Wooden Stars
Encyclopedia
Wooden Stars are a Canadian
indie rock
band formed in the 1990s. The band, from Ottawa
, consists of vocalist and guitar
ist Julien Beillard, guitarist Mike Feuerstack, bassists
Josh Latour and Mathieu Beillard, and drum
mer Andrew McCormack.
and The Clash
to Georges Brassens
and James Blood Ulmer", released four albums between 1995 and 1999.
Julie Doiron
on the album Julie Doiron and the Wooden Stars
, which won a Juno Award
for Best Alternative Album
. Following that album, the band members concentrated on other projects, although the group never formally disbanded.
In 2004, they reunited to perform at the 40th birthday party of their longtime producer Dave Draves. In early 2005, the band played several reunion shows in Ottawa, Toronto and Hamilton
, and rereleased their old material on Zunior Records
. They released People Are Different
, their first album in seven years, on Sonic Unyon
in 2007.
In addition to the Wooden Stars, various band members have played with, or appeared with a variety of bands in Central Canada. Mike Feuerstack fronts his own band Snailhouse
, played with long running Ottawa outfit Kepler
, performs with Angela Desveaux
, and appears on recent recordings by Bell Orchestre
and Islands
. Andrew McCormack played in CLARK the band
of Ottawa.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
indie rock
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band formed in the 1990s. The band, from Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, consists of vocalist and 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...
ist Julien Beillard, guitarist Mike Feuerstack, bassists
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Josh Latour and Mathieu Beillard, and drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
mer Andrew McCormack.
Style
The band, who describe their music as "a fusion of unlikely influences ranging from XTCXTC
XTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
and The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
to Georges Brassens
Georges Brassens
Georges Brassens , 22 October 1921 – 29 October 1981), was a French singer-songwriter and poet.Brassens was born in Sète, a town in southern France near Montpellier...
and James Blood Ulmer", released four albums between 1995 and 1999.
History
In 1999, the Wooden Stars collaborated with singer-songwriterSinger-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Julie Doiron
Julie Doiron
Julie Doiron is an award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter of Acadian heritage.-Background:Doiron started playing guitar in Eric's Trip at the age of eighteen, having joined the band at the insistence of her then-boyfriend, Rick White, also of Eric's Trip...
on the album Julie Doiron and the Wooden Stars
Julie Doiron and the Wooden Stars
Julie Doiron and the Wooden Stars is a 1999 album recorded by Julie Doiron in collaboration with the indie rock band Wooden Stars. It represented the first time that Doiron had collaborated with a band since the end of Eric's Trip....
, which won a Juno Award
Juno Award
The Juno Awards are presented annually to Canadian musical artists and bands to acknowledge their artistic and technical achievements in all aspects of music...
for Best Alternative Album
Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year
The Juno Award for Alternative Album of the Year is presented annually at Canada's Juno Awards to honour the best album of the year in the alternative rock and/or indie rock genres...
. Following that album, the band members concentrated on other projects, although the group never formally disbanded.
In 2004, they reunited to perform at the 40th birthday party of their longtime producer Dave Draves. In early 2005, the band played several reunion shows in Ottawa, Toronto and Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, and rereleased their old material on Zunior Records
Zunior Records
Zunior.com is a Canadian online independent record label and music store, started by Dave Ullrich, formerly of The Inbreds, in 2004.The store primarily sells digital music from independent artists, in MP3 format without digital rights management protection. Most albums are sold at a price of $8.88...
. They released People Are Different
People Are Different
People Are Different is an album by Canadian indie rock band Wooden Stars, released in 2007 on Sonic Unyon. It is the band's first new album since 1999's Julie Doiron and the Wooden Stars.-Track listing:# "Orphans"# "Pretty Girl"# "Blackouts"...
, their first album in seven years, on Sonic Unyon
Sonic Unyon
Sonic Unyon Recording Company is an independent record label based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The retail store is located on Wilson Street near James Street North)...
in 2007.
In addition to the Wooden Stars, various band members have played with, or appeared with a variety of bands in Central Canada. Mike Feuerstack fronts his own band Snailhouse
Snailhouse
Snailhouse is the pseudonym of the Canadian indie rock artist Mike Feuerstack. Feuerstack is also the guitarist of indie rock band Wooden Stars. Snailhouse is essentially a solo project with multiple contributing artists, including Julie Doiron of Eric's Trip, with production work by Jeremy Gara of...
, played with long running Ottawa outfit Kepler
Kepler (band)
Kepler was a Canadian indie rock band formed in 1997 from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Kepler initially garnered attention for its exceptionally slow and quiet sound, reminiscent of groups such as Low, Codeine, and Bedhead.-History:...
, performs with Angela Desveaux
Angela Desveaux
Angela Desveaux is a Canadian singer-songwriter, based in Montreal, Quebec, whose style blends a diverse mix of pop, rock and country influences.-Background:...
, and appears on recent recordings by Bell Orchestre
Bell Orchestre
Bell Orchestre is a six-piece instrumental band from Montreal, Quebec, Canada.In late 2003, they recorded their first album, at the same time and in the same studio that Arcade Fire recorded Funeral. However, Arcade Fire's popularity was just beginning to break when they asked Bell Orchestre to...
and Islands
Islands (band)
Islands is a Canadian indie rock band formed in 2005 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, and currently based in Brooklyn, New York.-Return to the Sea:In mid-2005 Islands recorded a debut album titled Return to the Sea, which was released in April 2006...
. Andrew McCormack played in CLARK the band
Clark (band)
CLARK the band was an indie rock band operating out of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.The band was formed in Ottawa in 1999 by John Tielli who sang, played guitar and composed....
of Ottawa.
Discography
- Wooden Stars (7-inch) {1994}
- The Very Same (1995)
- Mardi Gras (1997)
- Rise Up & Get Down (1998)
- The Moon (1999)
- Julie Doiron and the Wooden StarsJulie Doiron and the Wooden StarsJulie Doiron and the Wooden Stars is a 1999 album recorded by Julie Doiron in collaboration with the indie rock band Wooden Stars. It represented the first time that Doiron had collaborated with a band since the end of Eric's Trip....
(1999) - People Are DifferentPeople Are DifferentPeople Are Different is an album by Canadian indie rock band Wooden Stars, released in 2007 on Sonic Unyon. It is the band's first new album since 1999's Julie Doiron and the Wooden Stars.-Track listing:# "Orphans"# "Pretty Girl"# "Blackouts"...
(2007)
External links
- Wooden Stars
- Wooden Stars on Sonic UnyonSonic UnyonSonic Unyon Recording Company is an independent record label based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The retail store is located on Wilson Street near James Street North)...
- Wooden Stars on CBC Radio 3