Swelter

Swelter

Swelter is a rock music group, formed in 1989. They were generally associated with the city of Tacoma, Washington.

Biography

1989-1991

Swelter was initally formed as a 4 piece band consisting of Micah Hembree (vocals), Chad Baker (bass guitar), Stuart Linkert (drums), and Jason Harsin (guitar). Originally named Swelter Cacklebush, the group played in a heavy pop/rock style, different than the more aggressive sound of their later recordings.

After recording their debut Country Pleasures EP, the group was signed to a local independent label, Green Monkey Records, headed by Seattle area producer Tom Dyer ( Accüsed, Green Pajamas, Malchicks). A 7" release accompanied by positive reviews in local Northwest music magazines Backlash and The Rocket followed, and a series of shows were lined up at venues in the area. At the same time Harsin left to pursue other musical projects. Swelter Cacklebush was declared clinically dead.

1991-1993

The remaining three members decide to reform, dropping "Cacklebush" from the name, and expanding the lineup to a quintet by adding Jason Dietrich and David Takata on guitar. They dropped the pop songwriting elements from their sound and focused on the darker and more agressive sounds of the underground hard rock scene that was growing in the Pacific Northwest, while adding elements of the Midwestern Post-Hardcore or "Noise Rock" movement typified by bands like The Laughing Hyenas and Scratch Acid.

Many shows were played in the South Puget Sound region of the Pacific Northwest. The 5 piece Swelter lineup went into the studio and recorded several tracks, two of which (Topicrux and Slab Fork Creme) were later pressed onto "morning piss" colored vinyl. The rest of the tracks would later appear remixed on their self-titled full-length album, released in 1996. The album received positive press, as evidenced in this review from Seattle music magazine "The Rocket":

SWELTER (BigEnormous)Tacoma's Swelter have many different elements converging together, and the outcome would make any noise-band fan proud. The resultant sound is grating, mechanical, visceral, and catchy all at once. With three very loud and very distorted guitars, and distorted vocals used more as an instrument than as a lyrical element, Swelter are the perfect fix for those who worship at the throne of Noise. -Keyan Y. Meymand

1993-1998

The addition of third guitar player Sean Lanksbury in late 1993 solidified the Swelter sound. They went on to record new tracks with this expanded lineup at John and Stu's place (a recording studio formerly known as Reciprocal Recording) with producer John Goodmanson. These tracks, along with the previously recorded tracks from 1993 were sequenced together to form the band's debut album, "Swelter". The band toured across the Northwest to critical favor but limited commercial success. They appeared on Dan Savage's "Savage Love Live" radio program in 1996, performing two new songs and two covers: "You Made Me Love You (Dear Mr. Gable)" and "You're Just Too Good To Be True", at the host's suggestion. Shortly after they recorded their sophomore album at Uptone Studios with Scott Talbott (Nadir, Everything In Flames) in 1996. Given various titles ("Black Assmaster", "Yes I am unkind...but even worse", "2"), it remains unreleased. One alternate version of the track "Crash And Bleed Out" can be found on a 1996 Nail Distribution sampler disc. The band, frustrated by lack of success and amidst deepening internal tension, fell apart in 1998.

Music

Swelter are generally categorized as noise rock, but their music also incorporated elements of hardcore punk, metal and shoegaze.

Influences

The Jesus Lizard, Ride, Laughing Hyenas, Unsane, Unwound, Black Sabbath, Fu Manchu, Kyuss, Slug, Cherubs, Shellac, My Bloody Valentine, Six Finger Satellite, Green Magnet School, Superconductor, Melvins, Nirvana, Tar, Table.

Performed In Concert with

Silkworm, Botch, The Posies, Nadir, OneTon, Hush Harbor, Richmond Fontaine, Poppa Wheelie, The Presidents of the United States of America, Bali Girls, Rocket From The Crypt, Spiny Norman, Plugg, Helter Skipper and the Gilligan Mansons, Self Help Seminar...and many others.

Discography

Country Pleasures [Cassette EP; Self-released]
We Could b/w Dive [7" Single; Green Monkey Records]
Topicrux b/w Slab Fork Creme [7" Single; Service of Fikes]
Swelter [CD; Big Enormous Records]
Yes, I am unkind...but even worse. (a.k.a. "Black Assmaster") [CD; Unreleased]


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  • swelter — [swel′tər] vi. [freq. of ME swelten, to die, swoon away, faint < OE sweltan, to die < IE base * swel , to burn > Gr heilē, sun s heat] to be or feel uncomfortably hot; sweat, feel weak, etc. from great heat vt. 1. to cause to swelter 2.… …   English World dictionary

  • Swelter — Swel ter, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Sweltered}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Sweltering}.] [From {Swelt}, v. i.] 1. To be overcome and faint with heat; to be ready to perish with heat. Sweltered cattle. Coleridge. [1913 Webster] 2. To welter; to soak. [Obs.]… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Swelter — Swel ter, v. t. 1. To oppress with heat. Bentley. [1913 Webster] 2. To exude, like sweat. [R.] Shak. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • swelter — c.1400, frequentative of swelten be faint (especially with heat), late 14c., from O.E. sweltan to die, from P.Gmc. *swel (Cf. O.S. sweltan to die, O.N. svelta to put to death, starve, Goth. sviltan to die ), originally to burn slowly, hence to be …   Etymology dictionary

  • swelter — ► VERB ▪ be uncomfortably hot. ► NOUN ▪ an uncomfortably hot atmosphere. ORIGIN from dialect swelt «perish», from Germanic …   English terms dictionary

  • swelter — UK [ˈsweltə(r)] / US [ˈsweltər] verb [intransitive] Word forms swelter : present tense I/you/we/they swelter he/she/it swelters present participle sweltering past tense sweltered past participle sweltered to be affected in an uncomfortable way by …   English dictionary

  • swelter — I. verb (sweltered; sweltering) Etymology: Middle English sweltren, frequentative of swelten to die, be overcome by heat, from Old English sweltan to die; akin to Gothic swiltan to die Date: 14th century intransitive verb 1. to suffer, sweat, or… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • swelter — [[t]swe̱ltə(r)[/t]] swelters, sweltering, sweltered VERB If you swelter, you are very uncomfortable because the weather is extremely hot. They sweltered in temperatures rising to a hundred degrees... Fred and Volodia sweltered at night in the… …   English dictionary

  • swelter — tvankumas statusas T sritis ekologija ir aplinkotyra apibrėžtis Tvyrantis karštas ir drėgnas oras. atitikmenys: angl. closeness; stuffiness; sultriness; swelter vok. Schwüle, f rus. духота, f …   Ekologijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • swelter — /swel teuhr/, v.i. 1. to suffer from oppressive heat. v.t. 2. to oppress with heat. 3. Archaic. to exude, as venom. n. 4. a sweltering condition. [1375 1425; late ME swelt(e)ren (v.), equiv. to swelt(en) to be overcome with heat (OE sweltan to… …   Universalium

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