Chokebore
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Chokebore | ||
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 Chokebore, mid-2002 (left to right): James Kroll, Troy Balthazar, Christian Omar Madrigal Izzo, Jonathan Kroll (photo: Muriel Thies)
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| Background information | ||
| Origin | Honolulu, Hawaii, USA | |
| Genre(s) | Alternative rock Indie rock |
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| Years active | 1993–2003 | |
| Label(s) | Amphetamine Reptile, Boomba Rec, Punk iN My Vitamins, Pale Blue | |
| Associated acts |
Dana Lynn, Troy Von Balthazar | |
| Website | www.chokebore.net | |
| Members | ||
| Troy Balthazar James Kroll Jonathan Kroll Christian Omar Madrigal Izzo |
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| Former members | ||
| Mike Featherson Johnee Kop |
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Contents |
[edit] Overview
Innovators of the then-emerging sadcore movement in indie rock in the 1990s, Chokebore are responsible for at least two indie rock masterpieces. The eclectic rock group consisted of guitarist Jonathan Kroll, drummer Christian Omar Madrigal Izzo, vocalist Troy Von Balthazar and bassist A Frank G. They formed in Honolulu in the early '90s and moved to Los Angeles in 1992 in hopes of getting better gigs. Shortly after the move, they were signed to Amphetamine Reptile Records in 1993, based on a demo tape the band had submitted.
Chokebore released their debut single "Nobody / Throats to Hit" and their first full-length Motionless later that year. Their changing tempos and moody outbursts were unlike many other AmRep bands at the time, but their more furious and quicker paced moments aligned themselves just enough. They toured with Guzzard and Today Is The Day as well as with other more well-known likeminded bands, including the Butthole Surfers, Samiam, Girls Against Boys and Nirvana.
They earned a strong following in Europe, in support of 1995's Anything Near Water and A Taste For Bitters, the latter of which was recorded and engineered in France. 1998's Black Black was also recorded there, and represents a portrait of the band's darker side; loneliness, depression, death and sadness recurring themes. This LP is widely accepted in the rock underground to be a true masterpiece. The album was released on AmRep's European offshoot Boomba Records, but wasn't released stateside for another year, finally finding a home on Unwound's Punk In My Vitamins label.
The band released It's a Miracle in 2002, which saw the band slightly less concerned with strict cohesion of the aesthetics and some songs were looser than on past releases ("Ciao L.A." is perhaps the most straightforward rock track the band has ever put to tape). The live album A Part From Life was released in 2003 and the band went on an indefinite hiatus in 2005. The singer/guitar player Troy recorded a solo album which was released in early 2006.
[edit] Members
- Troy Balthazar (1993–2003): vocals, guitar
- James Kroll (also known as A. Frank G.) (1993–2003): vocals, bass guitar
- Jonathan Kroll (1993–2003): guitar
- Christian Omar Madrigal Izzo (1995–1997, 1999–2003): drums
- Mike Featherson (1997–1999): drums
- Johnee Kop (1993–1995): drums
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- Motionless (Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1993)
- Anything Near Water (Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1995)
- A Taste for Bitters (Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1996)
- Black Black (Boomba Rec, 1998)
- It's a Miracle (Pale Blue, 2002)
- A Part from Life (Pale Blue, 2003)
[edit] Singles & EPs
- "Nobody / Throats to Hit" 7-inch single (Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1993)
- "Thin as Clouds" 7-inch single (Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1995)
- Split 7-inch with Tocotronic (Amphetamine Reptile Records / L'Age d'Or, 1996)
- It Could Ruin Your Day EP (Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1997)
- Days of Nothing EP (Amphetamine Reptile Records, 1997)
- Self-titled double 7-inch single (Punk iN My Vitamins, 1999)
- Strange Lines EP (Redwood Records, 2001)
