The Phantom Limbs
| The Phantom Limbs | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Oakland, California |
| Genres | Post-punk, no wave, horror punk, deathrock, gothic rock, electropunk |
| Years active | 1999–2004 |
| Labels | Alternative Tentacles, Gold Standard Labs, Hungry Eye Records, Atakra, Mungaso Productions, Trans Solar |
The Phantom Limbs were a post-punk/deathrock band formed in Oakland, CA in 1999. The group combined the unusual keyboard-driven compositions of Stevenson Sedgwick with an aggressive, punk-influenced rhythm section and a very odd singer, Loto 'Hopeless' Ball, whose howled lyrics and unpredictable stage behavior quickly gained them an infamous reputation in the SF Bay Area.
They were quickly approached by Sam Atakra of the fledgling Atakra records label, which released their first 3-song 7", featuring their seminal "Hot Knives and Hornets."
With critical acclaim for their live shows and 7" recordings,[1] the group was approached by Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys and were signed to his seminal label, Alternative Tentacles, on the spot. After seeing the band at 924 Gilman St in Berkeley, he declared them the strangest band that he had ever see there, let alone that the punks actually liked [2] Their debut full-length "Applied Ignorance" was released on Alternative Tentacles in 2001. A US tour followed.
The group released 2 more full-length records on Alternative Tentacles, as well as singles, an EP and many compilation tracks on various labels including Gold Standard Labs, Hungry Eye Records and Trans Solar in Germany.
The band completed 2 more US tours and a 2 tours of Europe, playing over 200 shows in total. The group played shows with many notable acts including Jello Biafra, the Melvins, Neurosis, The Vanishing, The Fleshies, Neptune, The Holy Kiss among others.
History
November 6, 1999 – Limbs play first show at the Port-Lite, a dive bar in Oakland CA.
August 2000 – Jason “Jumanji" Miller permanently joins the limbs on guitar.
November 2000 – Release of 1st 7” on Atakra Records.
December 2000 – Jello Biafra of the Dead Kennedys witnesses the Limbs at 924 Gilman St in the People’s Republic of Berkeley, declares they are the strangest band he has ever witnessed at Gilman and signs them to his label, Alternative Tentacles on the spot.
May 2001 – Limbs and Fleshies split 7” released. Each covers a song from the other band.
May 2001 – Limbs release the Chicago Kid / Mungaso production The Early Years 1999-2000 DVD
May 12, 2001 – Limbs play infamous gig at the Alternative Tentacles Showcase at the Great American Music Hall and ruin the carpet.
August 2001 – Applied Ignorance is released on Alternative Tentacles.
September 2001 – First US tour.
June 2002 – Second US tour.
October 2002 – First European tour.
May 2003 – Limbs record with Dan Rathbun of SleepyTimeGorillaMuseum at Polymorph Studios in Oakland, CA.
September 2003 – Limbs release their second album, Displacement on Alternative Tentacles.
October 2003 – 4 song Euro 7” w/ Mono Brutal comic comes out on Trans-solar Records in Germany. Features exclusive cover of the Screamers “122 Hours of Fear”
October 2003 – Third and final US Tour. Limbs go to Graceland. Their beloved ’79 Dodge B200 breaks down outside of Tupelo. Limbs spend several days in the hometown of Elvis.
October 2003 – Limbs voted best "rock" band in San Francisco by San Francisco Weekly readers poll.[3]
December 2003 – split 7” with the Vanishing released on Hungry Eye Records
May(?) 2004 – Limbs play last San Francisco show ever at Edinburg Castle.
May(?) 2004 – Displacement released on Trans-Solar Records in Europe.
September 2004 – Limbs play last US show ever in Oakland.
October 2004 – Second and Final European tour.
October 23, 2004 – limbs play last show ever in Berlin, Germany @ Mad n' Crazy.
March 2005 – Limbs release final record, Random Hymns EP on GSL. The controversial track, “Jackalope Rising”, is alternately called “stunning”, “one of the more original, in your face tracks in recorded history”, and “a great mistake” by the critics.
October 31, 2005 – Limbs officially disband.
2009 Limbs release "Accept the Juice / Whole Loto Love" CD/DVD - a CD of rarities and a DVD of live footage and bonus features
Members
- Loto Hopeless Ball - vocals
- Stevenson Sedgwick - keys
- Sköt B - bass, keys
- Jason Miller - guitar
- Mike Klösoff - drums
additional members
- Ben H. - original guitarist for first 3 show
- Kundalini - guitar, appeared on the track 'Murder Us Windpipes'
Discography
Albums
- Applied Ignorance (LP, Alternative Tentacles (Virus 263), August 2001)
- Displacement (LP, Alternative Tentacles (Virus 305)/Tran Solar, September 2003)
- Random Hymns (EP, Gold Standard Labs (GSL 104) February 2005)
- Accept the Juice / Whole Loto Love (CD/DVD Alternative Tentacles (Virus 392) 2009)
Seven inch singles
- "Hot Knives and Hornets" (Atakra 001, November 2000)
- "Fleshies/Phantom Limbs Split" (Mungaso 002/SPAM 032, May 2001)
- "Patience" (Hungry Eye 002, December 2003)
- "The Euro 7" w/ Mono Brutal Comic" (Trans Solar 016, October 2003)
- "Vanishing/Phantom Limbs Split" (Hungry Eye 003, December 2003)
Other media
- The Phantom Limbs: The Early Years 1999-2000 (Video - Mungaso 003 / DVD - Mungaso 005, May 2001)
References
- ↑ "The Phantom Limbs - Press". thephantomlimbs.com. Retrieved 2013-02-22.
- ↑ "Alternative Tentacles Records - The Phantom Limbs". alternativetentacles.com. Retrieved 2012-02-22.
- ↑ Tudor, Silke. "To Hell and Back". SF Weekly. Retrieved 2013-02-22.