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Mazzy Star

Mazzy Star is an American alternative rock band formed in 1988 in Santa Monica, California, from remnants of the group Opal. Founding member David Roback's friend Hope Sandoval became the group's vocalist when Kendra Smith left Opal.[2]

Mazzy Star
Mazzy Star in London 2012. From left to right: David Roback, Hope Sandoval, Colm Ó Cíosóig, Keith Mitchell (drums), Suki Ewers (keyboards)
Background information
OriginSanta Monica, California, U.S.
Genres
Years active
  • 1988–1997
  • 2012–2020
Labels
MembersHope Sandoval
Suki Ewers
Colm Ó Cíosóig
Josh Yenne
Past membersWilliam Cooper
Jill Emery
Keith Mitchell
David Roback

Mazzy Star is best known for the song "Fade into You", which brought the band some success in the mid-1990s and was the group's biggest mainstream hit, earning extensive exposure on MTV, VH1, and radio airplay. Roback and Sandoval were the creative center of the band, with Sandoval as lyricist and Roback as composer of the majority of the band's material until his death in Los Angeles on February 24, 2020, from metastatic cancer. Mazzy Star's founding drummer Keith Mitchell, originally part of Opal, died on May 14, 2017 from cancer.

The band released the album She Hangs Brightly in 1990, So Tonight That I Might See in 1993 (the album went platinum in 1995), and Among My Swan in 1996.

The band's most recent studio album, Seasons of Your Day, was released in 2013, followed by the EP Still in 2018.

History

Opal and Paisley Underground (1981–1987)

Mazzy Star has deep roots within the Californian Paisley Underground movement of the early 1980s. David Roback, along with his brother Steven, was one of the main architects of leading Los Angeles psychedelic revival band the Rain Parade.[2][3] Leaving that band after their first LP, he founded Clay Allison in 1983 with then-girlfriend, ex-Dream Syndicate bassist Kendra Smith.[2][4] Soon after the publication of their sole release, the 1983 double A-sided single "Fell From the Sun"/"All Souls", Clay Allison renamed themselves Opal and released the LP Happy Nightmare Baby on SST on December 14, 1987.[4] With Roback as its musical catalyst, Opal were a direct precursor to Mazzy Star musically—often featuring the same psychedelic guitar drones and similar hints of blues and folk that would later appear on Mazzy Star recordings. Meanwhile, Sandoval—who was in high school at the time—formed the folk music duo Going Home in the early 1980s with fellow student Sylvia Gomez,[4] and played gigs with Sonic Youth and Minutemen.[5] Both were devoted followers of the Rain Parade, and after a 1983 concert by the band in the Los Angeles area, Gomez entered the backstage area of the venue and gave Roback a copy of Going Home's demo tape, featuring Sandoval on vocals and Gomez on guitar.[4][5] Upon hearing the tape, Roback offered to produce a still-unreleased album by the pair.[2][4]

When Smith left Opal under cloudy circumstances in the middle of a tour supporting The Jesus & Mary Chain, Sandoval was tapped as her replacement.[2]

Formation and Rough Trade (1988–1990)

Despite Smith's departure, Rough Trade retained Roback's original record deal, contractually obligating him to supply a follow-up to Opal's debut LP. As a result, Roback and Sandoval continued to tour under the Opal alias for the next two years, during which time they completed production on Opal's planned second album, titled Ghost Highway. Composed mainly of songs written by Roback and Smith, Sandoval stated that she was unhappy with the material, and expressed an interest in wanting to "start something completely new". The pair quickly composed and recorded seven new tracks in Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco, and renamed the band Mazzy Star.[6] Written over a year before Mazzy Star's inception, the track "Ghost Highway" is the band's only original song to not feature a writing credit from Sandoval,[7] while another song, "Give You My Lovin'", was written by Going Home guitarist Sylvia Gomez[8] and first recorded by Sandoval and Gomez in the mid-1980s.

She Hangs Brightly was released in May 1990 on Rough Trade and, although it was not an immediate commercial success, the album established the duo as a recurrent fixture on alternative rock radio, with lead single "Blue Flower" – a cover of the Slapp Happy track – peaking at No. 29 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart.[9] The album would go on to sell over 70,000 copies in the UK.[6]

Capitol (1990–1997)

The American branch of Rough Trade folded in late 1990, briefly leaving Mazzy Star without a record label. Within weeks, the duo's contract was picked up by Capitol, who re-released She Hangs Brightly on November 4, 1990,[10] and released their follow-up, So Tonight That I Might See on September 27, 1993.[11] A year after its release, the album yielded an unexpected hit single. "Fade into You" peaked at No. 44 to become their first Billboard Hot 100 single, while also reaching a career-high peak of No. 3 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.[12] On April 19, 1995, the album was certified platinum by the RIAA for shipments in excess of 1 million units.[13] The album also peaked at No. 68 in the UK,[14] and was certified silver by the BPI on July 22, 2013 for sales of over 60,000 copies.[15] Following the success of "Fade into You", She Hangs Brightly album opener "Halah" began to receive heavy airplay in the US and peaked at No. 19 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart, a chart based solely on airplay.[9]

