The Whigs (band)
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The Whigs are an American
garage rock Garage rock (sometimes called garage punk or 60s punk) is a raw and energetic style of rock and roll that flourished in the mid-1960s, most notably in the United States and Canada, and has experienced a series of subsequent revivals. The sty ...
band from
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,
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...
, consisting of lead singer and guitarist Parker Gispert, drummer
Julian Dorio Julian Dorio (born November 26, 1981) is an American drummer. He is a founding member of the rock band The Whigs. Biography Julian started drumming at the age of 6, as an original member of the Flying Dorios. The band included his father an ...
and bassist Timothy Deaux.


Biography

Formed in Athens, Georgia in 2002, The Whigs have released five studio albums and have toured the world with acts such as
Kings of Leon Kings of Leon is an American rock band formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill, and their cousin Matthew Followill. The band's early music was a blend of Southern rock and gar ...
,
The Black Keys The Black Keys are an American rock duo formed in Akron, Ohio, in 2001. The group consists of Dan Auerbach (guitar, vocals) and Patrick Carney (drums). The duo began as an independent act, recording music in basements and self-producing their ...
,
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (sometimes abbreviated to BRMC) is an American rock band from San Francisco, California. The group originally consisted of Peter Hayes (vocals, guitar, harmonica), Robert Levon Been (vocals, bass, guitar), and Ni ...
, Drive By Truckers,
Hold Steady The Hold Steady is an American rock band originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, now based in Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2003. The band consists of Craig Finn (vocals, guitar), Tad Kubler (guitar), Galen Polivka (bass), Bobby Drake (drums), Fr ...
,
Band of Skulls Band of Skulls are an English rock band from Southampton, consisting of Russell Marsden (guitar, vocals) and Emma Richardson (bass, vocals); Matt Hayward (drums; 2002–2016) was previously a member. The group formed after meeting in college, ...
, Dead Confederate, and
Wax Fang Wax Fang is an American rock band formed in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, that combines elements of classic, psychedelic, progressive, and experimental rock music, as well as electronic and folk. The band consists of Scott Carney, Corey Mc ...
. They have become Late Night television regulars, having appeared on
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that first aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009. It resumed production on March 1, 2010 and ended on February 6, 2014. The fourth incarnation of the ...
twice, the
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four times,
Late Night with Conan O'Brien ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien. NBC aired 2,725 episodes from September 13, 1993, to February 20, 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and music ...
,
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, and
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twice.


Early days (2002-2004)

The band was formed in 2002 by Parker Gispert,
Julian Dorio Julian Dorio (born November 26, 1981) is an American drummer. He is a founding member of the rock band The Whigs. Biography Julian started drumming at the age of 6, as an original member of the Flying Dorios. The band included his father an ...
, and original bass player Hank Sullivant. Gispert and Dorio both attended
The Westminster Schools The Westminster Schools is a Kindergarten –12 private school in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, founded in 1951. History Westminster originated in 1951 as a reorganization of Atlanta's North Avenue Presbyterian School (NAPS), a girls' school ...
in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
together, but didn't start playing together until they were both at the
University of Georgia , mottoeng = "To teach, to serve, and to inquire into the nature of things.""To serve" was later added to the motto without changing the seal; the Latin motto directly translates as "To teach and to inquire into the nature of things." , establ ...
in Athens. After 6 months of playing and writing together, the pair hooked up with Sullivant whom they met through mutual friends. The trio played their first gig together at the DT's Down Under Club in Athens in May 2002 and started setting up gigs in New York once a month. Soon the band were sharing stages with bands such as
Franz Ferdinand Archduke Franz Ferdinand Carl Ludwig Joseph Maria of Austria, (18 December 1863 – 28 June 1914) was the heir presumptive to the throne of Austria-Hungary. His assassination in Sarajevo was the most immediate cause of World War I. Fr ...
, Drive By Truckers and
The Killers The Killers are an American rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingd ...
. Following a negative experience during a "development deal" with major label
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
in 2004, the Whigs opted to record and release their first album independently.


