Oxbow (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Defunct | 2024 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco , United States |
| Products | Studio albums, EPs, live albums, music videos, DVDs |
Oxbow was a San Francisco-based American band known for its work in the experimental rock genre. Established in 1988, the group produced eight studio albums before concluding their activities in 2024.
History
The inception of Oxbow originated as a studio endeavor led by Eugene Robinson (vocals and lyricist) alongside Niko Wenner (guitar, bass, keyboards, production, composition), marking a shift away from the musical direction of their former band Whipping Boy. They enlisted Bart Thurber, another ex-member of Whipping Boy, to serve as their sound engineer. Wenner crafted a distinctive compositional framework employing arch form and palindromic structures, techniques rarely utilized within the noise music scene. Robinson contributed by incorporating spontaneous vocal improvisations during recording sessions and layering multiple vocal tracks. Their first album, Fuckfest, featured drumming duties divided between Greg Davis and Tom Dobrov and garnered favorable reviews from critics. Following this release, bassist Dan Adams became a permanent member. Many participants had previous connections to Whipping Boy or the hardcore outfit Grim Reality. Dobrov departed after the 1995 European tour but returned as a guest drummer on the 2002 release An Evil Heat.
The debut album Fuckfest (1989) was praised for its avant-garde qualities, being recognized as "one of the most distinctive debut statements in contemporary avant-rock" and noted for its "remarkably eclectic" nature. This was succeeded by King of the Jews in 1991, followed by two albums produced under Steve Albini’s guidance: Let Me Be a Woman (1995) and Serenade in Red (1996–97), which featured guest vocals from Marianne Faithfull. Their 2002 album An Evil Heat was issued through Neurot Recordings, a label affiliated with Neurosis. The 2007 release The Narcotic Story earned the top spot on Rock-A-Rolla magazine’s Best of 2007 list and played a role in Joe Chiccarelli’s nomination for Producer of the Year at the Grammys.
In May 2017, Oxbow unveiled Thin Black Duke, produced by Joe Chiccarelli alongside Niko Wenner for Hydra Head Records, receiving widespread critical praise.
The band made a comeback in 2023 with the album Love’s Holiday, again under the production of Chiccarelli and Wenner, released via Ipecac Recordings, which also met with universal acclaim.[1]
On July 7, 2024, Eugene Robinson publicly announced his exit from Oxbow.[2][3]
Musical style
Oxbow’s sound is characterized by its broad range and has been likened to bands such as Neurosis and The Birthday Party, alongside influences from contemporary classical composers including Penderecki and John Luther Adams. Their music consistently blends genres such as blues, noise rock, heavy metal, jazz, and contemporary classical music.[4][5][6] Additionally, Allmusic identifies elements drawn from free jazz and musique concrète.[7]
Current Line-up
- Dan Adams – bass guitar
- Greg Davis – drums, percussion
- Eugene S. Robinson – vocals, lyrics, bass guitar, drums
- Niko Wenner – guitars, keyboards, studio bass guitar, vocals
Past Members
- Tom Dobrov – drums, percussion
Dan Adams: Bass Guitar
Dan Adams is a versatile musician and engineer with a background in animatronics for films such as Free Willie and Anaconda. In addition to his technical expertise, he is an acclaimed jazz drummer and formerly played in the North Carolina hardcore punk group the Ugly Americans.
Eugene S. Robinson: Vocals
Robinson’s vocal approach on Fuckfest features a sharp, distressed tone that evokes the styles of Robert Plant and Nick Cave during his Birthday Party period, although his lyrics are often difficult to decipher.
He has provided guest vocals for numerous bands including Soothsayer, Xiu Xiu, Black Sun, Old Man Gloom, DJ /Rupture, Ultraphallus, Dead Kennedys, as well as his own side project Buñuel.
A dedicated practitioner of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Leopoldo Serao and an amateur fighter, Robinson has occasionally resorted to physical intervention to handle unruly audience members. He is also noted for performing on stage partially unclothed.
Robinson is the author of several works including Paternostra, Les sons inimitables de l'amour: un plan à trois en quatre actes, A Long Slow Screw, and Fight: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Ass-Kicking but Were Afraid You'd Get Your Ass Kicked for Asking. He has held the role of Editor-at-Large at OZY.com and hosted video series such as Knuckle Up, The Eugene S. Robinson Show Stomper, and The Care/Don't Care Preview on Bloody Elbow. Additionally, he regularly contributes to Vice and runs a blog entitled Look What You Made Me Do.
His writing has appeared in publications like the Los Angeles Times, GQ, the New York Times, LA Weekly, Ad Age, The Quietus, PC Gamer, Hustler, Code, Revolver, Decibel, and The Wire. Robinson has also acted in film and television, including roles in Leonard Part 6 alongside Bill Cosby, NBC's Midnight Caller, ABC's King of Love, MTV’s Liquid Television segment Las Apassionadas, and commercials such as one directed by Gus Van Sant for Miller Genuine Draft. He received an Online Journalism Award recognizing his online commentary in a small newsroom.