Their final album for Capitol, Among My Swan, was released on October 29, 1996.[16] Entering the Billboard 200 at No. 68[17] and, as of September 2001, selling 214,000 copies in the United States,[18] the album was less commercially successful than its predecessors, although it produced their highest-peaking single in the United Kingdom, when "Flowers in December" entered at No. 40 to become their only top forty entry on the chart.[19] The band promoted the album with a five-month tour of the US and Europe, after which Sandoval and Roback began work on new material.[20] Over the course of these sessions, Sandoval reportedly "begged" Capitol to be released from her contract,[21] later elaborating, "It seemed record companies wanted bands to be creative because they didn't know how to manufacture underground music. We could do our own thing and go at our own pace. But that changed when major labels started wanting bands that would sell 7 million records. They had a formula. And suddenly all these people wanted to come to the studio to keep track of what we were doing and make sure we were following that formula. So we got out."[4]

Hiatus, reunion, and subsequent work (1997–2009)

In the immediate aftermath of Mazzy Star's dissolution, Sandoval, who had appeared on The Jesus and Mary Chain's 1994 release Stoned & Dethroned, made another guest appearance on their album Munki, and also collaborated with the Chemical Brothers, while Roback produced and mixed two songs found on Beth Orton's 1999 album Central Reservation.

In June 2000, the band reunited for a mini-tour of Europe. Performing up to seven new songs at each of these concerts,[22] Sandoval revealed in interviews around this time that these new songs were written and recorded for Mazzy Star's fourth studio album, which was to be released independently sometime in the future. This did not materialize, however, as later that year, Sandoval joined with Colm Ó Cíosóig (formerly of My Bloody Valentine) to form Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions. In October 2000, Sandoval issued her first EP with The Warm Inventions, At the Doorway Again, and followed it up with her debut full-length album, Bavarian Fruit Bread, a year later. Around this time, Sandoval also contributed vocals to several songs by other artists, notably Air and Death in Vegas.

Sandoval performed as part of Bert Jansch's 60th birthday celebration at Queen Elizabeth Hall on November 3, 2003. As well as Ó Cíosóig, Jansch and his son Adam, she was also joined on stage by David Roback for renditions of "Suzanne" and "All This Remains", a song Sandoval had contributed lead vocals and wrote lyrics to for Jansch's 2002 album Edge of a Dream. This would remain Sandoval and Roback's final appearance together on-stage until 2012.[23]

David Roback made his debut appearance as an actor in the 2004 film Clean. He also wrote and produced three songs that were performed in the film by actress Maggie Cheung.

In 2009, So Tonight That I Might See album track "Into Dust" debuted at No. 71 and stayed one week on the U.K. singles chart[19] when it featured on a commercial for Virgin Media.[24] Two years later, the song appeared on the "Dust to Dust" trailer for Gears of War 3 and spent a further four weeks on the chart, reaching a new peak of No. 47;[19] while it also became the band's first song to ever place on the Irish Singles Chart, where it peaked at No. 40.[25]

Sandoval's second album with The Warm Inventions, Through the Devil Softly, was released via Nettwerk on September 29, 2009 and was followed on August 10, 2010 by a non-album single, a cover of Syd Barrett's "Golden Hair". Also released in 2010 was her vocal contribution to Massive Attack's Heligoland, "Paradise Circus". The song spent one week on the U.K. singles chart at No. 117.[26]

Reformation and Seasons of Your Day (2010–2014)

The first substantive confirmation that the duo would reconvene to complete work on their fourth studio album came from Sandoval herself in a July 2009 interview with Rolling Stone magazine, where she was quoted as saying, "It's true we're still together. We're almost finished [with the record]. But I have no idea what that means."[27] Later, in a September 2009 interview with Vancouver-based music website Straight.com, interviewer John Lucas wrote of the 8-year gap between Bavarian Fruit Bread and Through the Devil Softly, "That seems like a long time until you consider that Mazzy Star, Sandoval's partnership with guitarist David Roback, hasn't put an album out since 1996. Sandoval promises that will change; she and Roback have their very own Chinese Democracy in the works, but it won't see the light of day until The Warm Inventions have wrapped up their tour."[28]

On October 12, 2011, Hope Sandoval's official website confirmed the duo would release their first new material in 15 years later that same month. The double a-sided single "Common Burn"/"Lay Myself Down" was released digitally on October 31, 2011. A limited edition blue-coloured 7" vinyl was also announced for release on November 8,[29] though a manufacturing delay resulted in its release being pushed back to January 24, 2012.[30] Their fourth studio album was expected to be released in the latter half of 2012, following completion of a tour earlier in the year.[31][32]

