eric shepherd - guitar, tapes, vocals
eric recently returned to nc from the boston area. he was last heard in boston-based band gladiola. he is currently looking to put together something new.
scotty irving - drums, vocals, trash
scotty lives in nc and can currently be heard in various fprojects, including clang quartet and the whole world laughing.
jim clodfelter - guitar, trumpet, trombone, vocals
jim is currently working as an artist in nc.
chris clodfelter - guitar, trumpet, vocals
chris lives in greensboro, nc and can currently be heard in the tiny meteors.
Influences
sonic youth, big black, swans, black sabbath, thinking fellers union local 282, charles mingus, dog faced hermans, naked city, pixies, devo, god is my co-pilot, breadwinner, kiss, versus, butthole surfers, mudhoney, bill frisell, flaming lips, einsturzende neubauten, urge overkill, napalm death, the cows, shudder to think, tsunami, my bloody valentine, beatles, ride, bitch magnet, mudhoney, my dad is dead, miles davis, unrest, the jesus lizard, godflesh, grenadine, unsane, nirvana, bongwater, helmet, ruins, buffalo tom, fugazi, dinosaur jr., boredoms, tad, melvins, meat puppets, dozens of great nc and nyc band friends from the late 80's-mid 90s (polvo, archers of loaf, babe the blue ox, drunken boat, eugene chadbourne, picasso trigger, pee shy, vpn, etc.), all that great late 80's - mid 90's music put out by homestead, teen beat, sub pop, amphetamine reptile, k, drag city, trance syndicate, simple machines, merge, dischord, touch & go, jettison, wifflefist, shimmy disc, matador, etc.
Sounds Like
geezer lake was not very easily classified, and straddled several genres for better or worse. the band was interested in exploring dynamics, eschewing traditional song arrangements, and melding together elements of pop, rock, jazz, post-hardcore, metal, film scores, avant-garde, noise, sound-collage, and structured improvisation.
here is an interesting music map
(we have no idea where the hip hop comes from, unless this somehow channels music listened to in the van.)
Bio (excerpted from allmusic.com):
One of North Carolina's less exposed indie outfits, Geezer Lake hailed not from the fertile Chapel Hill scene of the early '90s, but rather from nearby Greensboro. Somewhat heavy and metallic compared to the area's noisier guitar bands (Archers of Loaf, Polvo), Geezer Lake varied their jagged, angular sound with left-field trumpet melodies, samples, and intricate, jazzy rhythms. Initially a quartet, the band was composed of vocalist/trumpet player Chris Clodfelter, guitarist/tape manipulator Eric Shepherd, bassist Harrison Cannon, and drummer Scott Irving. Winning a strong following around Greensboro and Chapel Hill, the band formed its own D-Tox label and issued two 7" singles, "Field Blister" and "Liberated Woman." They also appeared on the North Carolina-themed Pyloric Waves compilation alongside Slowchange Madagascar, Chris Clodfelter's side project with brother Jim. In 1993, Geezer Lake issued its debut full-length, Feet in Mud Again, also on their D-Tox imprint. After moving to Squealer for 1994's 7" EP Songs from the Watering Hole, they returned to D-Tox for their second album, 1995's Hearts Won't Try This. Meanwhile, the Clodfelter brothers began moonlighting as horn players for Barry Black, the mostly instrumental side project of Archers of Loaf frontman Eric Bachmann (now of Crooked Fingers). Jim Clodfelter subsequently joined Geezer Lake as the second guitarist, expanding the group to a quintet for their final album, 1997's King Frost Parade, which was released by the Thick label. However, not long after, the members decided it was time to move on, and disbanded. Jazz-trained drummer Irving went on to work with Eugene Chadbourne, and founded his own solo venture, the Clang Quartet. ~ Steve Huey, All Music Guide
[band note: although the above bio has some gaps, it's probably more complete than anything any of us would be able to type up at this point. for more updates on what members are doing now, see the 'band member' section on this page.]
