The Eames Era
Encyclopedia
For the designers who were the inspiration for the name of the musical group, please see Charles and Ray Eames
The Eames Era were a Baton Rouge
, Louisiana
based indie pop
quintet
active from 2003-2008. The band first received broad attention when one of its songs was featured in an episode of Grey's Anatomy
in 2005. The band released one EP and two full length albums during its career.
guitarists Grant Widmer and Ted Joyner. The band started in 2002, Grant and Ted's junior year at Louisiana State University
, when the two former high school friends enlisted drummer Greg Gauthreaux and bass player Brain Waits to form "The Double Zeros". Singer Ashlin Phillips auditioned for the band in December 2002, after work had begun writing and practicing for the band's first gig. The band's name honors famed designers Charles and Ray Eames
.
By 2003 the now complete lineup became "The Eames Era" and had begun recording a 3-track demo in Grant's garage. Later that year the band signed on to the C Student Records label to release their first single "Could Be Anything" April 2004. After winning an award at the university's annual independent film festival they embarked on their first tour along the East Coast. Upon returning the band released "The Second EP
" on the C Student label.
The album's lead track on the EP, "Could Be Anything", was featured on the Abercrombie & Fitch
website and two television shows (Grey's Anatomy
and Falcon Beach
), and received major airplay on college radio stations nationwide. In October 2005, shortly after graduating from Louisiana State University
, the band released their full-length debut "Double Dutch
". The week of the album's release, the band's tour bus got in an accident with a military truck on the way home from a photo shoot, thus cancelling a tour booked for November that year. The military truck was only in the area for providing Hurricane Katrina
aid.
In 2007, the Eames Era won $2500 in the Yaris SXSW band video contest.
In April 2007, the band released its second full-length album, "Heroes and Sheroes." The song "When You Were a Millionaire" from that album was featured on MTV's new reality show "I'm from Rolling Stone," running at the beginning and end of each of the ten episodes. That song as well as "Watson On Your Side" have videos made by Untucked Films.
In April 2008, Grant Widmer wrote music blog The Rockist Society to let them know the band had decided to go their separate ways:
Grant Widmer and Ted Joyner subsequently formed a new band, Generationals, whose debut album 'Con Law' was released on July 21, 2009.
Charles and Ray Eames
Charles Ormond Eames, Jr and Bernice Alexandra "Ray" Eames were American designers, who worked in and made major contributions to modern architecture and furniture. They also worked in the fields of industrial and graphic design, fine art and film.-Charles Eames:Charles Eames, Jr was born in...
The Eames Era were a Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
based indie pop
Indie pop
Indie pop is a genre of alternative rock music that originated in the United Kingdom in the mid 1980s, with its roots in the Scottish post-punk bands on the Postcard Records label in the early '80s, such as Orange Juice, Josef K and Aztec Camera, and the dominant UK independent band of the mid...
quintet
Quintet
A quintet is a group containing five members.It is commonly associated with musical groups, such as a string quintet, or a group of five singers, but can be applied to any situation where five similar or related objects are considered a single unit....
active from 2003-2008. The band first received broad attention when one of its songs was featured in an episode of Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
in 2005. The band released one EP and two full length albums during its career.
History
The band was founded by New OrleansNew Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
guitarists Grant Widmer and Ted Joyner. The band started in 2002, Grant and Ted's junior year at Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
, when the two former high school friends enlisted drummer Greg Gauthreaux and bass player Brain Waits to form "The Double Zeros". Singer Ashlin Phillips auditioned for the band in December 2002, after work had begun writing and practicing for the band's first gig. The band's name honors famed designers Charles and Ray Eames
Charles and Ray Eames
Charles Ormond Eames, Jr and Bernice Alexandra "Ray" Eames were American designers, who worked in and made major contributions to modern architecture and furniture. They also worked in the fields of industrial and graphic design, fine art and film.-Charles Eames:Charles Eames, Jr was born in...
