EELS - GALLERY

EELS - "Offering a novel twist on the post-grunge and lo-fi norms of American indie rock, Eels hatched in the bohemian Echo Park area of Los Angeles in 1995. The band was the brainchild of E (b. Mark Oliver Everett, 9 April 1963, McLean, Virginia, USA; vocals/guitar/keyboards), who had previously recorded two acclaimed solo albums for Polydor Records in the early 90s, and drummer Butch Norton. After finding bass player Tommy Walter at LA's Mint Club, the trio was picked up by Michael Simpson, half of the Dust Brothers and an A&R man for DreamWorks Records. "Novocaine For The Soul" was a big US college/alternative hit in 1996, with a tension-and-release structure that seemed a throwback to the rock basics laid down by the Pixies and Nirvana, accentuated by characteristically indie themes of alienation and depression. The single and the follow-up "Susan's House' also made the UK Top 10. Despite their apparently conventional power trio line-up, the band's music evinced a fascination with sonic experimentation. Co-producer Simpson's dance music background and experience of sampling expanded Beautiful Freak"s overall sound with hip-hop rhythm loops, and all three band members brought unexpected textures to play: Norton's cannibalized drumkit included a fire-alarm bell and part of a heating duct; Walter doubled on French horn; and E proclaimed himself a devotee of the ghostly Theremin, the only instrument the musician does not touch." Encyclopedia of Popular Music