Justin Moyer Explained

Justin Moyer
Origin:Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genre:Post-punk, indie rock, funk rock, soul rock, post-hardcore
Occupation:Musician, writer, attorney
Years Active:1996 - present
Instrument:Vocals, bass, guitar, drums
Birth Date:1977
Label:Dischord, DeSoto, Mud Memory, Touch and Go, Resin, Lovitt Records, Sockets Records, Don Giovanni Records

Justin Moyer (born 1977) is an American musician, journalist, and attorney.[1] He has been a member of many Washington, D.C.-based bands on Dischord Records, including El Guapo, Supersystem, Antelope, Edie Sedgwick, and Light Beams. He was part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team at The Washington Post that covered the Capitol insurrection.[2]

Bands

El Guapo/Supersystem

See main article: Supersystem (band). Moyer formed El Guapo with Rafael Cohen, now a member of !!!,[3] at Wesleyan University in 1996, when Moyer and Cohen were juniors.[4] [5] [6] After recording for Resin, Mud Memory, Dischord, and Touch and Go Records, the band broke up in 2006.[7]

Antelope

Moyer formed Antelope with Bee Elvy and Mike Andre in 2001.[8] After releasing an eponymous EP produced by Trans Am's Phil Manley as well as a single and full-length produced by Ian MacKaye, the band broke up in 2008.

SPRCSS

In 2006, Moyer declared the defunct New Jersey group S-Process, also known as SPRCSS, his favorite band in a blog post[9] and called for the band to reform. Partially in response to this plea, SPRCSS, which had recorded for French Kiss Records,[10] reformed in 2007 with Moyer playing guitar. After founding drummer Daneil Mazone quit the band in 2011, the band, fronted by founding guitarist Bob Doto, played additional shows with TJ Lipple on drums, and a final show at Fort Reno Park with Moyer on drums.[11] Later that year, the band digitally self-released two EPs produced by Moyer and Ian MacKaye.[12]

E.D. Sedgwick

Moyer formed Edie Sedgwick with Ryan Hicks (formerly of Bloomington, Ind.'s Panoply Academy Glee Club)[13] in 1999.[14] The duo, who wrote songs about celebrities, took its name from Andy Warhol superstar Edie Sedgwick. Moyer played bass; Hicks played drums. After releasing "First Reflections," an LP, on Moyer's Mud Memory Records[15] and recording another, the band went on hiatus in 2001 when Moyer was diagnosed with epilepsy.[16]

In 2004, Moyer relaunched Edie Sedgwick as a solo act, performing in drag accompanied only by an iPod. He released the LP "Her Love is Real But She Is Not," a well-reviewed[17] electroclash effort recorded primarily in his bedroom, on Desoto Records[18] in 2005. "I always found it strange that every musician I met would spend so much time engrossed by visual media and then write a song about class struggle or Rwandan genocide," Moyer said in 2008. "I'm more interested in making my art about Molly Ringwald or Martin Sheen than exploring these so-called weighty topics which, for better and worse, are alien to me."[19]

After releasing "Things Are Getting Sinister and Sinisterer," an LP, on Dischord in 2008,[20] Moyer again reformatted the band—he no longer performs in drag, and performs exclusively with women. Subsequent tours and videos[21] to support 2011's LP "Love Gets Lovelier Every Day" have showcased this version of the band, now called "E.D. Sedgwick" instead of "Edie Sedgwick."[22] "We Wear White," Sedgwick's most recent LP, was released in November 2012.[23]

Puff Pieces

Moyer plays guitar in Puff Pieces, a trio featuring Mike Andre of Antelope and Amanda Huron of Vertebrates. The band released a single on Lovitt Records in 2014, and a full-length in 2016.[24]

Light Beams

Light Beams, a trio featuring Moyer, bassist Arthur Noll and drummer Sam Lavine, released a cassette[25] and a split seven-inch with Ian Svenonius's solo project Escapism[26] in 2017. The trio's first full-length, "Self Help" (2020), won a Washington Area Music Association award in 2021.[27]

