Screaming Trees was an American
rock band formed in
Ellensburg, Washington
Ellensburg is a city in and the county seat of Kittitas County, Washington, United States. It is located just east of the Cascade Range near the junction of Interstate 90 and Interstate 82. The population was 18,666 at the 2020 census. and was ...
, in 1984 by vocalist
Mark Lanegan
Mark William Lanegan (November 25, 1964 – February 22, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and poet. First becoming prominent as the lead singer for the early grunge band Screaming Trees, he was also known as a member of Queens of the ...
, guitarist
Gary Lee Conner
Gary Lee Conner (born Lee Gary Conner, August 22, 1962) is an American rock musician, best known as the guitarist and primary songwriter for Screaming Trees.
Career
Originally from Ellensburg, Washington, Conner formed the band Explosive Ge ...
, bass player
Van Conner
Van Conner (born March 17, 1967) is an American rock musician, best known as the bassist for Screaming Trees.
Career
As a bass player in high school, Conner formed the band Explosive Generation with his brother Gary Lee Conner and Mark Picker ...
, and drummer
Mark Pickerel
Mark Pickerel is an American musician best known as the original drummer for the alternative rock band Screaming Trees. He is also an active session musician and has released several solo albums as a singer/guitarist.
Biography
Originally fro ...
. Pickerel had been replaced by
Barrett Martin
Barrett Martin (born April 14, 1967) is an American record producer, percussionist, writer, and ethnomusicologist from Washington. As a producer he has won one Latin Grammy and has been nominated in two other categories. As an ethnomusicologist ...
by the time the band reached its most successful period. Although widely associated with
grunge
Grunge (sometimes referred to as the Seattle sound) is an alternative rock genre and subculture that emerged during the in the American Pacific Northwest state of Washington, particularly in Seattle and nearby towns. Grunge fuses elements of ...
, the band's sound incorporated
hard rock
Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest ha ...
and
psychedelic
Psychedelics are a subclass of hallucinogenic drugs whose primary effect is to trigger non-ordinary states of consciousness (known as psychedelic experiences or "trips").Pollan, Michael (2018). ''How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science o ...
elements. The band released seven studio albums, five
EPs, and three
compilations.
Screaming Trees is known as one of the pioneers of grunge along with the
Melvins
Melvins (sometimes The Melvins) are an American rock band formed in 1983 in Montesano, Washington. Their early work was key to the development of both grunge and sludge metal. Initially, they performed as a trio but later also sometimes appe ...
,
Mudhoney
Mudhoney is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1988, following the demise of Green River. Its members are singer and rhythm guitarist Mark Arm, lead guitarist Steve Turner, bassist Guy Maddison and drummer Dan Peters. ...
,
U-Men,
Skin Yard
Skin Yard was an American grunge band from Seattle, Washington, who were active from 1985 to 1992. The group never gained a mainstream audience, but were an influence on several of their grunge contemporaries, including Soundgarden, Screaming ...
,
Soundgarden,
Green River, and
Malfunkshun
Malfunkshun is an alternative rock band formed in 1980 by Andrew Wood and his brother Kevin Wood. The band formed around the same time as other Washington state bands such as The U-Men (1980), Melvins (1983), Green River (1984), Soundgarden ...
. Screaming Trees rose to fame as part of the grunge movement of the early 1990s, along with bands such as
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains (often abbreviated as AIC) is an American rock band from Seattle, Washington, formed in 1987 by guitarist and vocalist Jerry Cantrell and drummer Sean Kinney, who later recruited bassist Mike Starr and lead vocalist Layne ...
,
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. The band's lineup consists of founding members Jeff Ament (bass guitar), Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar), Mike McCready (lead guitar), and Eddie Vedder (lead vocals, g ...
,
Nirvana
( , , ; sa, निर्वाण} ''nirvāṇa'' ; Pali: ''nibbāna''; Prakrit: ''ṇivvāṇa''; literally, "blown out", as in an oil lamp Richard Gombrich, ''Theravada Buddhism: A Social History from Ancient Benāres to Modern Colomb ...
, and
Soundgarden and was one of the most successful underground music acts of the 1990s. The band achieved one top ten single on the
Mainstream Rock
Mainstream rock (also known as heritage rock) is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada.
