The Minders
Encyclopedia
The Minders is a band closely associated with The Elephant Six Collective. Started by Martyn Leaper in Denver, Colorado
in 1996, the band's original members included Leaper on guitars and vocals, Rebecca Cole on drums, Jeff Almond on guitar, and Marc Willhite on bass.
Leaper formed the Minders in Denver with Tammy Ealom, who, along with Robert Schneider
and Hilarie Sidney
from The Apples in Stereo
, recorded Paper Plane EP. Ealom soon left Leaper to start Dressy Bessy
, citing artistic differences, and Leaper recorded the "Come On & Hear 7"," allegedly one of the fastest selling Elephant 6 releases in history. At this time, Leaper began attempting to form a more permanent band after releasing "Paper Plane" on 7".
With a permanent lineup set, the band was able to release Rocket 58 as an EP and sign to spinART Records
, who released their first album Hooray for Tuesday
in 1998. Touring and the release of some other singles ensued, and the band split, with Leaper and Cole moving from Denver to Portland, OR and recruiting future Jicks
bassist Joanna Bolme
. The minor upheaval resulted in the eventual release of Cul-De-Sacs And Dead Ends
, a compilation of singles and b-sides
.
Bolme left the Minders shortly after the release of the band's second proper album, Golden Street
, in 2001. Almond and Willhite regrouped with the band in time to release their third album in 2002, The Future's Always Perfect.
In the spring of 2008, Cole left the band.
In 2011, they reunited and recorded a track for 2011 PDX Pop Now! CD.
and singles on a variety of record labels.
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
in 1996, the band's original members included Leaper on guitars and vocals, Rebecca Cole on drums, Jeff Almond on guitar, and Marc Willhite on bass.
Leaper formed the Minders in Denver with Tammy Ealom, who, along with Robert Schneider
Robert Schneider
Robert Peter Schneider is one of the co-founders of The Elephant 6 Recording Company, along with Will Cullen Hart, Bill Doss, and Jeff Mangum...
and Hilarie Sidney
Hilarie Sidney
Hilarie Sidney is a musician most famously recognized as the longtime drummer for The Apples in Stereo. She was previously married to Apples in Stereo frontman and Elephant 6 co-founder Robert Schneider. Their divorce became publicly acknowledged in 2004...
from The Apples in Stereo
The Apples in Stereo
The Apples in Stereo, styled The Apples in stereo, is an American indie rock band associated with The Elephant Six Collective, a group of bands also including Neutral Milk Hotel and The Olivia Tremor Control. The band is largely a product of lead vocalist/guitarist Robert Schneider, who writes the...
, recorded Paper Plane EP. Ealom soon left Leaper to start Dressy Bessy
Dressy Bessy
Dressy Bessy is an indie rock band from Denver, Colorado, associated with the Elephant Six Collective. Guitarist John Hill also plays with The Apples in Stereo. Lead vocalist/guitarist Tammy Ealom formed the band with drummer Darren Albert and guitarist turned bassist Rob Greene in 1996. The name...
, citing artistic differences, and Leaper recorded the "Come On & Hear 7"," allegedly one of the fastest selling Elephant 6 releases in history. At this time, Leaper began attempting to form a more permanent band after releasing "Paper Plane" on 7".
With a permanent lineup set, the band was able to release Rocket 58 as an EP and sign to spinART Records
SpinART Records
spinART Records is a now-defunct New York City-based independent record label that released recordings by artists such as The Apples in Stereo, Clem Snide, Frank Black and Michael Penn....
, who released their first album Hooray for Tuesday
Hooray for Tuesday
Hooray for Tuesday is the debut album by Denver-based Elephant 6 band The Minders.-Track listing:All songs by Martyn Leaper except where noted.#"Hooray for Tuesday" – 3:12#"Pauline" – 2:24#"Joey's Pez" – 1:52#"Comfortably Tucked Up Inside" – 2:27...
in 1998. Touring and the release of some other singles ensued, and the band split, with Leaper and Cole moving from Denver to Portland, OR and recruiting future 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:...
bassist 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...