The band completed an 18-date Californian and European tour in 2012, their first since 2000.[33] Performing at several major European festivals, the band consisted of original members Suki Ewers[34] and Keith Mitchell,[35] and were also joined by Sandoval's Warm Inventions band-mate Colm Ó Cíosóig and Keith Mitchell's son Paul, whose band the Brook Lee Catastrophe also served as the opening act of select shows.[36] Pedal steel guitar was performed by Josh Yenne.[37] After the final date of the tour in August 2012, David Roback stated that production on the album had completed and that it would see release "soon".[38] In late 2012, several unreleased song titles composed by Hope Sandoval and David Roback were registered with the band's long-time publisher BMI, including "Flying Low"[39] and "Spoon",[40] both of which were performed multiple times on the tour.[41][42] The band also launched an official merchandise store.[43]

On July 13, 2013, the band announced details of their fourth studio album, Seasons of Your Day, which was released on September 23, 2013 in the UK, followed a day later on September 24 in the US. The album reached a career-high No. 24 on the UK albums chart.[14] The band began a North American tour on November 3, 2013 in support of the album.[44] On April 19, the band released two new songs as part of Record Store Day 2014. "I'm Less Here" and "Things" were released on 7" vinyl, with the run limited to 3,000 copies worldwide.[45][46] On December 22, 2014, a 40-second clip of a previously unreleased song was posted on the band's official Facebook account.[47]

Renewed solo activity (2016–2017)

Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions released a 7" vinyl single titled "Isn't It True" for Record Store Day 2016.[48] The track also features Jim Putnam of Radar Bros.[49] A music video for the song was released on April 19, and is dedicated to Richie Lee of Acetone.[50] The Warm Inventions' third studio album, Until the Hunter, was released on November 4 through the band's own independent record label, Tendril Tales.[51][52] A second single from the album, "Let Me Get There" featuring Kurt Vile, was released on September 23.[53][54] A new four-song EP from The Warm Inventions, Son of a Lady, was released on September 15, 2017.[55]

Sandoval contributed vocals to "I Don't Mind" by Psychic Ills, which was released on March 29, 2016.[56][57] Four months later, Massive Attack released "The Spoils", which was her third collaboration with the band, following "Paradise Circus" and "Four Walls".[58][59] A music video starring actress Cate Blanchett was released on August 9.[60]

Keith Mitchell, who played drums on all four Mazzy Star albums, died on May 14, 2017.[61]

Since 2018

In June 2018, the band reunited for their first concerts in five years, performing on three consecutive nights at the Sydney Opera House as part of Vivid Live.[62] That same month, they released the EP Still.[63]

David Roback died on February 24, 2020, of metastatic cancer.[64]

Members

Hope Sandoval

Besides vocals, Sandoval plays acoustic guitar, harmonica, Hammond organ, percussion, glockenspiel and xylophone. During live performances, Sandoval prefers to sing in near-darkness with only a dim backlight, playing the tambourine, harmonica, glockenspiel or shaker.[65] She is reputed to have a shy personality, and rarely interacts with the audience,[66] once stating "I just get really nervous. Once you're onstage, you're expected to perform. I don't do that. I always feel awkward about just standing there and not speaking to the audience, but it's difficult for me."[67]

David Roback

In Mazzy Star, Roback played guitar, keyboard, and piano. He wrote almost all music for Mazzy Star and produced all their recordings.

Roback grew up in Pacific Palisades, California, graduating from Palisades High School in 1975. He started a band called Rain Parade with his brother Steven. They first hit the scene in 1982 as part of a loose aggregate of psychedelic 1960s-influenced guitar bands in Los Angeles, and they were in the forefront of that movement which lasted a couple of years.

After Rain Parade's first album and tours, Roback left the band. He then became involved with ex-Dream Syndicate bassist Kendra Smith and formed a new band called Clay Allison in 1983. The recordings from the summer this year remained unreleased until the 1989 release of Opal's Early Recordings.

After Clay Allison's 1984 tour, the band decided to go with a name change, and went from Clay Allison to Opal, whose sound was defined by Roback's spare, distorted guitar work and Smith's vocals. They released the Northern Line EP in 1985. SST Records signed Opal and released their album Happy Nightmare Baby on December 14, 1987. During the Opal tour in December 1987, Smith left the band. She was replaced by Sandoval, and they toured Europe through early 1988. Roback and Sandoval had an intimate relationship at this time and after Opal was disbanded, they took the remaining members of Opal and changed their name to Mazzy Star.

Roback spent most of the past decade living in Norway before his death on February 24, 2020.[64][68][69]

Keith Mitchell

Mitchell played percussion for Opal and was a Founding Member of Mazzy Star, playing drums on all four albums.[70] Mitchell died on May 14, 2017.

Additional musicians

Other contributors to Mazzy Star include:

Current members
Former members
  • Kurt Elzner – touring guitarist
  • Jill Emery – bass
  • William Cooper, real name Will Glenn (1957–2001) – keyboards, violin

Discography

References

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  68. ^ Rachel, T. Cole (September 11, 2013). "Q&A: Mazzy Star Talk (A Little) About Seasons of Your Day, Their First New Album in 17 Years". Stereogum. Retrieved September 16, 2013.
  69. ^ Kreps, Daniel (May 15, 2017). ""Mazzy Star Drummer Keith Mitchell Dead" https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/mazzy-star-drummer-keith-mitchell-dead-113804/". RollingStone. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
  70. ^ Yoo, Noah (February 25, 2020). ""Mazzy Star's David Roback Dead at 61"". RollingStone. Retrieved February 26, 2020.

