The Happy Bullets
Encyclopedia
The Happy Bullets is an indie pop band from Dallas, Texas
that formed in 2003.
Recording songs that combined a 1960's psychedelic nostalgia with ironic and literate lyrics, The Happy Bullets began when indie songwriters Jason Roberts
and Tim Ruble met while working together at an art gallery in a suburb of Dallas. After a home recording demo was released and played on local radio, Roberts quickly recruited his wife, Andrea to learn bass guitar while lending vocal support to several of the bands more pop-oriented songs. Additional members were later added including Josh McKibben of The Sons of Sound, James Porter
from The Tah Dahs
and Drawn By Jaymz, and Kris Youmans of The Paper Chase
.
2004 saw the release of The Happy Bullets first record, Blue Skies and Umbrellas and was quickly followed up in 2005 with The Vice and Virtue Ministry
, engineered by Stuart Sikes
(Modest Mouse
, Cat Power
, the Promise Ring
) and released on the upstart Dallas indie label Undeniable Records. The latter gained the band critical acclaim on the national college radio circuit and led to shared bills with Mates of State
, Architecture in Helsinki
, and Of Montreal
.
In 2006, the Happy Bullets toured throughout the United States performing in Austin, Texas
at the SXSW Music Festival, Athens, Georgia
at the 2006 Athens Popfest, and at CMJ Music Festival
in New York City
.
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
that formed in 2003.
Recording songs that combined a 1960's psychedelic nostalgia with ironic and literate lyrics, The Happy Bullets began when indie songwriters Jason Roberts
Jason Eric Roberts
Jason Eric Roberts is a musician, activist, urban advocate and co-founder of the Dallas, Texas organization Bike Friendly Oak Cliff.He is a songwriter and performer in Dallas-based indie pop band The Happy Bullets...
and Tim Ruble met while working together at an art gallery in a suburb of Dallas. After a home recording demo was released and played on local radio, Roberts quickly recruited his wife, Andrea to learn bass guitar while lending vocal support to several of the bands more pop-oriented songs. Additional members were later added including Josh McKibben of The Sons of Sound, James Porter
James Porter
James Porter may refer to:*James Porter , U.S. Representative from New York*James Porter , former member of the Australian House of Representatives...
from The Tah Dahs
The Tah Dahs
The Tah Dahs are a Dallas-based indie rock band formed in 2001 by Roy Ivy and James Porter. The original lineup started as a five piece and included friends Chris Fowler on rhythm and Wurlitzer, Michael Bryant on guitar and Rebecca Kraemer on viola. Ivy left for a year's stint to tour and record...
and Drawn By Jaymz, and Kris Youmans of The Paper Chase
The Paper Chase (band)
The Paper Chase was an alternative rock band formed in 1998 by well known producer/engineer John Congleton in Dallas, Texas, signed to Kill Rock Stars and Southern Records. Their Albums "God Bless Your Black Heart" and "Now You Are One Of Us" have been released on vinyl by the Austrian label Trost...
.
2004 saw the release of The Happy Bullets first record, Blue Skies and Umbrellas and was quickly followed up in 2005 with The Vice and Virtue Ministry
The Vice and Virtue Ministry
The Vice and Virtue Ministry is the second album by The Happy Bullets. The album's name is a direct reference to the Vice and Virtue Ministry, a division of the Taliban.- Track listing :All tracks written by Jason Roberts and Tim Ruble...
, engineered by Stuart Sikes
Stuart Sikes
Stuart Sikes is an American recording engineer.He has won a Grammy Award in 2005 in the Best Country Album category for engineering the album Van Lear Rose by Loretta Lynn. He also produced critically acclaimed singer Cat Power's 2006 Shortlist Music Prize- winning album The Greatest.-External...
(Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington, by singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. They are based in Portland, Oregon. Since their 1996 debut album, This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think...
, Cat Power
Cat Power
Charlyn Marie Marshall , also known as Chan Marshall or by her stage name Cat Power, is an American singer/songwriter and occasional actress and model. Cat Power was originally the name of Marshall's first band, but has come to refer to her musical projects with various backing bands...
, the Promise Ring
The Promise Ring
The Promise Ring is an American emo band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In their early years, their music was usually classified as emo, but their later albums could be described more accurately as indie pop. They split up in 2002 and temporarily reunited in 2005...
) and released on the upstart Dallas indie label Undeniable Records. The latter gained the band critical acclaim on the national college radio circuit and led to shared bills with Mates of State
Mates of State
Mates of State are an American indie pop duo, active since 1997. The group is composed of the husband-and-wife team of Kori Gardner and Jason Hammel .Over the course of the band's fourteen year career, they've released three EPs and six full-length, studio...
, Architecture in Helsinki
Architecture in Helsinki
Architecture in Helsinki is an Australian indie pop band which consists of Cameron Bird, Gus Franklin, Jamie Mildren, Sam Perry, and Kellie Sutherland...
, and Of Montreal
Of Montreal
Of Montreal is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. It was founded by frontman Kevin Barnes in 1996, named after a failed romance with a woman "of Montreal." The band is one of the bands of the Elephant 6 collective...
.
In 2006, the Happy Bullets toured throughout the United States performing in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
at the SXSW Music Festival, Athens, Georgia
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
at the 2006 Athens Popfest, and at CMJ Music Festival
College Music Journal
College Music Journal, commonly known as CMJ, is a music events/publishing company which hosts an annual festival in New York City, the CMJ Music Marathon, as well as a weekly magazine of and for the music industry and college radio stations in the United States and Canada. It publishes top 30...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Discography
- Blue Skies and Umbrellas (2004)
- The Vice and Virtue MinistryThe Vice and Virtue MinistryThe Vice and Virtue Ministry is the second album by The Happy Bullets. The album's name is a direct reference to the Vice and Virtue Ministry, a division of the Taliban.- Track listing :All tracks written by Jason Roberts and Tim Ruble...
(2005) - Hydropanic at the Natatorium (2010)