Lightning Bolt
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Lightning Bolt | ||
|---|---|---|
 Brian Gibson and Brian Chippendale
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| Background information | ||
| Origin | Providence, Rhode Island | |
| Genre(s) | Noise Rock, Instrumental rock | |
| Years active | 1994–present | |
| Label(s) | Load Records | |
| Website | Official site | |
| Members | ||
| Brian Chippendale Brian Gibson |
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| Former members | ||
| Hisham Bharoocha | ||
Lightning Bolt is a noise rock duo from Providence, Rhode Island, presently composed of Brian Chippendale and Brian Gibson. They are one of the most well known of the bands connected to Providence's Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) music scene.
The band formed while Chippendale and Gibson attended RISD, when Chippendale heard about "a new kid" who was a whiz on the bass guitar. At the same time, Chippendale was preparing to set up Fort Thunder[citation needed], a disused warehouse space in the Olneyville district of Providence that came to house a number of different avant-garde artists and musicians, including Brian Ralph.
Formed in 1994, Lightning Bolt's initial line-up featured Brian Chippendale on drums, Brian Gibson on bass guitar, with Hisham Bharoocha on guitar and vocals joining the group after their first show. Chippendale took over vocal duties when Bharoocha left in 1996. The only officially released music with Bharoocha was a track on the Repopulation Program compilation. Bharoocha later joined Black Dice as drummer.
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[edit] Sound
The band's music takes cues from Japanese noise rock bands such as Boredoms and Ruins, although jazz composer Sun Ra is an acknowledged influence. The band's Dadaist sound consists of Brian Chippendale's frenetic drumming, his usually incomprehensible vocals, and Brian Gibson's bass guitar playing.
Chippendale eschews the usual microphone stand and conventional microphone, instead using the type of microphone built into a household telephone receiver, held in his mouth or attached to a hood. This microphone is then run through an effects processor to further alter the sound. Chippendale has also used a KMD 8021 Drum Exciter, a simple drum-synth module, triggered by the bass drum.
Brian Gibson plays his bass guitar tuned to cello standard tuning, in intervals of fifths (C G D A), using a banjo string for the high A. He used this four-string setup for several years, but has recently been seen using a five-string setup, tuned to C G D A E, with banjo strings for the A and E. Gibson also uses several effects pedals, including overdrive pedals, an octaver, a delay pedal, and a whammy pedal (pitch shifter).
Like other noise rock bands, Lightning Bolt mostly plays extremely loud, aggressive music. In the film The Power of Salad, Gibson attributes much of their success to volume:
| “ |
We used to get more negative reactions when [we] didn't have as loud of stuff. It's just, be super loud and you're all set. (laughs) The rock and roll has been revealed. I do feel that that's the message - if there's any message, that's what it is. This is kinda what we do to keep ourselves excited these days. In these days - everyone knows what I'm talking about. (laughs)[1] |
” |
Perhaps for this reason, the band has reportedly never been a fan of the studio recording process.[citation needed] When they recorded five tracks for their eponymous debut album released in 1999, they discarded four of them and replaced them with lo-fi tracks recorded at various live shows from '97 and '98. They went on to release traditionally-recorded studio LPs Ride the Skies and Wonderful Rainbow. For Hypermagic Mountain, about half the tracks were recorded in a house, direct to a 2-track DAT master tape, where the audio engineer was unable to tell exactly how the final result would sound.
Since the band is only comprised of two members and two instruments, their sound has a somewhat limited range, though this is often noted as a positive thing. In a recent interview, Gibson states that his experiences in Lightning Bolt "has showed me the power of an extremely limited palette."[2]
Lightning Bolt's lyrics are generally silly and tongue-in-cheek, covering such topics as fairy tales, heavy metal clichés, terrorism, anarchy, and superheroes. They delve occasionally into more political subjects (e.g. "Dead Cowboy"), albeit in a humorous tone. The band's album art/ song titles/ album titles are all generally done in a childlike, irreverent manner.
