All Them Witches Explained

All Them Witches
Landscape:yes
Origin:Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Years Active:2012–present
Current Members:
  • Charles Michael Parks Jr.
  • Ben McLeod
  • Allan Van Cleave
Past Members:
  • Jonathan Draper
  • Robby Staebler

All Them Witches is an American rock band from Nashville, Tennessee. The band consists of vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Charles Michael Parks Jr., guitarist Ben McLeod and keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist Allan Van Cleave.

History

Formation and early years (2012–2015)

All Them Witches formed on January 6, 2012.[1] Drummer Robby Staebler, having lost all of his money, had recently sold many of his possessions and moved to Nashville from Portland, at which time he was living in his car.[2] [3] The intention of the move had been for Staebler to play in another person's band; however, he left the project upon finding the other party difficult to work with. Staebler had created a rough collection of eight tracks – on which he played all instruments – and, being "in love with the sound," was looking for musicians to turn that project into a band.

Staebler recruited guitarist Ben McLeod after seeing him playing slide guitar at a bar. The pair originally attempted creating jazz music, but abandoned this in favor of a heavier sound. This was followed several months later by Staebler meeting frontman and bassist Charles Michael Parks Jr. while they were both working for "a corporate hippie store."[4] Parks was shown a collection of demo songs created by Staebler and McLeod, which persuaded him to join.

The band's name is taken from a book of witchcraft, All of Them Witches, featured in the 1968 film Rosemary's Baby.[5] [6]

The band self-released their first, self-titled four-track EP in the same year as their formation.[7] They then became the first American band to be signed to the German heavy psych record label, Elektrohasch Schallplatten.[8] Their debut album, Our Mother Electricity (which had previously been self-released by the band in summer 2012), was released on Elektrohasch with new mastering and new artwork (by Mat Bethancourt) in February 2013. Soon after came their second EP, Extra Pleasant, which was recorded with two microphones directly to a four-track cassette tape recorder.

In 2013, the band's second studio album, Lightning at the Door, was self-released via their own Bandcamp page;[9] it was later marketed by Tone Tree Music. Their next self-released album was the official live album At The Garage in February 2015.[10]

New West Records, (2015)

In summer 2015, the band signed to New West Records.[11] Later in the year, they released their third studio album (and their first with New West), Dying Surfer Meets His Maker, which was recorded in six days in a remote mountainside cabin, overlooking Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.[12] [13] [14] The album's name was originally used by McLeod for a song in his solo project, Woodsplitter, inspired by a real-life incident where he almost died when surfing.[15]

The band's previously self-released album, Lightning at the Door, was then re-released by New West in 2016.[16] This was followed first by Live in Brussels (recorded live in Brussels, Belgium, in March 2016) in September 2016,[17] then by the band's fourth studio album, Sleeping Through the War, in February 2017.[18] Sleeping Through the War was produced by Nashville's Dave Cobb, who had worked previously with artists such as Sturgill Simpson and Chris Stapleton. The album featured guest vocals from three Nashville-based female vocalists: Caitlin Rose, Erin Rae, and Tristen, in addition to harmonica contributions from Mickey Raphael.[19]

In mid-2018, it was announced that Jonathan Draper was replacing Allan Van Cleave on keyboards. In an interview at Download Festival 2018, Parks and Staebler made clear that the change was permanent, and that Van Cleave had left the band.[20] Their next album, ATW, was released in September of that year;[21] however, the following month, Parks announced that the band would be continuing as a three-piece, without Draper.[22] ATW was produced by the band's guitarist, Ben McLeod, and mixed by producer Rob Schnapf, featuring a more simplified, naturalistic sound than their previous albums.[23] [24]

The band's first music as a three-piece was the non-album single "1X1," which was released on Halloween 2019.[25] This was followed by their sixth studio album, Nothing as the Ideal, in September 2020. The album was recorded at Abbey Road Studios (in Studio Two, as previously used by The Beatles and Pink Floyd)[26] and produced by Mikey Allred, who had also produced their earlier album, Dying Surfer Meets His Maker.[27] [28] In mid-August, shortly before the album's release, a video was released for the track "The Children of Coyote Woman." The video was directed by Staebler and starred himself alongside professional skateboarder Evan Smith.[29] Metal Hammer named Nothing as the Ideal as the 46th best metal album of 2020.[30]

