Fruit Bats (band)

Fruit Bats is an American rock band formed in 1997 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Noted as an early entrant into the folk-rock boom of the early 2000s, the group has had many personnel changes but revolves around singer/songwriter Eric D. Johnson.

Fruit Bats
OriginChicago, Illinois, United States
GenresFolk rock, indie folk,[1] alternative country
Years active1997–2013, 2015–present
LabelsPerishable Records (2000- 2002), Sub Pop (2002-2013), Easy Sound Recording Company (2015-2018), Merge Records, (2018-present)
Associated actsI Rowboat, Califone, Vetiver, The Shins, Alone & Together[2]
Websitewww.fruitbatsmusic.com
MembersEric D. Johnson
Past membersBrian Belval
Dan Strack
Gillian Lisée
Sam Wagster
Ron Lewis
Graeme Gibson
Christopher Sherman

History

In 2000, Eric D. Johnson was an instructor at The Old Town School of Folk Music, led his own space-rock band called I Rowboat, and was a guitarist in various groups, including Califone and The Shins.[3] He also had a four-track solo outlet called Fruit Bats, which he had been working on since 1997.

Fruit Bats had begun to evolve into a band with the inclusion of I Rowboat members Dan Strack and Brian Belval and in 2001, their debut record Echolocation was released on Califone's imprint, Perishable Records.[4] Tours followed with the likes of Modest Mouse and The Shins.

Fruit Bats signed with Sub Pop in 2002 and have released four albums with the label including Mouthfuls in 2003, Spelled in Bones in 2005, The Ruminant Band in 2009 and Tripper in 2011.

Johnson also joined The Shins in 2009.[5] Their song "Humbug Mountain Song" spurred new fan activity. In an interview with Reverb Magazine's Nick Milligan (Australia), Eric D. Johnson has said of The Ruminant Band: "I shouldn't say I had any strong ideas about how I wanted The Ruminant Band to differ from our other records, but I knew that I definitely wanted it to. Previously, when I did those other albums, I think I set rules for myself. This time I didn't try to go by the book so much. I also let the other [band members] play, rather than me being in charge. I played very little on this record – I wrote the songs and the vocal arrangements, and played some piano, but for the most part everything else is the band. That trust is something that comes with time. I had four years to sit and think about it. It can get lonely when you're doing the – quote unquote – solo thing. My band is really talented, so I wanted their voices to be heard."[6]

The song "When U Love Somebody" from the album Mouthfuls can be heard in the 2010 film Youth in Revolt.[7]

The music video for "The Ruminant Band" from the album The Ruminant Band was shot in El Monte, California and directed by The General Assembly. Eric D. Johnson is the only member of the Fruit Bats to appear in the video. He is backed by a fictitious band that includes legendary guitarist, Willie Chambers of The Chambers Brothers.[8]

In June 2011, Johnson appeared in the music video for "You're To Weird" from the album Tripper. The video was shot in Hollywood, California and directed by The General Assembly.

In November 2013, Johnson announced the demise of the Fruit Bats on the band's website.[9] The band played a handful of live shows, which also marked the 10th anniversary of their album Mouthfuls, in the Pacific Northwest, with their final show in Portland on November 16, 2013.

Johnson announced via Twitter in May 2015, "I'm doing Fruit Bats again", and linked an Instagram photo of a handwritten letter, indicating that an album will be released in 2016. Additionally, they performed with My Morning Jacket on their 2015 tour. The album Absolute Loser was released in 2016.

Johnson is also the cofounder of the Huichica Musical Festival, in Sonoma, California, along with Jeff Bundschu, owner of Gundlach Bundschu winery. Johnson started this festival in 2009 to give him and his friends a place to play.

Musical influences

According to an article in The Aspen Times, lead singer Eric D. Johnson's musical influences include 70s AM radio, which he listened to while growing up in Naperville, Illinois, and The Grateful Dead.[10]

One writer described the band's fourth album, The Ruminant Band, as one that ..."revels in early ‘70s SoCal bliss and other alt-country permutations," with elements reflective of classic rock icons including Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac and Three Dog Night.[11]

In a music blog entry in the Chicago Sun-Times from 2010, the band's influences include The Byrds, The Kinks' album The Village Green Preservation Society, pop radio from the late '70s and early '80s, and Supertramp. According to the same blog post, lead singer Johnson said of his musical style, "I started out a hippie, but I've always had that pop jones -- and that's been plenty revolutionary, at least for me."[12]

Discography

Albums

Other Appearances

References
  1. "Photo Essay: Fruit Bats @ the Bluebrid Theater". The Know. The Denver Post. Archived from the original on 7 July 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  2. "Newport Folk Festival Adds Alone & Together Performance Featuring Joe Russo, Kevin Morby, Josh Kaufman and More". Jambands.com. March 8, 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
  3. Jim Beckmann (2011-08-24). "Live Music:FRUIT BATS". The KEXP Blog. Retrieved 2011-10-10.
  4. "Sub Pop Records : Fruit Bats : Echolocation". Subpop.com. 2001-09-17. Retrieved 2012-04-02.
  5. "Interview: Fruit Bats | Reverb — Reverb Music — The Denver Post". Heyreverb.com. 2009-08-28. Retrieved 2012-04-02.
  6. "Fruit bats: the ruminant band". KRCX Album Spotlight. 2008-08-31. Archived from the original on 2012-04-05. Retrieved 2011-10-07.
  7. "'Youth in Revolt' Soundtrack Features Fruit Bats, Fatlip and Michael Cera". Spinner. 2009-12-24. Retrieved 2012-04-02.
  8. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-07-01. Retrieved 2011-01-22.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 26, 2014. Retrieved February 25, 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. Stewart Oksenhorn (2011-09-23). "Fruit Bats move the music forward by looking back". The Aspen Times. Retrieved 2011-10-07.
  11. Matthew Fiander (2009-08-03). "Fruit Bats move the music forward by looking back". PopMatters. Retrieved 2011-10-07.
  12. Thomas Conner (2010-08-26). "With Johnson on Shins guard, Fruit Bats can finally fly". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on 2011-01-09. Retrieved 2011-10-07.
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