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Love Battery

From Alfawiki
Love Battery
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1989
FounderRon Nine
Headquarters
Seattle, Washington
,
United States
ProductsMusic albums, singles

Love Battery is a rock group originating from Seattle, Washington, United States. Throughout the 1990s, they produced five studio albums and have since reunited intermittently. The band’s core has consistently featured lead vocalist Ron Nine alongside guitarist Kevin Whitworth.

Origins, Between the Eyes, and acclaim for Dayglo (1989–1992)

Established in 1989 by Ron Nine, formerly of Room Nine, the lineup included guitarist Kevin Whitworth and bassist Tommy "Bonehead" Simpson, both previously part of Crisis Party, with Dan Peters of Mudhoney on drums. The band's name was inspired by a track from the Buzzcocks.

Prior to releasing their debut single, Peters departed and was succeeded by Jason Finn, formerly with Skin Yard. This ensemble issued the first single "Between the Eyes" under Sub Pop. Their initial EP/mini-album, Between the Eyes, was released in 1990 via Tupelo Recordings. By mid-1990, Simpson was replaced by Jim Tillman, who had been a bassist for U-Men. The EP was subsequently expanded into a full album in 1991 through Sub Pop, incorporating additional songs featuring Tillman on bass.

The singles "Foot" and "Out of Focus" were included on their 1992 album Dayglo. Within Sub Pop's catalog, Dayglo carried the note "Blotter not included," alluding to LSD. Following this release, Tillman exited the band and was briefly replaced again by Simpson before Bruce Fairweather, formerly guitarist for Green River and Mother Love Bone, took over bass duties.

Far Gone release and major label involvement with Straight Freak Ticket (1993–1996)

The 1993 album Far Gone did not meet expectations when compared to the favorable reception of Dayglo. Although initially set for release through PolyGram Records, contractual complications with Sub Pop caused PolyGram to drop the project. Sub Pop issued a rough mix version instead; plans to remix and reissue it never came to fruition.

Following this challenge, Love Battery signed with Atlas Records in 1994 and released the single "Nehru Jacket". Their 1995 album Straight Freak Ticket was also released via Atlas; however, insufficient promotion led to disappointing sales despite music videos for "Fuzz Factory" and "Harold's Pink Room". In 1996, the band appeared in the documentary film Hype!, which showcased Seattle's grunge music scene. Shortly after this period, drummer Jason Finn left to concentrate on The Presidents of the United States of America, who had gained mainstream popularity by then.

Return to indie labels, Confusion Au Go Go, and initial hiatus (1997–2005)

After Finn’s departure, Mike Musburger briefly assumed drumming duties before original drummer Dan Peters rejoined around 1997. The band returned to independent label Let Down Records with the "Snipe Hunt" single in 1998. That same year, their fifth album Confusion Au Go Go was released by C/Z Records, featuring drum contributions primarily from Peters along with Finn and Musburger.

Following this release, Love Battery ceased continuous touring but performed occasionally between 1999 and 2002 with Simpson on bass and Finn on drums. After several shows in 2002, the band entered a prolonged hiatus.

Periodic reunions (2006–present)

In 2006, Love Battery regrouped with members Nine, Whitworth, Simpson, and Musburger. Another reunion occurred in 2011 at The Mix in Seattle, Washington, featuring Nine and Whitworth alongside bassist Chris Eckman and drummer Ben Ireland. They continued performing at various Seattle venues throughout 2012. Although new material was announced on Myspace, it never came to be; instead, Nine and Whitworth created Vaporland with musicians from Tad and The Fluid, releasing their debut album in 2014.

The lineup responsible for Dayglo reunited in 2018 for live performances of that album in Seattle. In late 2022, Jackpot Records remastered and reissued Dayglo on vinyl; coinciding with this release, the band played a one-time show that year. Announced for 2024 as headliners on the second stage at Seattle’s Freakout Festival, Love Battery will feature Bruce Fairweather returning on bass.

