The Folk Implosion

The Folk Implosion was an American indie rock/lo-fi band founded in the early 1990s by Lou Barlow and John Davis. It was initially a side-project started by Barlow to explore different territory than that being canvassed with his primary band at the time, Sebadoh. The name is a play on the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

History

The band's status was relatively obscure prior to the Larry Clark film Kids, and its soundtrack, most of which contained original compositions by Barlow and Davis. One of the songs from the soundtrack, "Natural One", became a hit single. It peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 4 on the Billboard Modern Rock Charts and No. 20 on the Mainstream Rock Charts.^[1] The track peaked at No. 45 in the UK Singles Chart.^[2] Though the band attempted to duplicate the success of that song, their subsequent albums and singles were nowhere near as successful as "Natural One". In 1995, the band contributed the song "Indierockinstrumental" to the AIDS benefit album, Red Hot + Bothered, produced by the Red Hot Organization.^[3]

In 1996, the band covered the song "I'm Just a Bill" from Schoolhouse Rock! for the tribute album Schoolhouse Rock! Rocks as "Deluxx Folk Implosion".

After Davis left the band in 2000, Barlow recruited Russ Pollard and Imaad Wasif from the band Alaska! to record The New Folk Implosion. In 2002, the band appeared as the backing musicians for the main character played by Alessandro Nivola in the film, Laurel Canyon.

The band has not been active since 2004.

Discography

Albums

• Take a Look Inside (Communion Label, 1994)
• Dare to Be Surprised (Communion Label, 1997)
• One Part Lullaby (Interscope, 1999)
• The New Folk Implosion (Domino, 2003)

Singles and EPs

• Walk Through This World with the Folk Implosion cassette (Chocolate Monk, 1993)
• Walk Through This World with the Folk Implosion 7" EP (Drunken Fish, 1994)
• "Electric Idiot" (Ubik, 1995)
• "Natural One" (London, 1995)
• "Palm of My Hand" (Communion Label, 1996)
• The Folk Implosion (EP) (Communion Label, 1996)
• "Pole Position" (Communion Label, 1997)
• "Insinuation" (Communion Label, 1997)
• "Free to Go" (Domino, 2000)
• "Brand of Skin" (Domino, 2003)
• "Pearl" (Domino, 2003)

References

1. ↑ Allmusic Artist Chart History
2. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 207. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. 
3. ↑ DiGravina, Tim, http://www.allmusic.com/album/red-hot-bothered-the-indie-rock-guide-book-to-dating-mw0000176353  Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links

• Allmusic entry