Crystal Antlers

Crystal Antlers is an American band from Long Beach, California.

History

Origins

The band started as a 3 piece, Kevin Stuart (drums), Errol Davis (guitar) and Jonny Bell (bass/vocals) in late 2006 in Long Beach, California. Stuart, Davis and Bell met while attending a music class in high school. Later, the three all worked together as chimney sweeps for an eccentric boss who helped them purchase musical equipment in exchange for learning cover songs.

The first single was recorded at Closer Studio in San Francisco. The A-side of the single was the first song written by the band "Parting Song For The Torn Sky" which was later re-mixed and included on the band's first EP. The B-side featured a cover of Blue Cheer's version of Mose Allison's "Parchman Farm" which had to be included as a condition of the agreement with the label Majic Wallet.

After the band recorded the first single, Victor Rodriguez-Guerrero joined the band on organ. In 2007, the band made another addition, Damian Edwards on percussion. Damian had been a long-time friend of the band, as well as the drummer and leader of a side-project called Black Geisha which featured Bell (bass/vocals) and Davis (keys). Edwards originally joined the band during its first West Coast tour. He had come along as the tour manager and unexpectedly joined the band on stage while performing in Oakland, California.

A second single was released in 2007 under the label Backflip, out of Orange, California. The single was produced by guitarist Michael Belfer of the influential late 1970s punk/experimental bands The Sleepers and Tuxedomoon and recorded at the legendary, Mama Jo's.^[2] The single featured the song "Until The Sun Dies (Part 2)" which was later re-recorded for the EP, backed with "Swamp Song." At the release show for the single, Isaiah "Ikey" Owens performed with the band playing organ.

Crystal Antlers EP, Tentacles, and Touch & Go Records (2008–2009)

In the fall of 2007, Crystal Antlers began recording its first EP with producer Issiah "Ikey" Owens, who had been making regular guest appearances with the band for several months. After the majority of the tracking was complete, guitarist Errol Davis left the band to pursue other interests and Andrew King joined. Edwards and King had played together previously in a band with H.R. from Bad Brains. King played guitar on the track "Until The Sun Dies (Part 2)".

In March 2008 the band self-released the EP to great critical acclaim and began touring extensively, joining the F-Yeah Tour which featured Monotonix, Dan Deacon, Circle Jerks, Team Robespierre, Death Set and many more. In the summer 2008 the band signed with the label Touch and Go records, who re-issued the EP with new art by Jefferson Mayday Mayday. The original version of the EP featured a cropped version of the painting "The Robbing Of The Bride" by Dada artist Max Ernst.

After signing with Touch and Go the band quickly began work on its first full-length release entitled Tentacles. The album consisted of new songs as well as a few songs written previous to the EP. Immediately following the recording, the band left for its first European tour in support of the EP and the soon to be released Tentacles. The tour lasted two-months and was filmed by director Michael Reich for a feature-length scripted film starring the band. The film tentatively titled Until The Sun Dies has yet to be released.

During the tour the band was notified that its label Touch and Go would be drastically downsizing and would no longer be releasing new records. Tentacles was released on April 7, 2009 and was the last new release issued by Touch and Go. The band spent the rest of 2009 touring the US and Europe in support of the release. The artist Janet Beeler did the cover art and layout for Tentacles.

2010

In the summer of 2009, organist Victor Rodriguez-Guerrero left the band and was replaced by Cora Foxx. In the fall of 2009 the band self-released a tape entitled "Tapes Volume 1 Tentacles Era" featuring home recordings, previously unreleased demos and other rarities. The tape is to be the first in a series of very limited hand made releases by the band.

In February 2010, the band briefly moved into a barn in La Punta Banda, Mexico to begin writing for its next album entitled "Two-Way Mirror".

2013

On October 15, the band released its third album, "Nothing Is Real".

Members

Current

• Jonny Bell – bass, woodwinds, vocals
• Andrew King – guitar
• Kevin Stuart – drums

Former

• Victor Rodriguez - organ
• Errol Davis – guitar, organ
• Cora Foxx - organ
• Damian Edwards – percussion

Discography

Studio Albums

Singles

Collections & Compilations

References

Notes

Official Website www.crystalantlers.com

Further reading

• Review, Pitchfork Media
• Review, The Independent
• Review, Dusted Magazine
• Artist to Watch, XLR8R
• Review, PopMatters
• Review, Citizen Dick