| Nightcaps | |
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Nightcaps (1997), left to right: Robert Fucci, Dan Cunneen, John Broeckel, Theresa Hannam, Garth Brandenburg (photo: Mark Van S) |
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Seattle, Washington, USA |
| Genres | Pop, Jazz, Soul, Lounge |
| Years active | 1994–Current |
(“Nightcaps” should not be confused with The Nightcaps, a Texas garage rock band that had a national hit in 1962 with Wine, Wine, Wine)
Nightcaps were an American Lounge music (or “Cocktail Nation”) band from Seattle, Washington active from 1994 until 2002.
Nightcaps were an integral part if the mid 1990s Lounge music resurgence that included bands such as Combustible Edison, Squirrel Nut Zippers and Love Jones. Nightcaps had an impact on the genre as one of the few lounge bands that avoided kitsch, while adding elements of punk rock and garage rock to their sound. Nightcaps combined American jazz, soul, blues and jump swing with their punk-rock roots to create a sound that was influenced by artists such as Sarah Vaughn, Henry Mancini and Oscar Brown Jr., as well as Nancy Sinatra, Joe Tex and The Sonics.[1]
Contents |
Nightcaps were originally conceived and formed in 1994 by drummer Dan Cunneen (Final Warning, The Obituaries, Zipgun) and vocalist Theresa Hannam. Guitarist Garth Brandenburg and bassist William "Bill" Herzog (Citizens Utilities, Joel RL Phelps and the Downer Trio, Jesse Sykes and the Sweet Hereafter) rounded out the original quartet. In 1995, Lauren Abady (the first of 4 eventual saxophonists), John Broeckel (percussion) and bassist Robert Fucci (replacing Herzog) joined the group.
The first Nightcaps release, the Gambler's Game/For Me single, was released in 1995 on the Nightcaps own label, Rendezvous Recordings. (The Nightcaps ultimately released two other singles: I Don't Like You/Love You More on Sub-Pop, in early 1996 and You Lied/Last of the Secret Agents on Estrus Records in 1998).
The success of the first two singles and the band's growing live reputation led to a manufacturing and distribution agreement with Sub-Pop for the Nightcaps first compact disc, Split. Released in 1997 and bearing the Rendezvous Recordings trademark, Split contained 12 original songs written by the songwriting team of Cunneen, Hannam and Brandenburg.
In 2000, the Nightcaps released their second CD, Get On, on the Rendezvous Recordings label. With darker lyrical themes than Split and the addition of keyboardist/guitarist Tor Midtskog and the return of Bill Herzog on bass, the Nightcaps' music evolved from jazzy pop and swing into a harder edged, 1960's soul-rock sound.
In 2002 the B-side of their Sub-Pop single, a re-working of the Buzzcocks tune "Love You More” appeared on a compilation by Japanese DJ Masanori Ikeda called Spinout 3, released in Japan by V2 Records.
In 2003 A "Best of" retrospective titled I Don't Like You, was released in Japan on the User Records label.
In September, 2011 the Nightcaps albums Split and Get On were released digitally worldwide for the first time and a new Nightcaps album, In the Live Room (+the singles) was released by Rendezvous Recordings.