Cloud Cult

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Cloud Cult
Origin Minneapolis, Minnesota
Genre(s) Art rock
Experimental
Indie pop
Baroque pop
Years active 1995—present
Label(s) Earthology Records
Website http://www.cloudcult.com
Members
Craig Minowa
Arlen Peiffer
Sarah Young
Shawn Neary
Shannon Frid
Connie Minowa
Scott West
Former members
Eduardo Vaz
Mara Stemm
Matthew Freed
Dan Greenwood

Cloud Cult is an experimental indie rock band led by singer/songwriter Craig Minowa.

Contents

[edit] History

Cloud Cult developed in the mid-nineties as Craig Minowa recruited artists to contribute to his solo recordings. This early work earned Cloud Cult several offers from record labels, but all were rejected in favor of self-publishing.[1]

In 1997, lead singer Craig Minowa created Earthology Records to release his band's recordings. This nonprofit label uses only recycled materials and donates all profits to environmental charities.[2] The band also tours in a biodiesel van.[3] However, this environmentalism rarely shows up in the band's lyrics.

The most common theme to Cloud Cult's songs is the 2002 death of Craig and Connie Minowa's baby son Kaidin. After this tragedy Craig wrote over a hundred songs to deal with the loss.[4]

One of the most distinctive features of Cloud Cult shows is the live painting by Connie Minowa and Scott West. Over the course of a show they each complete a painting that is auctioned off at the end.[5]

Cloud Cult released a new album entitled Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes) on April 8, 2008 and a Cloud Cult documentary will also come out this year.[6] Craig has said that this might be the final Cloud Cult album: "I don't think there's going to be another Cloud Cult album for a while. It could be never, I don't know."[7]

[edit] Trivia

 Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.
  • The band's name originated from the ancient prophecies of indigenous North Americans.[8]
  • Cloud Cult has been known to cover Bob Dylan's "Mr. Tambourine Man". A studio cut is available on Spinout Record’s Duluth Does Dylan Revisited, a compilation of Bob Dylan covers that reflects how the local music culture has been influenced by being the birthplace of the music icon. A live version of the band's cover is featured on Live at KEXP, Volume III, a 2007 album produced by KEXP-FM, a Seattle public radio station.[9]

[edit] Band members

[edit] Discography

[edit] References

  1. ^ First Avenue - Event Listing: CLOUD CULT
  2. ^ cloud cult 1sheet.indd
  3. ^ An interview with Craig Minowa of green-leaning band Cloud Cult | By David Roberts | Grist | Main Dish | 18 Apr 2007
  4. ^ First Avenue - Event Listing: CLOUD CULT
  5. ^ KEXP Blog » Blog Archive » Cloud Cult announce tour, give away tix + talk about art
  6. ^ Surviving the Golden Age: Interview: Craig Minowa of Cloud Cult
  7. ^ Raihala, Ross. "The Band: Cloud Cult." St. Paul Pioneer Press 6 Apr. 2008: E8.
  8. ^ Surviving the Golden Age: Interview: Craig Minowa of Cloud Cult
  9. ^ KEXP Blog » Live @ KEXP Vol. 3

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Cloud Cult
Craig Minowa · Arlen Peiffer · Sarah Young · Shannon Frid · Shawn Neary · Connie Minowa · Scott West
Eduardo Vaz · Mara Stemm · Matthew Freed
Studio albums
Record labels
Earthology Records
Languages