Bad Suns
Bad Suns | |
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![]() Bad Suns at Comic-Con 2015 | |
Background information | |
Origin | Woodland Hills, California, U.S. |
Genres | |
Years active | 2012–present |
Labels | Vagrant, Epitaph Records |
Members |
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Bad Suns is an American rock band from Woodland Hills, California, formed in 2012. The band currently consists of Christo Bowman, Gavin Bennett, Miles Morris and Ray Libby.[1][2] A majority of the band members are from Los Angeles, California. The group has been signed to Vagrant Records, where they released their debut album Language & Perspective in 2014.[3][4] The band's sound is inspired from 1970s and 1980s post-punk pioneers like The Cure and Elvis Costello. Their second album was released on September 16, 2016, titled Disappear Here. Their third and most recent album, Mystic Truth, was released on March 22, 2019. The band has since released three singles, I'm Not Having Any Fun, Unstable, and Baby Blue Shades. I'm Not Having Any Fun and Unstable were originally intended for release on Mystic Truth but were later removed from the album.[5] They were released on April 24 and May 15, 2020, respectively. Baby Blue Shades was produced by Eric Palmquist, who worked with the band on their first two albums, Language & Perspective and Disappear Here.[6] Baby Blue Shades was released on September 28, 2020.
Background[]
![Bad Suns onstage](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Bad_Suns-3.jpg/220px-Bad_Suns-3.jpg)
Bad Suns formed in early 2012. Made up of Christo Bowman (vocals), Gavin Bennett (bass/keyboard), Miles Morris (drums), and Ray Libby (guitar). “I grew up with a lot of world music playing in the house. When I was 10, I started getting heavily interested in the guitar, and my dad began introducing me to his records from the ’70s and the ’80s. Initially Elvis Costello, then to The Clash, The Cure, and so on,” notes Bowman, “all of these artists and bands had a big impact on me, at a young age, as far as song composition goes.” The debut EP Transpose features angst-ridden riffs and ethereal vocals reminiscent of post-punk legends of the early '80s. “I started writing my first songs at that time," Bowman continues, “Though we can now reflect on that era of music, those artists were ahead of their time in a lot of ways. That’s what’s most inspiring.”[citation needed]
The band released "Cardiac Arrest" online,[7] where it went viral.[8] The Transpose EP was recorded in the studio with producer Eric Palmquist (The Mars Volta, Wavves, Trash Talk) and preceded the band's debut 2014 album, Language & Perspective. “The writing and recording process is always exciting, because it’s constantly changing and unique to each song. Inspiration comes and goes as it pleases, so a night when a song gets written is a very good night,” says Bowman.[9] In 2014, the band opened for British indie-pop band The 1975 and later headlined a tour in small venues, such as The Troubadour in West Hollywood.[10] The bands rising fame has led them to perform in music festivals. In 2015, they played in the Mojave Tent at Coachella,
Bad Suns released their second album, Disappear Here, on September 16, 2016.[11] Bowman came up with the name of the album while reading Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis, "Maybe the second or third time the 'Disappear Here' billboard appears in the narrative, it sort of just hit me like a ton of bricks. It encapsulated absolutely everything."[12] On October 6, 2017, Bad Suns released the single "This Was a Home Once". On November 13, 2018, they announced that they had signed with Epitaph Records and released their first new music in over a year, "Away We Go". On the 14th of January Bad Suns announced their next album called Mystic Truth, which was released on March 22, 2019.[13]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bb/Bad_Suns_in_2019_1.jpg/220px-Bad_Suns_in_2019_1.jpg)
The band has ventured into film and television for the first time by performing Mark Knopfler’s score from the Quibi exclusive short film Home Movie: The Princess Bride which aired in June and July 2020.
