Minus the Bear
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2001 in Seattle, Washington, United States |
| Defunct | 2018 (initial disbandment) |
| Fate | Disbanded in 2018; reunited in 2025 |
| Headquarters | Seattle , United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Jake Snider, Dave Knudson, Cory Murchy, Alex Rose, Joshua Sparks |
| Products | Six studio albums, four EPs |
Minus the Bear is an indie rock group originating from Seattle, Washington, established in 2001. The band includes musicians formerly associated with Botch, Kill Sadie, and Sharks Keep Moving. Their musical style is characterized by intricate guitar arrangements, electronic elements, and the use of unconventional time signatures.
Over their career, the band produced six studio albums alongside four EPs. Prior to their disbandment in 2018, the members comprised Jake Snider (vocals, guitar), Dave Knudson (guitar), Cory Murchy (bass), and Alex Rose (synthesizers, vocals). On July 17, 2018, they declared their retirement and announced a farewell tour, culminating in a final performance on December 16, 2018, at The Showbox venue in Seattle.
In 2025, Minus the Bear reunited to embark on an anniversary tour commemorating the 20th year since the release of Menos el Oso.
2001–2009
Minus the Bear was formed in 2001 and played their inaugural show just three days after the events of September 11 at Seattle's The Paradox. Their debut album, Highly Refined Pirates, was released by Suicide Squeeze Records on November 19, 2002.
Keyboardist and producer Matt Bayles departed the group on January 2, 2006, to concentrate on production work. He was succeeded by Alex Rose, who had previously served as a sound engineer on their sophomore album Menos el Oso. On February 20, 2007, Suicide Squeeze Records issued Interpretaciones del Oso, a remix compilation featuring tracks from Menos el Oso.
Their third studio release, Planet of Ice, came out on August 21, 2007, comprising ten main tracks plus an exclusive bonus track available via iTunes and an additional CD containing B-sides and remixes. In 2008, Minus the Bear recorded four live songs for Daytrotter sessions accessible to site subscribers. Later that year, they released an acoustic EP titled Acoustics, which included one previously unreleased song along with acoustic renditions of six earlier pieces. On October 27, 2009, they digitally released a two-song single called "Into The Mirror", with limited edition vinyl copies sold during their tour.
2010–2017
On February 17, 2010, Minus the Bear signed with Dangerbird Records for distribution of their upcoming album. The record named Omni was slated for release on May 4, 2010. The band appeared on RadioVA and was interviewed by David Lowery on May 8, 2010. Subsequently, on August 5, they opened for Seattle’s Soundgarden at a pre-Lollapalooza concert in Chicago.
Recording sessions for their fifth album began on January 9, 2012, with producer Matt Bayles returning as a collaborator. By April 30 that year, recording was complete and the album was sent for mastering. Dangerbird Records announced that Infinity Overhead would be released on August 28, 2012. The lead single "Lonely Gun" debuted on June 29, 2012. That summer also saw Minus the Bear partnering with UK label Big Scary Monsters, preparing for a September UK release of Infinity Overhead.
On July 10, 2013, the band revealed plans for Acoustics II, a ten-track album featuring eight acoustic reinterpretations of previous songs plus two brand-new compositions. An acoustic version of "Hooray" was made available as a pre-order bonus.
To celebrate the tenth anniversary of their EP They Make Beer Commercials Like This, Minus the Bear performed two shows along the West Coast in early 2014. During that summer, they issued a compilation album entitled Lost Loves on both vinyl and CD formats; this collection included unreleased tracks such as "Invented Memory" and "Lucky Ones." Supporting tours followed to promote both the EP and continued celebrations of their Beer Commercials release throughout late 2014.
On January 29, 2015, via Facebook, Minus the Bear announced that drummer Erin Tate had left due to "personal and creative differences." The band indicated plans to continue touring and work towards a successor to Infinity Overhead. Their sixth studio album titled VOIDS was subsequently released on March 3, 2017.
Farewell Tour (2018)
On July 17, 2018, the group revealed plans to disband following a farewell tour concluding on December 14 in Seattle, coinciding with the October release of their final EP, Fair Enough. Due to swift ticket sales, extra concerts were scheduled for December 15 and 16. Their ultimate live show occurred on December 16, 2018, at The Showbox venue in Seattle.