Format background
Mainstream rock stations represent the middle ground between classic rock and active ro ...
chart, as well as two top ten hits on the
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks (1988–2009) and Alternative Songs (2009–2020)) is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in ''Billboard'' magazine since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-playe ...
chart. Screaming Trees were plagued by extended inactivity due to their problems with making a follow up to ''
Dust
Dust is made of fine particles of solid matter. On Earth, it generally consists of particles in the atmosphere that come from various sources such as soil lifted by wind (an aeolian process), volcanic eruptions, and pollution. Dust in ...
''. This led to their official breakup in 2000. Mark Lanegan died in February 2022.
History
1984–1989: Formation and early releases
The Conner brothers formed Screaming Trees with
Mark Lanegan
Mark William Lanegan (November 25, 1964 – February 22, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and poet. First becoming prominent as the lead singer for the early grunge band Screaming Trees, he was also known as a member of Queens of the ...
and
Mark Pickerel
Mark Pickerel is an American musician best known as the original drummer for the alternative rock band Screaming Trees. He is also an active session musician and has released several solo albums as a singer/guitarist.
Biography
Originally fro ...
in 1984 in
Ellensburg, Washington
Ellensburg is a city in and the county seat of Kittitas County, Washington, United States. It is located just east of the Cascade Range near the junction of Interstate 90 and Interstate 82. The population was 18,666 at the 2020 census. and was ...
, a small town a little over 100 miles from
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest region o ...
.
The band was drawn together in high school by an interest in punk, garage, and classic rock.
The band rehearsed at the Conner family's video rental store and recorded their demo tape ''
Other Worlds'' in the summer of 1985 with
Steve Fisk
Steve Fisk is an American, Washington-based audio engineer, record producer and musician. As a musician, he has been in bands such as the instrumental alternative/indie rock band Pell Mell and the electronic band Pigeonhed. He has long been as ...
at Creative Fire recording studio in Ellensburg. The band talked the owner of the studio into releasing it as a cassette on the local indie label, Velvetone Records (the recording was re-released as a CD and vinyl
EP by SST Records in 1988).
In 1986, they released their debut album, ''
Clairvoyance
Clairvoyance (; ) is the magical ability to gain information about an object, person, location, or physical event through extrasensory perception. Any person who is claimed to have such ability is said to be a clairvoyant () ("one who sees cl ...
'', also on the Velvetone label.
Musically, the album is a combination of
psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a rock music genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound effects and recording te ...
and
hard rock
Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest ha ...
.
With Fisk's help, the LP caught the attention of
Greg Ginn
Gregory Regis Ginn (born June 8, 1954) is an American guitarist, bassist, singer and songwriter, best known for being the leader, primary songwriter, and the only continuous member of the hardcore punk band Black Flag, which he founded and led ...
, and the band were signed to
SST Records
SST Records is an American independent record label formed in 1978 in Long Beach, California by musician Greg Ginn. The company was formed in 1966 by Ginn at age 12 as Solid State Tuners, a small business through which he sold electronics equipm ...
.
In 1987, the band released their second LP, and their first for SST, ''
Even If and Especially When
''Even If and Especially When'' is the second studio album by the Seattle band Screaming Trees, released in 1987. It was their first album released on SST.
Critical reception
''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' called ''Even If and Especially ...
''.
After the release of the album in 1987, the band began working the American indie circuit, playing shows across the US with other SST bands such as
Firehose and
Meat Puppets
Meat Puppets are an American rock band formed in January 1980 in Phoenix, Arizona. The group's original lineup was Curt Kirkwood (guitar/vocals), his brother Cris Kirkwood (bass guitar/vocals), and Derrick Bostrom (drums). The Kirkwood brothe ...
.
Their next album, ''
Invisible Lantern'', was released in 1988. ''
Buzz Factory'', released in 1989, was the fourth full-length album by Screaming Trees and their last for SST Records.
1990–2000: Major label years
In 1990 the band signed a major-label contract with
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was founded predominantly as a jazz and classical m ...
.
In 1991, the band released their fifth album, and first for a major label, ''
Uncle Anesthesia
''Uncle Anesthesia'' is the fifth studio album by the American band Screaming Trees. It was released in 1991 via Epic Records. It includes three of the four tracks from the band's previous Epic release, '' Something About Today''.
" Bed of Roses ...
''.
