Spirit Caravan
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1996 |
| Founder | Scott "Wino" Weinrich |
| Defunct | 2002 (initially) |
| Fate | Reunited in 2014; evolved into The Obsessed in 2016 |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Doom metal and stoner rock music |
Spirit Caravan was a United States-based band specializing in doom metal and stoner rock, fronted by guitarist and lead vocalist Scott "Wino" Weinrich.
Biography
Following the dissolution of The Obsessed, Scott "Wino" Weinrich established Spirit Caravan. The group featured Dave Sherman, previously of Wretched, handling bass and vocals, alongside drummer Gary Isom, who had played with Unorthodox. Weinrich acknowledges Sherman and Isom for motivating his comeback to the music scene after a break. Initially operating under the name Shine, the band issued a demo and a 7" single before adopting the name Spirit Caravan—taken from an Obsessed track—due to trademark conflicts with another band called Shine. Their songwriting often explored themes of spirituality and international affairs. Although they disbanded in 2002, Spirit Caravan reunited for tours across the United States and performances at European festivals in 2014.
Post-Spirit Caravan, Weinrich became part of Place of Skulls and created The Hidden Hand. After The Hidden Hand concluded its run in 2007, he returned to the reformed Saint Vitus. Meanwhile, Sherman went on to form Earthride, and Isom contributed his drumming talents to bands such as Internal Void, Pentagram, Valkyrie, and Nitroseed.
Spirit Caravan’s song "Dove-Tongued Aggressor" was included on the soundtrack of the 2005 video game Tony Hawk's American Wasteland.
Several tracks by Spirit Caravan originated from material initially written for The Obsessed. For instance, "Kill Ugly Naked," featured on Jug Fulla Sun, appears on multiple demos and live recordings by The Obsessed, while "Fear's Machine" was composed for The Obsessed and later included on their compilation Incarnate. Additional shared compositions are "Melancholy Grey," "Higher Power," "Spirit Caravan," and "Lifer City," demonstrating a close connection between the two bands’ repertoires.
Ed Gulli, formerly the drummer for The Obsessed, joined Spirit Caravan for their appearance at Maryland Doom Fest in June 2015; he was succeeded by Brian Costantino in 2016. That same year, Weinrich declared that Spirit Caravan would evolve into the new incarnation of The Obsessed.
Members
- Scott "Wino" Weinrich – guitar and lead vocals (1996–2002, 2014–present)
- Brian Costantino – drums (2016–present)
Former members
- Gary Isom – drums (1996–2002)
- Ed Gulli – drums (2015)
- Dave Sherman – bass and vocals (1996–2002, 2014–2022); deceased 2022
Live musicians
- Henry Vasquez of Blood of the Sun and Saint Vitus – drums (2014)
Albums
- Jug Fulla Sun CD (1999 Tolotta Records)
- Elusive Truth CD/LP (2001 Tolotta Records)
EPs
- "Lost Sun Dance" 7" (under the name Shine) (1998 Tolotta Records)
- Dreamwheel CDEP/10"EP (1999 MeteorCity Records)
- "Darkness and Longing" 7" split with Sixty Watt Shaman (1999 Tee Pee Records)
- "So Mortal Be" 7" (2002 Tolotta Records)
Compilations
- The Last Embrace double CD/double LP (2004 MeteorCity Records)
Compilation appearances
- "Lost Sun Dance" (as Shine) on Stoned Revolution – The Ultimate Trip CD/2LP (1998 Drunken Maria Records)
- "Powertime" (as Shine) on Metal Injection CD (1998 Bad Posture Records)
- "The Departure" featured on Rise 13 CD (1999 Rise Above Records)
- "Wicked World" included on Sucking the 70's double CD (2002 Small Stone Records)
- "Dove-Tongued Aggressor," "No Hope Goat Farm," and "Re-Alignment/Higher Power" on ...And Back to Earth Again triple CD (2007 MeteorCity Records)