Bardo Pond
Bardo Pond | |
---|---|
Bardopond (2006) | |
Background information | |
Origin | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States |
Genres | Space rock, neo-psychedelia, shoegaze, post-rock, drone, noise rock |
Years active | 1991 | –present
Labels | Drunken Fish, Fire, ATP, Important, Matador, Three Lobed |
Website |
www |
Members |
John Gibbons Michael Gibbons Isobel Sollenberger Clint Takeda Jason Kourkonis |
Past members |
Joe Culver Ed Farnsworth Aaron Igler |
Bardo Pond are an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1991, and who are currently signed to London-based label Fire Records. The current members are Michael Gibbons (guitar), John Gibbons (guitar), Isobel Sollenberger (flute and vocals), Clint Takeda (bass guitar) and Jason Kourkonis (drums). Bardo Pond's music is often classified as space rock, acid rock, post-rock, shoegazing, noise or psychedelic rock. Some Bardo Pond album titles have been derived from the names of esoteric psychedelic substances. Their sound has been likened to Pink Floyd, Spacemen 3 and My Bloody Valentine amongst others.[1]
Allmusic describes Bardo Pond as having "lengthy, deliberate sound explorations filled with all the hallmarks of modern-day space rock: droning guitars, thick distortion, feedback, reverb, and washes of white noise." Bardo Pond are a taper-friendly band who encourage fans to make recordings of their shows.
Side projects
The members of Bardo Pond also operate a number of side projects.
500 mg is Michael Gibbons' solo project.
Alasehir is a psychedelic/stoner rock trio featuring Michael Gibbons, John Gibbons and Jason Kourkounis.
Alumbrados produces psychedelic folk/drone music and consists of Michael Gibbons, John Gibbons, Michael Zanghi and Aaron Igler.
Prairie Dog Flesh is more improvisational and rearranges the members of Bardo Pond with Takeda on vocals.
Hash Jar Tempo is a collaboration between Bardo Pond and Roy Montgomery. A pun on Ash Ra Tempel, this project resulted from two "marathon jam/recording sessions" between the two parties and produced two albums: Well Oiled (released in 1997, recorded in 1995) and Under Glass (released in 1999, recorded in 1998).
LSD Pond is a collaboration between Bardo Pond and Japanese psychedelic rock band LSD March. A self-titled album was released in 2008 and contains two discs with live recordings of two nights of jamming.
Moon Phantoms is a collaboration between Bardo Pond and Japanese psychedelic rock band Suishou No Fune. Their self-titled album was released in 2009.
Third Troll features Michael and John Gibbons (guitars), Sollenberger (flute), and includes Kevin Moist (saxophone) and Aaron Igler (synths).
Baikal conducts free form psych experiments. The band consists of John Gibbons, Michael Gibbons, Clint Takeda and Jason Kourkonis. They have released a self-titled album on Important Records.
Vapour Theories is a duo of Michael and John Gibbons. They have released two albums: 'Decant' (self-released), and 'Joint Chiefs' (The Lotus Sound).
Jason Kourkounis participated as drummer 72 in the Boredoms' 77 Boadrum performance which occurred on July 7, 2007, at the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park in Brooklyn, New York. He is also currently in Hot Snakes and The Night Marchers, and previously played drums for The Delta 72, The Burning Brides, and Mule (band).
Discography
Studio albums
- Bufo Alvarius, Amen 29:15 (1995 - Drunken Fish Records)
- Amanita (1996 - Matador Records)
- Lapsed (1997 - Matador Records)
- Set and Setting (1999 - Matador Records)
- Dilate (2001 - Matador Records)
- On the Ellipse (2003 - ATP Recordings)
- Ticket Crystals (2006 - ATP Recordings)
- Bardo Pond (2010 - Fire Records)
- Peace On Venus (2013 - Fire Records)
- Refulgo (2014 - Three Lobed Recordings)
Compilations
- A Tribute to Spacemen 3 (1998- Rocket Girl)
- Everything Is Ending Here: A Tribute To Pavement (2003- Homesleep) [2]
- Batholith (2008 - Three Lobed Recordings)
- Peri (2009 - Three Lobed Recordings)
- Shone Like A Ton (2014 - Three Lobed Recordings)
EPs
- Big Laughing Jym (1995) – (Compulsiv)
- Slab 10" (2000 – Three Lobed Recordings)
- U.S. Tour, Spring 2001 split with Mogwai (2001 – Matador Records)
- Purposeful Availment (2002 – Three Lobed Recordings)
- Tigris/Euphrates split 12" with Subarachnoid Space (2002 – Camera Obscura)
- Bog split 12" with Buck Paco (2005 – Black September Records)
- Adrop - Modern Containment EP series (2006 – Three Lobed Recordings)
- Yntra (2012) – (Latitudes)
- Rise Above It All (2013) – (Fire Records)
- Looking For Another Place (2014) – (Fire Records)
- Is There a Heaven? (2015) – (Fire Records)
Volume series
In October 2000, Bardo Pond self-released the first volume in a highly limited series of CD-R jam sessions. The tracks in the Volume series are more improvisational and experimental than the band's studio work.
- Vol. 1 (2000 – self released)
- Vol. 2 (2001 – self released)
- Vol. 3 (2002 – self released)
- Vol. 4 (2002 – self released)
- Vol. 5 (2004 – self released)
- Vol. 6 (2005 – self released)
- Selections, Vols. I-IV (2005 – ATP Recordings)
- Vol. 7 (2009 – self released)
External links
- Bardo Pond Webpage
- Bardo Pond page at ATP Recordings
- Bardo Pond collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive
- Viva Radio's 77 Boadrum Site Profile of Jason Kourkounis (Flash)
- Terrascope : interview (2001)(pdf)