External links

  • Mazzy Star overview at AllMusic
  • Mazzy Star official webstore

mazzy, star, american, alternative, rock, band, formed, 1988, santa, monica, california, from, remnants, group, opal, founding, member, david, roback, friend, hope, sandoval, became, group, vocalist, when, kendra, smith, left, opal, london, 2012, from, left, r. Mazzy Star is an American alternative rock band formed in 1988 in Santa Monica California from remnants of the group Opal Founding member David Roback s friend Hope Sandoval became the group s vocalist when Kendra Smith left Opal 2 Mazzy StarMazzy Star in London 2012 From left to right David Roback Hope Sandoval Colm o Ciosoig Keith Mitchell drums Suki Ewers keyboards Background informationOriginSanta Monica California U S GenresDream pop 1 alternative rock 1 Years active1988 1997 2012 2020LabelsRhymes of an Hour Rough Trade CapitolMembersHope SandovalSuki EwersColm o CiosoigJosh YennePast membersWilliam CooperJill EmeryKeith MitchellDavid RobackMazzy Star is best known for the song Fade into You which brought the band some success in the mid 1990s and was the group s biggest mainstream hit earning extensive exposure on MTV VH1 and radio airplay Roback and Sandoval were the creative center of the band with Sandoval as lyricist and Roback as composer of the majority of the band s material until his death in Los Angeles on February 24 2020 from metastatic cancer Mazzy Star s founding drummer Keith Mitchell originally part of Opal died on May 14 2017 from cancer The band released the album She Hangs Brightly in 1990 So Tonight That I Might See in 1993 the album went platinum in 1995 and Among My Swan in 1996 The band s most recent studio album Seasons of Your Day was released in 2013 followed by the EP Still in 2018 Contents 1 History 1 1 Opal and Paisley Underground 1981 1987 1 2 Formation and Rough Trade 1988 1990 1 3 Capitol 1990 1997 1 4 Hiatus reunion and subsequent work 1997 2009 1 5 Reformation and Seasons of Your Day 2010 2014 1 6 Renewed solo activity 2016 2017 1 7 Since 2018 2 Members 2 1 Hope Sandoval 2 2 David Roback 2 3 Keith Mitchell 2 4 Additional musicians 3 Discography 4 References 5 External linksHistory EditOpal and Paisley Underground 1981 1987 Edit Mazzy Star has deep roots within the Californian Paisley Underground movement of the early 1980s David Roback along with his brother Steven was one of the main architects of leading Los Angeles psychedelic revival band the Rain Parade 2 3 Leaving that band after their first LP he founded Clay Allison in 1983 with then girlfriend ex Dream Syndicate bassist Kendra Smith 2 4 Soon after the publication of their sole release the 1983 double A sided single Fell From the Sun All Souls Clay Allison renamed themselves Opal and released the LP Happy Nightmare Baby on SST on December 14 1987 4 With Roback as its musical catalyst Opal were a direct precursor to Mazzy Star musically often featuring the same psychedelic guitar drones and similar hints of blues and folk that would later appear on Mazzy Star recordings Meanwhile Sandoval who was in high school at the time formed the folk music duo Going Home in the early 1980s with fellow student Sylvia Gomez 4 and played gigs with Sonic Youth and Minutemen 5 Both were devoted followers of the Rain Parade and after a 1983 concert by the band in the Los Angeles area Gomez entered the backstage area of the venue and gave Roback a copy of Going Home s demo tape featuring Sandoval on vocals and Gomez on guitar 4 5 Upon hearing the tape Roback offered to produce a still unreleased album by the pair 2 4 When Smith left Opal under cloudy circumstances in the middle of a tour supporting The Jesus amp Mary Chain Sandoval was tapped as her replacement 2 Formation and Rough Trade 1988 1990 Edit Main article She Hangs Brightly Despite Smith s departure Rough Trade retained Roback s original record deal contractually obligating him to supply a follow up to Opal s debut LP As a result Roback and Sandoval continued to tour under the Opal alias for the next two years during which time they completed production on Opal s planned second album titled Ghost Highway Composed mainly of songs written by Roback and Smith Sandoval stated that she was unhappy with the material and expressed an interest in wanting to start something completely new The pair quickly composed and recorded seven new tracks in Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco and renamed the band Mazzy Star 6 Written over a year before Mazzy Star s inception the track Ghost Highway is the band s only original song to not feature a writing credit from Sandoval 7 while another song Give You My Lovin was written by Going Home guitarist Sylvia Gomez 8 and first recorded by Sandoval and Gomez in the mid 1980s She Hangs Brightly was released in May 1990 on Rough Trade and although it was not an immediate commercial success the album established the duo as a recurrent fixture on alternative rock radio with lead single Blue Flower a cover of the Slapp Happy track peaking at No 29 on Billboard s Modern Rock Tracks chart 9 The album would go on to sell over 70 000 copies in the UK 6 Capitol 1990 1997 Edit