Red House Painters
Red House Painters was a slowcore band from San Francisco, CA, United State… Read Full Bio ↴Red House Painters was a slowcore band from San Francisco, CA, United States, formed in 1988 by singer/songwriter Mark Kozelek, who is currently active in the band Sun Kil Moon, with part of the original RHP line-up.
The band is described, along with Low and American Music Club, as one of the linchpins of the slowcore movement, a subgenre of Indie Rock characterized by downbeat melodies, slow tempos, and often minimalist arrangements. The genre was shaped by musical influences like Folk Rock, Contemporary Folk, and later on, Indie Folk, creating a subdued atmosphere that clashed against most of the comparatively brash Alternative Rock that was popular at the time. Kozelek used this group primarily as a vehicle for his very personal and emotional songs of despair, pain and suffering.
While in Atlanta, Kozelek became friends with Anthony Koutsos, a drummer. He then moved to San Francisco, adding guitarist Gorden Mack and bassist Jerry Vessel to complete the line-up for Red House Painters. After forming, the group played the San Francisco scene extensively, and recorded demos from 1989 to 1992, building up an impressive amount of material. Once they were signed to 4AD Records in 1992, they put out five-and-a-half LPs worth of material in two-and-a-half years--between September 1992 and March 1995, they released three LPs, one double LP, and one EP on 4AD.
Their first 4AD release was an album made up of select demos titled Down Colorful Hill. It was a compilation of haunting melodies complemented by Kozelek's eerie yet rich and emotional vocals. In 1993, the group came out with two self-titled records (now commonly referred to as "Red House Painters I" or "Rollercoaster" and "Red House Painters II" or "Bridge" (based on their cover artwork), solidifying Kozelek's reputation as a talented songwriter with their harrowing autobiographical tales of his troubled life and errant living with no punches being pulled. The music, which ran the gamut from beautiful acoustic folk-rock to intense, dissonant, lengthy soundscapes, effectively conveyed the sadness of the lyrics.
In 1994, they released an EP entitled Shock Me and in 1995, the introspective Ocean Beach, which saw Kozelek's songs becoming more acoustic-based and folk influenced, and featured far less of the lengthy, dreamlike epics of the group's first two albums. His lyrics also showed a considerable shift in tone, as he increasingly began to write about the power of memory and the significance of geography, a subject that would become an obsession in his subsequent recordings.
While Kozelek was beginning work on a solo project, he parted ways with 4AD Records after a somewhat tumultuous relationship. Entitled Songs for a Blue Guitar, which was released on Island Records subsidiary Supreme Recordings in 1996. It was more of a guitar-driven rock album that they released under the Red House Painters name to give the album more publicity. A year later, they came up with Old Ramon, arguably their most accessible, optimistic recording to date. However, major label mergers during the late 90's would leave them without a record label, and it wasn't until 2001 that they were able to release the album on Sub Pop.
Prior to the release of Old Ramon, Kozelek released a solo six-song EP entitled Rock 'n' Roll Singer in 2000. The record was comprised of three original acoustic compositions with minor full-band arrangements and three covers: two AC/DC covers from the Bon Scott era and one John Denver cover. Following the release of the first solo EP, Kozelek released his first solo album six months later. The record, entitled What's Next to the Moon, was released in January of 2001, but would greatly surprise fans. What's Next to the Moon was comprised entirely of shimmering, melancholy acoustic AC/DC covers from the Bon Scott era. The record was also greatly uncharacteristic of Kozelek (though he was prone to enjoy covering songs by his favorite artists) in that it is the shortest full length to date clocking in at just over thirty minutes. Even the first Red House Painters album with only six tracks was more than 45 minutes in length. Both solo albums were released by Badman Records.
4AD would release the best-of package, "Retrospective", on a double-disc in 1999. Kozelek subsequently organized and appeared on a John Denver tribute album, played a part in Cameron Crowe's film Almost Famous and also appeared as a rock musician in the Steve Martin vehicle Shopgirl. He contributed to both a benefit album for AIDS and an album of classic rock covers.
In 2003 Kozelek and Koutsos, along with Geoff Stanfield and Tim Mooney, reformed as Sun Kil Moon, releasing the acclaimed album Ghosts of the Great Highway on Jetset Records. In a 2005 interview with The Onion's AV Club, Kozelek confirmed that he considers Sun Kil Moon essentially the Red House Painters, but that he changed the band name to grab the interest of critics who had gotten bored with, or stopped paying attention to, the Painters. The move was successful, as Ghosts of the Great Highway would be his best-selling album yet, while garnering extremely positive reviews.
