Tone Dogs was an

avant-prog Avant-prog (short for avant-garde progressive rock) is a music genre that appeared in the late 1970s as the extension of two separate progressive rock subgenres: Rock in Opposition (RIO) and the Canterbury scene. History and characteristics ...

group founded in 1987 by bassist

Fred Chalenor Fred Chalenor (December 29, 1955 – June 23, 2018) was an American bassist, most recognized for his work in the bands Caveman Shoestore, Tone Dogs, and Face Ditch. He also collaborated on numerous occasions with composer and keyboardist Wayne ...

and vocalist/saxophonist

Amy Denio Amy Denio (born June 9, 1961) is a Seattle-based multi-instrumental composer of soundtracks for modern dance, film and theater, as well as a songwriter and music improviser. Her inspirations include world music, and is mainly known as a vocali ...

, who comprised the nucleus of the band. Drummer

Matt Cameron Matthew David Cameron (born November 28, 1962) is an American musician who is the drummer for the rock band Pearl Jam. He first gained fame as the drummer for Seattle-based rock band Soundgarden, which he joined in 1986. He appeared on each of ...

, known for his work in the

alternative rock Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...

group

Soundgarden Soundgarden was an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1984 by singer and drummer Chris Cornell, lead guitarist Kim Thayil (both of whom are the only members to appear in every incarnation of the band), and bassist Hiro Yamamo ...

, was recruited to perform on the band's 1990 debut album '' Ankety Low Day''. The band has also performed with

Fred Frith Jeremy Webster "Fred" Frith (born 17 February 1949) is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer, and improviser. Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as one of the founding members of the English avant-rock ...

Henry Cow Henry Cow were an English experimental rock group, founded at the University of Cambridge in 1968 by multi-instrumentalists Fred Frith and Tim Hodgkinson. Henry Cow's personnel fluctuated over their decade together, but drummer Chris Cutler, b ...

and

Hans Reichel Hans Reichel (10 May 1949 – 22 November 2011) was a German improvisational guitarist, experimental luthier, inventor, and type designer. Career Reichel was born in Hagen, Germany. He began to teach himself violin at age seven, playing in the s ...

History

Tone Dogs was formed in Portland, Oregon by

and

. Fred had just left his previous group Face Ditch and Amy had already recorded several solo works. The project began as studio experiment exclusively for the duo before they recruited

drummer

. Cameron applied a swing to the odd time signatures he had developed with Soundgarden. After the Tone Dogs's recording sessions Cameron left the group to resume touring with Soundgarden, who had just been signed by

A&M Records A&M Records was an American record label founded as an independent company by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in 1962. Due to the success of the discography A&M released, the label garnered interest and was acquired by PolyGram in 1989 and began distr ...

. The sessions surfaced on their debut album '' Ankety Low Day'', which was released in 1990 and included performances by guitarists

and

. Henry Franzoni, who had frequently collaborated with Chalenor since the 70s, briefly joined the band as Cameron's replacement before drumming duties were taken over by Will Dowd. ''

The Early Middle Years ''The Early Middle Years'' is the second studio album by Tone Dogs, released in 1991 by Soleilmoon Recordings. In reviewing the album for '' Option'', critic Mark Sullivan said, "The Tone Dogs play art-rock with a hard edge, their experimental str ...

'' compiled the sessions recorded with this line-up. During their European tour, the band decided to part ways in November 1991. Chalenor and Franzoni formed Caveman Shoestore that year in order to continue their musical ambitions. On June 29, 2013, the original line-up of Chalenor and Denio performed a set of Tone Dogs songs at the first annual SeaProg festival in Seattle.

Discography

;Studio albums *'' Ankety Low Day'' ( C/Z, 1990) *''

'' (

Soleilmoon Soleilmoon Recordings is an American record label that began in 1987 as a cassette label, operating from the back of a record shop called the Ooze in Portland, Oregon, US. The first releases were by Smegma, Muslimgauze, Coil, and Nocturnal Emiss ...

, 1991) ;Live albums *''Tone Dogs live in Haarlem, NL'' ( Spoot Music, 1988)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Tone Dogs American art rock groups Jazz fusion ensembles Rock in Opposition Musical groups established in 1987 Musical groups disestablished in 1991 C/Z Records artists Soleilmoon artists 1987 establishments in Oregon 1991 disestablishments in Oregon