''Give Em All a Big Fat Lip'' (2005-2006)

In July 2005, the band recorded their first album, '' Give 'Em All a Big Fat Lip'' at Ross Crane House, a fraternity house in downtown Athens with engineer Billy Bennett. They used equipment purchased on
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, which they resold after recording was finished to help offset the cost of production. The album was released independently in December 2005 and in April 2006 saw the band described by Rolling Stone Magazine as "perhaps the best unsigned band in America.""The Whigs: The next great band from R.E.M.'s hometown?"
article from ''Rolling Stone'', 2005.
Following this media exposure, in July 2006, The Whigs were signed to ATO Records by Jonathan Eshak who had earlier seen the band play at the Pianos venue on Ludlow Street in New York, and ''Give 'Em All a Big Fat Lip'' was re-released on September 19, 2006. The band appeared at
Summerfest Summerfest is an annual music festival held in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. First held in 1968, Summerfest is located at Henry Maier Festival Park, adjacent to Lake Michigan and Milwaukee's central business district. Summerfest attracts app ...
and
Voodoo Experience The Voodoo Music + Arts Experience (formerly The Voodoo Music Experience), commonly referred to as Voodoo or Voodoo Fest, is a multi-day music and arts festival held in City Park in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Voodoo Experience has hosted more ...
following the re-release of Fat Lip. Founding member Hank Sullivant left the band in late 2006 to tour with
MGMT MGMT () is an American indie rock band formed in 2002 in Middletown, Connecticut. It was founded by multi-instrumentalists Andrew VanWyngarden and Ben Goldwasser. Alongside VanWyngarden and Goldwasser, MGMT's live lineup currently consists of ...
and later pursue his solo project Kuroma. Both parties remain on good terms as Kuroma supported the band at a show in Athens in 2010 and Sullivant stepped in to play at a show in
Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...
.


''Mission Control'' (2007-2008)

The band's second album '' Mission Control'' was recorded at Hollywood's Sunset Sound/Sound Factory during the summer of 2007 with producer
Rob Schnapf Rob Schnapf is an American record producer and musician. He was the co-producer (along with Tom Rothrock) of Elliott Smith's albums ''Either/Or'', '' XO'' (on which he also played guitar on the song " Baby Britain"), ''Figure 8'' and ''From a ...
and the temporary help of bassist Adam "Malicious Gardening" Saunders from local Athens band The Pendletons. In between the recording of the album and its release on January 22, 2008, the band recruited Timothy Deaux. Following the album's release, the band toured the US with Kings of Leon, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Tokyo Police Club, Band of Skulls, Wax Fang, Tulsa, Dead Confederate,
Jason Isbell Michael Jason Isbell (; born February 1, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is known for his solo career, his work with the band The 400 Unit, and as a member of Drive-By Truckers for six years, from 2001 to 2007. Isbell h ...
, and the Dead Trees. They also appeared at several festivals including Sasquatch!, Bumbershoot and SXSW. The summer of 2008 marked the band's first European tour, where they performed at Belgium's Rock Werchter Festival, England's 02 Wireless Festival, Scotland's T in the Park Festival and Ireland's Oxygen Festival. The tour also included a performance with Kings of Leon and MGMT at Le Zenith in Paris, France along with stops in Germany and Italy. Towards the end of 2008 the band toured with
Toadies Toadies are an American rock band formed in 1989 in Fort Worth, Texas, best known for the song " Possum Kingdom". The band's classic lineup consisted of Vaden Todd Lewis (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Lisa Umbarger (bass guitar), Darrel Herb ...
,
Tokyo Police Club Tokyo Police Club is an indie rock band from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 2005, it consists of vocalist and bassist Dave Monks, keyboardist Graham Wright, guitarist Josh Hook, and drummer Greg Alsop. The band found early success with the ...
,
The Kooks The Kooks () are an English pop-rock band formed in 2004 in Brighton. The band consists of Luke Pritchard (vocals/rhythm guitar), Hugh Harris (lead guitar/synthesizer/bass) and Alexis Nunez (drums). Their music is primarily influenced by th ...
and
Kings of Leon Kings of Leon is an American rock band formed in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1999. The band is composed of brothers Caleb, Nathan and Jared Followill, and their cousin Matthew Followill. The band's early music was a blend of Southern rock and gar ...
, and ended the year with a New Year's Eve gig in their home state of Georgia with
Band of Horses Band of Horses is an American rock band formed in 2004 in Seattle, Washington. Led by singer-songwriter Ben Bridwell, who has served as the band's sole constant member throughout numerous line-up changes, the band's current line-up also includ ...
. The band performed "Right Hand On My Heart" on both The Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night With Conan O'Brien. "Already Young" and "Like A Vibration" were performed on Jimmy Kimmel Live.