After adding percussionists Leah Gage and Erin McCarley, the quintet released another full-length, "Wild Life," in 2023.[28]

Discography

Release dateAlbum nameGroup nameRecord label
1997Untitled 7"El GuapoRed Skies at Night Records
1998The Burden of HistoryEl GuapoResin Records
1999The Phenomenon of RenewalEl GuapoResin Records
2000The Geography of DissolutionEl GuapoMud Memory Records
2001super/systemEl GuapoDischord Records
2001First ReflectionsEdie SedgwickDischord Records/Mud Memory Records
2002Fake FrenchEl GuapoDischord Records
2003Begin Live TransmissionEl GuapoDischord Records
2003s/tAntelopeDischord Records/Bug Records
2004Crowns/The FlockAntelopeDischord Records
2005Always Never AgainSupersystemTouch and Go Records
2005Her Love is Real But She is NotEdie SedgwickDesoto Records
2005Born into the World/DefconSupersystemTouch and Go Records
2005MiracleSupersystemTouch and Go Records
2006A Million MicrophonesSupersystemTouch and Go Records
2007ReflectorAntelopeDischord Records
2008Things are Getting Sinister and SinistererEdie SedgwickDischord Records
2011Love Gets Lovelier Every DayEdie SedgwickDischord Records
2011Songs for IsadoraEdie Sedgwick and A.K.Sockets Records
2012We Wear WhiteE.D. SedgwickDischord Records
2012Heat Wave 12"E.D. SedgwickDischord Records/Mud Memory Records
2014s/t 7"Puff PiecesLovitt Records
2016Bland in D.C.Puff PiecesLovitt Records
2017Born 2 Die 7"Puff PiecesLovitt Records
2017Light Beams CassetteLight BeamsDon Giovanni Records
2017Escapism/Light Beams Split 7"Light BeamsLovitt Records
2020Self HelpLight BeamsDon Giovanni Records
2023Wild LifeLight BeamsDischord Records/Mud Memory Records

Writing

Moyer, a former private investigator,[29] is a long-time freelancer for The Washington City Paper, where he covered the 2008 election,[30] and blogs about books[31] and life as a touring musician.[32] Since 2008, he has written for The Washington Post, where he reviews books[33] and writes about poker[34] and city politics.[35]