Main article So Tonight That I Might See The American branch of Rough Trade folded in late 1990 briefly leaving Mazzy Star without a record label Within weeks the duo s contract was picked up by Capitol who re released She Hangs Brightly on November 4 1990 10 and released their follow up So Tonight That I Might See on September 27 1993 11 A year after its release the album yielded an unexpected hit single Fade into You peaked at No 44 to become their first Billboard Hot 100 single while also reaching a career high peak of No 3 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart 12 On April 19 1995 the album was certified platinum by the RIAA for shipments in excess of 1 million units 13 The album also peaked at No 68 in the UK 14 and was certified silver by the BPI on July 22 2013 for sales of over 60 000 copies 15 Following the success of Fade into You She Hangs Brightly album opener Halah began to receive heavy airplay in the US and peaked at No 19 on Billboard s Modern Rock Tracks chart a chart based solely on airplay 9 Main article Among My Swan Their final album for Capitol Among My Swan was released on October 29 1996 16 Entering the Billboard 200 at No 68 17 and as of September 2001 selling 214 000 copies in the United States 18 the album was less commercially successful than its predecessors although it produced their highest peaking single in the United Kingdom when Flowers in December entered at No 40 to become their only top forty entry on the chart 19 The band promoted the album with a five month tour of the US and Europe after which Sandoval and Roback began work on new material 20 Over the course of these sessions Sandoval reportedly begged Capitol to be released from her contract 21 later elaborating It seemed record companies wanted bands to be creative because they didn t know how to manufacture underground music We could do our own thing and go at our own pace But that changed when major labels started wanting bands that would sell 7 million records They had a formula And suddenly all these people wanted to come to the studio to keep track of what we were doing and make sure we were following that formula So we got out 4 Hiatus reunion and subsequent work 1997 2009 Edit In the immediate aftermath of Mazzy Star s dissolution Sandoval who had appeared on The Jesus and Mary Chain s 1994 release Stoned amp Dethroned made another guest appearance on their album Munki and also collaborated with the Chemical Brothers while Roback produced and mixed two songs found on Beth Orton s 1999 album Central Reservation In June 2000 the band reunited for a mini tour of Europe Performing up to seven new songs at each of these concerts 22 Sandoval revealed in interviews around this time that these new songs were written and recorded for Mazzy Star s fourth studio album which was to be released independently sometime in the future This did not materialize however as later that year Sandoval joined with Colm o Ciosoig formerly of My Bloody Valentine to form Hope Sandoval amp the Warm Inventions In October 2000 Sandoval issued her first EP with The Warm Inventions At the Doorway Again and followed it up with her debut full length album Bavarian Fruit Bread a year later Around this time Sandoval also contributed vocals to several songs by other artists notably Air and Death in Vegas Sandoval performed as part of Bert Jansch s 60th birthday celebration at Queen Elizabeth Hall on November 3 2003 As well as o Ciosoig Jansch and his son Adam she was also joined on stage by David Roback for renditions of Suzanne and All This Remains a song Sandoval had contributed lead vocals and wrote lyrics to for Jansch s 2002 album Edge of a Dream This would remain Sandoval and Roback s final appearance together on stage until 2012 23 David Roback made his debut appearance as an actor in the 2004 film Clean He also wrote and produced three songs that were performed in the film by actress Maggie Cheung Into Dust source source Album version as it appeared on So Tonight That I Might See Problems playing this file See media help In 2009 So Tonight That I Might See album track Into Dust debuted at No 71 and stayed one week on the U K singles chart 19 when it featured on a commercial for Virgin Media 24 Two years later the song appeared on the Dust to Dust trailer for Gears of War 3 and spent a further four weeks on the chart reaching a new peak of No 47 19 while it also became the band s first song to ever place on the Irish Singles Chart where it peaked at No 40 25 Sandoval s second album with The Warm Inventions Through the Devil Softly was released via Nettwerk on September 29 2009 and was followed on August 10 2010 by a non album single a cover of Syd Barrett s Golden Hair Also released in 2010 was her vocal contribution to Massive Attack s Heligoland Paradise Circus The song spent one week on the U K singles chart at No 117 26 Reformation and Seasons of Your Day 2010 2014 Edit Main article Seasons of Your Day The first substantive confirmation that the duo would reconvene to complete work on their fourth studio album came from Sandoval herself in a July 2009 interview with Rolling Stone magazine where she was