- Thought Industry
Infobox musical artist 2
Name = Thought Industry
Background = group_or_band
Origin = Kalamazoo,Michigan USA
Genre =Avant Garde metal Progressive metal
Experimental music
Years_active = 1989 – 2001
Label =Metal Blade Records American
progressive metal band Thought Industry was formed inKalamazoo, Michigan in1989 by vocalist/bassist Brent Oberlin, drummerDustin Donaldson (who formedI Am Spoonbender in 1997), guitarist Christopher Lee Simmonds (aka Christopher Lee), and guitaristSteve Spaeth . Spaeth left the band due to internal conflicts with Simmonds and started the band Clockmaker. The position was filled by guitarist Paul Enzio in time for1992 's "Songs For Insects", theirMetal Blade Records debut. This was followed up by "".1996 's "Outer Space Is Just a Martini Away " subsequently saw a significant change in the band's sound and lineup when Donaldson was replaced by ex-Clockmaker drummer Jared Bryant. Oberlin switched to guitar and Bassist Herb Ledbetter was added. Thought Industry continued to strip down their lineup and sound with1997 's moody "Black Umbrella", which saw the departure of Lee. Bryant, Enzio and Ledbetter also left the band in1999 which prompted Oberlin to assemble an entirely new lineup for2001 's magnum opus "Short Wave on a Cold Day ". Engineer Mike Roche, who recorded "Black Umbrella " and filled in on bass from time to time, was added as a full time guitarist along with drummer Cameron Taylor, bassist Mark Baldwin and guitarist/keyboardist Jeff Borkowski.Recent Projects
[http://www.myspace.com/christopherleesimmonds] Christopher Lee Simmonds continued on to perform as a singer/songwriter in the Chicago area through 1996. Simultaneously recording with Filter on 1997's "Title of Record". Simmonds also recorded 2 solo albums, toured the mid-west and east coast through late 2007 and re-located to Baltimore Maryland that September. There Simmonds established himself as a studio engineer and producer of many projects. Most notable would be Good Charlotte, Jimi's Chicken Shack, Marcy Playground, Underfoot, Bullhead and most of the local scene. Simonds continued on with his progressive metal nature and created what most consider to be the continuation of Thought Industry, Bullhead. Bullhead is a culmination of the most extreme of Simmonds' work. "Bullhead is the greatest musical outlet I have ever had! I can do what ever I want, however I want and it just gets better and better." ~Simmonds said in his first interview in over 8 years with Metal Heads Magazine in the spring issue 2006.
As of November 2007, Simmonds is performing with his newest band, [http://www.thestaticdynamic.com] The Static Dynamic, based out of Boston Massachusetts. There is a 10 song CD (self titled) distributed by Tunecore through iTunes and Rhapsody. Simmonds is currently recording the 2nd album from The Static Dynamic while performing weekly and embarking on the occasional east coast tour. Simmonds continues to perform as a solo singer/songwriter in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia on a regular basis.
[http://www.thestaticdynamic.com] [http://www.myspace.com/christopherleesimmonds]
As a singer for Cosmonaut, Oberlin released “Pipebomb Full of Nails” in
2004 . Cosmonaut’s debut release was on Swollen Lip Records located in Ann Arbor, MI.Their bio from cosmonautweb.com states:
" Two assholes from Lansing (Jamesen’s Brian George and Josh Stacey) met another from Grand Rapids (The Veronica Speedwell’s Rodney Johnson), and schemed about a rock-band; but they didn’t have a singer. The aforementioned contacted an asshole from Kalamazoo (Thought Industry’s Brent Oberlin). The Michigan quartet named the group Cosmonaut after minutes of heated debate."
There do not appear to be any new tour dates or news more recent than 2004.
Discography
tudio albums
Year Title Label 1992 Songs For Insects Metal Blade 1993 Metal Blade 1996 Outer Space Is Just a Martini Away Metal Blade 1997 Black Umbrella Metal Blade 2001 Short Wave On a Cold Day Metal Blade ingles
Year Title Label 1993 "Gelatin 7" Metal Blade Compilations
Year Title Label 1998 Recruited To Do Good Deeds For The Devil Metal Blade External links
* [http://www.bnrmetal.com/groups/thin.htm Thought Industry at BNR Metal Pages]
* [http://www.myspace.com/thoughtindustry111 Thought Industry Myspace website] (The Active One)
* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:avu1z82ajyv1~T0 Thought Industry at Allmusic]
* [http://www.iamspoonbender.com I Am Spoonbender]
* [http://www.thestaticdynamic.com The Static Dynamic] (ACTIVE)
* [http://cosmonautweb.com Cosmonaut website] (not currently active)
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