New AMC line-up and album!
American Music Club has a new line up.Vudi - guitar
Sean Hoffman - bass - vocal
Steve Didelot - drum vocal
Mark Eitzel - guitar vocal
AMC moved from the Bay Area to Los Angeles.
The original members Danny Pearson(bass) and Tim Mooney (drums) still work in San Francisco and perform in various bands. Danny is releasing a solo record by the end of the year. Mark and Vudi started working with Steve and Sean about a year ago. The chemistry was great and so they continued with the project and called it the MacArthur Park Music Club but this work eventually became the new AMC record.
Members of the band:
Vudi lives in LA, drives a city bus and also plays with the popular rock band Ariel Pink.
Sean Hoffman is a producer, commercial music maker, ex skate punk and plays all the shredding guitar that you enjoy whilst watching Fox Sports. He also plays guitar in a band called the Larks.
Steve Didelot is a songwriter, drummer, surfer, and a Mathematics teacher in the LA public schools system. He also plays in the Larks Mark
Eitzel still lives in San Francisco, loves the Bay Area but spends a lot of time in Los Angeles. He says he 'loves all the trees' and says Los Angeles is "so "triumph of the will"'.
The new album:
Tentatively called MacArthur Park because Vudi lives in that neighborhood and because we all enjoy the original song by Jimmy Webb.
It will be produced by expert producer Dave Trumfio at his studio called King Size. We are very excited by this....
The overall sound is lighter than on previous AMC recordings. Of course there are many reasons why. 1) AMC refutes the label of 'Emo Pioneers'. For the record they hate Emo and have never been on the soundtrack for any WB network show. (yet) 2) Dark music is for people who are healthy enough to take it - and AMC want to appeal to all people - including the sick. 3) Mark Eitzel comments: "What will my neighbors in my retirement community think? How will I charm the nurse that tends to me? I want to fill my mouth with sugar and spit it on everyone when I talk. I want to cover the world with chocolate cake icing."
Yes there is a song about the World Trade Center. But such controversy is nothing new for this 'Right On' political band. Sean (bass) is a right leaning liberal texan who hates NPR and is the proud owner of a Segway. Vudi (guitar) dreams of an imperialist world of powdered wigs and waltz's in ballrooms. Mark (vocals) is a gay communist who once wrote an article: 'How Secure Will Your House Be During The Apocalypse'. Steve (drums) is a Christian activist who only plays in this band because the end times are upon us and what the fuck.
Plans:
The new album should be released in early 2008. When the ice and snow is thick and heavy. When your winter depression finally kicks in. No Christmas or New Years to look forward to - just the iron grip of the cold and the bleak endless news reports on the death we bring to the middle east and to ourselves. Perfect. Merge did much market research and focus group after focus group said this would be the perfect time to release our new record. Of course it will be. After that we tour and bring our own version of American Freedom to a waiting and willing world.
Mark Eitzel bio
Mark was born in Columbus, OH, but spent most of his formative years in a military family traveling to different areas of the world, including the United Kingdom.His first band was formed while he was back in Columbus, called The Naked Skinnies. They disbanded within three years, and, in 1982, Eitzel formed American Music Club. The band performed and created albums for twelve years. At one point, Eitzel also sang with San Francisco's Toiling Midgets, and often recorded solo work while involved in the band.
American Music Club called it quits in 1993, and Eitzel focused on his solo career, offering up 60 Watt Silver Lining as a compilation of songs he had recorded over the years in 1996. Following this, he released West in 1997 with help from R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck. He quickly followed up with Caught In A Trap And I Can't Back Out 'Cause I Love You Too Much, Baby, which was a different type of album for Eitzel, and assisted by Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth and Yo La Tengo bassist James McNew.
Mark released more music in 2001, beginning with a more electronic turn in The Invisible Man. This was followed by two covers projects in 2002: Music for Courage and Confidence, which was material written by other songwriters, and The Ugly American, an album which included reinterpretations of American Music Club songs.
American Music Club reformed in 2003, and released Love Songs for Patriots along with touring the United States and Europe. Eitzel released new solo material, Candy Ass, in 2005. Candy Ass was recorded in San Francisco and London over a three-year period, both before and after the AMC reunion album and tours, and was mixed and mastered in London in June of this year where Eitzel spends much of his time. All photos on the album were taken by Eitzel.
DISCOGRAPHY:
Songs of Love - Diablo Records - 1991
60 Watt Silver Lining - Warner Brothers - 1996
Words and Music - 1997
West - Warner Brothers - 1997
Caught in a Trap and I Can't Back Out 'Cause I Love You Too Much, Baby -Matador Records - 1998
The Invisible Man - Matador Records - 2001
Music for Courage and Confidence - NewWest Records - 2002
The Ugly American - Thirsty Ear Recordings - 2002
Candy Ass - Cooking Vinyl - 2005