Suneaters (band)

Suneaters
Origin Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Genres space rock, scientist rock, post-punk, alternative rock, psychedelic rock, post graduate rock
Years active 2008 - present
Labels Lotuspool Records
Associated acts Weightmen, Krafty Lovelordz, Grabankles, Dead Mush, A. Graham and the Moment Band, The Pickles, Grabbag of Fathers, The Doctor, The Blue Leaves, Golden Axe, Post Orgasmic Trauma, Busy Signal, The 5-9 Easy Pieces, Julia Surrendered, Overcum: A U2 Tribute, Bully Pulpit
Website http://www.lotuspool.com/
Members Scott Hartley, Chris Garibaldi, David Saab, Matt Nalbach, Mark Silverberg, Matthew Ku
Past members Michael McMillian, Sarah Hartley, Sarah Garibaldi, Sloan Looney, Ilo Kratins, Josh Warren, Asif Ladik

Suneaters are an American psychedelic, rock and roll band formed in Kansas City, Missouri in 2008. Consisting of core members, Christopher Garibaldi, Scott Hartley, Christopher Cardwell and Michael Judd. Suneaters’ debut LP “One” was released in October 2011 on Lotuspool Records, an independent record label started by Garibaldi in the early 1990s. Suneaters advocate what they call a DIT (Do-it-together) culture – a variation on the DIY (Do-it-yourself) punk rock ethos. DIT emphasizes collaboration, collective action, art sharing, and experimentation in fracturing the dominant music industry paradigms.

History

Suneaters blossomed from the quiet demise of Los Angeles, California glam rock band The Doctor. The Doctor, which began as a mere diversion, was directed by Garibaldi, artist Mark Silverberg and writer/actor Michael McMillian. Due to external artistic commitments, The Doctor was unable to sustain its early mass and velocity. Garibaldi, returning to Kansas City from L.A., recruited Scott Hartley, a local Dadaist, to play bass, and David Saab, poet/attorney/raconteur, on drums, aspiring to reignite The Doctor’s flame. This trio formed the nascent Suneaters.

Musical style and Philosophy

Suneaters cite as their primary musical influences SST Records, Led Zeppelin, Hanatarash, Flipper, INXS, Kool Keith, and Graham Nash. Suneaters purposefully eschew traditional live performance venues, opting instead to perform at events or unconventional locations such as leftist political rallies, knitting circles, flea markets, film festivals, tournaments, independent retail establishments, meadows. Suneaters claim that nothing valuable can result from playing in the jaded and indoctrinated environment of the rock and roll club. The band claims this philosophy is largely a product of more than 25 years of Suneaters’ members participating in traditional club-playing bands.

Suneaters live performances are derivative of Allan Kaprow’s classic “happenings.” incorporating children, animals, direct audience confrontation, food, film, and prose. They claim live actions to be the most pure way to create an egalitarian DIT culture in which everyone and everything has discernible value and can contribute their art, whatever it may be.

References