God and released it on Touch & Go
Touch and Go Records
Touch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
. They released Hot Shit! in 2003 and When the Going Gets Dark
When The Going Gets Dark
When the Going Gets Dark is an album by Quasi. It was released on March 21, 2006 on Touch and Go Records. It was released in Europe by Domino Records.-Track listing:...
in 2006, both on Touch & Go in the U.S. and Domino Records in Europe. In 2009, the band signed with Kill Rock Stars
Kill Rock Stars
Kill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in both Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, making it difficult to pigeonhole as having any one artistic mission...
to release their next record.
Although Coomes and Weiss remain busy with other bands, Quasi tours fairly regularly. In 2007, they toured the U.S. with Touch & Go labelmates Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists
Ted Leo and the Pharmacists are an American rock band formed in 1999 in Washington, D.C. and currently recording for Matador Records. They have released six full-length studio albums and have toured internationally...
. Just prior to that tour, Quasi announced that bassist Joanna Bolme, who had toured with Quasi in 2006 and plays with Weiss in Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks
Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks is a rock band consisting of Stephen Malkmus, Mike Clark, Joanna Bolme, and Jake Morris. Malkmus was the main singer and songwriter behind the influential 1990s indie rock band Pavement.-History:...
, was a permanent member of the band.
In addition to her work in the Jicks, Weiss was the primary drummer for the group Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney
Sleater-Kinney was an alternative rock band from Portland, Oregon that formed in 1994. Originally formed in Olympia, Washington, the group's name is derived from Sleater-Kinney Road, Interstate 5 off ramp #108 in Lacey, Washington, the location of one of their early practice spaces. They were a...
, and has recently played with Bright Eyes, John Doe
John Doe
The name "John Doe" is used as a placeholder name in a legal action, case or discussion for a male party, whose true identity is unknown or must be withheld for legal reasons. The name is also used to refer to a male corpse or hospital patient whose identity is unknown...
and Wild Flag, while Coomes has been working with Pink Mountain and on his solo project, Blues Goblins. He has also played with Jandek
Jandek
Jandek is the musical project of an anonymous outsider musician who operates out of Houston, Texas. Since 1978, Jandek has self-released over 60 albums of unusual, often emotionally dissolute folk and blues songs without ever granting more than the occasional interview or providing any biographical...
, and has appeared on several Built to Spill
Built to Spill
Built to Spill is an American indie rock band based in Boise, Idaho. The band has released seven full-length albums. Their most recent album, There Is No Enemy, was released on October 6, 2009.-History:...
albums. According to a recent post on their website, Coomes stated they are beginning to work on new material following the end of touring.
Quasi has been somewhat political
Politics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
since its inception, but their opposition to the 2003 Invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
showed through in a straightforward way with the release of Hot Shit! in 2003, particularly in the songs "White Devil's Dream" and "Master and Dog."
Albums
- Self-titled cassette (1993) self-released
- Early RecordingsEarly Recordings (Quasi album)Early Recordings is a compilation album by the American indie band Quasi. It was released on March 29, 1996, on Key Op records, and re-released on August 21, 2001 on Touch and Go Records...
(1996) Key Op (rereleased in 2001 by Touch & GoTouch and Go RecordsTouch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
) - R&B TransmogrificationR&B TransmogrificationR&B Transmogrification is an album by the American indie band Quasi. It was released on March 25, 1997, on Up Records.-Track listing:All tracks by Sam Coomes except "Bird's Eye View" by Janet Weiss and Coomes.# "Ghost Dreaming" – 3:24...
(1997) UpUp RecordsUp Records is a Seattle based independent record label founded in 1994 by Chris Takino and Rich Jensen.Some of the label's best known artists are 764-Hero, Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, Quasi and Tad.Chris Takino died of leukemia in 2000... - Featuring "Birds" (1998) UpUp RecordsUp Records is a Seattle based independent record label founded in 1994 by Chris Takino and Rich Jensen.Some of the label's best known artists are 764-Hero, Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, Quasi and Tad.Chris Takino died of leukemia in 2000...
, Domino - Field StudiesField StudiesField Studies is an album by the American indie band Quasi. It was released on September 7, 1999, on Up.-Track listing:All tracks by Sam Coomes except "Two By Two" by Janet Weiss.# "All the Same" – 4:05# "The Golden Egg" – 5:16# "The Skeleton" – 1:41...
(1999) UpUp RecordsUp Records is a Seattle based independent record label founded in 1994 by Chris Takino and Rich Jensen.Some of the label's best known artists are 764-Hero, Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, Quasi and Tad.Chris Takino died of leukemia in 2000...
, Domino - The Sword of God (2001) Touch & GoTouch and Go RecordsTouch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
, Domino - Hot Shit! (2003) Touch & GoTouch and Go RecordsTouch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
, Domino — includes the Live Shit bonus CD. - When the Going Gets DarkWhen The Going Gets DarkWhen the Going Gets Dark is an album by Quasi. It was released on March 21, 2006 on Touch and Go Records. It was released in Europe by Domino Records.-Track listing:...
(2006) Touch & GoTouch and Go RecordsTouch and Go Records is an independent record label based in Chicago, Illinois, USA.After its genesis as a hand-made fanzine in 1979, it grew into one of the key record labels in the American 1980s alternative and underground rock scenes, Touch & Go carved out a reputation for releasing adventurous...
, Domino - Quasi Self Boot 93-96Quasi Self Boot 93-96Quasi Self Boot 93–96 is the compilation release by the American indie band Quasi. It is self-released, and has been sold only at live shows beginning in 2006. The album features tracks from the band's self-released cassette from 1993, a few previously unreleased tracks, and the song...
(2006) self-released, tour-only release - American GongAmerican GongAmerican Gong is the eighth album by Portland based indie rock band Quasi. It was released on February 23, 2010 on Kill Rock Stars. It was released in Europe by Domino Records...
(2010) Kill Rock StarsKill Rock StarsKill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in both Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, making it difficult to pigeonhole as having any one artistic mission...
, Domino
EPs and singles
- Split 7" with BugskullBugskullBugskull is an American musical group originally from Portland, Oregon that performed and recorded during the 1990s and early 2000s. According to a local newspaper, the Portland Mercury Review, discussing a one-off comeback concert they performed on September 12, 2009, they "delved deep into the...
(1994) - Kill Rock Stars Singles Club 7" (1998) Kill Rock StarsKill Rock StarsKill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in both Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, making it difficult to pigeonhole as having any one artistic mission...
- "The Poisoned Well" / "California" 7" (1998)
- Split 7" with Mars Accelerator and Space Pants (2000)
- "The Sword of God" (2001)
- Tour 7" (2001)
- Hot Shit Tour CD (2003)
Compilations
- Fields and StreamsFields and StreamsFields and Streams is a double CD compilation album released by the label Kill Rock Stars on May 7, 2002.-Track list:CD 1# "Memo From The Desk of the Quails - The Quails# "Sex Object - Manda & The Marbles# "Waste of Time" - The Coolies...
(2002) Kill Rock StarsKill Rock StarsKill Rock Stars is an independent record label founded in 1991 by Slim Moon and based in both Olympia, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The label has released a variety of work in different genres, making it difficult to pigeonhole as having any one artistic mission... - Score! 20 Years of Merge Records: The Covers! (2009) Beautiful Things