In April 2021, the band announced via Facebook and Twitter that Van Cleave had rejoined the band as its keyboard player.[31] Their first new release following Van Cleave's return was a cover of "Black Snake" by John Lee Hooker in January 2022.[32] When announcing this new track, the band confirmed that it would be the first of a "Baker's Dozen" of tracks, which would be released on a monthly basis throughout 2022, along with one extra, for a total of 13.[32] In March 2022, the band released digital audio and CD versions of their Live on the Internet livestream show, which had originally been broadcast in 2020 and made available on vinyl for Record Store Day in 2021.[33] [34]

Departure of Robby Staebler (2024)

In late April of 2024, drummer and founding member Robby Staebler announced his departure from the group to focus on other projects.[35] [36]

Musical style and influences

The band's musical style incorporates elements from multiple genres, such as hard rock,[37] [38] stoner rock,[39] [40] psychedelia,[41] [42] neo-psychedelia,[43] blues, folk, and southern rock;[44] however, Julian Marszalek of The Quietus noted that:

"...this isn't blues of the "woke-up-this-morning" variety but one of malaise, anxiety and fear brought on a by [sic] world seemingly dead set on destruction; nor is this an escapist variant of psychedelia wherein one form of reality is jettisoned in favour of another for reasons of cheap thrills."
Nick Pipitone of Monster Riff described how the band are "influenced just as much by Dr. John and Mississippi bluesman Junior Kimbrough as they are by Black Sabbath and progressive metal" and that their music can "venture from bluesy riffs and folk tales to spacey neo-psychedelic to punishing doom rock." Similarly, Rob Hughes of Classic Rock Magazine noted how "[All Them Witches are] as likely to create boiling riptides of bluesy psychedelia as they are pools of mystic folk and doomy ambience."

Vocalist and bassist Charles Michael Parks Jr., who is also the band's lyricist,[45] has described international folk music as one of his biggest influences, and cited Pink Floyd, Grateful Dead, the Allman Brothers, early Fleetwood Mac, and Roy Buchanan as artists of which all band members are fans.[46] Guitarist Ben McLeod additionally cites Jerry Garcia and The Doors as significant influences, beginning in his childhood.[47] Drummer Robby Stabler cites Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Miles Davis, Sun Ra, Santana, Neil Young, and Nick Drake.

All Them Witches are commonly compared with Black Sabbath;[48] however, Parks has described this as misleading, because none of the band members listen to Sabbath. Other groups against which the band have been compared include Kyuss, Blue Cheer,[49] [50] [51] Tool,[52] Queens of the Stone Age, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin.

