Bound Stems was an indie rock band with math rock influences from Chicago, Illinois. The band's members were Bobby Gallivan (vocals), Dan Fleury (guitar, actor), Dan Radzicki (bass, keys), Evan Sult (drums, ex-Harvey Danger), and Janie Porche (multi-intrumentalist).

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Band history

Fleury, Radzicki, and Gallivan met while attending high school in Lisle, IL. The three wrote and recorded music during these years and continued to do so during college. It wasn't until the September 2002 arrival of Harvey Danger alum Evan Sult, who answered a drummer-wanted ad, that Bound Stems officially formed. They began writing and performing around Chicago more frequently. Janie Porche completed her transition from friend, to roommate, to band member during the recording of their Levity EP in 2004. ^[1]

The Logic of Building the Body Plan EP, released in 2005, is the first work that all five members wrote together from beginning to end. After extensive touring, writing, and recording the band completed and released Appreciation Night to warm reviews in 2006.

Once Appreciation Night was completed, the members of Bound Stems disengaged their real jobs (high school history teacher, comic book art director, lab tech, hi-tech techs) in favor of their heretofore fake job as a touring band. During the summer of 2007, Bound Stems played shows across the country, including the Lollapalooza festival in Chicago.

The group began recording their second full-length album for Flameshovel Records during the fall of 2007. The album, titled The Family Afloat, was released July 11, 2008 on vinyl and September 9, 2008 on CD.

Bound Stems separated soon after the release of The Family Afloat.

Band notability

• Bound Stems were SPIN's Artist of the Day, December 2005. ^[2]
• Bound Stems were SPIN's Band of the Month, March 2006. ^[3]
• Bound Stems were the featured band on Daytrotter in September, 2006. ^[4]
• Bound Stems played festivals such as Lollapalooza, South by Southwest, and many Chicago-area music festivals.
• Drummer Evan Sult previously played with Harvey Danger, whose song "Flagpole Sitta" reached #3 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks ratings in 1998.

Discography

• Change Comes at 14 and a Half EP (2003)
• Caught It on the Continent EP (2003)
• Levity EP (2004)
• The Logic of Building the Body Plan EP (2005) - Flameshovel Records
• Appreciation Night LP (2006) - Flameshovel Records
• The Family Afloat LP (2008) - Flameshovel Records

Notes and references

1. [1]QRO Mag interview with Bound Stems, July 28, 2008
2. [1] Spin.com: Bound Stems, December 29, 2005
3. [1] Bound Stems Press Release, September 19, 2006
4. [1] Daytrotter interview with Bound Stems, September 17, 2006