. The minor upheaval resulted in the eventual release of Cul-De-Sacs And Dead Ends
Cul-De-Sacs and Dead Ends
Cul-De-Sacs and Dead Ends is a compilation of B-sides and singles by The Minders.-Track listing:#"Build" - 1:52#"Almost Arms" - 1:30#"Chatty Patty" - 2:22#"Paper Plane" - 3:06#"Sally" - 2:04#"Big Machine" - 1:50#"Rocket 58" - 1:32...
, a compilation of singles and b-sides
B-Sides
B-Sides is an iTunes-exclusive album from the Coventry Trio The Enemy, consisting of ten songs that were B-sides to the single releases from their debut album We'll Live and Die in These Towns.-Track list:#Fear Killed the Youth of Our Nation...
.
Bolme left the Minders shortly after the release of the band's second proper album, Golden Street
Golden Street
Golden Street is the second album by The Minders.-Track listing:#"Golden Street" - 3:07#"Light" - 2:11#"Treehouse - 4:10#"Hand on Heart" - 2:58#"We Never Shout" - 4:11#"Give Me Strength" - 2:32#"Right as Rain" - 4:15#"Instrumental" - 0:57...
, in 2001. Almond and Willhite regrouped with the band in time to release their third album in 2002, The Future's Always Perfect.
In the spring of 2008, Cole left the band.
In 2011, they reunited and recorded a track for 2011 PDX Pop Now! CD.
Discography
The Minders have released their albums on spinART, but have also released a number of EPsExtended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
and singles on a variety of record labels.
Albums
- Hooray for TuesdayHooray for TuesdayHooray for Tuesday is the debut album by Denver-based Elephant 6 band The Minders.-Track listing:All songs by Martyn Leaper except where noted.#"Hooray for Tuesday" – 3:12#"Pauline" – 2:24#"Joey's Pez" – 1:52#"Comfortably Tucked Up Inside" – 2:27...
(CD/LP) - spinART - 1998 - Cul-De-Sacs and Dead EndsCul-De-Sacs and Dead EndsCul-De-Sacs and Dead Ends is a compilation of B-sides and singles by The Minders.-Track listing:#"Build" - 1:52#"Almost Arms" - 1:30#"Chatty Patty" - 2:22#"Paper Plane" - 3:06#"Sally" - 2:04#"Big Machine" - 1:50#"Rocket 58" - 1:32...
(CD/LP) - spinART - 1999 - Golden StreetGolden StreetGolden Street is the second album by The Minders.-Track listing:#"Golden Street" - 3:07#"Light" - 2:11#"Treehouse - 4:10#"Hand on Heart" - 2:58#"We Never Shout" - 4:11#"Give Me Strength" - 2:32#"Right as Rain" - 4:15#"Instrumental" - 0:57...
(CD/LP) - spinART - 2001 - The Future's Always Perfect (CD) - Future Farmer - 2003
- The Stolen Boy (CD) - self-released tour-only CD - 2004
- It's a Bright Guilty World (CD) - Future Farmer - 2006
Singles and EPs
- "Come On & Hear" (7") - Elephant 6 - 1996
- "Paper Plane" (7") - Elephant 6 - 1996
- "Rocket 58" (7") - 100 Guitar Mania - 1997
- "Black Balloon" (7") Little Army - 1998
- "Right As Rain" (7") EarwormEarworm RecordsEarworm Records was a London-based independent record label, with its first release by the band Hood in 1997. Other bands to release music on the label include Yo La Tengo, Of Montreal, Stars of the Lid, Windy & Carl, Portal, The Besnard Lakes, Fridge, Damon & Naomi and Magnétophone....
- 1999 - Down in Fall (CD) - spinART - 2000
- Split w/ Tobin Sprout (7") - Sprite Recordings - 2002
- "Live at KPSU" (7") - Dirigeable Records - 2002
- "Tearaway" (7") - Omnibus Records - 2003
- Split w/ The Zebras (7") - Low Transit IndustriesLow Transit IndustriesLow Transit Industries is an independent record label founded in Melbourne, Australia in 2003.Artists:AlmaAviator LaneBatriderBlack MountainBlack NielsonBoddickerC.W. StonekingCo-PilgrimDisaster PlanDishpan FingersElf PowerFinishing School...
- 2003