.
By 2003 the now complete lineup became "The Eames Era" and had begun recording a 3-track demo in Grant's garage. Later that year the band signed on to the C Student Records label to release their first single "Could Be Anything" April 2004. After winning an award at the university's annual independent film festival they embarked on their first tour along the East Coast. Upon returning the band released "The Second EP
The Second EP
The Second EP is the first album released by Baton Rouge, Louisiana based indie pop group The Eames Era. The title "The Second EP" probably refers to the demo EP the band recorded early 2003 before signing with the C Student Records label...
" on the C Student label.
The album's lead track on the EP, "Could Be Anything", was featured on the Abercrombie & Fitch
Abercrombie & Fitch
Abercrombie & Fitch is an American retailer that focuses on casual wear for consumers aged 18 to 22. It has over 300 locations in the United States, and is expanding internationally....
website and two television shows (Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy (soundtrack)
Grey's Anatomy Original Soundtrack is the soundtrack album series for the television series Grey's Anatomy, with three volumes released in the series...
and Falcon Beach
Falcon Beach
Falcon Beach is a Canadian television show, filmed at Winnipeg Beach, Manitoba, Canada, and produced in Canada for the Canadian and American markets. It originally aired in 2005 as a movie on Global in Canada. It was produced as a TV series for Global and ABC Family in 2006...
), and received major airplay on college radio stations nationwide. In October 2005, shortly after graduating from Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University
Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, most often referred to as Louisiana State University, or LSU, is a public coeducational university located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The University was founded in 1853 in what is now known as Pineville, Louisiana, under the name...
, the band released their full-length debut "Double Dutch
Double Dutch (album)
Double Dutch is the debut full-length album of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, based indie pop group The Eames Era. It was released shortly after the band members' graduation from Louisiana State University, symbolizing the work put into the album and the newfangled maturity of the band.-Track listing:# Go...
". The week of the album's release, the band's tour bus got in an accident with a military truck on the way home from a photo shoot, thus cancelling a tour booked for November that year. The military truck was only in the area for providing Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
aid.
In 2007, the Eames Era won $2500 in the Yaris SXSW band video contest.
In April 2007, the band released its second full-length album, "Heroes and Sheroes." The song "When You Were a Millionaire" from that album was featured on MTV's new reality show "I'm from Rolling Stone," running at the beginning and end of each of the ten episodes. That song as well as "Watson On Your Side" have videos made by Untucked Films.
In April 2008, Grant Widmer wrote music blog The Rockist Society to let them know the band had decided to go their separate ways:
That's right, The Eames Era are no more. Ashlin and Greg moved to Chicago in the past few months and they are on to other things. Ted, Brian and I have also moved to New Orleans and we are hard at work on a new album. As I said before, Brian got married this week and his life has been very busy so it's still unclear what kind of role he'll have in the new group. But Ted and I have been traveling to record with Daniel Black, the producer of our last album, in D.C. since January. We are about 1/3 finished and hope to be all done in May. Then it will be time to tour for a while.
Grant Widmer and Ted Joyner subsequently formed a new band, Generationals, whose debut album 'Con Law' was released on July 21, 2009.
Discography
- The Second EPThe Second EPThe Second EP is the first album released by Baton Rouge, Louisiana based indie pop group The Eames Era. The title "The Second EP" probably refers to the demo EP the band recorded early 2003 before signing with the C Student Records label...
(2004)
C Student Records - Double DutchDouble Dutch (album)Double Dutch is the debut full-length album of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, based indie pop group The Eames Era. It was released shortly after the band members' graduation from Louisiana State University, symbolizing the work put into the album and the newfangled maturity of the band.-Track listing:# Go...
(2005)
C Student Records - Heroes + Sheroes
(2007)
Self-Released
External links
- Official website
- The Eames Era on MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- [ The Eames Era] at Allmusic