The band is described, along with Low and American Music Club, as one of the linchpins of the slowcore movement, a subgenre of Indie Rock characterized by downbeat melodies, slow tempos, and often minimalist arrangements. The genre was shaped by musical influences like Folk Rock, Contemporary Folk, and later on, Indie Folk, creating a subdued atmosphere that clashed against most of the comparatively brash Alternative Rock that was popular at the time. Kozelek used this group primarily as a vehicle for his very personal and emotional songs of despair, pain and suffering.
While in Atlanta, Kozelek became friends with Anthony Koutsos, a drummer. He then moved to San Francisco, adding guitarist Gorden Mack and bassist Jerry Vessel to complete the line-up for Red House Painters. After forming, the group played the San Francisco scene extensively, and recorded demos from 1989 to 1992, building up an impressive amount of material. Once they were signed to 4AD Records in 1992, they put out five-and-a-half LPs worth of material in two-and-a-half years--between September 1992 and March 1995, they released three LPs, one double LP, and one EP on 4AD.
Their first 4AD release was an album made up of select demos titled Down Colorful Hill. It was a compilation of haunting melodies complemented by Kozelek's eerie yet rich and emotional vocals. In 1993, the group came out with two self-titled records (now commonly referred to as "Red House Painters I" or "Rollercoaster" and "Red House Painters II" or "Bridge" (based on their cover artwork), solidifying Kozelek's reputation as a talented songwriter with their harrowing autobiographical tales of his troubled life and errant living with no punches being pulled. The music, which ran the gamut from beautiful acoustic folk-rock to intense, dissonant, lengthy soundscapes, effectively conveyed the sadness of the lyrics.
In 1994, they released an EP entitled Shock Me and in 1995, the introspective Ocean Beach, which saw Kozelek's songs becoming more acoustic-based and folk influenced, and featured far less of the lengthy, dreamlike epics of the group's first two albums. His lyrics also showed a considerable shift in tone, as he increasingly began to write about the power of memory and the significance of geography, a subject that would become an obsession in his subsequent recordings.
While Kozelek was beginning work on a solo project, he parted ways with 4AD Records after a somewhat tumultuous relationship. Entitled Songs for a Blue Guitar, which was released on Island Records subsidiary Supreme Recordings in 1996. It was more of a guitar-driven rock album that they released under the Red House Painters name to give the album more publicity. A year later, they came up with Old Ramon, arguably their most accessible, optimistic recording to date. However, major label mergers during the late 90's would leave them without a record label, and it wasn't until 2001 that they were able to release the album on Sub Pop.
Prior to the release of Old Ramon, Kozelek released a solo six-song EP entitled Rock 'n' Roll Singer in 2000. The record was comprised of three original acoustic compositions with minor full-band arrangements and three covers: two AC/DC covers from the Bon Scott era and one John Denver cover. Following the release of the first solo EP, Kozelek released his first solo album six months later. The record, entitled What's Next to the Moon, was released in January of 2001, but would greatly surprise fans. What's Next to the Moon was comprised entirely of shimmering, melancholy acoustic AC/DC covers from the Bon Scott era. The record was also greatly uncharacteristic of Kozelek (though he was prone to enjoy covering songs by his favorite artists) in that it is the shortest full length to date clocking in at just over thirty minutes. Even the first Red House Painters album with only six tracks was more than 45 minutes in length. Both solo albums were released by Badman Records.
4AD would release the best-of package, "Retrospective", on a double-disc in 1999. Kozelek subsequently organized and appeared on a John Denver tribute album, played a part in Cameron Crowe's film Almost Famous and also appeared as a rock musician in the Steve Martin vehicle Shopgirl. He contributed to both a benefit album for AIDS and an album of classic rock covers.
In 2003 Kozelek and Koutsos, along with Geoff Stanfield and Tim Mooney, reformed as Sun Kil Moon, releasing the acclaimed album Ghosts of the Great Highway on Jetset Records. In a 2005 interview with The Onion's AV Club, Kozelek confirmed that he considers Sun Kil Moon essentially the Red House Painters, but that he changed the band name to grab the interest of critics who had gotten bored with, or stopped paying attention to, the Painters. The move was successful, as Ghosts of the Great Highway would be his best-selling album yet, while garnering extremely positive reviews.