quoted as saying It s true we re still together We re almost finished with the record But I have no idea what that means 27 Later in a September 2009 interview with Vancouver based music website Straight com interviewer John Lucas wrote of the 8 year gap between Bavarian Fruit Bread and Through the Devil Softly That seems like a long time until you consider that Mazzy Star Sandoval s partnership with guitarist David Roback hasn t put an album out since 1996 Sandoval promises that will change she and Roback have their very own Chinese Democracy in the works but it won t see the light of day until The Warm Inventions have wrapped up their tour 28 On October 12 2011 Hope Sandoval s official website confirmed the duo would release their first new material in 15 years later that same month The double a sided single Common Burn Lay Myself Down was released digitally on October 31 2011 A limited edition blue coloured 7 vinyl was also announced for release on November 8 29 though a manufacturing delay resulted in its release being pushed back to January 24 2012 30 Their fourth studio album was expected to be released in the latter half of 2012 following completion of a tour earlier in the year 31 32 The band completed an 18 date Californian and European tour in 2012 their first since 2000 33 Performing at several major European festivals the band consisted of original members Suki Ewers 34 and Keith Mitchell 35 and were also joined by Sandoval s Warm Inventions band mate Colm o Ciosoig and Keith Mitchell s son Paul whose band the Brook Lee Catastrophe also served as the opening act of select shows 36 Pedal steel guitar was performed by Josh Yenne 37 After the final date of the tour in August 2012 David Roback stated that production on the album had completed and that it would see release soon 38 In late 2012 several unreleased song titles composed by Hope Sandoval and David Roback were registered with the band s long time publisher BMI including Flying Low 39 and Spoon 40 both of which were performed multiple times on the tour 41 42 The band also launched an official merchandise store 43 On July 13 2013 the band announced details of their fourth studio album Seasons of Your Day which was released on September 23 2013 in the UK followed a day later on September 24 in the US The album reached a career high No 24 on the UK albums chart 14 The band began a North American tour on November 3 2013 in support of the album 44 On April 19 the band released two new songs as part of Record Store Day 2014 I m Less Here and Things were released on 7 vinyl with the run limited to 3 000 copies worldwide 45 46 On December 22 2014 a 40 second clip of a previously unreleased song was posted on the band s official Facebook account 47 Renewed solo activity 2016 2017 Edit Hope Sandoval amp The Warm Inventions released a 7 vinyl single titled Isn t It True for Record Store Day 2016 48 The track also features Jim Putnam of Radar Bros 49 A music video for the song was released on April 19 and is dedicated to Richie Lee of Acetone 50 The Warm Inventions third studio album Until the Hunter was released on November 4 through the band s own independent record label Tendril Tales 51 52 A second single from the album Let Me Get There featuring Kurt Vile was released on September 23 53 54 A new four song EP from The Warm Inventions Son of a Lady was released on September 15 2017 55 Sandoval contributed vocals to I Don t Mind by Psychic Ills which was released on March 29 2016 56 57 Four months later Massive Attack released The Spoils which was her third collaboration with the band following Paradise Circus and Four Walls 58 59 A music video starring actress Cate Blanchett was released on August 9 60 Keith Mitchell who played drums on all four Mazzy Star albums died on May 14 2017 61 Since 2018 Edit In June 2018 the band reunited for their first concerts in five years performing on three consecutive nights at the Sydney Opera House as part of Vivid Live 62 That same month they released the EP Still 63 David Roback died on February 24 2020 of metastatic cancer 64 Members EditHope Sandoval Edit Main article Hope Sandoval Besides vocals Sandoval plays acoustic guitar harmonica Hammond organ percussion glockenspiel and xylophone During live performances Sandoval prefers to sing in near darkness with only a dim backlight playing the tambourine harmonica glockenspiel or shaker 65 She is reputed to have a shy personality and rarely interacts with the audience 66 once stating I just get really nervous Once you re onstage you re expected to perform I don t do that I always feel awkward about just standing there and not speaking to the audience but it s difficult for me 67 David Roback Edit Main article David Roback In Mazzy Star Roback played guitar keyboard and piano He wrote almost all music for Mazzy Star and produced all their recordings Roback grew up in Pacific Palisades California graduating from Palisades High School in 1975 He started a band called Rain Parade with his brother Steven They first hit the scene in 1982 as part of a loose aggregate of psychedelic 1960s influenced guitar bands in Los Angeles and they were in the forefront