Beachwood Sparks

Beachwood Sparks
Beachwood Sparks performing in 2008
Background information
Origin	Los Angeles,California,United States
Genres	Alternative country psychedelic pop
Years active	1997–2002, 2008–present
Labels	Sub Pop(US) Rough Trade(UK) Houston Party Music Bomp! Underground Liberation Force Curation
Members	Christopher Gunst Brent Rademaker Andres Renteria "Farmer" Dave Scher Ben Knight Jen Cohen Gunst
Past members	Jimi Hey Tom Sanford Pete "Sleigher" Kinne Josh Schwartz Ian Mackinnon Aaron Sperske Liz Randall Neal Casal
Website	curationrecords

Beachwood Sparksare anAmericanalternative countryband fromLos Angeles.An article inThe Daily Telegraphon America's underground psychedelic pop scene described Beachwood Sparks as "countrythrough akaleidoscope".

Biography

The band was formed bybassistBrent RademakerandguitaristChristopher Gunst who met in the 1990s when both were members ofLos Angelesindie-rockgroupFurther.Guitarist Dave Scher anddrummerJimi Hey (who played with Gunst inStrictly Ballroom) were recruited before the band's first show in June 1997.

Hey suggested the band's name by combining Sparks Street, where Rademaker lived in Burbank, with Beachwood Drive, which runs parallel and adjacent to Sparks. Hey left after a few shows and was replaced by Tom Sanford. At around the same time, the group was also joined by Pete "Sleigher" Kinne on percussion and another former Further member, guitarist Josh Schwartz.

They released the "Desert Skies" / "Make It Together" single on Bomp! in October 1998. Sanford left and was replaced byAaron Sperske,drummer withLilys,whose first recording with the band was on theSub Popsingles club release "Midsummer Daydream" / "Windows 65" issued in April 1999. Kinne and Schwartz left shortly after.

In spring 2000, they released their first album,Beachwood Sparks.The "shimmering twang-pop melodies and gorgeous harmonies" drew comparisons to the late 1960s'Laurel Canyoncountry-rock ofThe Byrds,Buffalo SpringfieldandGram Parsonsas well as to contemporariesElephant 6.

The single "Once We Were Trees" (featuring a jangly cover ofThe Everly Brothers' "Wake Up, Little Suzie" on theB-side) was released on the Spanish label Houston Party Records, previewing the mellower sound that featured on the band's second album, also calledOnce We Were Trees,which was released in the second half of 2001.

A single from the album, a cover ofSade's "By Your Side", was released in theUnited Kingdomand enjoyed some chart success. The video, directed by Chad Misner, was selected for the 2002South by SouthwestFilm Festival and featured footage of Aaron Sperske andAutumn de Wilde's wedding.The song was later featured on the soundtrack for the 2010 feature filmScott Pilgrim vs. the World.

For the 2002 EP,Make the Cowboy Robots Cry,Sperske was replaced on drums by the returning Jimi Hey. Strictly Ballroom'sJimmy Tamborello,aka Dntel, contributed to the EP. Tamborello also worked with Scher and Gunst atLoyola Marymount University's radio station,KXLU.

Since 2002, the band has mostly concentrated on other projects. Gunst formedMystic Chords of Memory.Brent Rademaker, sometimes with Gunst and Scher, plays inThe Tydeand also inFrausdots.Hey and Scher released an album asAll Night Radio.In March 2007, Scher was recruited as touring keyboard player for New York indie rockersInterpol.Sperske joinedAriel Pink's Haunted Graffiti.

Beachwood Sparks reunited in 2008 to play at SB20, the celebration of Sub Pop's 20th anniversary.A small number of dates were played on the West Coast and the East Coast, including July 19 at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur, California.The reunion line-up was Gunst, Rademaker, Sperske, Ben Knight, Jen Cohen and Dan Horne.Scher also played at four of the West Coast shows.

In 2012, Beachwood Sparks released the albumThe Tarnished Gold.The recording session included Neal Casal, Dan Horne, Jen Cohen, Jimi Hey, Darren Rademaker andAriel Pink.

In 2016,Neal Casal,Farmer Dave Scher, Dan Horne, andAaron Sperskejoined songwriterCass McCombsto form The Skiffle Players. Their debut albumSkifflinwas released that year, followed by thePiffle Sayers EPandSkiffin 2018.

Band co-founder Josh Schwartz died in September 2017 from complications fromALS.

Discography

Studio albums

• Beachwood Sparks(2000,Sub Pop)
• Once We Were Trees(2001, Sub Pop)
• The Tarnished Gold(2012, Sub Pop)
• Across the River of Stars(2024, Curation)

Other albums

• Make the Cowboy Robots CryEP (2002, Sub Pop)
• Desert Skies(2013, Recorded 1997, Alive Naturalsound)
• Beachwood Deluxe(2021 Curation Records)

Singles

• "Desert Skies" / "Make It Together" (1998)Bomp Records)
• "Midsummer Daydream" / "Windows 65" (1999)
• "Once We Were Trees" / "Wake Up, Little Suzie" (2000)
• "Ballad of Never Rider" (w/ "Fishing Boat Song byGrandaddyand "Table Tennis Star" byPersil) (2000 Devil in the Woods No. 38)
• "By Your Side" / "Sun Surrounds Me" / "Quietly Be" / "Close the Door Lightly When You Go" (2001 Sub Pop)

Compilation and soundtrack appearances

• "By Your Side" fromScott Pilgrim vs. the World: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack(2010)

External links

• Fan site
• Beachwood Sparksdiscography atMusicBrainz
• Band Interview in Stomp & Stammer, July 2012