Tsar (band)
Tsar | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Origin | USA |
Genres | Rock and roll/power pop |
Years active | 1998–present |
Labels | Hollywood Records, TVT Records |
Members |
Jeff Whalen - Guitar & Vocals (1998-) Daniel Kern - Guitar & vocals (1998-) Jeff Solomon - Bass Guitar (1998-2005, 2010-) Steve Coulter - drums (1998-2004, 2010-) |
Past members |
Derrick Forget - Bass Guitar (2005-2006) Chuck Byler - drums (2004-2006) |
Tsar is a rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 1998, with Jeff Whalen on lead vocals and guitar, Daniel Kern on vocals and guitar, Jeff Solomon on bass, and Steve Coulter on drums. They released an eponymous album on Hollywood Records in 2000, which, although a financial disappointment for the label, availed them a number of dedicated fans. Their songs 'Ordinary Gurl' and 'The Girl Who Wouldn't Die' were featured in the movie American Psycho 2. "Calling All Destroyers" was featured in the opening titles for Super.
In 2004 Chuck Byler replaced Coulter and in 2005 Derrick Forget replaced Solomon. In 2005 Tsar released its second full album, Band-Girls-Money, on TVT Records. The album had been recorded nearly two years earlier with Coulter and Solomon. The titular track was included in the soundtrack for the racing games Burnout Revenge and its PSP and DS spin-off Burnout Legends.
In late January 2010, the band's original lineup ( Whalen/Kern/Solomon/Coulter ) reunited. They played a show at the LA Times, & released a new song ( "Girls Try To Be Cool" ).
In 2011, the song "Calling All Destroyers" from the band's debut was used as the song for the animated title sequence of the James Gunn film Super featuring Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler and Kevin Bacon. Later that year Tsar self-released "The Drugboy Tapes," a collection of early demos and live performances from 1998. A split 7-inch featuring the Olsen Twins song "Pool Party" was released by Aderra Records in March 2012.
Members of Tsar have previewed several new songs on Los Angeles internet radio station Moheak.com in 2012. The new material is scheduled for release as an E.P. in August 2012.
Albums
Tsar - July 25, 2000
- 1. Calling All Destroyers
- 2. I Don't Wanna Break-Up
- 3. Silver Shifter
- 4. Kathy Fong Is The Bomb
- 5. The Teen Wizards
- 6. MONoSTEReo
- 7. Afradio, Pt. One & Pt. Two
- 8. Ordinary Gurl
- 9. Disappear
- 10. The Girl Who Wouldn't Die
Band-Girls-Money - June 28, 2005
- 1. Band-Girls-Money
- 2. Wanna Get Dead
- 3. The Love Explosion
- 4. Superdeformed
- 5. Straight
- 6. Wrong
- 7. Everybody's Fault But Mine
- 8. Conqueror Worm
- 9. Startime
- 10. You Can't Always Want What You Get
The Drugboy Tapes (Demos 98) - June 3, 2011
- 1. Afradio
- 2. The Girl Who Wouldn't Die
- 3. Ordinary Gurl
- 4. Kathy Fong Is The Bomb
- 5. Sun Of Light
- 6. The Glower
- 7. I Don't Wanna Break-Up
- 8. Silver Shifter
- 9. Calling All Destroyers (Live on KXLU)
- 10. Monostereo (Live on KXLU)
Split 7-Inch - March 21, 2012
- 1. Janitor by Suburban Lawns (Killola)
- 2. Pool Party by The Olsen Twins (TSAR)
The Dark Stuff - EP - September 4, 2012
- 1. Punctual Alcoholic"
- 2. Police Station
- 3. Little Women
- 4. White Lipstick
- 5. Something Bad Happened to Me
External links
- Tsar MySpace page
- http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2010/01/tsar-live-los-angeles-times.html
- http://www.americanheartbreak.com/rnrgeekwp/2010/02/28/classic-albums-revisited-tsar-jeff-whalen-interview/