Guided by Voices - biography
Guided by Voices performing in 2004.Guided by Voices (often abbreviated as GBV) was an American indie rock band originating from Dayton, Ohio.Guided by Voices disbanded in 2004, though many of its former members remain musically involved in solo careers or other side projects.Guided by Voices also garnered much attention for its prolific output, with a seemingly endless stream of releases.Pollard's grasp of the pop format, his cryptic lyrics and titles, and melodic invention.Early history
Formed in Dayton, Ohio in the early 1980s, Guided by Voices began their career as a bar band working the local scene.Inflicted Aerial Nostalgia, and Same Place The Fly Got Smashed.Propeller in 1992 (of which only 500 copies were pressed, each with a unique, handmade cover), Guided by Voices for the first time gained some recognition outside of their hometown.New York City and Philadelphia were host to Guided by Voices' return to the live stage (and first shows outside of Ohio) in 1993.Guided by Voices lineup coalesced around the core of Pollard, guitarists Tobin Sprout and Mitch Mitchell (not to be confused with Jimi Hendrix's drummer), bassist Dan Toohey, and drummer Kevin Fennell.Vampire on Titus, as well as the Fast Japanese Spin Cycle and Static Airplane Jive EPs.Over the next year, the band began to receive national media exposure from sources such as Spin magazine.In 1994, after culling both new songs and reams of archival recordings from GBV's history, Pollard delivered the indie landmark Bee Thousand via Scat Records, with a distribution deal through indie label Matador Records.Kim Deal and Steve Albini among others, in 1996.However, the strain of heavy touring would ultimately lead to the demise of the "classic lineup", with Sprout deciding to retire from the road in order to focus on raising his first child, his painting, and as a solo musical career.The "professional" era
Pollard created a new incarnation of Guided by Voices with Cleveland glam rockers Cobra Verde in 1997.However, after another year of rigorous touring, the "Guided by Verde" lineup split in late 1997 following Pollard's announcement in an interview that he intended to work with other musicians on the next Guided by Voices project.Breeders guitarist Nate Farley.Departing from Matador, this lineup (sans Farley) worked with producer Ric Ocasek to create what was intended to be Guided by Voices' major label debut.In the UK it was released on Creation Records).Featuring a slick, heavily processed sound previously foreign to GBV albums, Do the Collapse failed to catch on at radio, and was for the most part greeted with mixed reviews.Suitcase 2, was released in October 2005.Earthquake Glue, followed by the anthology box set Hardcore UFOs: Revelations, Epiphanies and Fast Food in the Western Hemisphere and the greatest hits compilation Best of Guided by Voices: Human Amusements at Hourly Rates.Smiles of the Decomposed LP, and a final farewell tour.According to Pollard:
This feels like the last album for Guided by Voices.On November 9, 2004 Guided by Voices performed on the stage of Austin City Limits, broadcast by PBS on January 22, 2005.They played the single, "Everybody Thinks I'm a Raincloud (When I'm Not Looking)".The album, titled From a Compound Eye was a double LP produced by Todd Tobias.Other Pollard albums released on Merge and Pollard's own label, Guided by Voices Inc.Guided By Voices reforming.For one thing, there were 50 or 60 people in Guided By Voices over time."Pollard has also commented on the fact that GBV and his solo output are basicially one in the same, when he told Harp Magazine in 2005 "You know, a lot of people try to distinguish things between what is Robert Pollard and what is Guided By Voices.Robert Pollard and I am Guided By Voices."In 2008 Pollard admitted to almost bringing GBV back for his album Robert Pollard Is Off to Business but decided against it, instead forming a new label titled Guided by Voices Inc.Inflicted Aerial Nostalgia
1990: Same Place The Fly Got Smashed
1992: Propeller
1993: Vampire on Titus
1994: Bee Thousand
1995: Alien Lanes
1996: Under the Bushes, Under the Stars
1996: Tonics and Twisted Chasers
1997: Mag Earwhig!In 2004, during the band's final tour, many cities around the United States proclaimed a certain day to be "Guided by Voices Day" in that city.Guided By Voices Database.Guided by Voices Database.All text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License.Guided By Voices songs.Guided By Voices discography and gigography.Here is the last Guided By Voices album.By Voices, this past New Year's Eve at Chicago's
Metro.Stay tuned for pictures of the proclamations,
and other cities as they get announced.All tickets will be honored at the new
shows, or refunded at point of purchase.Sweeney came out, but I didn't see him do a song, James
Iha came out too."MC Rick Shapiro was highly successful in pissing the
whole crowd off, with people yelling 'go back to drugs!Guided By Voices'
Farewell Tour.Hudson River Rocks, New York (free admission)
Sept.Theater of the Living Arts, Philadelphia
Sept.Al Rosa, Columbus, Ohio
Oct.Canes, San Diego
Nov.Henry Fonda Theatre, Los Angeles
Nov.Beacham Theatre, Orlando, Fla.Dayton, OH's fortunate
sons are taking leave of your senses.Robert Pollard will continue writing, recording,
and (possibly) touring as a solo artist.You can check out an MP3 from
the solo project here.Kent, Ohio to record songs for their next full length
release.The band recorded 15 songs with Todd Tobias
once again in the producer's chair.The album should
be out on Matador in the second half of 2004.The album is due out on Fading
Captain in March.Your Volunteer Fire Department, Bob wrote all the
songs, while Todd Tobias plays all the instruments.Watch Me Jumpstart' DVD?GBV box set is thoroughly fascinating, factual,
and worth every hard earned penny.He said some less than complementary things,
too, but that's why we're not giving him a free box.Bob's so prolific, he needs another 3 months
in the year to cram everything in.MP3 to be posted
from the set.In addition, 'The Best of Guided By Voices' CD and the
'Watch Me Jumpstart' DVD will be available separately.Directed by Adam Levite and featuring legendary St.NOW we've added a second prize.Beard Of Lightning (Off Records).Guided By Voices
studio album, 'Live Like Kings Forever'.GBV's UK tour
which also features dates at the Reading and Leeds Festivals.At least that's what it says here.None of this ever
would've happened if Richard Dawson was still alive.Guided By Voices (2,500 copies
of each).Matador Records, worldwide, on June 18.CDNow heard it (this category should
be resevered for very very quiet recordings).GBV approaches to spectacular
effect.With complete creative control now, Pollard left Matador, initially in search of a major label, before settling with TVT.This was an awkward transition, as Guided by Voices' uneven 1999 effort Do the Collapse (recorded with onetime Cars frontman Rik Ocasek) demonstrates, but it reached fruition with the excellent 2001 album Isolation Drills (the producer this time was Rob Schnaft, who has worked with Beck and Elliott Smith among others).This release eliminated the bum notes and slipshod qualities which had always been a simultaneously endearing and frustrating aspect of Guided by Voices' material.Guided By Voices album to date, and also one of the best.Pollard claims it's "Isolation Drills meets Alien Lanes."GBV's prolificacy translate to inconsistency.Guided By Voices has also issued a pair of box sets, one a collection of early albums and another a compilation of unreleased material spanning the group's career.Other Suggestions:
Rainer Maria,
Mates of State,
Foo Fighters,
Husker Du,
Skip Spence,
Neil Young,
Dinosaur Jr.The Olivia Tremor Control,
The Flaming Lips,
Lou Barlow,
The Kinks,
Enon,
Brainiac,
Modest Mouse,
Elliott Smith,
John Vanderslice,
The Posies,
Teenage Fanclub,
Blur,
Supergrass,
Beulah,
R.
