Jeromes Dream is a
screamo
Screamo (also referred to as skramz) is an aggressive subgenre of emo that emerged in the early 1990s and emphasizes "willfully experimental dissonance and dynamics".Jason Heller, "Feast of Reason". ''Denver Westword'', June 20, 2002Access date: ...
band from
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
, originally active from 1997 to 2001, and again from 2018 onwards.
History
Jeromes Dream began on September 13, 1997
after a short jam session between bassist Jeff Smith, guitarist Nick Antonopoulos, and drummer Erik Ratensperger that was held in the basement of Antonopoulos' mother's house. According to Erik Ratensperger, their first recorded material was intended to be used for a
demo release; however, it caught the attention of Rice Control Records, resulting in the intended demo material being released as a
split album
A split album (or split) is a music album that includes tracks by two or more separate artists. There are also singles and EPs of the same variety, which are often called "split singles" and "split EPs" respectively. Split albums differ from "var ...
with Amalgamation.
Most of the band's music was released as splits with other artists, including other notable
screamo
Screamo (also referred to as skramz) is an aggressive subgenre of emo that emerged in the early 1990s and emphasizes "willfully experimental dissonance and dynamics".Jason Heller, "Feast of Reason". ''Denver Westword'', June 20, 2002Access date: ...
acts such as
Usurp Synapse
Usurp Synapse was a screamo band from Lafayette, Indiana. The group combined fast and frantic grindcore influenced drumming and guitar work, and raw screams.
History
Usurp Synapse formed in 1998 in Lafayette, Indiana. Their line up changed s ...
. Their most well known split release would be their split with
Orchid
Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant.
Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...
, a 10" record shaped in a 3/4ths view of a skull, which is sought after by both collectors and fans alike, and is considered a definitive work of the genre. They toured the United States frequently, and their first proper full-length album, titled ''
Seeing Means More Than Safety'', was released in May 2000.
Their second full-length, ''
Presents'', was released on July 9, 2001, which featured a significant change in sound for the band. They would eventually break up in August that same year. Jeff Smith would later begin a career in experimental drone music by creating the band The Wind-Up Bird with Joseph Grimm.
Erik Ratensperger eventually became the drummer for
The Virgins
The Virgins were an American indie rock band formed in 2006 in New York City. The band split up in November 2013.
History 2006–2007: Formation
Frontman Donald Cumming began writing music by himself in his New York apartment. He then recruited ...
, a
dance punk
Dance-punk (also known as disco-punk, punk-funk or techno-punk) is a post-punk subgenre that emerged in the late 1970s, and is closely associated with the disco, post-disco and new wave movements.Rip It Up and Start Again: Post Punk 1978-19 ...
band from New York.
Along with artists such as
Orchid
Orchids are plants that belong to the family Orchidaceae (), a diverse and widespread group of flowering plants with blooms that are often colourful and fragrant.
Along with the Asteraceae, they are one of the two largest families of flowering ...
,
Saetia
Saetia (pronounced ''SAY-shuh'') is a New York City-based screamo band. Their name originates from a misspelling of the Miles Davis track "Saeta", from his album ''Sketches of Spain''. While relatively unknown during their initial existence, ...
and
Pg. 99
Pg. 99 (also spelled pageninetynine) was a screamo band from Sterling, Virginia, a town on the outskirts of Washington, D.C. They are considered one of the pioneers of screamo. The band formed as a six-piece in late 1997 and broke up as an eig ...
, they are considered as one of the most influential bands of the late 1990s screamo movement and have been called as "probably the most original" band of their time.
Their music has influenced many bands, such as Lord Snow, Brighter Arrows, and
Vein
Veins are blood vessels in humans and most other animals that carry blood towards the heart. Most veins carry deoxygenated blood from the tissues back to the heart; exceptions are the pulmonary and umbilical veins, both of which carry oxygenated b ...
.
In mid-2016 Ratensperger posted a previously unreleased video on the new official Jeromes Dream youtube page. He has also opened up an official Jeromes Dream archivial
Instagram
Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...
page for the purpose of mostly uploading previously unreleased photos of the group. In the spring of 2017, it was announced that Zegema Beach Records and Coniine Records will put out a Jeromes Dream tribute compilation, titled ''It's More Like A Homage To You'', with all proceeds made off of it going to
Flint, Michigan
Flint is the largest city and seat of Genesee County, Michigan, United States. Located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit, it is a principal city within the region known as Mid Michigan. At the 2020 census, Flint had a population of 8 ...
.
The compilation will feature covers done by 29 bands from multiple countries.
