Dirty Ghosts are a San Francisco rock band formed in 2006[1] by Allyson Baker, Carson Binks and Baker's then-husband Ian Bavitz, known professionally as Aesop Rock.[2] After the departure of Binks and Bavitz, Baker remained as the driving force in the band.
History edit
The band formed after the dissolution of Baker and Binks' prior band Parchman Farm,[3] with Baker's then-husband Bavitz providing beats via drum machine.[4] The first song "Battle Slang" released in 2009 was described by Pitchfork as "riff-tastic with stuttering snares and a gritty bass pulse.[5]" The demos and singles they recorded eventually became the Metal Moon album, released in 2012 on Last Gang Records. Baker explained what influenced the sound of Metal Moon to CMJ "The idea of music based on the beat, with the guitar and bass working around each other yet together in a really minimal and non-linear way. The first album had more of that type of influence, and definitely my surroundings played a role in that—living with a rapper who was producing his own music in the next room."[6]
In 2015, Last Gang also released their follow-up LP Let It Pretend, with musical influences from post-punk and bands like Duran Duran, Devo and The Stranglers.[7] After Binks' and Bavitz' departure, the Dirty Ghosts live band was composed of Erin Mcdermott on bass, and Tony Sevener (Honeycut, Summercamp) on drums - occasionally taking Sevener's place have been Paul Quattrone (Osees, !!!) and Andrew Moszynski (The Deadly Snakes).
Videos edit
The videos for "Cataract",[7] "Ropes That Way" and "Katana Rock"[8] were directed by Derrick Beckles. The "Cataract" video premiered on Adult Swim in October 2015.[9]
Other projects edit
Baker is a member of the Red Room Orchestra[10] a collective of composers and performers who’ve played and recorded alongside the Bad Seeds, the Plastic Ono Band, Cibo Matto, Oingo Boingo, Bill Frisell and Lou Harrison. Baker's past affiliations include playing guitar in Toronto bands Armed & Hammered, The Shuttlecocks, Teen Crud Combo and Parchman Farm, the latter of which she formed after moving to San Francisco in the early 2000s.[13] She's played guitar on releases by Aesop Rock, !!!, Kimya Dawson, The Dwarves, Cage, El-P, Felt (Slug & Murs) and Kelley Stoltz.
Discography edit
2011 Shout It In - 7", Classic Bar Music[11]
2012 Metal Moon - LP, Last Gang Records[12]
2012 Katana Rock/Eyes Of A Stranger 7" -Last Gang Records[13]
2013 Third Man Records Desert Gold 7" Box Set Live single, Third Man Records
2015 Cataract - cassette EP, Burger Records[14]
2015 Let It Pretend - LP, Last Gang Records
2016 Witch Hunt - 7", Rubber Tracks
Remixes edit
"Ropes That Way"- Mikey Young, Total Control
"Cataract" - Tobacco
References edit
- ^ "Dirty Ghosts Sign to Last Gang for Aesop Rock-Produced Debut". exclaim.ca. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
- ^ ""Battle Slang"". Pitchfork. 10 September 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2019.
- ^ "Beyond the paranormal with Allyson Baker and Dirty Ghosts - Features - Impose Magazine". imposemagazine.com. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- ^ Pehling, Dave. "Dirty Ghosts Explore Drum Loop Rock". sfweekly.com. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- ^ ""Battle Slang" | Pitchfork". pitchfork.com. 10 September 2009. Retrieved 2017-07-25.
- ^ "Q&A: Dirty Ghosts". CMJ. 2015-07-24. Retrieved 2017-07-25.
- ^ Radio, Wolf Pack. "Review // Dirty Ghosts // Let It Pretend – Wolf Pack Radio". wolfpackradio.org. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- ^ "Dirty Ghosts-Katana Rock (Video 2012)". imdb.com. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- ^ "Camuz Montreal - Montreal, music and everything about it".
- ^ "Red Room Orchestra play the music of "Wild at Heart" & "Twin Peaks"". SF Chronicle.
- ^ "Dirty Ghosts - Shout It In". discogs.com. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- ^ "Metal Moon, by Dirty Ghosts". bandcamp.com. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- ^ "Katana Rock / Eyes Of A Stranger (Single), by Dirty Ghosts". bandcamp.com. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- ^ "Dirty Ghosts releasing 'Cataract' EP on Burger featuring remixes by Mikey Young & Tobacco (listen); LP #2 this fall". brooklynvegan.com. 15 July 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2017.
- ^ "Dirty Ghosts (Ft. Aesop Rock) – Shout It In (Aesop Rock Remix)". Retrieved 1 January 2019 – via genius.com.