Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin

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SSLYBY in concert. Moscow, Russia
SSLYBY in concert. Moscow, Russia

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin (SSLYBY) is an American indie pop band from Springfield, Missouri. Their first full-length album Broom, independently released in 2005, received good reviews from Spin Magazine and they are now signed with Polyvinyl Record Co.. The band's name refers to Boris Yeltsin, the first President of Russia (1990-1999).

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early Years (pre-2002)

Will Knauer and Philip Dickey were mutual high school friends, growing up in Springfield. Phil and Will were in different bands that both "tried to sound like Nirvana."[1] After Will and Phil's high school bands broke up (Wharf and Thinking Vision, respectively), the two started playing together on Weller Street and Phil came up with the new name.[2]

The new songs needed a new band name, so we chose something really dumb, because we were only practicing in Will's attic. There were 2 girls who would watch us practice and I wanted to make them laugh...and I wanted the guys in Wharf to laugh...so that's when I came up with Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin. Boris Yeltsin recently resigned and I was 17.

[edit] Broom (2002-2005)

Phil and John Robert met in 2002 during their freshman year of college and started writing together; many of their early collaborations ended up on Broom.

SSLYBY released a split record with Michael Holt, formerly of the San Francisco cult band the Mommyheads, on Catbird Records (a label started by the blog site Catbirdseat) in 2004.

Back in Springfield, the band practiced and recorded in Will's house on Weller Street, which is featured in much of their art work, including pictures on various blogs, their website, the artwork for Broom, and the music video for Broom's opening track, Pangea. The band recorded Broom in that same house over 8 months in 2005 and gigged together in and around Springfield.

The album was seen as an indie success, and received favorable press in Spin Magazine and internet buzz from blogs like You Ain't No Picasso and Bars and Guitars as well as a favorable review in Pitchfork.[5]

In February 2006, the band went on tour with Catfish Haven (from the Secretly Canadian label) and on April 27, 2006, the band's song "Oregon Girl" was featured on an episode of The OC, although the band still had no record label at the time. While on the same tour, the band met a representative from Polyvinyl Record Co. and a booking agent. [3]

In spring 2006 SSLYBY contributed three songs to a split cd produced by the Springfield-based literary magazine Things That Are True. The cd accompanied the sixth issue, called Haircuts, and also featured songs by Nathaniel Carroll.

[edit] Polyvinyl (2006-present)

While on the tour, it was reported that the band had signed to Polyvinyl Records and would release a re-mastered version of Broom on 24 October 2006.[4] Because the original version of the album was recorded by the band with their own equipment (including a Boss digital multitrack recorder using only Shure SM57 and SM58 microphones), it was not professionally mastered to the same level as most industry-standard releases. The lo-fi sound drew many critics and listeners to the band, and the remaster keeps most of that sound intact, although the difference between the two releases is evident even to the untrained ear.[5]

Jonathan, the drummer, left the band in early 2006, and was replaced by Jake Viele for the summer tour. For a brief stint in 2006, Warren Sandwell of the band El Minotaur filled in on drums for touring. Recently, Jonathan James has been seen behind the kit with the band again.

In July 2007, SSLYBY performed at the Afisha Picnic Festival in Moscow, Russia. Film director Israel Anthem, and former band member Tom Hembree accompanied the band on their trip.

The band's highly anticipated follow up to Broom, Pershing, was released on April 8th, 2008 on Polyvinyl Records. Preorder copies of the album were shipped early and received March 31, 2008. These copies featured bonus material including extra songs (via download), stickers, posters, and Airheads.

The band recently teamed up band managers Bob Andrews and Adam Klavohn at Undertow Music.

[edit] Members

  • Philip Dickey (singer/songwriter/drummer/guitar)
  • Will Knauer (songwriter/lead guitarist)
  • John Robert Cardwell (singer/bass/songwriter/guitar)
  • Jonathan James (drummer/bass)


[edit] Discography

[edit] Studio Albums

[edit] Other releases

  • 2004 Split CD Vol. 6 (with Gwyn and Grace) - Sew, Sew, Suck Your Toe (Generic Equivalent)
  • 2004 Two People... Probably Talking About Me EP / Gwyn and Grace EP (Generic Equivalent)
  • 2005 Someone Still Loves You Michael Holt (Catbird Records / CBR 001)
  • 2006 'Haircuts' split cd w/Nathaniel Carroll (Things That Are True)
  • 2006 Broom (re-released on Polyvinyl Records)
  • 2007 Not Worth Fighting Single (Polyvinyl Records / PRC-134)
  • 2007 Pangea single (Polyvinyl Records)

[edit] Other Projects

  • Yawn
  • MC Migraine Head
  • The Current Group
  • mrPunch
  • Wharf
  • Thinking Version

[edit] References

  1. ^ [1] Interview with Philip Dickey
  2. ^ [2]Ibid
  3. ^ [3]Ibid
  4. ^ "Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin Sign to Polyvinyl", Pitchfork Media, 19 June 2006. 
  5. ^ [4] Thoughtworthy Media Podcast Interview

[edit] External links

Interviews
Languages