L.A.’s Spindrift makes music that sounds like what one would hear while tripping in the desert on a vision quest – mixing the dusty, cinematic soundscapes of old spaghetti-western films with the mind-expanding Psych Rock of modern practitioners like The Dandy Warhols and Brian Jonestown Massacre (not to mention drone forefathers The Velvet Underground).
Originally formed by singer/songwriter/guitarist Kirpatrick Thomas as two bands — an East Coast Rock one and a West Coast version more in line with Thomas’ Ennio Morricone jones — the frontman bled all of the influences into one and dropped anchor in California, forming a seven-piece band to re-create the spooky Old West sounds in his head.
httpv://https://youtu.be/mDZDsk52jeA
The unique hybrid caught the ears of Sex Pistols’ guitarist Steve Jones early, leading him to champion the band on his popular L.A. radio show. Since then, Spindrift has worked songs into movie soundtracks — most notably the indie The Legend of God’s Gun, in which the band’s music plays a starring role — and are currently enjoying success with The West, the band’s first album for the Dandy Warhols’ Beat the World label.
Relentless US touring has given them the opportunity to support Dead Meadow, The Black Angels, and The Dandy Warhols, as well as several headlining tours, and an appearance at The Monolith Festival at Red Rocks.
httpv://https://youtu.be/MIdLTpBLM4I
Both haunting and hallucinogenic, “The Legend of God’s Gun” soundtrack takes the listener on a cosmic journey through the desert as a preacher-turned-gunslinger sets out for vengeance.
With a guitar in one hand and six-shooter in the other, neo-cosmic cowboy Kirpatrick Thomas and his current band of banditos resurrect the spirits of Ennio Morricone and Bruno Nicolai and combines them with the ghosts of Velvet Underground and Jim Morrison, weaving a dusty backdrop to a story of sin and salvation in the wild wild west.
httpv://https://youtu.be/FvYTtDv8s80
Ups and downs, twists and turns; this is an appropriate way to describe the path long traveled by The Asteroid No.4 since the latter half of the 1990’s. Originally forming as a quartet in Philadelphia, they’ve since become a permanent five piece and now call Northern California their home.
Over the last decade and a half they’ve built a trove of eight full length albums, well over a dozen compilation appearances, digital-only rarity releases and multiple singles; a feat that many modern bands would certainly find daunting.
httpv://https://youtu.be/GyWYSZkmoK8
They’ve impressively managed to grow this lengthy body of work while tenuously fostering a family of A4 alumni. What’s even more impressive is that they’ve kept moving while remaining solidly underground, never garnering the more above-ground momentum from which a select few of their “psych” contemporaries have been fortunate enough to benefit.
Spindrift and The Asteroid #4 are supported by TAU.
Recommended by Digital in Berlin. Check out our facebook page to win tickets.
Spindrift + The Asteroid #4 + TAU
Friday, 03rd October 2014 | 21:00 CET
Bang Bang Club | Mehringdamm 61 | 10961 Berlin/Kreuzberg
spindriftwest.com | asteroid4.com | tauofficial.bandcamp.com | bangbang-club.de