Reunion
Minus the Bear declared a reunion tour in March 2025, set for October and November, during which they will perform the album Menos el Oso in its entirety each evening.
Band name
The name "Minus the Bear" is derived from an inside joke connected to the 1970s television series B. J. and the Bear. Vocalist and guitarist Jake Snider mentioned it originated from a friend's dating story referencing the show "minus the Bear."
Current members
- Jake Snider – lead vocals, rhythm guitar (2001–2018, 2025–present)
- Dave Knudson – lead guitar (2001–2018, 2025–present)
- Cory Murchy – bass guitar (2001–2018, 2025–present)
- Alex Rose – keyboards, backing vocals (2006–2018, 2025–present)
- Joshua Sparks – drums (2017–2018, 2025–present)
Former members
- Matt Bayles – keyboards (2001–2006)
- Erin Tate – drums (2001–2015)
- Kiefer Matthias – drums (2015–2017)
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Highest chart rankings | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard 200 |
US Heatseekers |
US Independent |
US Alternative | ||
| 2002 | Highly Refined Pirates
|
— | — | — | — |
| 2005 | Menos el Oso
|
— | 20 | 41 | — |
| 2007 | Planet of Ice
|
74 | — | 8 | 22 |
| 2010 | Omni
|
49 | — | 9 | 8 |
| 2012 | Infinity Overhead
|
31 | — | 7 | 7 |
| 2017 | Voids
|
109 | — | 7 | 11 |
EPs and other releases
| Year | Title | Label | Additional details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | This Is What I Know About Being Gigantic | Suicide Squeeze Records | First official release. |
| 2002 | Bands Like It When You Yell "Yar!" at Them | Suicide Squeeze Records | Promotional CD supporting Highly Refined Pirates. |
| 2004 | They Make Beer Commercials Like This | "Arena Rock Recording Co."
Reissued in 2008 by Suicide Squeeze alongside "Houston, We Have Uh-Oh". |
|
| 2005 | Minus the Bear/City on Film split EP | Polyvinyl Record Co. | Features "This Ain't a Surfin' Movie (IQU Remix)". |
| 2008 | Acoustics | Tigre Blanco Records | Acoustic EP containing six rearranged tracks. |
| 2009 | "Into the Mirror" | Tigre Blanco Records | Single from Omni with accompanying B-side "Broken China". |
| 2011 | "Hold Me Down" | Dangerbird Records | Single from Omni, includes live versions and a remix by fans. |
| 2012 | "Your Private Sky"/"South Side Life" | Dangerbird Records | 7" vinyl released for Record Store Day featuring two B-sides. |
| 2012 | "Steel and Blood"/"Surf-N-Turf" | Big Scary Monsters Recording Company | Limited edition UK tour vinyl pressing of 300 copies. |
| 2013 | Acoustics II | Dangerbird Records | Acoustic album with new material and reimagined songs. |
| 2014 | Lost Loves | Dangerbird Records | Collection of rare and previously unreleased tracks. |
| 2018 | Fair Enough | Suicide Squeeze Records | Contains tracks "Fair Enough", "Viaduct", and "Dinosaur". |
| 2021 | Farewell | Suicide Squeeze Records | Live triple LP album alongside digital availability. |
Remix albums
| Year | Title | Label | Additional details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Interpretaciones del Oso | Suicide Squeeze Records | Remixed version of Menos el Oso |
Music videos
- "The Game Needed Me" from Menos el Oso
- "Pachuca Sunrise" from Menos el Oso
- "Knights" from Planet of Ice
- "Throwin' Shapes" from Planet of Ice
- "My Time" from Omni
- "Hold Me Down" from Omni
- "Steel and Blood" from Infinity Overhead
- "Listing" from Infinity Overhead
- "Last Kiss" from VOIDS
External links
- Articles with short description
- Math rock groups
- American math rock groups
- Minus the Bear
- Alternative rock groups from Washington (state)
- American musical quintets
- Arena Rock Recording Company artists
- Indie rock musical groups from Washington (state)
- Musical groups established in 2001
- Musical groups disestablished in 2018
- Musical groups from Seattle
- Suicide Squeeze Records artists
- Dangerbird Records artists
- 2001 establishments in Washington (state)