The Czars
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1994 in Denver, Colorado, United States |
| Founder | John Grant, Chris Pearson |
| Defunct | 2006 |
| Headquarters | Denver , United States |
| Products | Alternative rock music albums and singles |
The Czars were an American alternative rock group established in 1994 in Denver by John Grant alongside Chris Pearson. Their discography includes six full-length albums, one EP, and three singles. Following the release of their 2004 record Goodbye, five members exited the band within nine months,[1] leaving Grant as the only remaining member. He proceeded to tour using The Czars moniker before embarking on a solo path.[2] Guitarists Andy Monley and Roger Green, together with David Devine, contributed to the album Sorry I Made You Cry.[3]
After the group disbanded, Grant took a break before making a solo comeback in 2010 with his debut album Queen of Denmark.[4]
History
Initially called Titanic,[5] The Czars came together when Grant returned from Germany in 1994, joining forces with Pearson and Linsenmaier. Although Grant had originally intended to pursue translation work, linguistic challenges led him to concentrate on music instead.[5] The lineup experienced early changes, but Grant and Pearson remained constants. The settled ensemble featured Grant (vocals/piano), Linsenmaier (drums), Monley and Green (guitars), and Pearson (bass).
In 1996, they issued demos compiled as Mood Swing on Pearson’s Velveteen Records,[6] followed by the 1997 release The La Brea Tar Pits of Routine. Grant later expressed dissatisfaction with the lyrics and vocal performances on this second album.[5] Both records were produced by Bob Ferbrache and released through Velveteen Records. During this phase, Grant’s lyrics were largely improvised and frequently altered during live performances.[5]
In 1997, Simon Raymonde of Bella Union received their demo tapes. Although initially unimpressed, ongoing exchanges led to Bella Union signing The Czars after they submitted enhanced demos recorded with Bob Ferbrache.[5]
Under Raymonde’s production guidance, The Czars recorded Before...But Longer in London in 1998. Raymonde granted them full creative liberty without enforcing a specific style. For this album, Grant transitioned from spontaneous songwriting to more fixed lyrics,[5] which improved the emotional impact of his delivery. Although completed in September 1998, the album was not released until 2000 due to Raymonde spending a year promoting the band. Despite the delay, it garnered favorable critiques including an 8/10 rating from Drowned in Sound.[7]
In 2000, The Czars recorded The Ugly People vs The Beautiful People, again produced by Raymonde with Colin Bricker engineering at Mighty Fine Audio in Denver. They also took part in the Tim Buckley tribute compilation Sing a Song for You and created the soundtrack for the film I'd Rather Be... Gone.
During their 2002 tour, they self-produced the EP X Would Rather Listen to Y Than Suffer Through a C of Z's,[6] while violinist Elin Palmer joined them in 2003 for the album Goodbye, produced by Bricker. Despite substantial financial investment and an unrecovered balance, Bella Union postponed further contracts. Friends helped finance Goodbye, which Grant considers his favorite Czars record.[2]
Although critically praised, Goodbye became their last studio album. Guitarist Roger Green departed in November 2004; soon afterward, Grant terminated Pearson’s membership via email. Over nine months, five members left, leaving Grant as the lone remaining member. He continued performing under The Czars name before retiring it. In 2005 Bella Union issued a b-sides collection titled Sorry I Made You Cry. A Best Of compilation was released in December 2014.
Studio albums
- Moodswing – released in 1995
- The La Brea Tar Pits of Routine – issued in 1997
- Before... But Longer – came out in 2000
- The Ugly People vs the Beautiful People – launched in 2001
- X Would Rather Listen to Y Than Suffer Through a C of Z's (Tour EP) – distributed in 2002
- Goodbye – debuted in 2004
- Sorry I Made You Cry – released in 2006
- Best Of – compilation issued in 2014
Singles
- "Val" – issued in 2000
- "Side Effect" – released in 2002
- "X Would Rather Listen" – came out in 2002
- "Paint the Moon" – launched in 2004
External links
- [Allmusic entry]