of that movement which lasted a couple of years After Rain Parade s first album and tours Roback left the band He then became involved with ex Dream Syndicate bassist Kendra Smith and formed a new band called Clay Allison in 1983 The recordings from the summer this year remained unreleased until the 1989 release of Opal s Early Recordings After Clay Allison s 1984 tour the band decided to go with a name change and went from Clay Allison to Opal whose sound was defined by Roback s spare distorted guitar work and Smith s vocals They released the Northern Line EP in 1985 SST Records signed Opal and released their album Happy Nightmare Baby on December 14 1987 During the Opal tour in December 1987 Smith left the band She was replaced by Sandoval and they toured Europe through early 1988 Roback and Sandoval had an intimate relationship at this time and after Opal was disbanded they took the remaining members of Opal and changed their name to Mazzy Star Roback spent most of the past decade living in Norway before his death on February 24 2020 64 68 69 Keith Mitchell Edit Mitchell played percussion for Opal and was a Founding Member of Mazzy Star playing drums on all four albums 70 Mitchell died on May 14 2017 Additional musicians Edit Other contributors to Mazzy Star include Current membersSuki Ewers keyboards Colm o Ciosoig guitar bass keyboards drums Josh Yenne pedal steel guitar and acoustic electric guitars Former membersKurt Elzner touring guitarist Jill Emery bass William Cooper real name Will Glenn 1957 2001 keyboards violinDiscography EditMain article Mazzy Star discography She Hangs Brightly 1990 So Tonight That I Might See 1993 Among My Swan 1996 Seasons of Your Day 2013 References Edit a b Mazzy Star to Release First Album in 17 Years Billboard Prometheus Global Media July 16 2013 Retrieved December 19 2014 a b c d e Strong Martin C 2003 The Great Indie Discography Canongate pp 861 862 ISBN 1841953350 McGee Alan May 13 2008 Remembering the Rain Parade Guardian News and Media Limited Retrieved November 30 2011 a b c d e f Carew Anthony Mazzy Star Artist Profile About com Retrieved November 30 2011 a b Gopalan Nisha October 6 2013 The Reawakening of Mazzy Star Newsweek IBT Media Retrieved November 3 2013 a b Bonner Michael 2013 Hope Springs Eternal Feature Uncut Vol October 2013 no 201310 IPC Media pp 24 28 Retrieved June 11 2015 Ghost Highway Legal Title BMI Repertoire BMI com Archived from the original on July 16 2012 Retrieved November 9 2011 Give You My Lovin Legal Title BMI Repertoire BMI com Archived from the original on July 16 2012 Retrieved November 9 2011 a b Mazzy Star gt Charts amp Awards gt Billboard Singles gt She Hangs Brightly Singles Allmusic Rovi Corporation retrieved October 24 2011 She Hangs Brightly Mazzy Star Boulevard Archived from the original on November 4 2011 Retrieved October 24 2011 So Tonight That I Might See Mazzy Star Boulevard Archived from the original on November 4 2011 Retrieved October 24 2011 Mazzy Star gt Charts amp Awards gt Billboard Singles gt Fade into You Allmusic Rovi Corporation retrieved October 24 2011 Gold amp Platinum RIAA com Recording Industry Association of America Retrieved September 15 2019 a b Mazzy Star Albums Official Charts Retrieved September 15 2019 BPI Statistics Certified Awards Search for Mazzy Star British Phonographic Industry Retrieved October 7 2013 Among My Swan Mazzy Star Boulevard Archived from the original on September 30 2011 Retrieved October 24 2011 Mazzy Star gt Charts amp Awards gt Billboard Albums Allmusic Rovi Corporation retrieved October 24 2011 Ex Mazzy Star Vocalist Preps Solo Debut Billboard retrieved June 17 2011 a b c Mazzy Star Singles Official Charts Retrieved September 15 2019 Klinge Steven Hope Inspires Hopesandoval com Harp Retrieved August 15 2012 The Mother of Warm Invention A Hope Sandoval Interview The Quietus retrieved October 24 2011 Mazzy Star Bootlegs list Archived from the original on September 30 2011 Retrieved October 24 2011 London England Queen Elizabeth Hall South Bank HopeSandoval com November 8 2003 Retrieved January 19 2011 Virgin Media Launching TV Campaign on Mobile Internet Money High Street Media Netrix June 23 2009 archived from the original on January 2 2011 retrieved May 23 2011 Ireland Singles Top 50 aCharts co Chart Track IRMA September 22 2011 Retrieved September 27 2011 Zywietz Tobias Chart Log UK 1994 2010 M My Vitriol Zobbel de Retrieved September 15 2019 O Donnell Kevin July 6 2009 Mazzy Star Crooner Readies Return With Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions Rolling Stone Retrieved October 24 2011 Lucas John September 17 2009 Hope Sandoval Has Never Been One To Rush Things Vancouver Free Press Retrieved October 24 2011 Mazzy Star returns HopeSandoval com October 12 2011 Retrieved October 24 2011 New Mazzy Star single coming soon Archived from the original on April 23 2012 Retrieved December 15 2011 Pelly Jenn October 24 2011 New Mazzy Star Lay Myself Down Pitchfork Media Retrieved October 25 2011 Mazzy Star Reunion Album Due Early 2012 Sample New Common Burn Direct Current Music October 19 2011 Archived from the original on April 29 2012 Retrieved