Howler (band)
| Company type | Indie rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2010 |
| Headquarters | Minneapolis, Minnesota , United States |
| Products | Music albums and EPs |
Howler was an indie rock ensemble originating from Minneapolis, Minnesota, composed of Jordan Gatesmith (lead guitar, vocals), Ian Nygaard (guitar), Yayo Trujillo (bass), and Hiram Sevilla (drums).
The group achieved global acclaim, particularly highlighted by NME, which ranked Howler as the No. 3 Best New Band in 2011 and included Gatesmith on their 2011 Cool List. Howler appeared at prominent festivals including SXSW, The Great Escape, Reading & Leeds, and Rock the Garden.
Formation and This One's Different EP
In 2010, at age 19, Jordan Gatesmith established Howler alongside former member Daniel Hupp, following several brief musical projects. Gatesmith encountered former keyboardist and bassist Max Petrek during a skydiving class in Saint Paul; sharing musical interests, they began collaborating. Ian Nygaard and Jay Simonson, both from Nice Purse (signed to the same label SO-TM), joined Howler, along with the oldest member and former drummer Brent Mayes.[1]
Their initial public performance took place at a farmers market, which brought early financial gains. Gatesmith remarked that audiences found their lyrics "funny" and "snide," which helped attract attention.[2]
The band’s debut EP, This One's Different, was released in the United States on February 14, 2011. They supported Tapes 'n Tapes on a North American tour. Freelance journalist Jon Garret recognized promise in their live act despite their relative inexperience.[2]
Garret passed the EP to London's Rough Trade Records, who signed Howler during summer 2011. The band toured the U.K. supporting The Vaccines and performed in Japan. The U.K. release of This One's Different occurred on August 2, 2011, receiving positive critical feedback—NME commended the group for revitalizing familiar sounds with "brilliant nonchalance." NME ranked Howler as the No. 3 Best New Band of 2011 and placed Gatesmith at No. 44 on their list of the 50 Coolest People of 2011.[3]
America Give Up
Howler’s first full-length album, America Give Up, was launched in January 2012. The band made the opening track "Back of Your Neck" available as a free digital download on their website and subsequently released an accompanying music video. Throughout 2012, Howler extensively promoted the album across the UK, Australia, Japan, and Europe, sharing stages with artists such as Alabama Shakes and Oberhofer. Paste Magazine ranked them #10 among the top 20 best new bands of 2012. They also performed at their hometown festival, Rock the Garden, on June 16.
In October 2012, Howler took part in NME’s first-ever "Generation Next Tour" throughout the UK, concluding with a show at Brighton’s "The Haunt" on October 31. Supporting bands included The Cast of Cheers, Gross Magic, and Splashh.
World Of Joy
In an interview with Paste Magazine, Gatesmith disclosed plans for Howler’s sophomore album, drawing heavily from 1960s pop and psychedelic rock influences like The Yardbirds and The Rolling Stones. He targeted a release date in March 2013.
By June 2013, working under the tentative title "Wasteland Blues," the album was described as a tribute to Bob Dylan featuring songs such as "Fake Flowers" and "Indictment," showcasing Gatesmith’s fusion of ’60s garage rock, psychedelic sounds, hardcore punk elements, and new wave.
On January 21, 2014, Howler announced via Facebook that their second studio album World of Joy would be released on March 25 through Rough Trade Records. They premiered the lead single "Don't Wanna" accompanied by a music video on YouTube and debuted new tracks during The Current’s ninth birthday celebration at First Avenue (nightclub) on January 25.
Prior to the album’s launch, Howler promoted World of Joy with several Minneapolis performances: at Electric Fetus (March 19), a release show at Triple Rock Social Club (March 20), and an appearance on Radio K’s "Off The Record" (March 21). Following these events, they embarked on a UK and European tour beginning March 21. On March 18, they unveiled a music video for the second single "Indictment" via their Vevo channel. The album officially became available on March 25 through Rough Trade Records.
After World of Joy
During the summer of 2015, Gatesmith moved to Los Angeles, bringing in Yayo Trujillo to play bass and Hiram Sevilla on drums. The group toured throughout Los Angeles and Mexico. In a conversation with KZSC Santa Cruz, Gatesmith revealed that Howler was in the process of creating either a third studio album or a collection of EPs, having parted ways with Rough Trade Records. New tracks were laid down in January 2016 with producer Alex Newport, complementing earlier recordings from June 2015 that included Nygaard.
Conclusion of the Band
On January 13, 2017, Gatesmith declared the end of Howler as he shifted focus to his new venture, Wellness. He emphasized that there had been no disputes or official announcements regarding a "breakup." Later, on April 17, 2020, Howler independently issued the single "Say It Again," released by Gatesmith without any record label involvement.
Timeline
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Colors =
id:lead value:green legend:Lead_Guitar id:rhythm value:yellow legend:Rhythm_Guitar id:bass value:purple legend:Bass id:vocals value:red legend:Vocals id:drums value:blue legend:Drums id:Keyboards value:orange legend:Keyboards
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bar:Jordan text:Jordan Gatesmith bar:Daniel text:Daniel Hupp bar:Ian text:Ian Nygaard bar:Rory text:Rory MacMurdo bar:Max text:Max Petrek bar:France text:France Camp bar:Brent text:Brent Mayes
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Studio Albums
- America Give Up (2012), released via Rough Trade
- World of Joy (2014), released via Rough Trade
Extended Plays
- This One's Different (2011), distributed by Rough Trade
External links
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedMinnesota Public Radio News - ↑ Mackay, Emily (August 8, 2011). "Album Review: Howler - 'This One's Different'". NME. Retrieved January 2, 2012.