Current members

  • Ron Nine – vocals, guitar (1989–2002, 2006, 2011–2012, 2018, 2022–present)
  • Kevin Whitworth – guitar (1989–2002, 2006, 2011–2012, 2018, 2022–present)
  • Jason Finn – drums (1989–1996, 2000–2002, 2018, 2022–present)
  • Bruce Fairweather – bass (1992–1999, 2024–present)

Former members

  • Dan Peters – drums (1989, 1997–2000)
  • Tommy Simpson – bass (1989–1990, 1992, 1999–2002, 2006)
  • Jim Tillman – bass (1990–1992, 2018, 2022–2024)
  • Mike Musburger – drums (1996–1997, 2006)
  • Ben Ireland – drums (2011–2012)
  • Chris Eckman – bass (2011–2012)

Timeline

<timeline> ImageSize = width:790 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea = left:100 bottom:60 top:0 right:0 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = mm/dd/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1989 till:10/16/2024 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

Colors = 

id:Vocals value:red legend:Vocals
id:Guitar value:green legend:Guitars
id:Bass value:blue legend:Bass
id:Drums value:orange legend:Drums
id:album value:black legend:Album
id:bars value:gray(0.95)

BackgroundColors = bars:bars

Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom

ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1990 ScaleMinor = increment:2 start:1989

LineData = 

layer:back
color:album
width:2
at:01/20/1990
at:03/30/1992
at:06/01/1993
at:02/28/1995
at:03/01/1998

BarData = 

bar:Ron text:Ron Nine
bar:Kevin text:Kevin Whitworth
bar:Tommy text:Tommy Simpson
bar:Jim text:Jim Tillman
bar:Bruce text:Bruce Fairweather
bar:Chris text:Chris Eckman
bar:Dan text:Dan Peters
bar:Jason text:Jason Finn
bar:Mike text:Mike Musburger
bar:Ben text:Ben Ireland

PlotData= 

width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
bar:Ron from:start till:end color:Vocals 
bar:Ron from:start till:end color:Guitar width:3 
bar:Kevin from:start till:end color:Guitar 
bar:Tomm yfrom:start till06 /30 /1990 color:Bass 
bar :Jim from :07 /01 /1990 till06 /30 /1992 color:Bass 
bar:Tomm yfrom :07 /01 /1992 till09 /30 /1992 color:Bass 
bar :Bruce from :10 /01 /1992 till06 /30 /1999 color:Bass 
bar :Bruce from :04 /18 /2024 till:end color:Bass 
bar:Tomm yfrom :07 /01 /1999 till10 /31 /2002 color:Bass 
bar:Tomm yfrom :05 /10 /2006 till07 /10 /2006 color:Bass 
bar :Chris from :05 /01 /2011 till12 /31 /2012 color:Bass 
bar :Jim from :01 /01 /2018 till12 /31 /2018 color:Bass 
bar :Jim from :07 /27 /2022 till04 /18 /2024 color:Bass 
bar :Dan from:start till06 /30 /1989 color :Drums 
bar :Jason from :07 /01 /1989 till02 /02 /1996 color :Drums 
bar :Mike from :02 /02 /1996 till10 /10 /1997 color :Drums 
bar :Dan from :10 /11 /1997 till10 /28 /2000 color :Drums 
bar :Jason from :10 /29 /2000 till10 /31 /2002 color :Drums 
bar :Mike from :05 /10 /2006 till07 /10 /2006 color :Drums 
bar :Ben from :05 /01 /2011 till12 /31 /2012 color :Drums 
bar :Jason from :01 /01 /2018 till12 /31 /2018 color :Drums 
bar :Jason from :07 /27 /2022 till:end color :Drums

</timeline>

Studio albums

Singles

Contributions to compilations and soundtracks

  • "Between the Eyes" featured on The Grunge Years (Sub Pop Records, 1991)
  • "I Just Can't Be Happy Today" included in Another Damned Seattle Compilation (Dashboard Hula Girl Records, 1991)
  • "Ball and Chain" appeared on Milk For Pussy (Mad Queen Records, 1994)
  • "No Matter What You Do" part of We're All Normal And We Want Our Freedom (Alias Records, 1994)
  • "White Bird" included in Star Power! (Pravda Records, 1995)
  • "Fuzz Factory" featured on Turn It Up & Pass It On Volume 1 (1995)
  • "Straight Freak Show" appeared on promo-only huH Magazine CD6 (RayGun Press, 1995)
  • "Out of Focus (Live)" included in Bite Back Live At The Crocodile Cafe (PopLlama Records, 1996)
  • "Color Blind" featured on Home Alive The Art of Self-Defense (Epic Records, 1996)
  • "Commercial Suicide" part of Teriyaki Asthma Vols.6–10 (C/Z Records, 1999)
  • "Between the Eyes" included on The Birth of Alternative Vol. 2 (Flashback Records, 2003)
  • "Half Past You" featured in Sleepless in Seattle The Birth of Grunge (LiveWire Recordings, 2006)
  • "Out of Focus" included on MOJO’s compilation Teen Spirit Presents American Underground Classics’’ (MOJO Records, 2017)

External links

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