- Useless ID
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Useless ID Origin Haifa, Israel Genres Punk rock
Alternative rockYears active 1994–present Labels Falafel (1994-2000)
Kung Fu (2000-2008)
Suburban Home (2008-present)Associated acts Muki, Superdrive, DPA, Bo La'Bar Website [1] Members Yotam Ben-Horin
Ishay Berger
Guy Carmel
Yonatan HarpakPast members Ido Blaustein
Ralph Hobri
Adi AlkabetzUseless ID is a four-piece punk rock band, formed in Haifa, Israel in 1994. Known as one of the most successful Israeli punk bands worldwide.[citation needed]
Contents
History
At its first years, the band was mainly active in the Israeli punk scene, and released two studio albums independently, on its own label "Falafel Records", named after band member's favorite food, the falafel. The band's singer at the time was rhythm guitarist Guy Carmel.
Two years after the band's formation, the four members decided to play shows in the United States, and toured around the country for 6 months. This successful tour was followed by five more tours around North America, two around Europe and one in Japan. In 1996, upon returning to Israel from the tours, the band's bassist Adi Alkabetz was replaced by Yotam Ben-Horin.
The band's international breakthrough happened in 1999, after The Ataris frontman, Kris Roe, heard the band and invited it to record a split album for Kung Fu Records. The album, titled Let It Burn, featured 7 songs by the Ataris and 8 songs by Useless ID. The song "Too Bad You Don't Get It" was also featured on Fat Wreck Chords' compilation, Short Music for Short People that same year. After the release of Let It Burn, the band was signed to Kung Fu Records, and in 2001 the band's third studio album, Bad Story, Happy Ending, was released. The album was produced by Kris Roe. This was the first album by the band to feature bassist Yotam Ben-Horin on lead vocals. Ben-Horin eventually became the band's frontman and main composer and lyricist.
In 2003 the band released another album via Kung Fu, titled No Vacation from the World, with Angus Cooke co-producing the album with the band, and additional production by Tony Sly of No Use for a Name.
A year later, the band was featured in the Fat Wreck Chords' Rock Against Bush, Vol. 2 compilation, with the song "State of Fear". After returning to Israel, the band released its 5th album, Redemption, in December 2004 in Israel and Japan, and July 2005 in the rest of the world. This album was produced by Bill Stevenson of Descendents fame, and recorded at The Blasting Room in Colorado between March and April 2004. Drummer Ido Blaustein left the band prior to the recording of the album. Moshe Liberman played drums on the album, but Yonatan Harpak of Israeli punk band Punkache joined as the official drummer prior to the release of the album.
Still in 2004, the band took part in the movie "Jericho's Echo", directed by Liz Nord, which dealt with the Israeli punk and hardcore scene.
On September 2006, the band released a DVD, titled Ratfaces Home Videos Presents Useless ID, containing live and studio video clips of the band.
In 2008 the band returned to the Blasting Room, to record its sixth studio album, again with Stevenson as producer. On July 24, 2008, it was announced that the album, to be titled The Lost Broken Bones, will be released via Suburban Home Records on October of that year.[1]
After the recording of the album, the band left for a brief tour around the United Kingdom, and in June 2008, the band played live in Trafalgar Square, London, as part of the "Salute to Israel" event. After another tour in Japan and China in September, the band returned to Israel for a special release show of The Lost Broken Bones on October 18, 2008, at the Barby club in Tel Aviv, joined by famous musicians from the Israeli mainstream music scene, including Danny Sanderson, Muki and more.
The band finished off 2008 with an Israeli tour supporting The Lost Broken Bones, playing in Haifa, with Betzefer and Friday Night Sissy Fight, in Tel Aviv with Got No Shame and Kill The Drive, and in Jerusalem with Man Alive, Mondo Gecko and Evenyaru.
In Purim 2009, the band joined Betzefer and Almana Shchora for a special Purim show in Tel Aviv.
After opening for two shows of No Use for a Name in Tel Aviv, Israel, Useless ID joined to support them on the remaining of their summer European dates, around all Europe, during June and July.
In the summer of 2009, the band recorded an album in Hebrew, with Israeli hip hop/reggae artist Muki, in which the band wrote and played all the music, and Muki was responsible for all the lyrics. Useless ID singer Yotam Ben-Horin co-sings on some songs. The band celebrated the launch of the project with a tour across Israel, starting with the first show on August 15, 2009, at the Barzilay Club in Tel Aviv.[2] The collaboration's launch show was on September 30, 2009, at the Reading 3 club at the Tel Aviv port.[3]
In September 2009, Yotam Ben-Horin has finished recording his solo acoustic album, and started writing material for the next Useless ID album. The Muki and Useless ID collaboration album was released on January 7, 2010, followed by an official release show on January 28, 2010, at the Barby club in Tel Aviv.
In May 2010, frontman Yotam Ben-Horin has confirmed that he wrote most of the material for the band's next album, with only some writing left and plans to record the album in the end of 2010.
In July 2010, the band went on a European tour with Gideon Berger of Kill the Drive filling in on drums, as the band's drummer Yonatan Harpak couldn't leave the country at the moment.
In October 2010, it was confirmed by guitarist Guy Carmel that the band would record their next album in February 2011 at the Blasting Room in Fort Collins, Colorado with producer Bill Stevenson with whom they worked on their last two albums.
On January 24, 2011, it was announced that the band will be entering the Blasting Room on February 3, 2011, to record their seventh full-length studio album with producers Bill Stevenson and Jason Livermore. Before entering the studio, the band played their last show on the supporting tour of The Lost Broken Bones on January 27, 2011, at the Barby club in Tel Aviv, Israel.[4][5] On January 30, 2011, Yotam Ben-Horin has said on his Facebook page that songwriting for new Useless ID album is now complete.