Niko Wenner: Guitars, Keyboards
Niko Wenner serves as Oxbow’s composer, arranger, and producer and is acclaimed for his expertise in crafting noise and tone. His musical career includes touring and recording with groups like God, Swell, Celan, and Jellyfish. Beyond performance, he has engineered sessions for Oxbow and other artists, composed music for contemporary dance productions, and appeared in a short film nominated for an Academy Award.
Albums
| Year | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Fuckfest | CFY Records / Pathological Records / Hydra Head Records |
| 1991 | King of the Jews | CFY Records / Pathological Records / Hydra Head Records |
| 1995 | Let Me Be a Woman | Brinkman Records / Crippled Dick Hot Wax Records |
| 1996 | Serenade in Red | Crippled Dick Hot Wax Records / SST Records |
| 2002 | An Evil Heat | Neurot Recordings / Concrete Lo Fi Records |
| 2007 | The Narcotic Story | Hydra Head Records |
| 2017 | Thin Black Duke | Hydra Head Records |
| 2023 | Love's Holiday | Ipecac Records |
EPs
| 1996 | Insylum/The Stabbing Hand
(collaboration with Marianne Faithfull and Kathy Acker) |
Crippled Dick Hot Wax Records | Limited edition picture disc EP |
| 2009 | Songs for the French | Hydra Head Records | Limited edition vinyl EP |
Compilations
| 1992 | The Balls in the Great Meat Grinder Collection CD (combines King of the Jews and Fuckfest) | Pathological Records |
| 1997 | Fuckfest/King of the Jews 2CD set (features both albums) | Crippled Dick Hot Wax Records |
| 2006 | Love That's Last CD/DVD (includes new tracks and previous material; DVD contains live footage, documentary, and remixes) | Hydra Head Records |
| 2007 | Remixed & Covered CD (two-disc remix and cover collection; includes performances by Oxbow acoustic duo) | 5 Rue Christine |
Live albums
| 2008 | Oxbow presents: Love's Holiday Orchestra (live duo performance at Supersonic 2007 featuring Justin Broadrick and Stephen O'Malley) (12" vinyl only) | Capsule Records |
| 2008 | Fuckfest/12 Galaxies (live recording of Oxbow acoustic quartet at 12 Galaxies club, San Francisco, 2008) (limited hand-signed two-CD edition) | Hydra Head Records |
| 2009 | Songs for the French (Side "There" live tracks from Europe, 2008) (12" vinyl only) | Hydra Head Records |
| 2011 | : : stone & towering edifice : LIVE at the BAM (Oxbow acoustic quartet live at UC Berkeley Art Museum, 2010) (CD format only) | Hydra Head Records |
| 2022 | An Eternal Reminder Of Not Today - Live at Moers (collaboration with Peter Brötzmann recorded live at Moers Festival, Germany, 2018) | Trost Records / SGG |
Splits
| 1999 | Oxbow meet White Tornado | Wallace Records |
| 2011 | Oxbow / Kill Kill Kill (features an unreleased alternate take of "Daughter" from the 1991 album King of the Jews) (7" vinyl) | Hydra Head Records |
Music videos
| 2006 | S Bar X (video plus 5.1 surround audio mix included on Love That's Last DVD, originally from An Evil Heat) | Hydra Head Records |
| 2017 | "Cold & Well-Lit Place," "Other People," "Host" (all tracks from Thin Black Duke) | Hydra Head Records |
| 2023 | Various videos including 1000 Hours, Icy White & Crystalline, Dead Ahead, Lovely Murk (featuring Kristin Hayter/Lingua Ignota), among others from Love's Holiday | Ipecac Recordings |
| 2024 | "Million Dollar Weekend," "Second Talk," "All Gone" (from Love's Holiday) | Ipecac Recordings |
DVDs
| 2006 | "Love That's Last: A Wholly Hypnographic and Disturbing Work Regarding Oxbow" | Hydra Head Records |
Contains documentary footage, live performances recorded in Belgium and San Francisco, as well as videos featuring 5.1 surround sound mixes.
| 2011 | "The Luxury of Empire" | Flowerskull |
Includes documentary films alongside a live concert filmed in Paris during the 2009 European tour.
| 2012 | "oxbow in camera" | Hydra Head Records |
A multi-camera 16mm film presenting four live or studio-backed performances.
External links
- Official site
- Discogs profile for the artist
- AllMusic entry
- ↑ "Love's Holiday by Oxbow". Metacritic.
- ↑ [1]"The Last Tour Diary You'll Get Out of Me", retrieved July 8, 2024
- ↑ [2]"If you're one of those TLDR types the deal is this I'm quitting OXBOW", retrieved July 8, 2024
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