Slint
was a rock band consisting of Brian McMahan (guitar and vocals), David Pajo (guitar), Britt Walford (drums), Todd Brashear (bass on Spiderland
) and Ethan Buckler (bass on Tweez
). They formed in Louisville, Kentucky, United States in 1986 from the remains of Squirrel Bait. The band disbanded circa 1991, but continued to be an influence on today's post-rock and math rock scene.
The band reformed for a series of live shows in 2005, and made subsequent returns to the live circuit throughout 2007.
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SLINT TICKETS
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History
Slint's first album
Tweez
was recorded by
Steve Albini in 1987 and released in obscurity on the Jennifer Hartman Records label in 1989. It was followed two years later by the critically acclaimed
Spiderland
, released on
Touch and Go Records and recorded by
Brian Paulson [1]. Considered a seminal work,
[who?] Spiderland
is an album characterized by dark,
syncopated rhythms, sparse guitar lines and haunting subject matter. The record's impact was such that some have suggested it is the first true post-rock album, helping to usher in a new wave of bands seeking a move away from the unfettered aggression of
hardcore punk but not its underlying ethic. The cover of
Spiderland
is from a series of photos of the band taken by the Louisville singer-musician
Will Oldham.
Spiderland
culminates in the baleful "Good Morning, Captain", perhaps their most recognized track (it would later feature on the soundtrack to the
Larry Clark film
Kids
, though not in the film itself). Touch and Go Records reissued
Tweez
in 1993. Finally, in 1994 a brief untitled
EP was released after the band broke up. This two-song record was actually recorded in 1989 and was originally intended to be released as a 12" single on Jennifer Hartman Records. Original copies of the
Tweez
LP included a flyer advertisement for the 12" as an insert. However, Slint signed to
Touch & Go Records before it was sent to press and the master tapes were shelved. It contained a previously unreleased track ("Glenn") and a reinterpretation of "Rhoda" from
Tweez
.
Members of Slint have since appeared in a number of bands. Former guitarist David Pajo currently plays guitar in
Dead Child, performs under the moniker
PAJO
and plays bass for the NYC street metal band
Early Man. Pajo was also a member of
Tortoise,
Palace, and the short-lived
Billy Corgan-fronted rock band
Zwan before their breakup in 2003. Guitarist Brian McMahan formed
The For Carnation in 1994 and also played with Palace. Britt Walford played drums in
Evergreen, and for
The Breeders under the pseudonym Shannon Doughton on the album
Pod
and as Mike Hunt on the
Safari
EP. Ethan Buckler plays in
King Kong (the original line up of Slint makes up King Kong on the 1989 7" "Movie Star").
Nearly 15 years after disbanding, three members of Slint — Brian McMahan, David Pajo, and Britt Walford — reunited to curate the 2005
All Tomorrow's Parties (ATP) music festival in
Camber Sands,
England. Also in 2005, Slint played a number of shows in the U.S. and in Europe.
[2] Though they insisted the reunion was short-term, the band regrouped once again in 2007 to perform their genre-defining record
Spiderland
in its entirety in Barcelona as part of the
Primavera Sound Festival, in London as part of the ATP
Don't Look Back
series of shows, as well as at a handful of dates in Europe, the U.S. (at Chicago's Pitchfork Music Festival, the Showbox in Seattle, and the Henry Fonda Theatre in Hollywood), and Canada. In addition to performing the album and the EP
Slint, they also debuted a new composition called "King's Approach", hinting that the band may be considering a full-time reunion.
[3]
Members
- Brian McMahan (guitar & vocals)
- David Pajo (guitar)
- Britt Walford (drums, guitar, vocals)
Live members 2005, 2007
- Michael McMahan (guitar)
- Todd Cook (bass)
- Gavin Quinn
Former
- Ethan Buckler (bass on Tweez)
- Todd Brashear (bass on Spiderland)
Discography
Albums
- Tweez
(1989)
- Spiderland
(1991)
Other
- Slint
(EP) (1994)
- Kids soundtrack (1995)
References
- Brian Paulson: Studio aethetics
- Descendo.com
- update