Wire Train

Wire Train was a San Francisco-based alternative rock band, who released six albums in the 1980s and 1990s.

History

The band was formed in 1983 by four students from San Francisco State University, Kevin Hunter, Kurt Herr, Frederico Gil-Sola, and Anders Rundblad. They were first known as the Renegades; when they had to change their name, they became Wire Train. The band's first album features Anders Rundblad (bass guitar, vocals), Federico Gil-Sola (drums), Kevin Hunter (vocals, guitar), and Kurt Herr (vocals, guitar). Rundblad had previously played with the Swedish bands Motvind and Gary T'To Band.

In June 1983, Wire Train signed to the local 415 Records label, also home to acts like Translator, Red Rockers and Romeo Void, all of which found themselves with national distribution when 415 entered into a deal with Columbia Records.

Wire Train's debut, '' In a Chamber,'' produced by David Kahne at The Automatt in San Francisco, was released late in 1983. It achieved success on the U.S. college charts during 1984, and the band toured as openers for Big Country.

Brian MacLeod replaced Gil-Sola prior to their second album, '' Between Two Words,'' and Herr left during its recording, replaced by Jeff Trott (ex-the Lifers). The album, produced in Vienna by Peter Maunu, was released in 1985. The band's third album, ''Ten Women'', was recorded by Tim Palmer at Utopia studios in London and released in 1987. Ten Women featured a guest appearance by the Alarm guitarist Dave Sharp on "Breakwater Days" and had its first single "She Comes On" banned by the BBC.

After a 1987 European tour, the band went on a two-year hiatus, extricating themselves from their contract with Columbia. Trott played with World Party. and McLeod with Toy Matinee.

''Wire Train'' (1990) and ''No Soul No Strain'' (1992) were issued by MCA Records. The latter, produced by Bill Bottrell, was their fourth album to chart, peaking at No. 43 on the ''Billboard'' 200.

In 1993, MCA rejected their next effort, ''Snug,'' as "too weird". It was released digitally in April 2009.

In 1996, Columbia released a compilation CD, ''Last Perfect Thing... A Retrospective''. The first pressings mistakenly included an uncredited "Half a Lifetime", substituted on later pressings with the correct track, "Last Perfect Thing".

In 2009, Hunter, MacLeod, Trott and Rundblad reunited for a three-gig tour in California, in part, to commemorate the digital release of ''Snug.'' According to Hunter another collection of songs was recorded concurrently with ''Snug'' under the working title of ''Electric''. No new album has been released at this time.

Other projects

McLeod, Trott and Rundblad all later played with Sheryl Crow.

After leaving Wire Train, Gil-Sola returned to his native Argentina, where he was a member of Divididos from 1990 to 1995.

In popular culture

"I Will Not Fall" appeared on the soundtrack for the film ''Point Break'' (1991), "I'll Do You" appeared in the game '' Scarface: The World Is Yours'' (2006) and "Chamber of Hellos" appeared in the episode "Limbo" (2015) of '' Halt and Catch Fire''.

The band the Action Design covered two Wire Train songs ("I'll Do You" and "Chamber of Hellos") for the soundtrack to '' Endless Bummer'' (2009).

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

* ''In a Chamber / Between Two Words'' (1995, Oglio Records)
* ''Last Perfect Thing... A Retrospective'' (1996, 415/Columbia/Legacy)
* ''In a Chamber / Between Two Words / Ten Women'' (2020, BGO Records)

Singles

* "Chamber of Hellos" (1983)
* "I'll Do You" (1984)
* "Last Perfect Thing" (1985)
* "Skills of Summer" (1985)
* "She Comes On" (1987)
* "Diving" (1987)
* "Should She Cry?" (1990)
* "Stone Me" (1992) - US Modern Rock #23

References

External links

Wire Train on Facebook

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American new wave musical groups
Musical groups established in 1983
Musical groups disestablished in 1992
Musical groups from San Francisco
415 Records artists
Columbia Records artists
MCA Records artists