- and get the details they wouldn't allow in a family newspaper at the Personals tour diary!
Influences
The Personals play original songs written by frontman Adam White, but in the tradition of our favorite indie rock bands like the Replacements and Superchunk, we also put our own energetic spin on a cover or two at every show. A list of some of the songs we’ve covered gives a snapshot of our band’s musical influences.
- Slack Motherfucker (Superchunk) - Rattlesnake (The Replacements)
- A Salty Salute (Guided by Voices) - If You Were a Priest (Robyn Hitchcock)
- He’s a Whore (Cheap Trick) - I Walked with a Zombie (Roky Erickson)
- Brand New Love (Sebadoh) - Teenage Kicks (The Undertones)
- Chosen One (Smog) - 10:15 Saturday Night (The Cure)
- 20th Century Boy (T. Rex) - Anything, Anything (Dramarama)
In anticipation of the band’s June tour stop in Chicago, lead music writer Bob Mehr wrote in the Chicago Reader:
"One of the more pleasant surprises at this year's SXSW was Austin's Personals, who delivered one of the most inspired sets of spitfire rock-n-roll I heard all week. Guitarist-vocalist Adam White, bassist (and part-time Chicagoan) Erin Black, and drummer Kristen Brown mostly bow at the altar of early-80s SoCal power-pop bands like 20/20 and Paul Collins Beat, though they scuzz up and buzz out their melodies with a raw insouciance. White’s reedy voice conveys a desperation that recalls the Undertones’ Feargal Sharkey, and Black and Brown bring a rhythmic pugnacity to the tunes."
The Personals love nothing more than playing live. Here are some of the venues the band has played:
IN AUSTIN, TX:
- Stubb’s BBQ
- Trophy’s Bar
- Hole in the Wall
- Red’s Scoot Inn
- Emo's
- The Parlor
- Mohawk
- Carousel Lounge
- Texas Rollergirls opening bout
- Room 710
- SXSW label tent
- Headhunters
- Beerland
- Chain Drive
- Texicalli Grill
ON THE ROAD:
- Sam’s Burger Joint (San Antonio, TX)
- Kirby’s Beer Store (Wichita, KS)
- Replay Lounge (Lawrence, KS)
- High Noon Saloon (Madison, WI)
- Points East Pub (Milwaukee, WI)
- Wheels in Motion (Green Bay, WI)
- Subterranean (Chicago)
- Five Spot (Nashville)
- Abbey Lounge (Boston)
- Limelight (San Antonio, TX)
- Gravity Bar (Galveston, TX)
The Personals are an Austin-based trio who combine indie rock, powerpop, garage, and punk to create infectious 3-minute songs that are both unusual and instantly relatable. A self-titled EP was released in May 2006 at a tour kickoff show at the historic Austin bar Hole in the Wall. During the 2006 South by Southwest Music Festival, the band played three shows in four days, including an official festival party. During SXSW '07 the band played three times, earning some new fans in the process. The Austin American-Statesman newspaper featured the Personals on its Lifestyle cover page in May and July 2006, and group’s shows also have been recommended in the Austin Chronicle.
Songs off the EP are being played regularly on radio in Texas and the Midwest. In anticipation of the band’s June tour stop in Chicago, lead music writer Bob Mehr wrote in the Chicago Reader:
"One of the more pleasant surprises at this year's SXSW was Austin's Personals, who delivered one of the most inspired sets of spitfire rock-n-roll I heard all week. Guitarist-vocalist Adam White, bassist (and part-time Chicagoan) Erin Black, and drummer Kristen Brown mostly bow at the altar of early-80s SoCal power-pop bands like 20/20 and Paul Collins Beat, though they scuzz up and buzz out their melodies with a raw insouciance. White’s reedy voice conveys a desperation that recalls the Undertones’ Feargal Sharkey, and Black and Brown bring a rhythmic pugnacity to the tunes."
The Personals are known for the energetic chemistry between band members on stage – and for their professionalism and work ethic off stage. They have played most recently with Grand Champeen, Midori Umi, Just Guns, and the Militant Babies, and were among a handful of bands to help turn Trophy’s Bar into South Austin’s indie-rock headquarters. After the unequivocal success of a summer tour of the Midwest, the Personals are ready to hit the road again as soon as possible. The post-tour e-mails below are just two of many.