Band members

Current members

Former members

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

Extended plays

Non-album singles

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jurek. Thom. All Them Witches Biography & History. July 6, 2019. AllMusic. en-us.
  2. Web site: 2021-03-08. An interview with Robby Staebler (All Them Witches). live. 2021-11-04. Psychic Garden. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20201029104539/https://www.the-psychic-garden.com/post/music-all-them-witches . October 29, 2020 .
  3. Web site: Alleva. Dan. March 20, 2019. Having a Ball with All Them Witches. September 8, 2020. The Aquarian Weekly. en-US.
  4. Web site: Dhillon. Achal. July 27, 2017. Nashville's All Them Witches are a dark blues force to be reckoned with. September 20, 2020. Metro. en.
  5. Web site: DeMain. Bill. February 27, 2017. Six things you need to know about All Them Witches. September 7, 2020. Classic Rock Magazine. en.
  6. Book: Guiley. Rosemary. The Encyclopedia of Demons and Demonology. Zaffis. John. Infobase Publishing. 2009. 978-0-8160-7314-6. 214.
  7. Web site: All Them Witches - All Them Witches EP. September 20, 2020. Discogs. en.
  8. Web site: Goodman. Bill. February 21, 2013. REVIEW: All Them Witches, Our Mother Electricity. September 4, 2020. The Obelisk.
  9. Web site: September 25, 2014. REVIEW: All Them Witches, Lightning at the Door. September 4, 2020. The Obelisk.
  10. Web site: February 3, 2015. ALL THEM WITCHES to Release 'At the Garage' Feb. 10. July 6, 2019. The Obelisk.
  11. Web site: June 18, 2015. All Them Witches Sign to New West Records; New Album Due this Fall. February 26, 2018. The Obelisk.
  12. Web site: November 6, 2015. All Them Witches: Dying Surfer Meets his Maker « American Songwriter. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20190706181655/https://americansongwriter.com/2015/11/all-them-witches-dying-surfer-meets-his-maker/. July 6, 2019. July 6, 2019. American Songwriter. en-US.
  13. Web site: Lewis. Richard. October 30, 2015. All Them Witches – Dying Surfer Meets His Maker (New West Records). September 4, 2020. Bearded Magazine.
  14. Web site: Hughes. Rob. February 19, 2016. High Hopes: All Them Witches – Psychedelic jams and wizard tales. September 19, 2020. Classic Rock Magazine. en.
  15. Web site: Lewis. Richard. March 4, 2016. Interview: All Them Witches. September 8, 2020. Bearded Magazine.
  16. Web site: Koczan. JJ. January 28, 2016. All Them Witches Post Lost Jam "Surface to Air Whistle"; Reissuing Lightning at the Door. The Obelisk.
  17. Web site: September 21, 2016. All Them Witches "Live In Brussels" als gratis Live-Album veröffentlicht. September 7, 2020. ROCK HARD. de.
  18. Web site: Bill. DeMain. February 27, 2017. Six things you need to know about All Them Witches. July 6, 2019. Classic Rock Magazine. en.
  19. Web site: Horowitz. Hal. February 23, 2017. All Them Witches: Sleeping Through The War. September 20, 2020. American Songwriter. en-US.
  20. Web site: Cook. Lottie. July 5, 2018. INTERVIEW: All Them Witches (10/06/2018). September 4, 2020. Dead Press. en-GB. September 29, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200929212445/https://www.deadpress.co.uk/interview-all-them-witches-10-06-2018/. dead.
  21. Web site: August 1, 2018. Here's the Bio I Wrote for ALL THEM WITCHES' New Album 'ATW'. September 7, 2020. The Obelisk.
  22. Web site: October 29, 2018. ALL THEM WITCHES Announce Lineup Change; Band to Continue as Trio. September 4, 2020. The Obelisk.
  23. Web site: September 18, 2018. ALBUM REVIEW: All Them Witches, ATW. September 8, 2020. The Obelisk.
  24. Web site: Carr. Paul. October 10, 2018. All Them Witches Go Back to Basics on 'ATW'. September 8, 2020. PopMatters. en.
  25. Web site: Armstrong. Chuck. October 31, 2019. All Them Witches premiere heavy new song "1X1": Stream. September 7, 2020. Consequence of Sound. en-US.
  26. Web site: June 6, 2020. ALL THEM WITCHES RETURN WITH NOTHING AS THE IDEAL SEPTEMBER 4th, 2020 VIA NEW WEST RECORDS. September 7, 2020. Red Light Management.
  27. Web site: Lanham. Tom. September 3, 2020. All Them Witches on Crafting Psych-Rock at Abbey Road. September 4, 2020. Spin.
  28. Web site: September 3, 2020. ALBUM REVIEW: All Them Witches, Nothing as the Ideal. September 6, 2020. The Obelisk.
  29. Web site: March. Kim. August 12, 2020. All Them Witches Revisit the Founding of Rome in "The Children of Coyote Woman" Video. September 7, 2020. FLOOD. en-US.