The album was produced by
Terry Date
Terry Date (born January 31, 1956) is an American record producer and audio engineer specializing in rock genres, especially heavy metal. He is well known for his work with Metal Church, Dream Theater, Soundgarden, Overkill, Pantera, Dark Ang ...
and
Soundgarden vocalist
Chris Cornell
Christopher John Cornell (né Boyle; July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017) was an American singer and musician best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and primary lyricist and songwriter for the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave ...
and included the single "
Bed of Roses", which gained considerable airtime on alternative rock radio stations and peaked at No. 23 on the
modern rock tracks
Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks (1988–2009) and Alternative Songs (2009–2020)) is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in ''Billboard'' magazine since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-playe ...
. The single was the first Screaming Trees release to chart. Although ''Uncle Anesthesia'' sold better than their previous efforts, the band remained a cult act.
After the release of ''Uncle Anesthesia'' Van Conner went on hiatus from the band, choosing to tour as bass player for
Dinosaur Jr.
Dinosaur Jr. is an American rock band formed in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 1984, originally simply called Dinosaur until legal issues forced a change in name.
The band was founded by J Mascis (guitar, vocals, primary songwriter), Lou Barlow ( ...
instead, with
Donna Dresch
Donna Dresch is an American punk rock musician, perhaps best known as founder, guitarist and bass guitarist of Team Dresch.
Dresch has been actively involved in the queercore scene since the 1980s, as the creator of the fanzine ''Chainsaw'' an ...
filling in for him during Screaming Trees performances. Late in 1991, Nirvana's ''
Nevermind
''Nevermind'' is the second studio album by the American rock band Nirvana, released on September 24, 1991, by DGC Records. It was Nirvana's first release on a major label and the first to feature drummer Dave Grohl. Produced by Butch Vig, ''Nev ...
'' became an unexpected commercial success, opening the gates for the rest of the Seattle scene.
Barrett Martin
Barrett Martin (born April 14, 1967) is an American record producer, percussionist, writer, and ethnomusicologist from Washington. As a producer he has won one Latin Grammy and has been nominated in two other categories. As an ethnomusicologist ...
replaced previous drummer Pickerel and the new line up recorded ''
Sweet Oblivion
''Sweet Oblivion'' is the sixth studio album by Screaming Trees, released on September 8, 1992. It quickly became the band's best-selling record, and was the closest they ever came to achieving mainstream success. ''Sweet Oblivion'' sold in excess ...
'' in 1992.
When Martin joined the band they had already finished the song "
Nearly Lost You",
which soon became a successful single. ''Sweet Oblivion'' was the band's breakout album and included the hit singles "Nearly Lost You", "
Dollar Bill", and "Shadow of the Season". The two first singles gained considerable airtime on alternative rock radio stations, while the video for "Nearly Lost You" became an MTV and alternative radio hit in the fall of 1992, thanks to its inclusion in the soundtrack for the film ''
Singles
Singles are people not in a committed relationship.
Singles may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series
* ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe
* ''Singles'' ...
''. "Nearly Lost You" peaked at No. 5 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart and No. 50 in the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
,
making it the band's first single to chart outside the United States. ''Sweet Oblivion'' sold a total of 300,000 copies in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...
.
Screaming Trees were chosen by Nirvana band leader
Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – April 5, 1994) was an American musician who served as the lead vocalist, guitarist and primary songwriter of the rock band Nirvana. Through his angst-fueled songwriting and anti-establishment persona ...
to appear on the final day of the
Reading Festival
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend. The Reading Festiv ...
in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
on August 30, 1992, which
Nirvana headlined. Screaming Trees also played at the
Roskilde Festival
The Roskilde Festival is a Danish music festival held annually south of Roskilde. It is one of the largest music festivals in Europe and the largest in the Nordic countries. It was created in 1971 by two high school students and a promoter. In 1 ...
in
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establish ...
in 1992 which Nirvana headlined as well. The band supported ''Sweet Oblivion'' with a year-long tour, during which tension developed among the members. After the tour was finished, the group took an extended hiatus. During that time, Lanegan recorded his second solo album, ''
Whiskey for the Holy Ghost
''Whiskey for the Holy Ghost'' is the second solo album by former Screaming Trees vocalist Mark Lanegan. The album builds upon the roots music foundation that Lanegan had established with his debut ''The Winding Sheet''.
Recording
The recording w ...
'', which was released in 1994.
