Soulside
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1985 |
| Founder | Bobby Sullivan, Chris Thomson, Scott McCloud, Alexis Fleisig |
| Defunct | 1989 (initially) |
| Fate | Disbanded in 1989; reunited in 2014 |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. metropolitan area , United States |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
| Website | www |
Soulside, occasionally written as Soul Side, is a post-hardcore group originating from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region in the United States.
History
The band initially came together in 1985 under the name Lunchmeat, formed by high school classmates Bobby Sullivan, Chris Thomson, Scott McCloud, and Alexis Fleisig. Following a short break to attend college, they regrouped as Soulside and recorded their first album at Inner Ear Studios with the assistance of Ian MacKaye, Don Zientara, and Eli Janney. This release became the second record issued by Sammich Records. After Thomson departed to start Ignition, Johnny Temple joined on bass as the remaining members committed themselves fully to the band in 1987.
In that same year, Soulside produced their sophomore album, Trigger, through Dischord Records and embarked on an extensive tour throughout the United States. The group dissolved in 1989 shortly after completing a three-month European tour during which they recorded Hot Bodi-Gram. Their split was attributed to creative disagreements regarding lyrical themes and concerns about the band's direction.
Remarkably, Soulside was the sole American act to perform at unauthorized punk concerts in East Berlin during the 1980s, undertaking considerable political risk including surveillance by the Stasi.
Following Soulside's breakup, McCloud, Temple, and Fleisig established Girls Against Boys alongside Eli Janney. Sullivan explored musical ventures that combined reggae and punk influences with bands such as Seven League Boots and Rain Like the Sound of Trains. Meanwhile, Thomson took on lead vocals for Circus Lupus after his time with Ignition.
In 2017, Soulside reunited for a performance in Prague commemorating McCloud's fiftieth birthday. They continued their resurgence with European shows in 2019 and issued new recordings via Dischord Records in 2020, including a 7-inch vinyl single.
Band members
- Bobby Sullivan – lead vocals (1985–1989, 2014–present)
- Alexis Fleisig – drums (1985–1989, 2014–present)
- Scott McCloud – guitar (1985–1989, 2014–present)
- Johnny Temple – bass guitar (1987–1989, 2014–present)
- Chris Thomson – bass guitar (1985–1987)
Releases
- "Thanks" Split Single with Mission Impossible (as "Lunchmeat") (Sammich, 1985), later reissued as Getting Shit for Growing up Different
- Less Deep Inside Keeps LP/CD (co-released by Sammich/Dischord, 1987)
- Trigger LP (Dischord, 1988)
- "Bass" b/w "103" 7-inch Single (Dischord, 1989)
- Hot Bodi-Gram LP (Dischord, 1989)
- Soon Come Happy CD (Dischord, 1990) – a compilation featuring Trigger, the "Bass" single, and Hot Bodi-Gram
- "This Ship" b/w "Madeleine Said" 7-inch Single/digital EP (Dischord, 2020), with the digital EP including the track "Survival"
- A Brief Moment in the Sun LP (Dischord, 2022)
External links
- Dischord Records official band mini-site