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The Waxwings

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This article is about the Detroit band. For the Seattle band featuringRocky Votolato,seeWaxwing (band).For other uses, seeWaxwing (disambiguation).
The Waxwings
OriginDetroit,Michigan,USA
GenresIndie rock
Years active1997–2005
LabelsBobsled, Rainbow Quartz, Cass,Schnitzel Records Ltd.
MembersDean Fertita
James Edmunds
Kevin Peyok
Past membersDominic Romano
Websitewww.thewaxwings.com

The Waxwingswere an Americanrockband, formed in 1997 inDetroit,Michigan.

The band's lineup comprisedDean Fertitaon vocals and guitar, James Edmunds on drums and percussion, and Kevin Peyok on bass guitar.Brendan Bensonfilled in on guitar for touring, following the departure of guitarist/vocalist Dominic Romano.

They released three full-length albums:Low to the Groundin 2000,Shadows Of...in 2002, andLet's Make Our Descentin 2004. The band's music was influenced by 1960spsychedelic popandfolk rock,featuring rich, complex instrumentation and vocal harmonies which separate them from the rawgarage rock revivalscene in Detroit.

The Waxwings toured withGuided By Voices,Travis,Matthew Sweet,The Strokes,and fellow Detroit bandThe White Stripes.[1][2]

History

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Formation

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The band was formed byDean Fertita,after a friend booked a show for him atArlene's Groceryin New York five days later.[3][4]At the time, Fertita was working at the independent Detroit record store Off the Record with bassist Kevin Peyok, and invited him to play the show.[5]Peyok contacted drummer James Edmunds and guitarist Dominic Romano, and the lineup was complete. The band's name, as well as the name of their debut record, was derived from the first line of a poem inVladimir Nabokov's novelPale Fire:[6]

I was the shadow of thewaxwingslain
By the false azure in the windowpane

Previously, Fertita, Romano and Peyok had played together in theshoegazeband Glider along withThe Sights' Mike Trombley.[7]

Low to the Ground

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While working at Off the Record, Fertita met Bob Salerno, the head ofChicago's Bobsled Records, while he was in Detroit searching for bands to sign.[8]Fertita recommended music from Detroit bandsThe GoandThe White Stripes,but did not mention that he was also a musician. A few months later, Salerno contacted Fertita, expressing interest in the Waxwings. The Waxwings signed with Bobsled Records and began work on their debut album,Low to the Ground,recorded at Terrarium Studios inMinneapolis,Minnesotawith Bryan Hanna.

The album was released on May 2, 2000, to positive reviews from critics:

The Waxwings don't so much re-create the past as learn from it; their acid-tweaked tunefulness is broad enough to embrace lullaby wistfulness ( "Sleepy Head" ), twang-pop ( "Firewood" ) and jaunty orchestrations ( "Low Ceiling" )

— Greg Kot,Rolling Stone Magazine, (2000)[9]

Low to the Ground was featured in Magnet Magazine's Top 20 albums of 2000-2001.[10]As well, the White Stripes have performed a live cover ofFragile GirlwithBeck.[11]

The Waxwings toured in support ofLow to the Groundfor 15 months, then returned to the studio to record their second album.

Shadows Of...

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Once again recorded at Minnesota's Terrarium Studios, The Waxwings' second album,Shadows Of...,was released on Bobsled Records on July 11, 2002.

Following the release ofShadows of...in 2002, Bob Salerno sent the band an expletive-filled letter ridiculing them for what he considered a poor performance at their CD release party. The letter gained notoriety after being posted on the internet entertainment forumthe Velvet Rope.

[Salerno] sent me a letter via e-mail and I told him if he wanted to talk to us about it, he could but it was ridiculous... I thought it was so absurd. I wasn't even going to show the band. But then he sent it certified to us, four copies, since we were living together at that time. So all of us would have to sign for it to get it. But we all disregarded it until it became the talk of the town.

— Fertita, (2004)[12]

During this period, guitarist Dominic Romano got married and left the band.[13]

The band separated from Bobsled, although the label still retained the rights to their third record. After hearingShadows Of...through mutual friend Matt Smith (ofOutrageous Cherry), Rainbow Quartz Records offered to free the Waxwings from their contract with Bobsled.

Let's Make Our Descent

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Their third album,Let's Make Our Descentwas recorded withBrendan Bensonat Grand Studio in Detroit, and released on August 13, 2004.[14]Benson and Fertita had attendedKimball High SchoolinRoyal Oak, Michigantogether, and Fertita played guitar in Benson's band when scheduling allowed, as well as touring with him. For the Waxwings' 2005 tour, Benson assumed duties as the band's temporary guitarist.[15]

Working with Brendan is great as we have known each other for such a long time. He wasn't afraid to challenge us and think outside the patterns we developed over the last few years. Bob [Salerno] got a producing credit on our first record, but he didn't have much to do with it at all. We were new to the label and didn't really stand up for ourselves early on.

