Spahn Ranch (band)

Infobox musical artist
Name = Spahn Ranch


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Background = group_or_band
Origin = Los Angeles, United States
Genre = Electro-Industrial
Electro-goth
Years_active = 1992-2001
Label = Cleopatra Zoth Ommog Out of Line Cryonica Music
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.spahn-ranch.com/ http://www.spahn-ranch.com/]
Current_members = Rob Morton Matt Green Scott Franklin

Spahn Ranch is an Electro-Industrial group from Los Angeles. Formed in 1992 by Matt Green and his New York-based collaborator, Rob Morton the band has become well known amongst many industrial music fans for it's fusion of Electronic Dance, Industrial and Gothic music.

History

The Los Angeles electronic-industrial music group Spahn Ranch was formed in 1992 by Matt Green and his New York-based collaborator, Rob Morton. The group signed to Cleopatra Records. That same year, a self-titled, four-song EP with vocals supplied by Scott Franklin (later to become bassist for "The Cramps"), was released.

In 1993, they added vocalist Athan Maroulis and recorded their debut album "Collateral Damage". Their second effort, "The Coiled One", appeared two years later in the midst of Morton leaving the band due to creative and logistical differences. The album became a fan favorite and is regarded as a classic LP of the genre.Fact|date=February 2007 After his departure, the line-up was expanded to include Christian Death drummer David Glass, Screams for Tina guitarist Kent Bancroft, and Tubalcain drummer Harry Lewis. This offered a beginning of the fuller, more diverse, dark electro-industrial sound that Spahn Ranch would continue to pursue. By 1997 Spahn Ranch pared themselves down to a tight, three-piece unit of Green, Maroulis and Lewis.

Spahn Ranch continued to release albums throughout the late 1990s. "Architecture", released in 1997, featured contributions from Killing Joke/Prong bassist Paul Raven and Rockats/Nancy Sinatra guitarist Danny B. Harvey. This album took an even more experimental approach to the Spahn Ranch sound, incorporating elements of drum and bass, dub and for the first time, live guitar parts. "Beat Noir", in 1998, followed a similar path even further and included work with Bauhaus/Love & Rockets bassist David J.

The band regularly toured throughout North America during their existence with the likes of Front Line Assembly, Front 242, Switchblade Symphony and The Electric Hellfire Club. Spahn Ranch also made a couple of European treks prior to their demise as a group in 2000.

"Closure" was a posthumous release in 2001 of their final album recorded in 2000.

Discography

Albums/EP's

* "Spahn Ranch" (1992) Cleopatra, U.S.
*"Collateral Damage" (1993) Cleopatra, U.S.
*"Collateral" (1993) Zoth Ommog, Germany
*"The Blackmail Starters Kit" (1994) Cleopatra, U.S.
*"Breath and Taxes" (1994) Zoth Ommog, Germany
*"The Coiled One" (1995) Cleopatra, U.S.
*"In Parts Assembled Solely" (1996) Cleopatra, U.S.
*"Architecture" (1997) Cleopatra, U.S.
*"Architecture: Beta" (1997) Out Of Line, Germany
*"Retrofit" (1998) Cleopatra U.S. Out Of Line, Germany
*"Limited Edition 12"- first 4 Tracks from Retrofit (1998) Cleopatra, U.S.
*"Beat Noir" (1998) Cleopatra, U.S./ Out Of Line, Germany
*"Anthology 1992-1994" (2000) Cleopatra, U.S.
*"Closure" (2001) Cleopatra, U.S. / Cryonica, U.K.

Covers/Compilation Appearances

*"Thugs 'N' Kisses" (1995) - "Core"
*"Covered In Black" (1997) - "Shot Down In Flames"
*"" (1999) - "Swim"
*"A Gothic-Industrial Tribute to The Smashing Pumpkins" (2001) - "Disarm"

External links

* [http://www.spahn-ranch.com Spahn-Ranch.com] , Official site.
* [http://www.silbermedia.com/qrd/archives/sr6.html Spahn Ranch interview (november 1995) for QRD]
* [http://www.silbermedia.com/qrd/archives/srint11.html Spahn Ranch interview (may 1997) for QRD]