''In the Dark'' (2009-2011)

The band spent 2009 writing new songs for their next album whilst continuing to tour with Kings of Leon and undertaking several headline tours with support from bands such as Dead Confederate, The Features and Trances Arc, featuring Dorio's brother. ''In The Dark'' was released March 16, 2010 in the US by ATO Records. It was recorded primarily at Chase Park Transduction in Athens in Summer 2009 by longtime friend and Athens native
Ben H. Allen Ben H. Allen (III.) is an American Grammy Award-winning record producer, mixer and songwriter, based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. He has produced and mixed records by artists such as Walk the Moon, Animal Collective, Gnarls Barkley, Kaiser ...
(Animal Collective, Gnarls Barkley). "Someone's Daughter" and "So Lonely" were re-recorded in the fall of 2009 with producer
Jay Joyce John Joseph "Jay" Joyce is an American record producer, songwriter and session musician. In the 1990s, Joyce, with Chris Feinstein and Brad Pemberton, recorded and toured as Iodine and began working as a record producer, working with artists suc ...
. First single "Kill Me Carolyne" and "Automatic" were written and recorded a few days later with Kings Of Leon producer
Angelo Petraglia Angelo Petraglia (born May 5, 1954) is an American record producer and songwriter. He was a member of the new wave band Face to Face and is best known for his work with Kings of Leon. Early life He was born in the Bronx and grew up in Pelham, N ...
. Both additional sessions took place in Nashville, TN. The band made their second appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman performing "Kill Me Carolyne" and also appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon where they performed "Hundred / Million". Later, the band made their first appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno performing "Black Lotus." Upon the release of ''In The Dark'', the band toured the US alongside Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Band of Skulls and
The Hold Steady The Hold Steady is an American rock band originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, now based in Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2003. The band consists of Craig Finn (vocals, guitar), Tad Kubler (guitar), Galen Polivka (bass), Bobby Drake (drums), ...
and at festivals including Mountain Jam in Woodstock and Outside Lands Festival. The band also undertook several large scale tours with Kings Of Leon in the US and the UK/Europe, including a sold out show in June at London's
Hyde Park Hyde Park may refer to: Places England * Hyde Park, London, a Royal Park in Central London * Hyde Park, Leeds, an inner-city area of north-west Leeds * Hyde Park, Sheffield, district of Sheffield * Hyde Park, in Hyde, Greater Manchester Austra ...
, with an estimated 65,000 attendance. In May 2010, the band embarked on a U.S.O tour, performing at military bases in Germany and the UK for soldiers and their families in an attempt to boost morale. The decision to undertake the tour was influenced by the fact the Deaux's father was in the airforce, and therefore lived in numerous countries around the world where his father was stationed. In June, the Whigs toured England with We Are Scientists and returned in February 2011 to co-headline a tour with Dead Confederate along with some dates in mainland Europe, with whom they share the same label in the UK and Europe, Kartel. In May 2011, the Whigs returned to the U.K and to perform at Ireland's famed Slane Castle for their 30th anniversary. Here the Whigs opened for Kings of Leon and Thin Lizzy and performed to an estimated 75,000 people. New Year's Eve 2011, The Whigs headlined the Fabulous 40 Watt Club in Athens, GA. with support from famed Elephant 6'ers Elf Power.


''Enjoy The Company'' (2012-2013)

In the summer of 2012, The Whigs recorded their fourth album (and first for New West records). ''Enjoy The Company'', was released on September 18, and was recorded in Woodstock, NY's Dreamland Studios with legendary rock producer John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Kurt Vile). The album features and opens with live favorite "Staying Alive" which clocks in at over 8 minutes making it the longest Whigs track to date. The album spawned three U.S singles in "Waiting", "Staying Alive", and "Rock And Roll Forever." A headlining tour of the U.S coincided with the release of "Enjoy The Company" and was opened by former Whig Hank Sullivant's band Kuroma. Also accompanying the album release was a music video for first single "Waiting" directed by legendary music videographer Danny Clinch. Music videos for "Staying Alive" and "Rock and Roll Forever" followed. That September, The Whigs made their third appearance on The Late Show With David Letterman performing "Waiting." In October, the band performed "Tiny Treasures" and "Waiting" on Jimmy Kimmel Live. The Whigs also performed at the Austin City Limits Music Festival for the first time in October 2012. In January 2013, the Whigs made their second appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno performing a television friendly version of "Staying Alive." In the summer of 2013, the Whigs co-headlined a short U.S tour with veteran Georgia band Drivin' 'N Cryin' who the band credits as being an early inspiration. The Whigs also opened a short string of shows for Drive-By-Truckers.


