The band was formed by bassist Brent Rademaker and guitarist Christopher Gunst who met in the 1990s when both were members of Los Angeles indie-rock group Further. Guitarist Dave Scher and drummer Jimi Hey (who played with Gunst in Strictly Ballroom) were recruited before the band's first show in June 1997.
Hey suggested the band's name by combining Sparks Street, where Brent Rademaker lived in Burbank, with Beachwood Street, which runs parallel and adjacent to Sparks. Hey left after a few shows and was replaced by Tom Sanford. At around the same time, the group was also joined by Pete "Sleigher" Kinne on percussion and another former Further member, guitarist Josh Schwartz.
They released the "Desert Skies"/"Make It Together" single on Bomp! in October 1998. Sanford left and was replaced by Aaron Sperske, drummer with Lilys, whose first recording with the band was on the Sub Pop singles club release "Midsummer Daydream"/"Windows 65" issued in April 1999. Kinne and Schwartz left shortly after.
In spring 2000, they released their first album, Beachwood Sparks. The "shimmering twang-pop melodies and gorgeous harmonies" drew comparisons to the late 1960s' Laurel Canyon country-rock of The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield and Gram Parsons as well as to contemporaries Elephant 6.
The single "Once We Were Trees" (featuring a jangly cover of The Everly Brothers' "Wake Up, Little Suzie" on the B-side) was released on the Spanish label Houston Party Records, previewing the mellower sound that featured on the band's second album, also called Once We Were Trees, which was released in the second half of 2001.
A single from the album, a cover of Sade's "By Your Side", was released in the United Kingdom and enjoyed some chart success. The video, directed by Chad Misner, was selected for the 2002 South by Southwest Film Festival and featured footage of Aaron Sperske and Autumn de Wilde's wedding. The song was later featured on the soundtrack for the 2010 feature film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.
For the 2002 EP, Make the Cowboy Robots Cry, Sperske was replaced on drums by the returning Jimi Hey. Strictly Ballroom's Jimmy Tamborello, aka Dntel, contributed to the EP. Tamborello also worked with Scher and Gunst at Loyola Marymount University's radio station, KXLU.
Since 2002, the band has mostly concentrated on other projects. Gunst formed Mystic Chords of Memory. Brent Rademaker, sometimes with Gunst and Scher, plays in The Tyde and also in Frausdots. Hey and Scher released an album as All Night Radio. In March 2007, Scher was recruited as touring keyboard player for New York indie rockers Interpol. Sperske joined Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti.
Beachwood Sparks reunited in 2008 to play at SB20, the celebration of Sub Pop's 20th anniversary. A small number of dates were played on the West Coast and the East Coast, including July 19 at the Henry Miller Library in Big Sur, California. The reunion line-up was Gunst, Rademaker, Sperske, Ben Knight, Jen Cohen and Dan Horne. Scher also played at four of the West Coast shows.
In 2012, Beachwood Sparks released the album The Tarnished Gold.
In 2016, Neal Casal, Farmer Dave Scher, Dan Horne, and Aaron Sperske joined songwriter Cass McCombs to form The Skiffle Players.
Band co-founder Josh Schwartz died in September 2017
Discography
Main albums
Beachwood Sparks (2000 Sub Pop)
Once We Were Trees (2001, Sub Pop)
The Tarnished Gold (2012, Sub Pop)
Other albums
Make the Cowboy Robots Cry EP (2002, Sub Pop)
Desert Skies (2013, Recorded 1997, Alive Naturalsound)
Singles
"Desert Skies"/"Make It Together" (1998) Bomp Records)
"Midsummer Daydream"/"Windows 65" (1999)
"Once We Were Trees"/"Wake Up, Little Suzie" (2000)
"Ballad of Never Rider" (w/ "Fishing Boat Song by Grandaddy and "Table Tennis Star" by Persil) (2000 Devil in the Woods No. 38)
"By Your Side"/"Sun Surrounds Me"/"Quietly Be"/"Close the Door Lightly When You Go" (2001 Sub Pop)
Hibernation
Beachwood Sparks Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's time to sleep again,
When the wind blows I know.
I can't sleep this year,
Because I'll miss you
I know I might die in the cold,
Unless I find the Spring time.
I looked for the place you saved for me…
A place where spring lasts eternally…
Now I am so tired,
(When the wind blows I know)
My thoughts have built a fire.
Will it last through the winter?
I know I might die in the cold…
Will I see you again
Good good friend
The lyrics of Beachwood Sparks's song Hibernation speak about a longing for a loved one while facing the harshness of winter. The opening line "It's time to sleep again" refers to the natural instinct that many animals display during the winter season, entering a state of hibernation to conserve energy and survive the cold. However, the singer of the song is unable to sleep because of the overwhelming feeling of missing someone. The line "because I'll miss you" reveals that the person the singer is missing is someone very dear to them, someone they cannot bear to part with.
The following lines, "I know I might die in the cold, unless I find the springtime," showcase the dire situation the singer is in. In order to survive, they need to find a way to make it through the winter until spring arrives. The idea of finding a place where spring lasts eternally is also mentioned, which shows that the singer might be searching for something more than just physical sustenance. Perhaps they are searching for a metaphorical spring, a kind of hope or light at the end of the long, dark tunnel that is winter.
The final lines of the song express weariness and uncertainty, with the singer wondering if they will make it through the winter and see their loved one again. The lyrics "My thoughts have built a fire. Will it last through the winter?" refer not just to the physical elements but also to the emotional and mental struggles of coping with loss and separation.
Line by Line Meaning
It's time to sleep again,
The singer is preparing for hibernation, a common behavior for animals during winter.
When the wind blows I know.
The singer indicates the changing weather condition, implying that winter is about to start.
I can't sleep this year,
The singer cannot go to hibernation this year because they will miss someone special.
Because I'll miss you
The artist is in love and does not want to miss out on anything that can happen while they are in hibernation.
I know I might die in the cold,
The artist is aware of the danger of not going into hibernation and staying in the cold winter weather.
Unless I find the Spring time.
The singer suggests that there is hope to survive winter if they can find the coming of spring.
I walked for a quarter century…
The singer has been journeying for 25 years, indicating the long and difficult search for their loved one.
I looked for the place you saved for me…
The artist has been waiting for the arrival of their loved one, who saved a place for them.
A place where spring lasts eternally…
The artist envisions a place where spring never ends, an everlasting symbol of joy and hope.
Now I am so tired,
The artist is finally exhausted after their long and tiresome quest.
(When the wind blows I know)
The singer reminds us that the wind is a sign of winter, which is the reason they cannot sleep.
My thoughts have built a fire.
The artist has found comfort in their thoughts, which have created a metaphorical fire to keep them warm through the winter.
Will it last through the winter?
The singer is contemplating whether their inner fire will be enough to sustain them throughout the entirety of winter.
I know I might die in the cold…
The singer anticipates the possibility of their own demise, but they are still determined to hold on.
Will I see you again
The singer wonders if they will ever see their loved one again.
Good good friend
The artist addresses their loved one with affection and respect, emphasizing the importance of their relationship.
Contributed by Asher A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.