“I got a great new CD in the mail today. I’m so excited. It is fucking fantastic. You guys are amazing. Believe me, I have jaded ears and you guys rock. My 5-year-old was dancing around the room with me. I can't wait to see you live. Come to Oklahoma and stay awhile.”
-- Roscoe, 52, Stillwater, Oklahoma
“I think I'm going to evaporate your CD, if that's possible. I've been playing it non-stop … thanks you guys!! I think I've memorized every single lyric and I still dance on my bed with a brush and sing it. It sounds dumb, but it's just so fun. I love your music!!”
-- Kaitlin, 17, Green Bay, Wisconsin
A brief history of the Personals: Frontman Adam White has been performing and writing songs since he was a teenager in Wisconsin, and the influence of seminal Midwestern indie rock bands like the Replacements and Husker Du is evident in his music. He and bass player Erin Black met in 2002 through a record store flyer began playing together, almost accidentally evolving into an ideal creative/business partnership behind the scenes.
At a Trophy’s show in January 2005, Nashville/Portland transplant Kristen Brown, saw a four-piece incarnation of the Personals and fell in love with the band. She hadn’t played drums since high school but bought a drum kit anyway and learned their songs on her own. When Adam and Erin decided to rework the Personals as a three-piece, Kristen came on board and the band played its first show in January 2006. The response from fans old and new was overwhelming, as well as motivating for the band, which converted Adam’s garage into a rehearsal/recording space last spring and bought a van for touring.
Erin relocated to Chicago, managing the band from her new home base for the better part of a year. In April of 2007 the band brought on new bassist Erich von Erich, a friend of Adam's from Wisconsin. The two of them have been playing music together in some fashion since 1989 and are happy to be sharing a stage for the first time in many years. The Personals are shopping for a label to release their current EP and have plans to record their first full-length album.
Send a shout-out to Erin, whom we miss, and definitely check out her Chicago band Hidden Mitten!!
We hope you can make it out to our Mardi Gras All Star Burlesque Show Feb 2nd!!!
With Bon Bon Vivant, Lady Watanabe, Ruby Rocket, Stalite, La Divina, Lady Bangs, Cherry Pop, Abbey Rose, The Big Easy Brass Band, Nate Vancil, The Finer Things and more!
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Got the CD this weekend and love love love it!
Very catchy stuff. Love the all black cd w/muscle car too.
You've got a place to stay in Milwaukee and Chicago.
~kyle
PS-there's another band "the Personals" in Chicago, you'll have to duke it out.
PERSONALS: Rock well on Monday. I wish I could be there. Stuck in Madison where it's about 25 degrees. Fahrenheit, that is. Spank Dan for me. (Unless I Priceline a flight down there at the last minute, then I'll spank him myself.)
Hey there, thought I’d drop you a line and say hello, and to let you know we’re in the process of hiring employees for our 2008 tour. If you have any interest, or know a friend that might have interest, in running away and joining a touring circus now is your chance. Please visit our website at www.nonprofitcircus,com for more info. Thanks
Hope to hear from you,
Lisa
HR ~ The Great American Royal Circus
Just wanted to drop by and say a friendly hello, and see you things are going for you. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods. We have had some exciting big breaks and are way ahead of schedule. Looks like we’ll be opening the show a little earlier. Take care. Thomas at www.nonprofitcircus.com
Just wanted to drop by and say a friendly hello, and see you things are going for you. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods. We have had some exciting big breaks and are way ahead of schedule. Looks like we’ll be opening the show a little earlier. Take care. Thomas at www.nonprofitcircus.com
You might see Lonesome Dave. Brian's moving, Nate doesn't go out, and Brit's being dazzled by the Houston night life. Who's writing this then, you might ask? It's a secret, but you can bet they're drunk. Have a good show.
this one time, i got stuck in a studio in a blizzard and we couldn't get outside, so we were forced to eat Eric Roberts. your song just reminded me of that.