''Modern Creation'' (2014-Present)

In the fall of 2013, The Whigs recorded their 5th studio album in Valencia, California with recording veteran Jim Scott. Scott's illustrious career includes works with Wilco, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Tom Petty. The album was tracked and mixed in a 14-day recording session, making it the Whigs album with the shortest production time. It's also the quickest turnaround for the band in terms of release date with "Modern Creation" being released 18 months after "Enjoy The Company." On April 22, 2014, The Whigs released their fifth album, ''Modern Creation'' to positive reviews. The album consists of ten songs, including the first single "Hit Me," and favors full-band live takes over typical studio effects. First single "Hit Me" is noted for its music video directed by frequent Whigs collaborator Scott Carney, which features a simulated performance of the band on the BBC's Old Grey Whistle Test. In May 2014, the Whigs performed "Hit Me" on The Late Show With David Letterman. This was the band's fourth appearance on the program. The Whigs recently toured the United States and opened for
Social Distortion Social Distortion is an American punk rock band formed in 1978 in Fullerton, California. The band currently consists of Mike Ness (lead vocals, lead guitar), Jonny Wickersham (rhythm guitar, backing vocals), Brent Harding (bass, backing voca ...
in late 2016. Lead singer Parker Gispert released a cover of
Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular ...
's "That's Life" on the Normaltown Records label in October 2019.


Awards and accomplishments

In March 2006 Rolling Stone Magazine named the Whigs one of their 10 Artists to Watch. In September 2006, The Whigs were named "Artist of the Day" by Spin.com."Artist of the Day: The Whigs"
from Spin.com, 20 September 2006.
Dorio was awarded an Esky award in March 2007 as "Best Drummer" by
Esquire magazine ''Esquire'' is an American men's magazine. Currently published in the United States by Hearst Communications, it also has more than 20 international editions. Founded in 1933, it flourished during the Great Depression and World War II under t ...
."The 2007 Esky Music Awards: Best Drummer"
, from Esquire Magazine, 26 June 2007.
It was announced in October 2007 that the band had finished their second album, entitled "Mission Control," which was released on January 22, 2008. The band appeared on the
Late Show with David Letterman The ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the The Late Show (franchise), ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by ...
on January 28, in support of the album."Late Night Whigs"
from AntiMusic.com, 11 January 2008.
They also appeared on
Late Night with Conan O'Brien ''Late Night with Conan O'Brien'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien. NBC aired 2,725 episodes from September 13, 1993, to February 20, 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and music ...
on February 20, 2008 to promote the album. The song "Need You Need You", from Mission Control is featured in the video game
Pure Pure may refer to: Computing * A pure function * A pure virtual function * PureSystems, a family of computer systems introduced by IBM in 2012 * Pure Software, a company founded in 1991 by Reed Hastings to support the Purify tool * Pure-FTPd, F ...
.


Discography


Studio albums

*'' Give 'Em All a Big Fat Lip'' (2005) *'' Mission Control'' (2008) *'' In the Dark'' (2010) *''Enjoy the Company'' (2012) *'' Modern Creation'' (2014)


Singles

*"Like a Vibration" b/w "That's A Lot To Live Up To" (demo) (7", 2008) ATO Records *"Right Hand on My Heart" (2008) No. 40 Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks *"Kill Me Carolyne" (2010) ATO Records *"Hundred / Million" (2010) Kartel Records (UK / Euro) *"So Lonely" (2010) b/w "Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment (The Ramones) Kartel Records (UK / Euro) *"Waiting" b/w "Don't Know What We're Doing" (7", 2012) New West Records *"Staying Alive" (radio edit) (2013) New West Records *"Hit Me" (radio edit) (2014) New West Records


References


External links


The Whigs' official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whigs, The 2002 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) ATO Records artists Indie rock musical groups from Georgia (U.S. state) Musical groups established in 2002 Musical groups from Athens, Georgia New West Records artists