Night Beats

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Night Beats
Night Beats Danny Lee Blackwell.jpg
Background information
OriginSeattle, Washington, United States
GenresGarage rock, psychedelic rock, soul, surf rock
Years active2009 — present
LabelsFuzz Club, Cooking Vinyl, Heavenly Recordings
Trouble In Mind
The Reverberation Appreciation Society
Associated actsWhite Light Fever
The UFO Club
Night Sun
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Websitethenightbeats.us
MembersDanny Lee Blackwell
Past membersTarek Wegner
James Traeger
Jakob Bowden

Night Beats are an American psychedelic/garage rock band, formed in 2009 in Seattle, Washington.

The band currently consists of lead singer and guitarist Danny Lee Blackwell (real name Danny Rajan Billingsley[1]) as the only permanent member.

Founding member drummer James Traeger has only played intermittently with the band since 2016, original bassist Tarek Wegner left in 2014 and his replacement, Jakob Bowden, left the band some time in early-mid 2018.

The band was named after Sam Cooke's album 'Night Beat' and reflects founder member Blackwell's love of soul and RnB.[2]

History[]

Early days[]

Blackwell had previously fronted various bands in his hometown of Dallas, Texas including The Old Explosives, White Light Fever and Medicine God Box.[3] With White Light Fever, who were initially called Japanese Auto Clinic,[4] he released debut album Heavy Knife Blues in 2007 and the band were reportedly courted by Columbia Records. A second album Count All Your Father's Wealth was seemingly abandoned.[5][6] He also worked with The Tempers, playing live with the band and contributing a guitar solo to one track on their debut album Vol. 1.

Raised by Catholic and Hindu parents,[7] Blackwell moved to Seattle to study comparative religion at the University of Washington.[8] He founded Night Beats in 2009. The solo self-recorded Street (Atomic) EP was released that year via Holy Twist Records.[9][10][11]

After trying out a couple of different lineups, Blackwell asked high school friend and former B.B Mercy drummer James Traeger who was studying in Austin, Texas[12] to move to Seattle to join Night Beats. After working together as a duo for a few months, they recruited bassist Tarek Wegner in January 2010 and played their first gig in March of that year at a house party in Seattle.[13][14][15] Wegner, originally from Tacoma, Washington, had previously played with The Drug Purse and Paris Spleen.[16]

2010 - 2018[]

Night Beats toured extensively early on, completing multiple North American tours during 2010 and were signed within weeks of self-releasing the H-Bomb EP. Picked up by Chicago's Trouble in Mind Records (Ty Segall, Fresh and Only's, Hex Dispensers, etc.).[17] The re-release of the EP topped several college radio charts competing with other Artists' full-length efforts. (September 6, 2010)[18]

Original band lineup

On June 28, 2011 the band released their self-titled debut album via Trouble In Mind.[19] They also released a split EP with The UFO Club on the Austin label The Reverberation Appreciation Society. A split single with TRMRS was released in June 2012 via Volcom Vinyl Club.[20]

On September 24, 2013, the band released their second album "Sonic Bloom" via The Reverberation Appreciation Society.[21] They toured North America, Europe, Israel, South Africa and Australia in support of the album.

In late 2014, Tarek Wegner left the band. Shortly after he released an EP entitled "What Colors Last" via Burger Records featuring the now deceased musician Joshua Vega and the full length self released album "Soul Fuckers" [22]in 2015 along with a west coast tour with Tomorrow's Tulips.

In 2015, the band signed to London-based label Heavenly Recordings and released their third album "Who Sold My Generation" in January 2016. The album featured Black Rebel Motorcycle Club member Robert Levon Been on bass, who also co-produced the album.[23] The band recruited Jakob Bowden to tour the album.

In September 2016, the band embarked on a UK/EU tour without drummer James Traeger. Through a US tour supporting Black Rebel Motorcycle Club 2018, Jonah Swilley played drums with the band.[24] In May 2018, the band embarked on a tour of Spain and France, with Evan Snyder again replacing James Traeger on drums. Bassist Jakob Bowden was also not present.[25] In July 2018, the band (Blackwell and drummer Jonah Swilley) performed as a duo at the Social in London, England.

2019 - present[]

On January 28 2019, the band released their fourth album Myth Of A Man. The album was recorded by Blackwell with producer and Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach. For the sessions, he was backed by a cast of old time session musicians who had worked with the likes of Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin. The official press release states that the album was "written during a particularly destructive period of the band"[26]

In late 2020 Blackwell signed Night Beats to Fuzz Club Records. In December of that year, "That’s All You Got" was released - a collaboration between Blackwell and Robert Levon Been of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.[27] "Outlaw R&B", the 5th Night Beats studio album was released June 4 2021.[28]

Band members[]

Current[]

  • Danny Lee Blackwell - Vocals, lead guitar

Previous Live Band line-ups[]

  • Jaiq Stein - Keys, Guitar
  • Evan Snyder - Drums
  • Sam Thornton - Bass

Former[]