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Live Shows:
geezer lake played a gazillion live shows all over the u.s., touring and sharing the stage with many incredible bands, including, but not limited to: archers of loaf, polvo, ben folds five, royal trux, smog, half japanese, the flaming lips, mercury rev, eugene chadbourne, picasso trigger, erectus monotone, alice donut, king missile, the wrens, the ruins, unsane, vanilla trainwreck, my dad is dead, babe the blue ox, three mile pilot, vpn, u.s. maple, drunken boat, pee shy, fake brain, steel pole bath tub, tuscadero, man or astroman, girls vs. boys, the fluid, the dandy warhols, rocket from the crypt, the woggles, enon, god is my co-pilot, run on, d-generation, the meices, stella, the sheila divine, green magnet school, harvey milk, kudgel, six finger sattellite, king kong, chew toy, gold sparkle band, cows, poem rocket, glazed baby, boil, liquor bike, track rabbits, eighthundred, edison, zen guerrilla, grover, helmet, antiseen, bicycle face, sugarsmack, crowsdell, hop flop flyking carcass, what peggy wants, bad dream house, mind sirens, monsterland, spatula, shiny beast, true & true, jack-o-nuts, edsel, heavy vegetable, queer, candy machine, porn orchard, trenchmouth, barkmarket, pipe, squatweiler, pelt, 16 horsepower, rebar, brickbat, dish, the raymond brake, the laurels, spongehead, ultra bide, eagle bravo, womyn of destruction, slowchange madagascar, small, june, sclix, analogue, renelvis, blue-green gods, big drill car, buzzov-en, the big f, the veldt, krapper keeper, joby's opinion, the ashley stove, babyfat, 2 foot flame, branch manager, ninefinger, jennyanykind, family dollar pharoahs, five eight, beatless, warehouse, hms cervix, well nigh forgotten, celebrity skin, crown heights, snuzz, shasta, knapsack, minerva strain, etc.
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Reunion:
in 2000, geezer lake reformed for a short series of shows in nyc and nc, with good friend alec ferrell of the holy ghost adding one more guitar to the mix.
one day they may do it again, to fully live up to their ill-conceived, unfortunate moniker.
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Press: Alternative Press
North Carolina's Geezer Lake pick up the baton from June Of 44, Grifters, Unwound and Sunny Day Real Estate and Parade is a hodgepodge of influences that makes for 11 songs with more cohesion and thematic focus that has been heard in some time. Filled with equal parts beauty and ferocity, King Frost Parade is simply startling.
SPIN
Call Geezer Lake Chapel Hill's best-kept genius. The tight noise combo laces its sultry walls of rhythmic noise with the dominant presence of a trumpet, adding mysterious, graceful beauty on top of its sheer power.
Alternative Press
"From the Mid-Atlantic brain terrain that maps Polvo and Breadwinner, Geezer Lake are a boy quartet that add backing tapes and trumpeting to their ruckus calculus. The jerky and hard-driving 'Midnight Crackerjack' is chaotically Boredoms-influenced without sounding derivative, while 'Sycamore Tree' lilts exotically in a more distinctly Polvo-ian style. Like Tortoise and Gastr Del Sol in Chicago, Geezer Lake give hope for North Carolina that there are people in glutted, bland indie-rock land reaching for something atypical and intriguing."-Ian Christe
Billboard
The world finally seems to be catching up with Geezer Lake. The Greensboro band has been warping select minds with its intense, melodic noise (which one reviewer rightfully compared to Chet Baker jamming with The Jesus Lizard or Big Black) since 1991, yet industry folk are just starting to take notice of the inventive foursome.
SPIN
Take the angry, intimidating oomph of TAD, the tight song arrangements of Helmet, throw in an eerie trumpet wail, and you've barely skimmed the surface of Geezer Lake...songs that shake and roar quite unlike any noise band you've likely encountered.
Maximum Rock N Roll
Geezer Lake: 1 pt. Jesus Lizard, 1 pt. Alice Donut, 1 pt. Black Sabbath, 1 pt. Charles Mingus, 1 pt. Black Flag, 1pt. Butthole Surfers; Add alcohol and LSD, stir.
Babysue
GEEZER LAKE - King Frost Parade (CD, Thick, Rock/pop/experimental)
Wow. Geezer Lake bite off a BIG CHUNK with this one. Alternating between thrash, jazz, experimental, and pop music, there's no way to know what the next song will sound like. Whatever style they play, however, they do it WELL.
CMJ
"Following its debut CD Feet in Mud Again, North Carolina's Geezer Lake returns to stake its claim on the dirge-rock throne. Sampled voices and free jazz inspired trumpet bursts lurk in dark, Black Sabbath-like soundscapes, providing an intense aural experience. 'Sycamore Tree' is a frenzied, experimental number, not far from the heavier side of Naked City, jumping between dense and sparse without warning. 'Midnight Crackerjack', meanwhile, is more heavy and brooding, like a walk through quicksand in concrete slippers."-Brian McNamera
Stay Free
GEEZER LAKE: Feet In Mud Again (D-Tox)
Pat: Following several D-Tox seven-inches and an appearance on the Pyloric Waves compilation, the debut full-length by Greensboro's Geezer Lake sharpens the band's attack for one of the best mood albums in recent memory. And it's a bad mood. Combining all-out thrash/punk with a lone soulful trumpet, Geezer Lake is as likely to use taped B-movie dialogue as snarled homemade vocals. When the playing is slow, this music can be beautiful and haunting, and when the band heats up, it's like an elephant stampede. See 'em live.