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Red House Painters Lyrics
03. Make Like Paper Halloween in New York On the way home from London Eight week…
14. lord kill the pain Lord kill the pain Don't want to ask you again Kill my…
24 So it's not loaded stadiums or ballparks And we're not kids…
All Mixed Up She shadows me in the mirror She never leaves on the…
All Mixed Up- The Cars She shadows me in the mirror She never leaves on the…
Another Song For A Blue Guitar She comes apart at the seams 'Cause she never dreams As she…
Around And Around Flash your smile and face at me Open your eyes wide…
Between Days Hanging low a big embrace of Aztec moon You throwing down…
Blindfold Blood ridden hands are the first things To come through the…
Brockwell Park In the night we freeze And you want me to tell In…
Brown Eyes Tell me and take your time Set free this soul of…
Bubble I know I don't know you I know that we don't…
Byrd Joel My baby sleeps in blue Warm and naked, pale and pretty I…
Cruiser My biggest smile from Tokyo You came out here five years…
Down Colorful Hill Out of the box Down colorful hill Wind lifting tired feet Sk…
Down Through I walked down the hill, sluggishly and frail The wind blew…
Dragon Flies This is the first you spoke of it In your black…
Drop So much that I can't say to you My voice shakes…
Evil Sad reminders of what seems years ago Warm southern sun shin…
Find Me Ruben Olivares Meet me in Leon near Mexico City Where I remember you…
Follow Me stay with me, my love I hope you'll always be, right…
Follow You Follow Me Stay with me, My love I hope you'll always be Right here…
Fun House Weight has fallen on me Like a part of the sky And…
Funhouse Weight has fallen on me Like a part of the sky And…
Golden Sister woke me up as he fell out of the…
Grace Cathedral Park A rare and blistering sun shines down on grace Cathedral…
Have You Forgotten I can't let you be, cause your beauty won't allow…
Helicopter Helicopter falls to my calm virgin island It said, "I want…
I Am a Rock A winter's day, in a deep and dark December I am…
I Feel the Rain Fall I feel the rain fall down my back I'm going back…
I'm Sorry It's cold here in the city It always seems that way…
Japanese to English I went as far as losing sleep I went as far…
Katy Song Some escape some door to open This path seems the blackest…
Kavita Hello Kavita When can I see her? You know I've been lonely A…
Long Distance Runaround Long distance runaround Long time waiting to feel the sound …
Lord Kill the Pain Lord kill the pain Don't want to ask you again Kill my…
Make Like Paper Halloween in New York On the way home from London Eight week…
Medicine Bottle Giving into love and sharing my time Letting someone into my…
Michael Michael, where are you now? Somehow in my excitement the la…
Michigan I see through your thin cotton dress I don't know if…
Mistress The light color in the room The sunshine seeping in Doesn't …
Moments gently in these ragged folds curled up and warm like…
Mother The way the street looked dim and polluted So have felt…
New Jersey You're an American girl Red headed, eyes blank Living in a f…
Over My Head Some odd door, some blooming tree Senseless and awkward feel…
Priest Alley Song Going past golden gate Elementary everyday Kids down colorfu…
Red You lived north of here but it looks the same Clouds…
Revelation Big Sur I can't make anything Of why the brightest light fades Or ho…
River I know you're willing and able There by the wooden table Won…
Rollercoaster There's my favorite rollercoaster Next to the blue water The…
San Geronimo Somewhere, up fifteen miles Sifting through crackling vinyl …
Shadows Sunset, I close my eyes I pretend everything's alright Drown…
Shock Me Your lightnin's all I need My satisfaction grows You make…
Shock Me / Your lightnin's all I need My satisfaction grows You mak…
Silly Love Songs You'd think that people would've had enough Of silly love so…
Smokey I'm broken down You caved my karma in I'm staying up Waiting…
Song For A Blue Guitar When everything we felt fails Then some music, soft and dist…
Star Spangled Banner Oh, say can you see By the dawn's early light What so…
Strawberry Hill I can hear them Speakin' in the next room As they drink…
Summer Dress Summer dress makes you more beautiful than the rest Lovelies…
Sundays and Holidays What do you think in the back seat? Traveling through the…
Take Me Out That sound coming from those holes A voice that soars And ta…
Things Mean a Lot There's my favorite roller coaster Next to the blue water Th…
Three-Legged Cat She was asleep when I hobbled to the bed With a…
Trailways How have you been Caroline? Living okay? Home in PA See how…
Uncle Joe Where have all the people gone in my life I'm looking…
Void Come out from the burning fire butterfly Let me lock you…
Waterkill It isn't great tryin' to breathe From the bottom of the…
Wop-A-Din-Din She's got big green eyes And a long Egyptian face…