— Fertita, (2005)[16]

Current projects

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The news page of the Waxwings official site states that the band has begun working on songs for the fourth album. This was last updated in 2005.[17]

In Spring 2007, Dean Fertita joinedQueens of the Stone Ageas the keyboardist for their sixth record,Era Vulgaris,taking over forNatasha Shneider.[18][19]He toured with the band through Fall 2008, and in August 2008 was expected to go into the studio with the band to record their next album.[20]As well, Fertita is the guitarist and one of the main songwriters ofsupergroupThe Dead Weather,which includesthe Kills'Alison Mosshartand fellow Detroit musiciansJack WhiteandJack Lawrence.[21]

Kevin Peyok is now in London-based band The See See. [22] The See See have toured withthe Raconteursand plan to release their debut LP in 2009.

Discography

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Date of release Title Record label
May 2, 2000 Low to the Ground Bobsled Records
July 11, 2002 Shadows Of... Bobsled Records
August 13, 2004 Let's Make Our Descent Rainbow Quartz

References

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  1. ^"Matador Records/Guided By Voices".[matadorrecords.com]. 2004-06-01.Retrieved2008-09-17.
  2. ^"Pinnacle Entertainment".[pinnacle-entertainment.co.uk]. 2008-09-17.Retrieved2008-09-17.
  3. ^"The Waxwings: Bio".[thewaxwings.com]. 2008-09-14. Archived fromthe originalon August 28, 2008.Retrieved2008-09-17.
  4. ^"Q&A with The Waxwings".[lawrence.com]. 2004-07-13.Retrieved2008-09-17.
  5. ^"SuicideGirls Interview with Dean Fertita".[suicidegirls.com]. 2005-02-05.Retrieved2008-09-17.
  6. ^"The Waxwings: Bio".[mp3.com]. 2008-09-17. Archived fromthe originalon 2008-10-11.Retrieved2008-09-17.
  7. ^"Metro Times - Music: Got What You Want".[ metrotimes.com]. 2005-04-13.Retrieved2008-09-17.
  8. ^"Wing Command".[westword.com]. 2002-07-04.Retrieved2008-09-17.
  9. ^"The Waxwings: Low to the Ground".[rollingstone.com]. 2000-10-23. Archived fromthe originalon October 12, 2008.Retrieved2008-09-18.
  10. ^"The Waxwings: Bio".[thewaxwings.com]. 2008-09-17. Archived fromthe originalon August 28, 2008.Retrieved2008-09-17.
  11. ^"Reprises: Sodwee & The White Stripes".[ovh.net]. 2004-09-17. Archived fromthe originalon 2008-08-02.Retrieved2008-09-17.
  12. ^"In Music We Trust - Interview: The Waxwings".[inmusicwetrust.com]. 2008-09-07.Retrieved2008-09-17.
  13. ^"The Oakland Press: Marquee".[theoaklandpress.com]. 2004-07-09. Archived fromthe originalon November 20, 2005.Retrieved2008-09-17.
  14. ^"Rainbow Quartz Records: The Waxwings".[rainbowquartz.com]. 2008-09-17. Archived fromthe originalon 2008-10-01.Retrieved2008-09-17.
  15. ^"BIGBAER Urban Alternative".[bigbaer.com]. 2004-12-03.Retrieved2008-09-17.
  16. ^"SuicideGirls - Interviews - Dean Fertita of the Waxwings".[suicidegirls.com]. 2005-02-04.Retrieved2008-09-18.
  17. ^"The Waxwings: News".[thewaxwings.com]. Archived fromthe originalon July 24, 2008.Retrieved2008-09-17.
  18. ^"Queens of the Stone age unveil new album artwork".Uncut.com.Archived fromthe originalon July 4, 2009.Retrieved2008-09-17.
  19. ^"QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE Films 'Sick, Sick, Sick' Video".Blabbermouth.net.2007-04-28. Archived fromthe originalon 2007-05-06.Retrieved2008-09-17.
  20. ^"Reading and Leeds Festivals 2008".[nme.com]. 2008-08-22.Retrieved2008-09-17.
  21. ^"The Dead Weather".[thedeadweather.com]. 2009-05-04.Retrieved2009-05-04.
  22. ^"The See See".[myspace.com]. 2008-09-17.Retrieved2008-09-17.
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