October 24 2011 2012 Mazzy Star tour HopeSandoval com Retrieved February 8 2012 Suki Ewers been rehearsing with mazzy star Facebook November 22 2011 Retrieved January 19 2012 Reunite Archived from the original on February 9 2012 Retrieved January 19 2012 June 1 stringsbypaul com Archived from the original on February 3 2013 Retrieved August 15 2012 Shows joshyenne com Retrieved August 15 2012 Brochen Philippe August 11 2012 La Route du rock finit sur une excellente note La Route du Rock ends of a high note liberation fr in French Retrieved March 14 2013 BMI Repertoire Search Flying Low BMI Archived from the original on April 10 2013 Retrieved March 14 2013 BMI Repertoire Search Spoon BMI Archived from the original on April 10 2013 Retrieved March 14 2013 Mazzy Star Flyin Low Off Festival 2012 YouTube August 11 2012 Archived from the original on November 17 2021 Retrieved March 14 2013 Mazzy Star Spoon live 2012 04 06 Mystic Theater Petaluma CA YouTube June 15 2012 Archived from the original on November 17 2021 Retrieved March 14 2013 Mazzy Star Store Seraph Solutions Retrieved February 14 2013 Minsker Evan September 9 2013 Mazzy Star Announce Tour Pitchfork Media Retrieved September 16 2013 Modern Vinyl 7 from Mazzy Star added to RSD Modern Vinyl March 13 2014 Retrieved March 20 2014 Mazzy Star I m Less Here Rough Trade Records Archived from the original on April 30 2014 Retrieved March 20 2014 Mazzy Star Facebook Mazzy Star Facebook December 22 2014 Retrieved December 23 2013 Sterdan Darryl April 8 2016 Record Store Day 2016 The 25 biggest and best releases Toronto Sun Postmedia Network Retrieved April 14 2016 BrooklynVegan Staff March 9 2016 Mazzy Star s Hope Sandoval releasing new album but first a RSD limited 7 BrooklynVegan Retrieved April 14 2016 Evan Minsker April 19 2016 Mazzy Star s Hope Sandoval Shares Isn t It True Video Watch Pitchfork Conde Nast Retrieved August 10 2016 BrooklynVegan Staff April 13 2016 Tendril Tales is Hope Sandoval of Mazzy Star s label website launches RSD release already on eBay BrooklynVegan Retrieved April 14 2016 Geslani Michelle March 28 2016 Mazzy Star s Hope Sandoval amp The Warm Inventions prep first album in seven years Consequence of Sound Retrieved April 14 2016 Andrew Sacher August 22 2016 Kurt Vile sings on new Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions single BrooklynVegan Retrieved September 1 2016 Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions Let Me Get There 10 Vinyl Single Amazon com Retrieved August 16 2016 Matasci Matt August 10 2017 Hope Sandoval and the Warm Inventions to Release Four Song EP Son of A Lady for September 2017 Release MXDWN Retrieved August 10 2017 Jazz Monroe March 29 2016 Psychic Ills Announce New Album Inner Journey Out Share Hope Sandoval Collaboration I Don t Mind Pitchfork Conde Nast Retrieved September 1 2016 Shane Barnes March 29 2016 Listen to Mazzy Star s Hope Sandoval on new Psychic Ills track Flavorwire Flavorpill Media Retrieved September 1 2016 Noah Yoo and Jazz Monroe July 29 2016 Massive Attack Release Come Near Me New Video Plus Hope Sandoval Collaboration Pitchfork Conde Nast Retrieved July 31 2016 Brian Josephs July 29 2016 Massive Attack Release the Brooding Come Near Me and The Spoils Spin SpinMedia Retrieved July 31 2016 Ben Kaye August 9 2016 Cate Blanchett stars in Massive Attack and Hope Sandoval s video for The Spoils watch Consequence of Sound Retrieved August 16 2016 Kreps Daniel May 15 2017 Mazzy Star Drummer Keith Mitchell Dead Rolling Stone Retrieved May 15 2017 Russell Scott April 18 2018 Mazzy Star Preview New EP Still With Quiet the Winter Harbor First New Single Since 2014 Paste Archived from the original on April 19 2018 Retrieved June 11 2018 Reed Ryan April 18 2018 Mazzy Star Release Delicate New Song Detail Still EP Rolling Stone Retrieved June 11 2018 a b Slotnik Daniel E February 26 2020 David Roback 61 a Founder of Band Mazzy Star Is Dead The New York Times Retrieved February 27 2020 LiveDC Hope Sandoval amp The Warm Inventions Sixth amp I BrightestYoungThings Archived from the original on August 19 2010 Retrieved May 1 2010 McLaughlin Moira E October 9 2009 Profile of Enigmatic Singer Hope Sandoval washingtonpost com Retrieved May 1 2010 FAQ hopesandoval com Retrieved November 30 2011 Rachel T Cole September 11 2013 Q amp A Mazzy Star Talk A Little About Seasons of Your Day Their First New Album in 17 Years Stereogum Retrieved September 16 2013 Kreps Daniel May 15 2017 Mazzy Star Drummer Keith Mitchell Dead https www rollingstone com music music news mazzy star drummer keith mitchell dead 113804 RollingStone a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a External link in code class cs1 code title code help Missing or empty url help Yoo Noah February 25 2020 Mazzy Star s David Roback Dead at 61 RollingStone Retrieved February 26 2020 External links Edit Wikiquote has quotations related to Mazzy Star Mazzy Star overview at AllMusic Mazzy Star official webstore Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mazzy Star amp oldid 1150836114, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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