Todd: I'll throw out "jazzy" and "metallic" to start, then add "odd time signatures," "harsh pounding noise," "phat bass," "gorgeous pastoral interludes," "surprising tempo shifts," "haunting, eerie trumpet," "spoken samples," edgy guitar that scrapes your brain nicely," and "just the tightest songwriting and execution around." When it all comes together, Geezer Lake are one of the most powerful bands in North Carolina, creating a sad, angry, painful, desperate mood. The production is very clean here, sacrificing that post-industrial sludginess for a sharp crispness. (Anders/Morman)
Flagpole
Though Chapel Hill often receives attention in the music press because of the plethora of great bands it has produced, 50 miles south of the Archers' stomping ground, something very special is taking place. Greensboro, N.C., is the home of Geezer Lake, a four-piece rock outfit that has existed in relative obscurity for nearly a decade.
The music of Geezer Lake is nearly impossible to pigeonhole. The band fuses elements of slow, heavy rock, similar to either the Melvins or Harvey Milk, augmented by a trumpet and samples, adding quiet, dark moments to the cryptic mood of their music.
Live, Geezer Lake is legendary. Several years ago, when everyone outside of Chapel Hill was talking about Polvo, The Archers of Loaf and Superchunk, it seemed like everyone in Chapel Hill was talking only about Greensboro's Geezer Lake. The band's first two singles, "Field Blister" and "Liberated Woman" (both on their own D-Tox label), were rapidly gaining attention in North Carolina. Both of these singles went out of print, and were followed by an astonishing debut album, Feet in Mud Again, also on D-Tox.
The legend of Geezer Lake's live show has earned them many fans, many of whom are in other bands that are eager to share the stage with these Greensboro heroes.
Aiding & Abetting
King Frost Parade
(Thick)
reviewed in issue ..126, 1/13/97
When this puppy arrived, I just about soiled my drawers. I mean, that "Sages" 7" was completely awe-inspiring. I was prepared to follow Geezer Lake off a cliff if they told me a pile of Foamy was sitting at the bottom of the fall.
The sound? Just the usual wacko Chapel Hill pop sound. Geezer Lake likes to use a bit more distortion and stuff than folks like Polvo, but the odd song construction persists. No complaints from my department.
Pretty tasty, with all the range and expanse you need in a great pop album. Geezer Lake isn't content to sit in a puddle of generic chords; hell, the guys rarely play a full chord. Ah, yes. Musical creativity.
Cacophony made beautiful; chaos distilled into life's pure essence. Stuff like that. Just remember one thing: Geezer Lake is fucking awesome.
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Releases: singles:
field blister/the man who secretly hated the world 7" (d-tox)
liberated woman/zen and the art of rotating 7" (d-tox)
songs from the watering hole 7" (squealer)
vpn/geezer lake split 7" (d-tox)
drunken boat/geezer lake split 7" (d-tox)
james dean/sages 7" picture disc (thick)
full lengths:
feet in mud again cd (d-tox)
feet in mud again lp w/extra track (m.u.d.d. industries)
hearts won't try this cd (d-tox)
king frost parade cd (thick)
compilation appearances:
dangerous inventions (futurist) cd
who the hell?: a tribute to richard hell cd (cred factory)
pyloric waves cd (d-tox)
rare and well done cd (independent)
laugh hard, it's a long way to the bank (research and destroy)
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Music For Sale:
geezer lake's music can be purchased at itunes ('king frost' only) and emusic.com (all three full-lengths)
just wanted to stop by and tell you guys thanx.i've always loved you guys!i saw you guys at the screamin deacon early on.i think it was with 2 pound planet.and followed from then on.the tavern,even the trim shop!so just thank you guys!
Have you heard the new Cruxshadows single called "BIRTHDAY"??
Go listen to it here if you have a few minutes... I linked the poster to the MySpace page and you can hear the song there. The banner will link to the pre-order page at Isotank.com. (YOU CAN ORDER IT THERE)!!!!
ENJOY!!!
Today is your birthday... But it might be the last day of your life. What will you do if tomorrow IT'S ALL GONE? Look at your life, WHO DO YOU WANT TO BE BEFORE YOU DIE? LOOK AT YOUR LIFE, IT ALL COMES BACK TO YOU.
THE CRAP ROCK ALL STARS NEED YOUR HELP!! Please go to http://acl.mp3.com/feature/soundandjury/?band=THE-CRAP-ROCK-ALL-STARS and vote for us. We need to stay in the top 100 to move on to the next round where Austin City Limits judges will hear our stuff and hopefully nominate us to play at Austin City Limits!! You can vote once per day per e-mail address. Thanks in advance. Oh yeah, we're also playing this Satuday at the Flat Iron with the Dumbells, it's going to be Craptacular!!!
the mutha fuckin lake!! picture a cavernous minor-league hockey arena..e-shep steps up to the microphone and says..."now i want all you kids out there to have yourself a good time tonight!! WOOOO!! and when you wake up in the morning you better have yourself a balanced breakfast... with some JUICE!! I think only eric will get this -- anywho be well lads.