On September 3, 2017, it was announced through Jeromes Dream's official Instagram account that all three members of Jeromes Dream had talked for the first time since their disbandment that day through a three hour phone call, all of which was recorded by drummer Erik Ratensperger, and later posted on the band's YouTube channel.
Reunion
On March 5, 2018, Jeromes Dream created a new website, jeromesdreamforever.com, featuring a mailing list. On March 8, the band posted a YouTube video, titled 'Something is happening.', linking to their website.
On March 22, 2018, Jeromes Dream announced that they were writing a new full-length album, which was set to be recorded in the fall of 2018 by
Kurt Ballou
Kurt Ballou (born February 1, 1974) is an American musician and producer based in Massachusetts, best known as the guitarist for hardcore punk band Converge and for his prolific recording and production work at his own GodCity Studio.
Early and ...
at GodCity Studios.
This record would be self-released, and to finance this the band set up an
Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign as a pre-order for the record. In less than 24 hours 90% of their $15,000 goal was reached, and in less than 4 days 100% of the goal was reached.
The LP is confirmed no longer to be recorded by Kurt Ballou, but instead by Jack Shirley, at Atomic Garden studios. It was released on July 19, 2019. Later in January 2019 it was announced that the reformed group will tour with
Loma Prieta
Loma Prieta (from Spanish ''loma'' -hill, ''prieta'' -dark) is high and is the highest peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains in Northern California.
Although the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake was named for this mountain, the actual epicenter was fi ...
in the summer of that year.
On July 30, 2021, Jeromes Dream announced that they were working with the Boston-based label
Iodine Recordings
Iodine Recordings is an independent record label based in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. Iodine Recordings releases punk, hardcore, and indie rock music. It was once home to bands such as Brand New, Orange Island, Smoke or Fire (Jericho ...
and reissuing their album "Presents" on vinyl for its 20th anniversary.
On October 3, 2021, Jeromes Dream announced via social media that Sean Leary (
Loma Prieta
Loma Prieta (from Spanish ''loma'' -hill, ''prieta'' -dark) is high and is the highest peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains in Northern California.
Although the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake was named for this mountain, the actual epicenter was fi ...
, Ełłe, Stormlight) officially joined the band as second guitarist.
Style and live performances
Vocalist and bassist Jeff Smith would scream from the top of his lungs during live performances without the use of a microphone. During live shows, both Smith and Antonopoulos would perform with their backs facing the audience. They always performed on the floor, and would refuse to play on stage.
Jeromes Dream is mainly categorized as a
screamo
Screamo (also referred to as skramz) is an aggressive subgenre of emo that emerged in the early 1990s and emphasizes "willfully experimental dissonance and dynamics".Jason Heller, "Feast of Reason". ''Denver Westword'', June 20, 2002Access date: ...
band.
[unk News>] Their music includes influences from
powerviolence
Powerviolence (sometimes written as power violence) is an extremely dissonant and fast subgenre of hardcore punk which is closely related to thrashcore and grindcore. In contrast with grindcore, which is a "crossover" idiom containing musical ...
,
grindcore
Grindcore is an extreme fusion genre of heavy metal and hardcore punk that originated in the mid-1980s, drawing inspiration from abrasive-sounding musical styles, such as thrashcore, crust punk, hardcore punk, extreme metal, and industrial. G ...
,
noise rock
Noise rock (sometimes called noise punk) is a noise music, noise-oriented style of experimental rock that spun off from punk rock in the 1980s. Drawing on movements such as minimal music, minimalism, industrial music, and New York hardcore, a ...
, and
math rock
Math rock is a style of progressive and indie rock with roots in bands such as King Crimson and Rush as well as 20th-century minimal music composers such as Steve Reich. It is characterized by complex, atypical rhythmic structures (includi ...
.
[versionline>] Their first full length, ''Seeing Means More Than Safety'', was very violent and destructive musically, and included many
noise
Noise is unwanted sound considered unpleasant, loud or disruptive to hearing. From a physics standpoint, there is no distinction between noise and desired sound, as both are vibrations through a medium, such as air or water. The difference arise ...
interludes composed of guitar feedback and radio samples. Their second full length, ''Presents'', however, was much more angular musically. The vocal style also changed dramatically, having "a more traditional hardcore-shout kind of approach", as described in a review.
Band members
*Jeff Smith -
vocals
Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
,
bass
*Nick Antonopoulos -
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...
*Erik Ratensperger -
drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
*Sean Leary -
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...
(2021–present)
Discography
Studio albums
Split releases
Compilation albums
Compilation appearances
References
External links
*
Official Jeromes Dream Instagram PageDiscogs Page, Including Pressing InformationAlone Records Information On Jeromes Dream
{{Authority control
American screamo musical groups