On February 7, 2011, the band announced that they have finished tracking drums for the album, as well as updating their Facebook page with some photos and videos, revealing some song titles from the next album, among them are "Live or Die", "Before It Kills", "Manic Depression", "New Misery", "Fear in the Mirror" and "Waiting for an Accident" and "Erratic" which were already played by the band during their acoustic shows in 2010.
On February 15, 2011, it was announced that mixing of the new album began, even though there are still some last vocals to record. On February 17, 2011, frontman Yotam Ben-Horin's birthday, the recording of the album was officially finished, with announcement that mixing will now continue for all songs, followed by mastering, and release of the album in the summer of 2011. On February 22, 2011, mixing was finished.
On February 16, 2011, the band released a compilation album, entitled The Lost Broken Tunes: Vol. 1. The compilation was released exclusively in Japan, and featured demos, outtakes, acoustic tracks and other rare tracks that didn't make the band's last album The Lost Broken Bones.[6] A second volume, entitled The Lost Broken Tunes: Vol. 2 followed a month later, on March 16, 2011, and included older demos and unreleased material that dates back to 1999.
On April 21, 2011, the band announced on Facebook that mastering on the new album has began.
On May 30, 2011, it was announced that the band will play as a supporting act to Jello Biafra and the Guantanamo School of Medicine on July 2, 2011, at the Barby club in Tel Aviv, Israel.[7] On June 29, 2011, three days before the show, Jello Biafra has announced that he will be cancelling his upcoming Israeli concert due to political reasons.[8] In response, Useless ID has decided to play a headlining show for free with supporting acts Bo La'Bar and Mondo Gecko, for all the disappointed fans.[9]
Band members
- Current members
- Yotam Ben-Horin - lead vocals, bass (2000–present), bass, backing vocals (1996–2000)
- Ishay Berger - lead guitar, backing vocals (1995–present)
- Guy Carmel - rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2000–present), lead vocals, rhythm guitar (1994–2000)
- Jonathan Harpak - drums, percussion (2004–present)
- Touring members
- Gideon Berger - drums, percussion (2010)
- Former members
- Ido Blaustein - drums, percussion (2000–2004)
- Ralph Huber - drums, percussion (1994–2000)
- Adi Alkabetz - bass (1994–1996)
Discography
Studio albums
- 1997 - Dead's Not Punk (Falafel Records/Yo-Yo Records)
- 1999 - Get in the Pita Bread Pit (Falafel Records)
- 2001 - Bad Story, Happy Ending (Kung Fu Records)
- 2003 - No Vacation From The World (Kung Fu Records)
- 2005 - Redemption (Kung Fu Records)
- 2008 - The Lost Broken Bones (Suburban Home Records)
- 2010 - Muki & Useless ID (Hatav Hashmini)
EPs and splits
- 1995 - Demo (Hashsub) (Falafel Records)
- 1995 - Room of Anger (Falafel Records)
- 1997 - Split with All You Can Eat (Farmhouse Records)
- 1998 - Split with Spyhole (Yo-Yo Records)
- 2000 - Split with Tagtraum (Vitaminepillen Records)
- 2000 - Let it Burn, split with The Ataris (Kung Fu Records/Yo-Yo Records)
- 2003 - Split with Man Alive (Dying Is Deadly Records)
- 2004 - Attack of the B-Killers, split with Man Alive, Yidcore and Atom and His Package (Boomtown/MGM)
Compilations
- 2011 - The Lost Broken Tunes: Vol. 1
- 2011 - The Lost Broken Tunes: Vol. 2
Compilations contributions
- 1996 - Breaking the Cultural Curfew - "Is It Right" (Beer City Records)
- 1998 - No Fate Vol. IV - "Something" (H.G. Fact Records)
- 1999 - Short Music for Short People - "Too Bad You Don't Get It" (Fat Wreck Chords)
- 2000 - You Call This Music?! Volume 1 - "Lonely Heart" (Geykido Comet Records)
- 2004 - Rock Against Bush Vol. 2 - "State of Fear" (Fat Wreck Chords)
- 2008 - Avoda Ivrit (Hebrew Work) - "Lu Hayiti Pirat" ("If I Was a Pirate")
- A four-CD compilation of Israeli songs celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of Israel.
DVDs
References
- ^ http://www.suburbanhomerecords.com/2008/07/24/suburban-home-signs-useless-id/
- ^ http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-3756392,00.html
- ^ http://music.walla.co.il/?w=/202/1531472
- ^ http://www.punknews.org/article/41329
- ^ http://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4018133,00.html
- ^ http://musicore.net/forums/index.php?/topic/409085-useless-id-the-lost-broken-tunes-vol-1-2011-fnt/
- ^ http://bidur.nana10.co.il/Article/?ArticleID=804691
- ^ http://socialistworker.org/2011/06/21/apartheid-no-place-punk
- ^ http://bidur.nana10.co.il/Article/?ArticleID=811464
External links
Studio albums Dead's Not Punk · Get in the Pita Bread Pit · Bad Story, Happy Ending · No Vacation from the World · Redemption · The Lost Broken Bones · Muki & Useless IDEPs and splits Split with All You Can Eat · Split with Spyhole · Split with Tagtraum · Let It Burn · Split with Man Alive · Attack of the B-KillersDVDs Categories:- Israeli punk rock groups
- Pop punk groups
- Alternative rock groups
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