Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Infobox musical artist
Name = Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

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Img_capt = BRMC live at Benicassim 2007.
Background = group_or_band
Origin = San Francisco, California, USA
Genre = Alternative rock
Garage rock revival
Post-punk revival
Noise rock
Indie
Shoegazing
Neo-psychedelia
Americana
Years_active = 1998–present
Label = Virgin, Echo, RCA/BMG
URL = [http://www.blackrebelmotorcycleclub.com/ www.blackrebelmotorcycleclub.com]
Current_members = Peter Hayes
Robert Levon Been
Leah Shapiro
Past_members = Nick Jago

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BRMC for short) is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, now based in Los Angeles. BRMC is known for its brand of garage rock, blues, folk revival, neo-psychedelia and often religiously inspired lyrics, and its influences are groups and musicians such as Oasis, The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Rolling Stones, John Lennon, The Velvet Underground and The Jesus and Mary Chain [cite web |url= http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/blackrebelmotorcycleclub |title= Black Rebel Motorcycle Club |accessdate=2007-10-27 |format= HTML |work= Rolling Stone Artist Section ] .

History

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club formed in 1998, taking its name from Marlon Brando's motorcycle gang in the 1953 film "The Wild One".

The band's first two records were indebted to classic hard rock influenced by Led Zeppelin and also encompassed slower paced psychedelic rock, space rock and Noise Pop influences from bands such as The Verve, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr and The Jesus And Mary Chain. Recently, with their fourth record "Baby 81", they developed a more concrete sound and style; encompassing blues, folk, and rock, while remaining angst-ridden in theme.

The vocals are shared between Robert Levon Been (Bass) and Peter Hayes (guitar). Been and Hayes met at high school in the San Francisco suburb of Lafayette and quickly formed a band, Hayes having recently left The Brian Jonestown Massacre. Looking for a drummer, they met Nick Jago, from Devon, England, who had moved to California to be with his parents after spending some time at Winchester School of Art, where he was studying fine art. Been used the pseudonym 'Robert Turner' on the first two records, in an attempt to not be linked to his famous father (Michael Been of The Call.) He later dropped this identity when promoting "Howl".

The band was originally called The Elements, but after discovering that another band had the same name, it changed the name to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Their second album "Take Them On, On Your Own" has several songs such as "Generation" and "US Government" that are critical of the United States government.

After conflict with the label, the band was dropped by Virgin Records in 2004, with Nick Jago leaving the band at the end of their summer tour of the same year due to 'internal conflict' (later revealed to be a drug addiction and drinking problem). He was briefly replaced by The Verve drummer Peter Salisbury. Hayes and Been then recorded their third album.

In 2005 the band signed to Echo in the UK, and RCA in the U.S. Their third album "Howl" was released to widespread critical acclaim. Several of the songs on "Howl" are said to have been written long before the idea of BRMC was conceived. Jago returned after most of the album was recorded but plays on track 7, "Promise". On tour for this album the band also employed a temporary fourth member, guitarist Spike Keating, on stage during performances.

Possible influences of the band include the beat poet generation, notably of the Denver scene, and particularly in Allen Ginsberg. This is evident in the title of their third album: "Howl" is the name of Ginsberg's most celebrated work.

The band's fourth album, "Baby 81", was released on April 30, 2007 in the UK and Europe and May 1, 2007 in the U.S.. The band has posted several songs of "Baby 81" album on their MySpace page.

On June 6, 2007, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club performed in a concert that was streamed live via [http://msninconcert.msn.com/music/archive/en-gb/archive.aspx/ MSN Music] .

The song "Shuffle Your Feet" from "Howl" has been featured in commercials advertising the HBO miniseries Generation Kill.

Members

*Peter Hayes – vocals, guitar, Bass, Synth
*Robert Levon Been – vocals, bass, guitar, Piano
*Leah Shapiro – drums

Line-up Changes

Nick Jago became estranged from the band in 2005, reportedly due to drug problems that became publicly apparent when he remained on stage for a full nine minutes, completely silent, while accepting a 2003 "NME" Award. A year later at the 2004 V Festival, Jago walked out when asked to sign an inflatable penis. Things came to a head in Scotland, when after a tense gig Jago and Hayes came to blows and before long, Jago quit [cite web |url= http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/34646-black-rebel-motorcycle-club-prep-new-lp |title= Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Prep New LP |accessdate=2007-10-27 |format= HTML ] . As such, Jago did not take part in the "Howl" sessions. Instead, he went through various rehab attempts, eventually rejoining the band in time to record one track on "Howl", the ballad "Promise". Some fans believe the lack of Jago's presence, and the encompassing drug problems the band had faced, lead partly to "Howl's" stripped-down folk style, a departure from the traditional B.R.M.C. sound.Fact|date=August 2008

In June 2008 Nick once again left B.R.M.C.'s touring line-up, being replaced by The Raveonettes' touring drummer Leahcite web |url= http://www.nme.com/news/black-rebel-motorcycle-club/37235 |title= Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's drummer leaves band |accessdate=2008-06-10 |date=June 10 2008 |publisher=NME.com] . Nick stated he "took it as I am fired again and to be honest with you I respect their decision.". However, Peter and Robert issued a statement reading: "Nick won't be joining us for the upcoming European tour, but it's not true that he is fired. We just feel Nick needs time to sort out exactly what he wants right now. His heart and all his energy and attention is on his own solo project and he needs to see that through."

Discography

Albums

EPs

* "Screaming Gun EP" (October 2001)
* "Howl Sessions EP" (2005)
* Napster Live Session (2007)
* "" (2007)

ingles

References

External links

* [http://www.blackrebelmotorcycleclub.com Official website]
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* [http://www.brmcrebelswithacause.com Rebels with a Cause fansite]