Giant Sand Biography
Giant Sand was the primary outlet for the stylistic curveballs and sun-damaged songcraft of Howe Gelb, a Pennsylvania-born singer/guitarist who formed the four-piece Giant Sandworms after relocating to Tucson, Arizona in the mid-'70s. After releasing the EP Will Wallow and Roam After the Ruin in 1980, Gelb fired everyone but bassist Scott Gerber (although founding guitarist Rainer Ptacek returned to the fold many times in the future) and started over as simply Giant Sand, essentially a one-man band backed by a revolving cast of players.
The first Giant Sand LP, 1985's Valley of Rain, earned Gelb comparisons to Neil Young for his reedy vocals and country-flavored, grungy guitar aesthetic; like Young, Gelb also proved to be a restless creative spirit, a notice served by 1986's Ballad of a Thin Line Man, an acoustic effort which featured the harmony vocals of ex-Go-Go (and Gelb's then-girlfriend) Paula Jean Brown. In 1988, Giant Sand issued a pair of new LPs, the equally diffuse Storm and The Love Songs.
By 1989's raw, improvisational Long Stem Rant, the group consisted only of Gelb and drummer John Convertino, while 1990's Swerve featured guests like Juliana Hatfield and Poi Dog Pondering. 1991's Ramp and 1992's Center of the Universe returned to the ragged desert-rock of their earliest material, but with 1994's Glum (the band's first and only effort for major label Imago), Giant Sand's music turned unexpectedly moody and restrained. Backyard Barbecue Broadcast, released in 1995, culled material from a pair of live radio sets.
In addition to Giant Sand, Gelb occasionally recorded under the guise of the Band of Blacky Ranchette, an outlet for his country leanings; in 1991, he also issued a solo album, Dreaded Brown Recluse. In addition, longtime drummer Convertino moonlighted in the lounge revival group Friends of Dean Martinez, and frequent collaborator Ptacek often performed as a solo artist prior to his cancer-related death on November 12, 1997. Chore of Enchantment, the first Giant Sand release on noted indie Thrill Jockey, followed in early 2000. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
Popular Biographies:
Beyond twilight Biography: Deriving from an early 90's melodic metal quintet named Twilight, which issued just one album called Eye for an Eye before vanishing without a trace, Beyond Twilight was formed almost ten years later...
Spoon Biography: Hailing from Austin, TX, Spoon originated in 1994 as a collaboration between Britt Daniel (vocals/guitar) and Jim Eno (drums) and a rotating cast of supporting players. Their hybrid of indie and punk...
Cybotron Biography: The seminal electro group Cybotron provided the first home for the recordings of techno godfather Juan Atkins. With partner Rick Davis (aka 3070), Atkins recorded several of electro's best moments;...
Blake babies Biography: While Blake Babies made several engaging records in the late '80s and early '90s, they never broke out of the collegiate rock circles where they were adored. It wasn't until 1992 that their leader,...
Samite Biography: Singer and multi-instrumentalist Samite is a little like Francis Bebey in that he overdubs both his own voice and various African and Western instruments (including the big East African litungu lyre,...
Living sacrifice Biography: Living Sacrifice's long and impressive history stretches back over a decade. The Arkansas-based metal band has evolved from their early death metal-inspired rumblings into a crushing,...
With passion Biography: Black metal warriors With Passion were formed in Sacramento, CA, in mid-2002 by vocalist Samuel McLeod, guitarists Shaun Gier and Jeff Morgan, bassist Michael Nordeen, and percussionist Jacob Peete....
Marvellous cain Biography: Marvellous Cain had a series of big tunes during jungle's ragga heyday in 1993-94, including "The Hitman" and "Dub Plate Style." Before signing to Suburban Base in 1995, Cain released tracks on...