The following year, Lanegan was featured as a guest vocalist in the Barrett Martin (alongside with
Layne Staley
Layne Thomas Staley (born Layne Rutherford Staley; August 22, 1967 – April 5, 2002) was an American musician, songwriter and the original lead singer of the rock band Alice in Chains, which rose to international fame in the early 1990s as part ...
and
Mike McCready
Michael David McCready (born April 5, 1966) is an American musician who serves as the lead guitarist for the rock band Pearl Jam. Along with Jeff Ament, Stone Gossard, and Eddie Vedder, he is one of the founding members of the band. McCready ...
) side project
Mad Season. Lanegan co-wrote and sang on two songs. Mad Season would only release one album because of Staley's deteriorating health and the 1999 death of bassist
John Baker Saunders
John Baker Saunders, Jr. (September 23, 1954 – January 15, 1999) was an American musician, known as a founding member and bassist for the American grunge rock supergroup Mad Season, as well as a member of The Walkabouts.
Biography
Saun ...
.
In early 1995, Screaming Trees toured Australia for the only time as part of the
Big Day Out
The Big Day Out (BDO) was an annual music festival that was held in five Australian cities: Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast, Adelaide, and Perth, as well as Auckland, New Zealand. The festival was held during summer, typically in January of eac ...
festival, before beginning work on their follow-up to ''Sweet Oblivion''. Following one stillborn attempt at the album, the band hired producer
George Drakoulias George Drakoulias (born 1965) is a Greek-American music producer and a former A&R executive at the American Recordings label. He is often considered a protégé of Rick Rubin.
Drakoulias grew up in Syosset, New York, and attended Syosset High Sc ...
, who had previously worked with
the Black Crowes
The Black Crowes are an American rock band formed in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1984. Their discography includes eight studio albums, four live albums and several charting singles. The band was signed to Def American Recordings in 1989 by producer Ge ...
and the
Jayhawks. The resulting album, ''
Dust
Dust is made of fine particles of solid matter. On Earth, it generally consists of particles in the atmosphere that come from various sources such as soil lifted by wind (an aeolian process), volcanic eruptions, and pollution. Dust in ...
'', was released in 1996, nearly four years after its predecessor. ''Dust'' spawned the singles "
All I Know
"All I Know" is a song written by American songwriter Jimmy Webb, first recorded by Art Garfunkel on his 1973 debut solo album, ''Angel Clare,'' released by Columbia Records. Instrumental backing was provided by members of the Wrecking Crew, L.A. ...
", "
Sworn and Broken
"Sworn and Broken" is a song by the American alternative rock, alternative-rock group Screaming Trees. It is the second Single (music), single released in support of their seventh album, ''Dust (Screaming Trees album), Dust''.
Formats and track ...
" and "
Dying Days
"Dying Days" is a song by the American alternative rock group Screaming Trees. It is the fourth track on their seventh album ''Dust'', released on June 25, 1996. Guitarist Mike McCready of Pearl Jam performed the guitar solo on the song. By this ...
". The album peaked at No. 134 on the
''Billboard'' 200, No. 32 in the
UK Albums Chart
The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts ...
,
and No. 39 on the
Canadian album chart
The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Monday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen SoundScan, and published every Tuesday by ''Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding i ...
, making it the first Screaming Trees album to chart outside the United States. Despite favorable reviews, the album did not match the sales of ''Sweet Oblivion''. After the release of the album,
Josh Homme
Joshua Michael Homme ( ; born May 17, 1973) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the founder, primary songwriter, and only continuous member of the rock band Queens of the Stone Age, which he for ...
, formerly from
Kyuss
Kyuss ( ) was an American rock band, formed in Palm Desert, California, in 1987. The band disbanded in 1995, and since then, members of Kyuss have gone on to form or play in several notable bands including Queens of the Stone Age, Fu Manchu, ...
, was hired as rhythm guitarist.
Following the ''Dust'' tour in the United States, Screaming Trees took another hiatus for Lanegan to begin his work on his third solo album, ''
Scraps At Midnight'', which was released in 1998.
The band headed back into the studio in 1999 and recorded several demos including the song "Ash Grey Sunday" and shopped them around to labels, but no label was interested. The band played a few surprise shows in early 2000 to try to gain a label's attention but they were unsuccessful. They did however release the song "One Way Conversation" on the Musicblitz Records internet label. In 2000 after a concert to celebrate the opening of Seattle's
Experience Music Project
The Museum of Pop Culture or MoPOP is a nonprofit museum in Seattle, Washington, dedicated to contemporary popular culture. It was founded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen in 2000 as the Experience Music Project. Since then MoPOP has organized ...