In 2009, Moyer was criticized by conservative websites for a piece[36] on Jenna Bush.[37] His pieces about the Beatles,[38] the Google Doodle[39] and jazz[40] have also generated controversy.[41]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Justin Wm. Moyer - The Washington Post . 2024-07-21 . Justin Wm. Moyer . en.
  2. Web site: Justin Wm. Moyer - The Washington Post . 2024-07-21 . Justin Wm. Moyer . en.
  3. Web site: Chea. Steven. !!! (Chk Chk Chk) brings dance party to Harlow's. Sacramento Press. 1 May 2012. https://archive.today/20130201202546/http://www.sacramentopress.com/headline/36968/Chk_Chk_Chk_brings_dance_party_to_Harlows. 1 February 2013. dead.
  4. http://www.wesleyan.edu/wmj/issue5/4.html Interview with El Guapo (1998)
  5. http://www.wesleyan.edu/music/for_majors/senior_theses.html Senior Honors Theses in Music, 1952–2012
  6. Web site: Kanin. Mike. Play It Er, Again. 8 October 1999 . Washington City Paper. 1 May 2012.
  7. Web site: Supersystem break up. 7 December 2006 . Brooklyn Vegan. 2 May 2012.
  8. Web site: Dischord Records Antelope band page. Dischord Records. 1 May 2012.
  9. Web site: Paging the Late, Great Philly Band SPRCSS . Philebrity . 15 May 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060811/http://www.philebrity.com/2006/10/02/paging-the-late-great-philly-band-s-prcss/ . 4 March 2016 .
  10. Web site: Shepherd. Julianne. SPRCSS: MNML. Pitchfork. 15 May 2012.
  11. Web site: SPRCSS @ Fort Reno 2011 #4. YouTube. 15 May 2012.
  12. Web site: Little. Ryan. SPRCSS Releases Two (Two!) New EPs. 16 May 2011 . Washington City Paper. 15 May 2012.
  13. Web site: Boldman. Gina. The Panoply Academy Glee Club. allmusic.com. 2 May 2012.
  14. Web site: Edie Sedgwick band page. Dischord Records. 2 May 2012.
  15. Web site: Mud Memory Records Edie Sedgwick page. Mud Memory. 6 May 2012.
  16. News: Moyer. Justin. Why John Bryson and John Roberts should talk about their seizures. 19 June 2012. The Washington Post. 19 June 2012.
  17. Web site: Raposa. David. Edie Sedgwick: Her Love is Real...But She is Not. Pitchforkmedia.com. 1 May 2012.
  18. Web site: Desoto Records Edie Sedgwick page. Desoto Records. 6 May 2012.
  19. Web site: Mackey. Robbie. Edie Sedgwick is dead, but empty celebrity is alive and well. indyweek.com. 1 May 2012.
  20. Web site: Edie Sedgwick: Things are getting sinister and sinisterer. DOA.
  21. Web site: E.D. Sedgwick 'Silver Bullets,'. Youtube. 6 May 2012.
  22. Web site: Warminsky. Joe. Edie Sedgwick's Love Gets Lovelier Every Day. Washington City Paper. 2 May 2012. 19 December 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20111219054931/http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/41434/edie-sedgwicks-love-gets-lovelier-every-day-reviewed-spoiler-cannot. dead.
  23. Web site: Edie Sedgwick – We Wear White (175). Dischord.com.
  24. Web site: Schweitzer. Ally. One Track Mind: Puff Pieces, 'New Nazis'. 16 April 2014 . Washington Citypaper. 22 April 2014.
  25. Web site: Light Beams, "Feeling Good". Thesparkmag.com.
  26. Web site: Check the Video Premiere of Light Beams Desiring Creatures. Ausdtintownhall.com. 15 September 2017 .
  27. Web site: 2021-03-29 . Move over Grammys, Wammies honor outstanding local musicians . 2024-07-21 . WTOP News . en.
  28. News: 2023-11-14 . Hip-hop is a source of inspiration in Light Beams’ evolving sound . 2024-07-21 . Washington Post . en-US . 0190-8286.
  29. Web site: Moyer. Justin. Whitey, P.I.. October 1999 . Washington City Paper. 2 May 2012.
  30. Web site: Moyer. Justin. The Battle for the Mid-Atlantic. 31 October 2008 . Washington City Paper. 2 May 2012.
  31. Web site: Moyer. Justin. Five Books I'd Read. 28 March 2012 . Washington City Paper. 2 May 2012.
  32. Web site: Moyer. Justin. Heat Wave: Edie Sedgwick Goes to SXSW. 23 March 2012 . The Washington City Paper. 2 May 2012.
  33. News: Moyer. Justin. Book Review: Michael Jackson. The Washington Post. 2 May 2012. 4 August 2009.
  34. News: Moyer. Justin. Poker at Charles Town and Greenbrier. The Washington Post. 2 May 2012. 18 July 2010.
  35. News: Moyer. Justin. If fewer kids are in foster care. The Washington Post. 2 May 2012.
  36. News: Moyer. Justin. Names and Faces. The Washington Post. 1 May 2012. 31 August 2009.
  37. Web site: Beaujon. Andrew. Hatred of Justin Moyer briefly distracts right-wing blogosphere. 31 August 2009 . Washington City Paper. 1 May 2012.
  38. News: Moyer. Justin. The Beatles: Let them be. The Washington Post. 13 August 2014.
  39. News: Moyer. Justin. From Gandhi to MLK, history's giants have become marketing tools. The Washington Post. 13 August 2014.
  40. News: Moyer. Justin. All that jazz isn't all that great. The Washington Post. 13 August 2014.
  41. News: Richards. Chris. All what jazz? Or: How to declare something dead without listening to it. The Washington Post. 13 August 2014.