Ponytail (band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Defunct | 2011-09-22 |
| Headquarters | Baltimore , United States |
| Products | Music albums |
| Website | www |
Ponytail was a quartet from Baltimore, Maryland, known for their contributions to the American art rock scene. The lineup consisted of vocalist Willy Siegel, guitarists Dustin Wong and Ken Seeno, along with drummer Jeremy Hyman. They shared international stages with acts such as Battles, Hella, and Don Caballero. Their body of work features three studio albums: Kamehameha, Ice Cream Spiritual, and Do Whatever You Want All The Time. The group received honors including "Best Live Band" by Baltimore City Paper in 2007 and "Best Band" in 2008.
History
The band originated in January 2005 as a five-member ensemble including Michael Petruzzo, initially formed as part of a professor’s project. Following Petruzzo’s exit, the band directed their efforts toward melodic development with Siegel taking the lead vocals.
Their debut album, Kamehameha, was issued on vinyl in April 2006 through Gaarden Records, a label based in Portland.
In June 2008, Ponytail released their sophomore record, Ice Cream Spiritual, which garnered favorable critiques from outlets such as Pitchfork and BBC, praised for their vibrant live shows. In 2009, Wong departed from Ecstatic Sunshine to dedicate his focus entirely to Ponytail. To support the album, the band conducted extensive tours across Europe, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. Notably, they were handpicked by Matt Groening to perform at the 2010 edition of the All Tomorrow's Parties festival held in England.
The group entered a hiatus in August 2010. Subsequently, Wong released his solo effort Infinite Love on Thrill Jockey in October of the same year. Although they had indicated that Whartscape 2010 would mark their final performance, Ponytail unveiled their third album, Do Whatever You Want All The Time, in April 2011; this release featured cover artwork created by Yamantaka Eye of Boredoms. The band officially ceased activities on September 22, 2011.
Albums
- Kamehameha (We Are Free, November 22, 2006)
- Ice Cream Spiritual (We Are Free, June 17, 2008)
- Do Whatever You Want All The Time (We Are Free, April 12, 2011)
Singles
- "Celebrate the Body Electric (It Came from An Angel)" (We Are Free, April 29, 2008)
External links
- Official Ponytail Website
- [Allmusic Biography]
- Cool Hunting Video Feature on Ponytail
- Dustin Wong Biography on allmusic