[edit] Live performances
Lightning Bolt are renowned for preferring to put on so-called "guerilla gigs" in venues not usually played at by "established" bands. They prefer to play on the floor of the venue rather than the stage, creating a tight circle of spectators around the band. They have been known to start playing only a few seconds after the previous band finishes, often taking the audience by surprise. As their live setup has become larger and more elaborate, they have taken to setting up their equipment beforehand. Lightning Bolt's on-stage persona, like its lyrical content, is similarly tongue-in-cheek. Also, Chippendale often wears an odd, brightly-colored mask over his face, usually pieced together from various pieces of cloth.
Lightning Bolt played at noon at the door of radio DJ John Peel's chalet during the All Tomorrow's Parties festival 2004, about which neighbor Steve Albini of Big Black commented: "Best alarm clock I've ever had."[3] They have also played on moving tractor trailers[citation needed], in kitchens,[1] and in the parking lots of abandoned drive-in movie theaters.[citation needed]
On June 5, 2006, it was reported on the band's webpage that Lightning Bolt had been deported from Japan days after they arrived to continue their tour from the U.K. Band members were detained on arrival on the grounds that they did not have work permits. Their official appeal was rejected after 48 hours, and they were deported back to the U.S. A report on the incident can be found here.
[edit] Trivia
- The song "Dracula Mountain" has been covered live by the U.K. rock band Muse. Muse has namechecked Lightning Bolt in interviews [1], but with clearly limited knowledge of both geography (describing Lightning Bolt as being from Boston) and music terminology (referring to the band as "skronk"). The cover includes numerous deviations from the original track, most notably being shorter and at a slower tempo.
- The song "Saint Jacques" on Ride the Skies is named after bassist Dan St. Jacques, a friend of the band and member of the bands Olneyville Sound System, Vincebus Eruptum (former) and Landed, the latter of which both Brian Gibson and Brian Chippendale are former members.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- Lightning Bolt (Load) (1999)
- Zone 50-minute companion cassette (Load) (1999)
- Ride the Skies (Load) (2001)
- Wonderful Rainbow (Load) (2003)
- Hypermagic Mountain (Load) (2005)
- Funny Farm (mid to late 2007)[citation needed]
[edit] 7-inch records
- Split (with Forcefield) (1997)
- Conan (2000)
- Ultra Cross Vol. 1 (split with Guitar Wolf) (Ki/oon Records) (2006) (Released in Japan only)[4]
[edit] Video
- The Power of Salad DVD (2003)
- Pick a Winner (2004)
[edit] Appearances on compilations
- Repopulation Program (Load) (1996)
- Fruited Other Surfaces (Vermiform) (1999)
- You're Soaking in It (Load) (1999)
- Bad Music for Bad People (Trash Art) (2000)
- Mish Mash Mush Mega Mix (2000)
- U.S. Pop Life Vol. 7: Random Access Music Machine (2001)
- KFJC Live from the Devil's Triangle Vol. III (2001)
- Real Slow Radio (Fort Thunder) (2001)
- Old Tyme Lemonade (Hospital Productions) (2001)
- If The Twenty-First Century Didn't Exist, It Would Be Necessary To Invent It (5RC) (2002)
- U.S. Pop Life Vol. 12: Random Slice of Life at Ft. Thunder - Bands Who Played At (2002)
- I Love Guitar Wolf...Very Much (Narnack Records) (2005)
- A Benefit For Our Friends (DMBQ Tribute CD) (No label) (2005)
[edit] References
- ^ a b Peter Glantz, Nick Noe. The Power of Salad [DVD]. Load Records.
- ^ Lightning Bolt: Interview by Ryan. LOTSOFNOISE.com. Retrieved on March 21, 2007.
- ^ Harley, Kevin. "All Tomorrow's Parties, Camber Sands, East Sussex", The Independent, 2004-03-31. Retrieved on March 23, 2007.
- ^ Stosuy, Brandon (2006-12-05). Interview: Brian Chippendale. Pitchfork Media. Retrieved on March 21, 2007.
