Canvas (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Canvas


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Origin = Austin, Texas
Genre = Alternative rock
Years_active = 1999–2006
Label = Desert Tide Records
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Current_members = Joseph King
Julian Mandrake
Scott Thomas
Brad Byram

Past_members = Ben Rada Tabber Millard
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Canvas is a rock band from Austin, Texas. They are currently on indefinite hiatus.

History

The roots of Canvas begin in San Francisco in the mid 1990s with singer-songwriter Joseph King and guitarist Ben Rada while they were students at Stanford. In 1999 King and Rada played the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas and became so enamored with the city that they decided to move there. They added established Austin musicians Julian Mandrake (formerly of Oynxx), Scott Thomas (formerly of Dexter Freebish), and Brad Byram (formerly of Ugly Tribe) on guitar, drums, and bass, respectively and began work on their first album "Invocation".

Invocation's two singles, "In These Walls" and "Sirens", were added into regular rotation at Austin's KLBJ-FM and climbed to No. 1 most requested and top 5 phones within a week, and stayed at the top for two months. The station also included a live version of Canvas's song "Lessons From Underneath the Kachina Woman's Skirt" as the opening track of their 2002 Local Licks Live compilation.

The group built a cult following due to their raucous concerts, which often included fire dancing, a practice they had to abandon in 2003 after clubs imposed tighter restrictions following the The Station nightclub fire. Canvas is probably best known, however, for their connections with fellow Texas rockers Blue October. In addition to opening several Blue October concerts, Canvas also wrote and recorded the song "All About You" with Blue October frontman Justin Furstenfeld. Canvas's lead guitarist, Julian Mandrake, also was a touring guitarist for Blue October in 2006 while Furstenfeld was recovering from a broken leg.

After the recording of their 2004 album "Four Days Awake" rhythm guitarist Ben Rada left the band, and Joseph King assumed rhythm guitar duties as well as lead vocals on the Four Days Awake tour. During the 2005 tour supporting their third album "Painting the Roses" drummer Tabber Millard filled in for Scott Thomas.

Canvas played an emotional three-hour farewell show at Antone's in Austin on October 1, 2005. During the show former Canvas rhythm guitarist Ben Rada joined the band for the song "In these Walls" and Johnny Goudie joined the band to sing "Intertwined."

Band splits

In early 2006 Joseph King and Scott Thomas along with former Billy Idol guitarist Mark Younger-Smith formed the band "Murder My Sweet", which was well received at the South by Southwest Festival in Spring 2006. King has since left the project and moved to New York where he is pursuing a solo career and fronting the band "Deadbeat Darling"

After his break from Canvas in the spring of 2004, Ben Rada split time between audio engineering gigs for Austin clubs and traveling the states with Austin local legend Bob Schneider. He now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Julian Mandrake has a new band, "Mother's Anthem".

Brad Byram is currently playing with Austin's "The Wartime Social" and "Johnny Goudie and the Little Champions."

Scott Thomas drums for "Johnny Goudie and the Little Champions" and "Murder My Sweet."

Tabber Millard drummed for South FM until their 2007 split, and is currently the drummer for VAST.

Reunions

Canvas reunited for one show on January 28, 2006 at Momo's Club in Austin, Texas. A second reunion show for June 2006 was planned, but was cancelled due to Julian Mandrake's obligations to Blue October's "Foiled" tour.

On September 29, 2007 The Wartime Social, Mother's Anthem, Johnny Goudie and the Little Champions and Deadbeat Darling all played a show at Momo's Club. At the conclusion of Deadbeat Darling's set, all the members of Canvas, including Ben Rada and Tabber Millard took the stage and played "In these Walls", "All About You" and "Four Days Awake."

Members

* Joseph King – Guitar/vocals
* Ben Rada – Guitar, Piano
* Julian Mandrake – Guitar
* Brad Byram – Bass/vocals
* Scott Thomas – Drums

Touring Members

* Tabber Millard – Drums
* Johnny Goudie - Keyboard

Discography

External links

Official sites
* [http://www.canvas-online.com/ Canvas Official Website]
* [http://www.myspace.com/canvas Canvas at Myspace]

Media / Interviews
* Felderhoff, Rachel " [http://star.txstate.edu/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=222&Itemid=53/ Canvas paints the town... one last time?] ", University Star, October 4, 2005
* Felderhoff, Rachel " [http://star.txstate.edu/content/view/223/ After three releases, Canvas takes a break] ", University Star, October 4, 2005