, the band announced their official breakup.
Post–Screaming Trees
Lanegan released a solo album in May 2001 entitled ''
Field Songs
''Field Songs'' is the fifth solo album by Mark Lanegan, released in 2001 on the Beggars Banquet label.
Recording
The two largest instrumental contributors are Mike Johnson and Ben Shepherd, the latter co-writing "Blues for D" with the singer. ...
''. Also in that year, he became a member of the alternative rock group
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age (commonly abbreviated QOTSA) is an American rock band formed in 1996 in Palm Desert, California. The band was founded by vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme, who has been the only constant member throughout multiple lin ...
with
Josh Homme
Joshua Michael Homme ( ; born May 17, 1973) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the founder, primary songwriter, and only continuous member of the rock band Queens of the Stone Age, which he for ...
. Lanegan recorded two albums as one of the group's three vocalists before leaving the group in late 2005. His sixth solo album ''
Bubblegum
Bubble gum or bubblegum is a type of chewing gum, designed to be inflated out of the mouth as a bubble.
Bubble gum flavor
While there is a bubble gum "flavor" – which various artificial flavorings including esters are mixed to obtain – it ...
'' was released in 2004 and became his best-selling album and his first solo album to chart. He went on to work with
Greg Dulli in the
Gutter Twins and the
Twilight Singers
The Twilight Singers are an American indie rock band. The group was formed in 1997 by Greg Dulli as a side project during a hiatus from his group The Afghan Whigs. After the Afghan Whigs disbanded, Dulli used The Twilight Singers as his own art ...
. Lanegan also received critical acclaim for his albums with
Isobel Campbell
Isobel Campbell (born 27 April 1976) is a Scottish singer, songwriter and cellist. She rose to prominence at age nineteen as a member of the indie pop band Belle & Sebastian, but left the group to pursue a solo career, first as The Gentle Waves ...
, one of which, ''
Ballad of the Broken Seas
''Ballad of the Broken Seas'' is an album by Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan, their first collaboration. It made the shortlist for the 2006 Mercury Music Prize and was one of '' NMEs top one hundred albums of the decade.
The Mercury nomination ...
'', was nominated for the 2006
Mercury Music Prize
The Mercury Prize, formerly called the Mercury Music Prize, is an annual music prize awarded for the best album released in the United Kingdom by a British or Irish act. It was created by Jon Webster and Robert Chandler in association with the B ...
.
Gary Lee Conner started the bands The Purple Outside and Microdot Gnome in which he is the vocalist. He has also done session work with other musicians. In 1999, he released the EP ''Grasshopper's Daydream/Behind The Smile'', which featured Josh Homme.
Initially, Van Conner turned his efforts to his side-projects Gardener with Aaron Stauffer (formerly of
Seaweed
Seaweed, or macroalgae, refers to thousands of species of macroscopic, multicellular, marine algae. The term includes some types of '' Rhodophyta'' (red), ''Phaeophyta'' (brown) and '' Chlorophyta'' (green) macroalgae. Seaweed species such as ...
, and later
VALIS
''Valis'' (stylized as ''VALIS'') is a 1981 science fiction novel by American writer Philip K. Dick, intended to be the first book of a three-part series. The title is an acronym for ''Vast Active Living Intelligence System'', Dick's gnostic vis ...
). In 2001, he contributed to the Mark Lanegan album ''
Field Songs
''Field Songs'' is the fifth solo album by Mark Lanegan, released in 2001 on the Beggars Banquet label.
Recording
The two largest instrumental contributors are Mike Johnson and Ben Shepherd, the latter co-writing "Blues for D" with the singer. ...
''. Van has produced and contributed to several other projects over the years, including Kitty Kitty, VALIS, Gardener, and Gary Lee's SubPop single Grasshopper's Daydream. Van's band VALIS has released several recordings, including:
* VALIS/Kitty Kitty Split CD/EP – Man's Ruin Records (1998)
* Vast Active Living Intelligence System – Lunasound/Abstract (2002)
* Head Full of Pills – Small Stone (2004)
* Champions of Magic – Small Stone (2005)
* Sucking the 70s 2 – Various Artists – Small Stone (2006)
* Dark Matter – Now on iTunes – CD Out April 14- Small Stone (2009)
* Split Single with Kandi Coded – Volcom Entertainment (2009)
* Northwest Mind Meld – Various Artists – Small Stone – iTunes only (2009)
Barrett Martin
Barrett Martin (born April 14, 1967) is an American record producer, percussionist, writer, and ethnomusicologist from Washington. As a producer he has won one Latin Grammy and has been nominated in two other categories. As an ethnomusicologist ...
