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Radish (band)
Encyclopedia
Radish were a self-proclaimed "Sugar Metal" band formed in 1993 by Ben Kweller
, John David Kent
, and Bryan Blur.
and recorded two independent releases, Dizzy (1994) and Hello (1995). Kweller sent a copy of Dizzy to Guitarist Nils Lofgren
who grew up with Ben's dad in Maryland. Nils was impressed with Radish and recommended them to Roger Greenawalt
who was producing Lofgren's album at the time, Damaged Goods. Greenawalt took Radish into a studio where they recorded a demo tape which was subsequently shopped around to record labels nationwide, After an unexpected bidding war, Radish eventually signed to Mercury Records
to release the album Restraining Bolt, produced by Sean Slade
and Paul Kolderie. The first single taken from the album, the UK-release "Little Pink Stars", gave them a top-40
hit in the UK, which was followed by "Simple Sincerity" which reached the top 50. Radish made appearances on The Weird Al Show
, Late Night with Conan O'Brien
and Late Show with David Letterman
. The band toured several times in Europe including opening slots for Faith No More
and Main Stage at Reading Festival '97. Radish released three 7" singles and two CD singles.
In 1998 Radish became a quartet featuring Joe Butcher (Polyphonic Spree, UFOFU) on lead guitar and Debbie Williams on bass. Radish went to Muscle Shoals
Studio in Alabama
to record the musically ambitious follow-up to Restraining Bolt, entitled Discount Fireworks. The band recorded with producer
Bryce Goggin
(Pavement
, The Lemonheads
). While mixing Discount Fireworks in NYC Kweller and Kent met bassist Josh Lattanzi who became Radish's 5th and final bass player. As a result of PolyGram
's merger with Universal Music Group
, the 18-song album was never released and Radish soon secured a release from their contract with Mercury Records. After the band got released from Mercury they continued to play the occasional show around Texas. In 1999, Ben moved up north to live with his girlfriend/future wife, Liz Smith. After living in Connecticut
for a few months, the couple decided to move to Brooklyn, NY where Ben began his solo career and signed with ATO Records
in 2001. Back in Texas, John Kent began to write songs of his own and formed the band Pony League which is now defunct but now fronts the band John David Kent and the Dumb Angels
. John Kent runs the indie label Blackland Records
and The Vault Recording Studio in Celeste, TX.
Tracks:
Tracks:
Ben Kweller
Ben Kweller is an American singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist.-Early life:Ben Kweller was born in San Francisco, CA in 1981. In 1982, his family relocated to Emory, Texas, where his father, Howard Kweller, became the town's first doctor. In 1986, the Kwellers moved to a much larger city,...
, John David Kent
John David Kent and the Dumb Angels
John David Kent is a Texas Country band based out of Celeste, TX. Consisting of John David Kent, formerly of the late 90's Rock band Radish, and other North Texas natives Michael Graska, Jamey Gleaves, Jason Andrew, and Tony Kent.- Background Information :...
, and Bryan Blur.
History
The trio played locally in and around GreenvilleGreenville, Texas
Greenville is the county seat, and the largest city, of Hunt County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,557....
and recorded two independent releases, Dizzy (1994) and Hello (1995). Kweller sent a copy of Dizzy to Guitarist Nils Lofgren
Nils Lofgren
Nils Hilmer Lofgren is an American rock music recording artist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist...
who grew up with Ben's dad in Maryland. Nils was impressed with Radish and recommended them to Roger Greenawalt
Roger Greenawalt
Roger Greenawalt is an American music producer and musician known for discovering singer Ben Kweller. A story on Greenawalt's efforts to get Kweller signed to a major label appeared in the New Yorker on April 7, 1997.-Background:...
who was producing Lofgren's album at the time, Damaged Goods. Greenawalt took Radish into a studio where they recorded a demo tape which was subsequently shopped around to record labels nationwide, After an unexpected bidding war, Radish eventually signed to Mercury Records
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is a record label operating as a standalone company in the UK and as part of the Island Def Jam Motown Music Group in the US; both are subsidiaries of Universal Music Group. There is also a Mercury Records in Australia, which is a local artist and repertoire division of Universal...
to release the album Restraining Bolt, produced by Sean Slade
Sean Slade
Sean Slade is a record producer, engineer, and mixer. He has worked with artists including Hole, Radiohead, Warren Zevon, Juliana Hatfield, Dinosaur Jr., Uncle Tupelo, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Boo Radleys, Sebadoh, Lush, the Go-Go's, and The Dictators among others. In 2005 he produced The...
and Paul Kolderie. The first single taken from the album, the UK-release "Little Pink Stars", gave them a top-40
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
hit in the UK, which was followed by "Simple Sincerity" which reached the top 50. Radish made appearances on The Weird Al Show
The Weird Al Show
The Weird Al Show is a television show hosted by "Weird Al" Yankovic. Produced in association with Dick Clark Productions, it aired Saturday mornings on the CBS TV network from September to December 1997. The show was released on DVD on August 15, 2006...
, Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
and Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
. The band toured several times in Europe including opening slots for Faith No More
Faith No More
Faith No More is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, formed originally as Faith No Man in 1981 by bassist Billy Gould, keyboardist Wade Worthington, vocalist Michael Morris and drummer Mike Bordin. A year later when Worthington was replaced by keyboardist Roddy Bottum, and Mike...
and Main Stage at Reading Festival '97. Radish released three 7" singles and two CD singles.
In 1998 Radish became a quartet featuring Joe Butcher (Polyphonic Spree, UFOFU) on lead guitar and Debbie Williams on bass. Radish went to Muscle Shoals
Muscle Shoals Sound Studio
The Muscle Shoals Sound Studio was formed in Muscle Shoals, Alabama,in 1969 when musicians Barry Beckett , Roger Hawkins , Jimmy Johnson and David Hood left FAME Studios to create their own studio...
Studio in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
to record the musically ambitious follow-up to Restraining Bolt, entitled Discount Fireworks. The band recorded with producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
Bryce Goggin
Bryce Goggin
Bryce Goggin is a record producer and sound engineer. He began his career in the early 1990s working at Baby Monster Studios. He first received acclaim for mixing the album Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain by Pavement...
(Pavement
Pavement (band)
Pavement is an American alternative rock band that formed in Stockton, California in 1989. In their career, they achieved a significant cult following, and they were called the best band of the 1990s by prominent music critics Robert Christgau and Stephen Thomas Erlewine...
, The Lemonheads
The Lemonheads
The Lemonheads are an American alternative rock band first formed in 1986 by Evan Dando, Ben Deily and Jesse Peretz. Dando has remained the band's only constant member....
). While mixing Discount Fireworks in NYC Kweller and Kent met bassist Josh Lattanzi who became Radish's 5th and final bass player. As a result of PolyGram
PolyGram
PolyGram was the name of the major label recording company started by Philips from as a holding company for its music interests in 1945. In 1999 it was sold to Seagram and merged into Universal Music Group.-Hollandsche Decca Distributie , 1929-1950:...
's merger with Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group
Universal Music Group is an American music group, the largest of the "big four" record companies by its commanding market share and its multitude of global operations...
, the 18-song album was never released and Radish soon secured a release from their contract with Mercury Records. After the band got released from Mercury they continued to play the occasional show around Texas. In 1999, Ben moved up north to live with his girlfriend/future wife, Liz Smith. After living in Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
for a few months, the couple decided to move to Brooklyn, NY where Ben began his solo career and signed with ATO Records
ATO Records
According to Our Records was founded in early 2000 by Dave Matthews , Coran Capshaw, Chris Tetzeli, and Michael McDonald as a division of RCA Records...
in 2001. Back in Texas, John Kent began to write songs of his own and formed the band Pony League which is now defunct but now fronts the band John David Kent and the Dumb Angels
John David Kent and the Dumb Angels
John David Kent is a Texas Country band based out of Celeste, TX. Consisting of John David Kent, formerly of the late 90's Rock band Radish, and other North Texas natives Michael Graska, Jamey Gleaves, Jason Andrew, and Tony Kent.- Background Information :...
. John Kent runs the indie label Blackland Records
Blackland Records
Blackland Records Blackland Records Corporate LogoCorporate InformationFounder: John Kent, Tim WheelerOrigin:Celeste, TX, United StatesYears Active:2005–PresentWebsite:...
and The Vault Recording Studio in Celeste, TX.
Demos
- Dizzy (1994)
Tracks:
- Chrysalis
- Too Personal
- Dizzy
- Doesn't Know It
- Bedtime
- All Night
- Uncle Jimmy's Theme
- I'm Still Here
- The Way
- Swallow
- I Know A Girl
- Uncle Jimmy's Theme (Drum Solo)
- Hello (1995)
Tracks:
- Space Boy
- Hello
- Wooden Window
- Leave
- Kitty
- You Can Run
- Whatcha Gonna Do?
- Rollercoaster
- I Want You To
- The Way
Studio albums
- Restraining Bolt (1997), Mercury
- Little Pink Stars
- Simple Sincerity
- Failing and Leaving
- Dear Aunt Arctica
- Sugar Free
- Today's Bargain
- The You In Me
- Still I Wait
- A Promise
- Apparition of Purity
- My Guitar
- Bedtime
Singles
- "Dear Aunt Arctica" (1996), PolyGram
- "Little Pink Stars" (1997), Mercury - UK #32
- "Simple Sincerity" (1997), Mercury - UK #50