  30. Web site: The 50 best metal albums of 2020 . . . March 12, 2021 . January 8, 2020.
  31. Web site: April 11, 2021. ALL THEM WITCHES Announce Return of Allan Van Cleave & Live 3LP. live. April 12, 2021. The Obelisk. https://web.archive.org/web/20210412161655/https://theobelisk.net/obelisk/2021/04/11/all-them-witches-allan-van-cleave/ . April 12, 2021 .
  32. Web site: Glass. Polly. Lewry. Fraser. 2022-01-31. Tracks of the Week: new music from Dorothy, All Them Witches and more. 2022-02-01. LouderSound. en.
  33. Web site: Kennelty . Greg . 2022-03-18 . ALL THEM WITCHES Streams Crunchy Live Version Of "Enemy Of My Enemy" . 2022-03-19 . Metal Injection . en-US.
  34. Web site: Daly . Rhian . 2021-09-15 . Lana Del Rey, U2 and more lead Record Store Day Black Friday releases . 2022-03-19 . . en-GB.
  35. Web site: Instagram . 2024-04-24 . www.instagram.com.
  36. Web site: Instagram . 2024-04-25 . www.instagram.com.
  37. Web site: All Them Witches. September 19, 2020. NPR Music.
  38. Web site: Damara Kelly. Tyler. September 2, 2020. All Them Witches prove themselves inimitable and extraordinary on Nothing As The Ideal. September 19, 2020. The Line of Best Fit. en.
  39. Web site: Pipitone. Nick. September 9, 2020. All Them Witches: Nothing as the Ideal Album Review. September 19, 2020. Monster Riff. en-US.
  40. News: Wasylak. Victoria. March 10, 2017. Southern Sorcery: All Them Witches share their stoner-psych this weekend at The Sinclair - Vanyaland. en-US. Vanyaland. September 19, 2020.
  41. Web site: September 8, 2020. Interview: The Powerful and Patient Psychedelia of All Them Witches in Less Than Ideal Times. September 19, 2020. New Noise Magazine. en-US.
  42. Web site: Marszalek. Julian. March 9, 2017. Reviews All Them Witches: Sleeping Through the War. September 19, 2020. The Quietus. en-us.
  43. Web site: Grech. Aaron. August 12, 2020. All Them Witches Continue to Hone a Heavy Classic Rock Sound in New Video for "The Children of Coyote Woman" -. September 19, 2020. mxdwn Music. en-US.
  44. Web site: Nuttall. Luke. September 26, 2018. ALBUM REVIEW: 'ATW' by All Them Witches. September 19, 2020. The Soundboard. en.
  45. Web site: Damara Kelly. Tyler. October 2, 2018. Interview: All Them Witches talk about improvisation on their latest album 'ATW'. September 19, 2020. When The Horn Blows. en-US.
  46. Web site: Baker. Brian. April 19, 2017. All Them Witches: Gray Sabbath. September 19, 2020. Magnet Magazine. en-US.
  47. Web site: Von Bader. David. March 16, 2016. Spellbinders: Ben McLeod and Charles Michael Parks, Jr. of All Them Witches. September 20, 2020. Premier Guitar.
  48. Web site: Leach. Max. September 29, 2018. Review: All Them Witches encapsulates band's capabilities as a whole on 'ATW'. September 19, 2020. Sidelines. en-US.
  49. Web site: Welding. Alan D.. November 21, 2019. All Them Witches Premiere "1X1" Video Ft. Drea de Matteo Today – On Tour With Ghost – 2020 Dates. September 20, 2020. Pittsburgh Music Magazine. en.
  50. Web site: Moffitt. Casey. February 10, 2015. All Them Witches Bring Magical Brew To Empty Bottle. September 20, 2020. The Chicagoist. August 15, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200815201922/https://chicagoist.com/2015/02/10/all_them_witches_bring_magical_brew.php. dead.
  51. Web site: September 27, 2016. 16.10. ALL THEM WITCHES / THE GREAT MACHINE. September 20, 2020. Roadtrip to Outta Space. en.
  52. Web site: Donohue. Shawn. September 4, 2020. All Them Witches Riff Up its Grimy Psych at Abbey Road Studio via 'Nothing as the Ideal' (Album Review). September 19, 2020. Glide Magazine.
  53. Web site: September 4, 2013. All Them Witches Release Free Cover of "Born under a Bad Sign". September 7, 2020. The Obelisk.
  54. Web site: February 16, 2015. ELECTRIC LADYLAND REDUX Preorders Now Available. September 6, 2020. The Obelisk.
  55. Web site: Koczan. JJ. January 13, 2016. All Them Witches Post "Under Pressure" Cover; Tour Starts Tonight. September 6, 2020. The Obelisk.
  56. Sterling. Scott T.. October 19, 2017. Home Again: All Them Witches 'Go and Seek' the Heartbeat of Jack Daniel's. September 6, 2020. Billboard.
  57. Web site: Sterling. Scott T.. October 18, 2017. The Jack Daniel's Experience: All Them Witches See the Light in Lynchburg. September 6, 2020. Spin.
  58. Web site: Alleva . Dan . 2022-04-30 . ALL THEM WITCHES Release New Single & Video "Slow City" . 2022-05-10 . Metal Injection . en-US.

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