has been a touring member for several bands after the breakup of Screaming Trees, including
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots (also known by the initialism STP) is an American rock band from San Diego, California, that originally consisted of Scott Weiland (lead vocals), brothers Dean (guitar) and Robert DeLeo (bass, backing vocals), and Eric Kr ...
and
R.E.M., and has released two solo albums with limited success. He later contributed to Lanegan's solo album ''
I'll Take Care of You'' and the album ''
Rated R Rated R refers to movies (and also to TV shows and video games in certain systems) that have been given a "restricted" rating by one of the following film rating systems:
* Motion Picture Association of America film rating system
* Canadian Home Vid ...
'' by
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age (commonly abbreviated QOTSA) is an American rock band formed in 1996 in Palm Desert, California. The band was founded by vocalist and guitarist Josh Homme, who has been the only constant member throughout multiple lin ...
. He is currently the drummer in
Tuatara
Tuatara (''Sphenodon punctatus'') are reptiles endemic to New Zealand. Despite their close resemblance to lizards, they are part of a distinct lineage, the order Rhynchocephalia. The name ''tuatara'' is derived from the Māori language and m ...
and drummer/vocalist in
The Minus 5
The Minus 5 is an American pop rock band headed by musician Scott McCaughey of Young Fresh Fellows, often in partnership with R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck.
Band history
McCaughey formed the band in 1993 as a side project with Buck, Jon Auer ...
. He also studies different music cultures, mostly from
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
. In 2000, Martin was ordained as a
Zen
Zen ( zh, t=禪, p=Chán; ja, text= 禅, translit=zen; ko, text=선, translit=Seon; vi, text=Thiền) is a school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty, known as the Chan School (''Chánzong'' 禪宗), and ...
priest in the
Sōtō
Sōtō Zen or is the largest of the three traditional sects of Zen in Japanese Buddhism (the others being Rinzai and Ōbaku). It is the Japanese line of the Chinese Cáodòng school, which was founded during the Tang dynasty by Dòngsh� ...
tradition, through the Detroit Street Zen Center in Los Angeles. As of 2005, he was pursuing a doctorate in anthropology and music at the
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico (UNM; es, Universidad de Nuevo México) is a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 1889, it is the state's flagship academic institution and the largest by enrollment, with over 25,400 ...
.
Martin contributed playing drums on two albums by
Nando Reis
Nando Reis (, born José Fernando Gomes dos Reis; January 12, 1963) is a Brazilian musician and producer, best known as the former bassist and one of the lead singers of Brazilian rock band Titãs and for his successful solo career, with his own ...
a Brazilian musician: ''Para Quando O Arco Irís Encontrar O Pote de Ouro'' (2000) together with Peter Buck from
R.E.M. and ''
A Letra A'' (2003).
On June 22, 2011, it was announced that an unreleased album that the band recorded in 1998 and 1999 would finally see the light of day. Titled ''Last Words: The Final Recordings'', the album was mixed by
Jack Endino
Jack Endino (born Michael M. Giacondino; 1964) is an American producer and musician based in Seattle, Washington. Long associated with Seattle label Sub Pop and the grunge movement, Endino worked on seminal albums from bands including Mudhoney, ...
and the Trees' own
Barrett Martin
Barrett Martin (born April 14, 1967) is an American record producer, percussionist, writer, and ethnomusicologist from Washington. As a producer he has won one Latin Grammy and has been nominated in two other categories. As an ethnomusicologist ...
. It was released digitally on August 2, 2011, with CD and vinyl versions released in the following months.
In 2021, when asked about his time with the Screaming Trees, Lanegan replied, "It's kind of like looking back at grade school. I definitely have fond memories and it's really how I learned to sing — through trial and error, with those guys."
Lanegan died on February 22, 2022, at his home in
Killarney
Killarney ( ; ga, Cill Airne , meaning 'church of sloes') is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is on the northeastern shore of Lough Leane, part of Killarney National Park, and is home to St Mary's Cathedral, Ross Cast ...
, Ireland.