  • Tarek Wegner - Bass
  • Jakob Bowden - Bass
  • James Traeger - Drums

Discography[]

Studio albums[]

Singles/Splits/EPs[]

  • H-Bomb 7" - 2010 (Self-Released)
  • H-Bomb 7" - 2010 (Trouble In Mind Records)[29]
  • H-Bomb EP (iTunes) - 2010 (Holy Twist)[30]
  • Night Beats/UFO Club Split 10" - 2011 (The Reverberation Appreciation Society)
  • Night Beats/TRMRS Split 7" - 2012 (Volcom Entertainment/Resurrection Records)[31]
  • Night Beats/ Her Cold Cold Heart - 2018 (Heavenly Recordings / [PIAS])
  • (Am I Just) Wasting My Time - 2019 (Heavenly Recordings / [PIAS])[32]
  • That's All You Got (featuring Robert Levon Been) - 2020 (Fuzz Club Records)

Compilations[]

  • Get Wyld! Vol. 1 - 2010 (Holy Twist)[33]
  • Portable Shrines Magic Sound Theatre Vol. 1 - 2011 (Translinguistic Other/Light In The Attic)[34]
  • Sailor Jerry Vol. 4 - 2011 (Sailor Jerry Rum)

References[]

  1. ^ http://repertoire.bmi.com/writer.asp?blnWriter=True&blnPublisher=True&blnArtist=True&page=1&fromrow=1&torow=25&querytype=WriterID&keyid=550178778&keyname=BILLINGSLEY+DANIEL+RAJAN&CAE=627098234&Affiliation=BMI&term=[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Interview with: Night Beats". Inherent Bummer. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  3. ^ http://mail.okcthunder.info/artist/Danny+Rajan
  4. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-09-15. Retrieved 2016-09-07.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ http://www.dallasobserver.com/music/white-light-fever-readies-new-cd-while-battling-those-underage-blues-7075033
  6. ^ http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/gimme-that-old-time-innovation/Content?oid=1973656
  7. ^ Stoltenborgh, Freek (2021-05-19). "Night Beats shares new single 'Hell In Texas'". www.v2benelux.com. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  8. ^ http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/gimme-that-old-time-innovation/Content?oid=1973656
  9. ^ http://www.arbobo.fr/night-beats-street-atomic-ep/
  10. ^ https://play.spotify.com/album/21mE0XfIOJ1K2FYSMWTxlS?play=true
  11. ^ http://www.thestranger.com/lineout/archives/2009/08/06/tonight-in-music-night-beats-sunn-o-fatal-lucciauno
  12. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-09-17. Retrieved 2016-09-08.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. ^ http://doyouevenpsychedelic.blogspot.co.uk/2013/12/a-quick-interview-with-night-beats.html
  14. ^ http://diffuser.fm/night-beats-interview-2013/
  15. ^ https://scenewave.com/2014/08/q-a-night-beats/
  16. ^ http://www.northwestmilitary.com/music-and-culture/features-and-columns/2013/02/MUSIC-CRITICS-PICKS-feb-8-12-tacoma-olympia-Pat-Doherty-Andre-Nickatina-Jake-Shimabukuro-Night/
  17. ^ Troublemakers (2012-03-15). "Trouble In Mind". Troubleinmindrecs.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
  18. ^ "Top 30 Albums |". Kdvs.org. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
  19. ^ "Night Beats | Trouble In Mind Records". Troubleinmindrecs.com. Archived from the original on 2014-01-09. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
  20. ^ https://nightbeats.bandcamp.com/album/night-beats-trmrs-volcom-split
  21. ^ [1][dead link]
  22. ^ https://tarekwegner.bandcamp.com/album/soul-fuckers
  23. ^ http://www.clashmusic.com/reviews/night-beats-who-sold-my-generation
  24. ^ https://www.instagram.com/p/Bd1Afvqh8Bc/
  25. ^ https://www.photosconcerts.com/night-beats-paris-point-ephemere-2018-05-21-12977
  26. ^ http://heavenlyrecordings.com/new-music-album-announcement-night-beats-myth-of-a-man/
  27. ^ Whittle, Nathan (2020-12-04). "Watch this! Night Beats share new video for new single That's All You Got". Louder Than War. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  28. ^ https://fuzzclub.com/blogs/news/night-beats-announce-new-album-outlaw-r-b
  29. ^ [2] Archived August 23, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  30. ^ "iTunes Store". itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
  31. ^ "Volcom Entertainment - Vevc". Store.volcoment.com. Archived from the original on 2014-01-09. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
  32. ^ "Night Beats". Discogs. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  33. ^ "iTunes - Music - Get Wyld! Volume 1 by Various Artists". itunes.apple.com. 2010-04-05. Retrieved 2014-01-09.
  34. ^ "Portable Shrines Magic Sound Theatre Vol. I | Light In The Attic Records". Lightintheattic.net. 2011-04-16. Retrieved 2014-01-09.

External links[]

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