The Moldy Peaches

The Moldy Peaches were an indie group founded by Adam Green and Kimya Dawson. Leading proponents of the anti-folk scene, the band has been on hiatus since 2004. The appearance of their song "Anyone Else but You" in the film Juno significantly raised their profile; Dawson and Green made a handful of reunion appearances together in December 2007.

History

Adam Green and Kimya Dawson met at Exile on Main Street Records in Mount Kisco, New York and began working together.^[1] Green put out a 7" Ep called "X-Ray Vision" under the name The Moldy Peaches, featuring recordings he made from 1994–96 with Dawson and various other friends, notably Jules Sheridan, a songwriter based in Scotland. Green and Dawson recorded a CDR album in 1998 under the name Moldy Peaches 2000 called FER THE KIDS before Dawson moved to Port Townsend, Washington.^[2] In early 1999 Green joined her there, and more home and live recordings transpired. The band returned to NYC as a 4 piece later in the year (including Jest Commons, guitar, and Justin Campbell, drums). They became active on the NYC Anti-folk scene, playing at the SideWalk Cafe before the band broke up.^[2] Dawson and Green both recorded solo albums. The band reformed in August 2000 with Chris Barron of the Spin Doctors on lead guitar, Brian Piltin on bass guitar, and Strictly Beats (Brent Cole) on drums.^[2] (The "2000" was dropped from their name around this time). A new 11 song album was recorded, which led to a deal with Rough Trade in the UK.^[2] They gained recognition after their initial 7" 'Who's Got the Crack" was named 'Single of the Week' in NME. Rough Trade released the album The Moldy Peaches in 2001. Released in the U.S. on September 11, 2001, it contained the song "NYC Is Like a Graveyard". The band expanded to a six-piece, with guitarists Jack Dishel and Aaron Wilkinson, bass player Steven Mertens, and drummer Strictly Beats, augmenting the original duo of Dawson and Green. They toured internationally with The Strokes with whom they shared record label and management.

Aaron Wilkinson

Aaron Wilkinson left the band and was replaced by Toby Goodshank. Wilkinson died from an overdose in July 2003.^[3] The Strokes dedicated their album Room on Fire to his memory.

In 2003 a second album Moldy Peaches 2000 was released, a double-CD compilation of various scraps and live recordings.

After an extensive US headlining tour in the winter of 2003, the band went into hiatus in early 2004. However, the band reunited in late 2004 for a one-off show to benefit Accidental CDs, Records and Tapes, a hole-in-the-wall record store on Ave A in NYC. That store was an early supporter of the band and helped hook them up with the gig that ultimately got them their record deal. Both central members embarked on solo careers, although Green has been known to perform "Who's Got the Crack" with Carl Barat and Pete Doherty of The Libertines.

On December 2, 2007, Dawson and Green played an impromptu set together at Los Angeles' The Smell to end a show where Dawson was headlining. They changed the lyrics of the song "Who's Got The Crack" to "Who's Got The Blues".^[4] On December 3, 2007 the Moldy Peaches played at the Juno film premiere.^[5]

The band was booked to appear on the Conan O'Brien television show on January 14, 2008, but they canceled because of the writer's strike.^[6] Dawson has said that she is not keen to reform the band at present.^[7] However, Dawson and Green did appear together on the NPR radio show The Bryant Park Project on January 16, 2008.^[8] and appeared on television show The View on January 21, 2008.^[9]

Subsequent to the success of the Juno soundtrack, which hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 on its third week of physical release, the song "Anyone Else but You" was released as a UK single on February 25, 2008.^[10]

On November 13, 2011, The Moldy Peaches played a short set at the Knitting Factory in New York.^[11]

Solo projects

Adam Green recently released his sixth solo album, Minor Love, via Rough Trade. His initial band included a 3-piece string section. Kimya has continued to tour playing small clubs and house parties. Her album Remember That I Love You on K Records has been well received. She recently became a mother. Kimya collaborated with Aesop Rock on the album Hokey Fright under the name The Uncluded. Jack Dishel's former outfit Stipplicon having broken up, he formed a new band, Only Son, who have toured with Regina Spektor. Jack also plays in Regina's band. Steven Mertens has his own group SpaceCamp and plays in Adam Green's backing band. Brent Cole is in the boy-band Candy Boys and has performed with numerous acts including Dufus, Only Son, Sandra Bernhard, and Toby Goodshank. Toby Goodshank plays solo shows and is also in a duo, Double Deuce, with his sister Angela.

Notable appearances

• The song "Anyone Else but You" was used in the Academy Award-nominated documentary Murderball.
• The song "Anyone Else but You" was used in a mobile phone TV-ad in France during World Cup 2006, featuring French star Zinedine Zidane.
• The song "Anyone Else but You" is central to the 2007 Academy Award-winning film Juno and a version is also performed by the two main characters (Ellen Page and Michael Cera).
• A re-written version of "Anyone Else but You" was featured in a commercial for Atlantis Resorts in the Bahamas.^[12]
• The song "Jorge Regula" was used in a Pepsodent commercial in Latin America, without the group's permission.^[13]
• A version of the song "Jorge Regula" also appears in the 2006 indie film The Guatemalan Handshake

Personnel

• Kimya Dawson – vocals, guitars (1994–2004, 2007–2008)
• Adam Green – vocals, guitars (1994–2004, 2007–2008)
• Justice Campbell – drums (1999)
• Jest Commons – guitars (1999)
• Brent Cole – drums (2000–2004)
• Chris Barron – guitars (2000–2001)
• Brian Piltin – bass (2000–2001)
• Jack Dishel – guitars (2001–2004)
• Steven Mertens – bass (2001–2004)
• Aaron Wilkinson – guitars (2001–2002; died 2003)
• Toby Goodshank – guitars (2002–2004)

Discography

After releasing their first few records themselves, The Moldy Peaches have released music internationally through Rough Trade. In the United States records were originally released under the Sanctuary Records banner but, since the demise of Sanctuary and the takeover of Rough Trade by the Beggars Group, U.S. releases are now also on Rough Trade.

• X-Ray Vision (LP) – Average Cabbage Records – 1996
• Moldy Peaches 2000: Fer the Kids/ Live 1999 (Cassette/CD) – Average Cabbage Records – 1999
• The Moldy Peaches (CD-R) – Pro-Anti Records – 2000 (11-song CD, similar cover to next release, all songs included on later albums or singles.)
• The Moldy Peaches (CD/LP) – Sanctuary Records/Rough Trade – 2001 (compilation from previous self-releases plus 1 re-recording of "Nothing Came Out")
• "County Fair/Rainbows" (CD single) – Sanctuary Records/Rough Trade – 2002
• Moldy Peaches 2000: Unreleased Cutz and Live Jamz 1994-2002 (CD) – Sanctuary Records/Rough Trade – 2003
• "Anyone Else but You" (single) – Rough Trade – 2008

Compilation appearances

• Music from the Motion Picture Juno ("Anyone Else but You") – Rhino Records 2007
• Music from the Film Murderball ("Anyone Else but You") – Commotion 2005
• Music from the Film Garage Days ("Lucky Number Nine") – Festival Mushroom Records 2002

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Moldy Peaches.

• www.moldypeaches.com Official site.
• MP2K The original official site (archive.org)
• The Moldy Peaches Beggars Group USA page