Band members
*
Mark Lanegan
Mark William Lanegan (November 25, 1964 – February 22, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, and poet. First becoming prominent as the lead singer for the early grunge band Screaming Trees, he was also known as a member of Queens of the ...
– lead vocals
(1984–2000; died 2022)
*
Gary Lee Conner
Gary Lee Conner (born Lee Gary Conner, August 22, 1962) is an American rock musician, best known as the guitarist and primary songwriter for Screaming Trees.
Career
Originally from Ellensburg, Washington, Conner formed the band Explosive Ge ...
– guitar, backing vocals
(1984–2000)
*
Van Conner
Van Conner (born March 17, 1967) is an American rock musician, best known as the bassist for Screaming Trees.
Career
As a bass player in high school, Conner formed the band Explosive Generation with his brother Gary Lee Conner and Mark Picker ...
– bass, backing vocals
(1984–2000)
*
Barrett Martin
Barrett Martin (born April 14, 1967) is an American record producer, percussionist, writer, and ethnomusicologist from Washington. As a producer he has won one Latin Grammy and has been nominated in two other categories. As an ethnomusicologist ...
– drums, percussion,
(1991–2000)
*
Mark Pickerel
Mark Pickerel is an American musician best known as the original drummer for the alternative rock band Screaming Trees. He is also an active session musician and has released several solo albums as a singer/guitarist.
Biography
Originally fro ...
– drums, percussion
(1985–1991)
Touring members
*
Donna Dresch
Donna Dresch is an American punk rock musician, perhaps best known as founder, guitarist and bass guitarist of Team Dresch.
Dresch has been actively involved in the queercore scene since the 1980s, as the creator of the fanzine ''Chainsaw'' an ...
– bass
(1988, 1991)
* Sean Hollister – drums
(1991)
*
Dan Peters
Daniel Joe Peters (born August 18, 1967) is the drummer for Mudhoney, having played with them since their formation in 1988. Prior to Mudhoney, he joined Bundle of Hiss when he was fifteen years old.
He was also briefly the drummer for Nirva ...
– drums
(1991)
*
Josh Homme
Joshua Michael Homme ( ; born May 17, 1973) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the founder, primary songwriter, and only continuous member of the rock band Queens of the Stone Age, which he for ...
– rhythm guitar
(1996–1998)
Timeline
Discography
;Studio albums
*''
Clairvoyance
Clairvoyance (; ) is the magical ability to gain information about an object, person, location, or physical event through extrasensory perception. Any person who is claimed to have such ability is said to be a clairvoyant () ("one who sees cl ...
'' (1986)
*''
Even If and Especially When
''Even If and Especially When'' is the second studio album by the Seattle band Screaming Trees, released in 1987. It was their first album released on SST.
Critical reception
''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' called ''Even If and Especially ...
'' (1987)
*''
Invisible Lantern'' (1988)
*''
Buzz Factory'' (1989)
*''
Uncle Anesthesia
''Uncle Anesthesia'' is the fifth studio album by the American band Screaming Trees. It was released in 1991 via Epic Records. It includes three of the four tracks from the band's previous Epic release, '' Something About Today''.
" Bed of Roses ...
'' (1991)
*''
Sweet Oblivion
''Sweet Oblivion'' is the sixth studio album by Screaming Trees, released on September 8, 1992. It quickly became the band's best-selling record, and was the closest they ever came to achieving mainstream success. ''Sweet Oblivion'' sold in excess ...
'' (1992)
*''
Dust
Dust is made of fine particles of solid matter. On Earth, it generally consists of particles in the atmosphere that come from various sources such as soil lifted by wind (an aeolian process), volcanic eruptions, and pollution. Dust in ...
'' (1996)
*''
Last Words: The Final Recordings'' (2011)
;Extended plays
*''
Other Worlds'' (1985)
*''
Beat Happening/Screaming Trees'' (1988)
*''
Change Has Come'' (1989)
*''
Something About Today'' (1990)
References
16. Davide Pansolin, Veleno Sottile - La storia degli Screaming Trees, Milano (Italy), Tsunami, 2022, ISBN 8894859614.
External links
The official Screaming Trees pageOfficial Facebook page*
*
{{Authority control
Family musical groups
Grunge musical groups
Neo-psychedelia groups
Hard rock musical groups from Washington (state)
Musical groups established in 1984
Musical groups disestablished in 2000
Sub Pop artists
SST Records artists
1985 establishments in Washington (state)
2000 disestablishments in Washington (state)