Accolades[]
Jessica Goodman and Ryan Kistobak of The Huffington Post included the band's debut album, Language & Perspective, on their list of 2014's best releases, calling it "a rare indie release with little excess amongst its singles".[14] The music video for "Salt" has been praised by Out magazine and MTV for its depiction of a transgender woman's struggles with her identity and transition.[15][16]
Discography[]
Studio albums[]
Year | Album | Peak chart positions | Label | |
---|---|---|---|---|
US [17] |
US Indie [18] | |||
2014 | Transpose (EP) | 41 | — | Vagrant |
2014 | Language & Perspective[19][20] | 24 | 6 | Vagrant |
2016 | Disappear Here[21][22][23] | 109 | 13 | Vagrant/BMG |
2019 | Mystic Truth[24] | Epitaph Records | ||
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart. |
Singles[]
Title | Year | Peak positions | Album | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
US AAA [25] |
US Alt. [26] |
US Rock [27] | |||||
"Cardiac Arrest" | 2013 | 10 | 14 | 25 | Language & Perspective | ||
"Salt" | 2014 | — | — | — | |||
"We Move Like the Ocean" | 2015 | — | — | — | |||
"Disappear Here" | 2016 | — | — | — | Disappear Here | ||
"This Was a Home Once" | 2017 | — | — | — | — | ||
"Away We Go" | 2018 | — | — | — | Mystic Truth | ||
"I'm Not Having Any Fun" | 2020 | — | — | — | — | ||
"Unstable" | 2020 | — | — | — | — | ||
"Baby Blue Shades" | 2020 | — | — | — | Apocalypse Whenever | ||
"Heaven is a Place in My Head" | 2021 | — | — | — | Apocalypse Whenever | ||
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Band members[]
- Christo Bowman – lead vocals, guitar
- Ray Libby – guitar
- Gavin Bennett – bass, keyboard piano
- Miles Morris – drums
Tours[]
References[]
- ^ "From Bonnaroo to Boulder Theater Bad Suns thrill live". FOX31 Denver. 2017-06-17. Retrieved 2019-01-07.
- ^ Swedlund, Eric. "Bad Suns Rising: Bad Suns". Tucson Weekly. Retrieved 2019-01-07.
- ^ "Bad Suns". Billboard.com. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
- ^ Kristobak, Ryan (2014-08-13). "Bad Suns' 'Language & Perspective' Explores Growing Spaces Through Duality". Huffington Post. Retrieved 2019-01-07.
- ^ "Bad Suns share new b-side, "Unstable"". Retrieved 2020-05-18.
- ^ Rosky, Nicole. "Bad Suns Releases New Single, 'Baby Blue Shades'". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 18 December 2021.
- ^ "Bad Suns Talk Fast Rise of 'Cardiac Arrest,' Silencing the Doubters". Billboard. Retrieved 2019-01-07.
- ^ Gomez, Adrian. "Song 'Cardiac Arrest' thrust Bad Suns into the spotlight". The Alberquerque Journal. Retrieved 2019-01-07.
- ^ Thomas, Fred. "Bad Suns Biography". Billboard.com. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
- ^ Roos, Meghan (September 23, 2016). "Bad Suns return with Disappear Here". San Diego Reader. Retrieved 2019-01-07.
- ^ "Bad Suns to Release Sophomore Album 'Disappear Here'". Bestnewsbands.com. Retrieved July 1, 2016.
- ^ "Bad Suns". Bonnaroo Music&Arts Festival. Archived from the original on September 21, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
- ^ "Bad Suns Sign to Epitaph, Release New Song "Away We Go"". Music News Net. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
- ^ Goodman, Jessica; Kristobak, Ryan (December 15, 2014). "The 23 Best Albums of 2014". The Huffington Post. Retrieved December 15, 2014.
- ^ Walker, John. "Bad Suns' Stunning 'Salt' Video Takes You On An Emotional Journey Through Gender Identity". MTV News. Retrieved 2019-01-07.
- ^ "Bad Suns' Salt Video Explores Trans Identity". Out magazine. 2014-11-12. Retrieved 2019-01-07.
- ^ "Bad Suns – Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
- ^ "Bad Suns – Chart History: Billboard Independent Albums". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved September 19, 2016.
- ^ Murphy, Anna. "Album review: Bad Suns – Language & Perspective". Earmilk. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
- ^ Thomas, Fred. "Language & Perspective – Bad Suns". AllMusic. Retrieved September 9, 2016.
- ^ "Album Review: Bad Suns – 'Disappear Here'". New Noise. 2016-10-10. Retrieved 2016-12-27.
- ^ "'Disappear Here' offers Bad Suns most dynamic, introspective work yet – Reviews – Alternative Press". Alternative Press. 2016-09-16. Retrieved 2016-12-27.
- ^ Monger, James Christopher. "Disappear Here – Bad Suns". AllMusic. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
- ^ Weatherby, Taylor (January 14, 2019). "Bad Suns Announce 'Mystic Truth' Album, Unveil Punchy Single 'Hold Your Fire': Listen". Billboard. Retrieved February 6, 2019.
- ^ "Bad Suns – Chart History: Adult Alternative Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
- ^ "Bad Suns – Chart History: Alternative Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
- ^ "Bad Suns – Chart History: Rock Songs". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
- ^ "Tumblr". Tumblr.com. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
- ^ "Bad Suns look at the bright side in dream-like "Away We Go" video—watch". Altpress.com. 17 December 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
- ^ Robinson, Dominiq (2019-01-14). "Bad Suns announces 'Mystic Truth' spring 2019 tour". Axs.com. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
External links[]
- Musical groups established in 2012
- 2012 establishments in California
- Vagrant Records artists
- Musical quartets
- Indie rock musical groups from California