Enon

This article is about the indie rock band. For the robot made by Fujitsu, see Enon (robot). For other uses, see Enon (disambiguation).
For the Biblical location, see: Ænon
Enon

Enon live at the Hideout Block Party in Chicago, 2006
Background information
Origin New York
Genres Indie rock
Years active 1999–2011
Labels Touch and Go
Website www.enon.tv
Members John Schmersal
Toko Yasuda
Past members Rick Lee
Steve Calhoon
Matt Schulz

Enon was an indie rock band founded by John Schmersal, Rick Lee, and Steve Calhoon that was active from 1999 to 2011; however, for most of its history, Enon was a three-piece outfit composed of Schmersal, Toko Yasuda, and Matt Schulz. Though situated for a time in Philadelphia, Enon was known for being part of the New York music scene.

Biography

Schmersal was originally in the band Brainiac and formed Enon (named after the village in Ohio, which is close to Schmersal's hometown of Dayton) with Lee and Calhoon following the death of Brainiac's singer Timmy Taylor and their subsequent disbandment. After Brainiac, Schmersal made a solo album under the name John Stuart Mill.[1] Rick Lee and Steve Calhoon were both previous members of the band Skeleton Key, a befriended band Brainiac had toured with. Together they formed Enon. Lee created a number of percussion sounds for the band playing a "junk kit" including a Radio Flyer wagon, propane tank, and old hubcaps. After the release of their first album Believo! which was Produced by D. Sardy and signed to his SeeThru Broadcasting label in 1999, Calhoon left the band and was replaced by Toko Yasuda (bass/vocals/keyboard) and Matt Schulz (drums). Yasuda was previously in the bands Blonde Redhead, The Lapse and The Van Pelt. With the new lineup, Enon released High Society also produced by Sardy in 2002 and toured with The Faint. A majority of Enon's albums have been released on the Chicago-based indie label, Touch and Go Records after the closing of SeeThru Broadcasting. Lee left the band, and Enon went on to release Hocus Pocus in 2003, and a collection of singles and previously difficult to find internet-released songs with a bonus DVD entitled Lost Marbles & Exploded Evidence in February 2005. In 2007, all three members of Enon contributed to Les Savy Fav's album Let's Stay Friends. Yasuda also did vocal contributions to previous recordings of this band, e.g. the first track of The Cat and the Cobra. Enon released their fourth studio album, Grass Geysers...Carbon Clouds on Touch and Go Records on October 9, 2007.[2]

In summer 2008, drummer Matt Schulz announced that he would be leaving the group to pursue other interests. Afterwards he joined Holy Fuck as a touring member.

Brainiac's former bassist, Monasterio, directs music videos, including two for Enon, and released an album in 2008 with a new band called Model/Actress; Schmersal makes appearances on this album.

Enon performed on a February 2008 episode of Yo Gabba Gabba! entitled "Robot".

In a May 2011 interview, after touring with Caribou for a good portion of 2010 and 2011, Schmersal confirmed the band "is pretty much over" with no plans to follow up on Grass Geysers...Carbon Clouds.[3]

In 2011, 2012, and 2014 Yasuda toured as a member of St. Vincent playing synth. She also released the album Parthenon under the name Plvs Vltra. Parthenon is her first solo album which features collaborations with Danny Ray Thompson of the Sun Ra Arkestra, Scott Allen of Thunderbirds Are Now, Thomas Keville of Man Man, and John Schmersal, also of Enon, who produced the album.

In 2013 Schmersal released an album Fingerprint with his new band Crooks On Tape.

Instrumentation

Enon is known for using Moog synthesizers and Teisco guitars. Schmersal's green guitar he often uses on stage is a Teisco TG-64, he also owns a Teisco Del Ray. Yasuda plays a Fender Jazz with an adapted tuning machine, which allows quickly tuning to D from E. Schmersal also owns a custom built Twister guitar built by Yuri Landman, an alternate version of the Springtime exclusively crafted for Enon with some additional features such as a scalloped fretboard and an additional pickup in the bridge.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Compilation appearances

Videography

Plvs Vltra

See also

References

  1. ↑ Proefrock, Stacia (1999-12-15). "Bio John Stuart Mill on". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
  2. ↑ "Grass Geysers...Carbon Clouds - Enon - Touch and Go - Quarterstick Records". Touchandgorecords.com. Retrieved 2012-02-21.
  3. ↑ "Fucking Nostalgic: Interview: John Schmersal (Brainiac, Enon, Caribou)". Fuckingnostalgic.blogspot.com. 2011-05-23. Retrieved 2012-02-21.

External links

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