The Builders and the Butchers
Encyclopedia
The Builders and The Butchers are a Folk Rock band based in Portland, Oregon
, United States, fronted by singer/guitar player Ryan Sollee. The other members of the band are Willy Kunkle (bass guitar
, vocals, percussion), Justin Bier (drums, backup vocals, percussion), Ray Rude (drums, piano
, clarinet
, backup vocals, percussion), and Harvey Tumbleson (mandolin
, banjo
, guitar
, vocals, percussion).
The band's debut, self-titled album was released in 2007 by Bladen County Records. To date, the band has 3 full length albums, 1 live album and 1 EP split.
in 2006. “We very slowly started plugging [our instruments] in.” Sollee says, but the group had to figure out how to utilize its two percussionists on stage. They found that by splitting one drum kit between Seely and Rude, with one handling the kick drum and another playing the snare, they developed what the group calls a “deconstructed” drumming style. The band's song-writing process involves Sollee writing the lyrics out and presenting it to the other members, whom then start playing and putting the music around these lyrics.
In May 2008 the band won the Willamette Week’s “Best New Band of 2008” and Seattle Sound’s “Best Live Performers 2008”.
In late 2010, The Builders and the Butchers signed with Badman Recording Co. and will release their third album, Dead Reckoning on February 22, 2011.
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...
, United States, fronted by singer/guitar player Ryan Sollee. The other members of the band are Willy Kunkle (bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals, percussion), Justin Bier (drums, backup vocals, percussion), Ray Rude (drums, piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, backup vocals, percussion), and Harvey Tumbleson (mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, banjo
Banjo
In the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, 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...
, vocals, percussion).
The band's debut, self-titled album was released in 2007 by Bladen County Records. To date, the band has 3 full length albums, 1 live album and 1 EP split.
History
The Builders and The Butchers formed on October 31, 2005. They came together because "a lot of bands were all breaking up around the same time, and we were looking to get into something new--so it just worked out." Each member is originally from Anchorage, Alaska and migrated separately to Portland, Oregon to start a career in music. Initially they called themselves "The Funeral Band", performing in the streets and outside of music venues. The name eventually changed to The Builders and The Butchers, "for no other reason than it was the only name all five members liked." The first year of acoustic performances were mostly street shows until opening for the experimental band Man ManMan Man
Man Man is an experimental band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Man Man is known for their exuberant live performances. When performing, the members of the band sometimes coordinate their outfits, often seen in white outfits and, more commonly, war paint....
in 2006. “We very slowly started plugging [our instruments] in.” Sollee says, but the group had to figure out how to utilize its two percussionists on stage. They found that by splitting one drum kit between Seely and Rude, with one handling the kick drum and another playing the snare, they developed what the group calls a “deconstructed” drumming style. The band's song-writing process involves Sollee writing the lyrics out and presenting it to the other members, whom then start playing and putting the music around these lyrics.
In May 2008 the band won the Willamette Week’s “Best New Band of 2008” and Seattle Sound’s “Best Live Performers 2008”.
In late 2010, The Builders and the Butchers signed with Badman Recording Co. and will release their third album, Dead Reckoning on February 22, 2011.
Artwork
The Builders and The Butchers' album artwork is produced by Portland, Oregon artist Lukas Ketner.Current
- Justin Bier (drums, backup vocals, percussion)
- Willy Kunkle (bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals, percussion) - Ray Rude (drums, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, clarinetClarinetThe clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
, backup vocals, percussion) - Ryan Sollee (lead vocals, guitarGuitarThe 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...
, percussion) - Harvey Tumbleson (mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, guitarGuitarThe 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...
, vocals, percussion)
Former
- Alex Ellis (bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals, percussion) - "The Builders and The Butchers", "Loch Lomond/The Builders and The Butchers" 12-inch Split, "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well","Dead Reckoning" - Brandon Hafer (drums, trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, melodicaMelodicaThe melodica, also known as the "blow-organ" or "key-flute", is a free-reed instrument similar to the melodeon and harmonica. It has a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. Pressing a key opens a hole,...
, backup vocals, percussion) - Adrienne Hatkin (mandolinMandolinA mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
, banjoBanjoIn the 1830s Sweeney became the first white man to play the banjo on stage. His version of the instrument replaced the gourd with a drum-like sound box and included four full-length strings alongside a short fifth-string. There is no proof, however, that Sweeney invented either innovation. This new...
, accordionAccordionThe accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, vocals, percussion) - live shows - Paul Seely (drums, trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, melodicaMelodicaThe melodica, also known as the "blow-organ" or "key-flute", is a free-reed instrument similar to the melodeon and harmonica. It has a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. Pressing a key opens a hole,...
, backup vocals, percussion) - "The Builders and The Butchers", "Loch Lomond/The Builders and The Butchers" 12-inch Split, "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well"
Guests
- Annalisa Tornfelt (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....
, backup vocals) for "The Builders and The Butchers", "Loch Lomond/The Builders and The Butchers" 12-inch Split, "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well" - Emily Tornfelt (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...
) for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well" - Tyler Tornfelt (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...
) for "Loch Lomond/The Builders and The Butchers" 12-inch Split - Skip Von Kuske (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...
) for "Loch Lomond/The Builders and The Butchers" 12-inch Split - Douglas Jenkins (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...
) for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well" - Justin Kagen (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...
) for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well" - Joe Bowden (backup vocals) for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well"
- Sean Flynn (backup vocals) for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well"
- Jesse Bettis (backup vocals) for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well"
- Scott Magee (bass clarinetBass clarinetThe bass clarinet is a musical instrument of the clarinet family. Like the more common soprano B clarinet, it is usually pitched in B , but it plays notes an octave below the soprano B clarinet...
, backup vocals) for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well" - Sebastian Bibb Barrett (trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
) for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well" - Victor Nash (trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, french horn) for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well" - Amanda Lawrence (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...
) for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well" - Chris FunkChris FunkChristopher Lyman Funk is a multi-instrumentalist and member of the Portland, Oregon, indie rock band The Decemberists. He is originally from Valparaiso, Indiana where he worked at Front Porch Music which inspired his love of American Folk Music. He plays guitar, pedal steel, piano, violin,...
([backup vocals]) for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well" - Mike Anzalone (castanets, backup vocals)for "Loch Lomond/The Builders and The Butchers" 12-inch Split, "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well"
- The Flash Choir for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well"
- The Gospel Choir for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well"
- The Portland Cello Project - live shows
Albums
| Title | Date | Label |
|---|---|---|
| The Builders and The Butchers | 2007 | Bladen County Records |
| Loch Lomond/The Builders and the Butchers Split 12-inch | 2007 | Bladen County Records(USA) / Toad Records(UK) |
| Salvation Is A Deep Dark Well | 2009 | Gigantic Music Gigantic Music Gigantic Music is an independent record label, founded by Brian Devine in 2000. Gigantic Music is based out of New York City.Moving beyond the somewhat flimsy "indie rock" categorization, Gigantic Music focuses on the promotion of innovative and talented musicians, regardless of whether or not they... |
| Where The Roots All Grow | 2010 | Self Released |
| Dead Reckoning | 2011 | Badman Recording Co. |