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Estradasphere

{{short description|American experimental band}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Estradasphere

| image = Estradasphere.jpg

| caption = Estradasphere performing in 2007

| years_active = 1998–2008

| origin = Santa Cruz, California, United States
Seattle, Washington, United States (now)

| genre = Experimental rock
Experimental metal

| label = {{hlist|The End|Mimicry}}

|associated_acts = {{hlist|Secret Chiefs 3|God of Shamisen|Fishtank Ensemble|ThanatoSchizO|Orange Tulip Conspiracy|Atomic Ape}}

| current_members =

| past_members = Band members

}}

Estradasphere was an American experimental rock band that originated in Santa Cruz, California, during the late 1990s. The band, which in its last incarnation was based in Seattle, consisted of six multi-instrumentalists from a variety of musical backgrounds trained in disciplines ranging from classical music and jazz to heavy metal.{{cite web|url = http://www.estradasphere.com/frame_band.php|title = Estradasphere's website|access-date = 2007-07-21|quote = Estradasphere is a band of multi-instrumentalists from an unlikely variety of musical backgrounds. Timb Harris (violin/trumpet), Jason Schimmel (guitar/banjo/keyboards/vocals), Tim Smolens (upright and electric bass/vocals), Kevin Kmetz (Tsugaru Shamisen/guitar/keyboards), Adam Stacey (accordion/keyboards/clavinet), and Lee Smith (drums/percussion) were trained in disciplines ranging from classical and jazz to metal. This diverse instrumental and stylistic palette enables them to execute a vast array of orchestrations and even forge entirely new genres such as "Bulgarian Surf," "Romanian Gypsy-Metal," and "Spaghetti Eastern."|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070716114137/http://www.estradasphere.com/frame_band.php|archive-date = 2007-07-16}}

In November 2007, members of Estradasphere started touring with Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls,[http://threeimaginarygirls.com/liveshowreview/2007nov/amandapalmerwithestradasphere Live show review of Amanda Palmer with Estradasphere @ 608 Club in Ballard by Three Imaginary Girls] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091205203409/http://threeimaginarygirls.com/liveshowreview/2007nov/amandapalmerwithestradasphere |date=December 5, 2009 }} as well as helping to produce her debut solo album Who Killed Amanda Palmer.[http://www.estradasphere.com/news.php Estradasphere touring with Amanda Palmer] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091105182444/http://www.estradasphere.com/news.php |date=November 5, 2009 }}

The band is on a "permanent hiatus"{{cite web|url = http://www.facebook.com/pages/Estradasphere/8327820635|title = Estradasphere's Facebook| website=Facebook |access-date = 2011-08-03}} since 2010.

Music

Estradasphere were influenced by many different artists from many different subgenres, such as jazz, funk, techno, classical music, pop, heavy metal, New Age, Latin, Balkan, klezmer, Greek and Romani.{{cite web|url = http://www.myspace.com/estradasphere|title = Estradasphere's MySpace|access-date = 2007-07-21|quote =Estradasphere is a band trained in disciplines ranging from classical and jazz to metal.}} They were influenced by artists such as The Beach Boys and Secret Chiefs 3, and have been compared to Mr. Bungle,{{cite web|url = {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p459926/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title = Biography @ Allmusic|access-date = 2007-07-21|quote =Unmistakably derived from the genre-bending loins of experimental rockers Mr. Bungle and Secret Chiefs 3, Estradasphere respectfully lives up to the ambitious musical aims of their wildly talented mentors.}} Frank Zappa and John Zorn.{{cite web|url=http://www.ssmt-reviews.com/db/searchrev.php?artistID=408&showReview=true |title=SSMT Reviews |access-date=2007-07-21 |quote=Estradasphere returns with another collection of Zappa-esquely varied songs spanning almost every musical genre invented since early Homo sapiens individuals first blew into hollow branches recreationally. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927141556/http://www.ssmt-reviews.com/db/searchrev.php?artistID=408&showReview=true |archive-date=2007-09-27 |url-status=dead }} Similarly to Mr. Bungle and Secret Chiefs 3, the band mixes several genres in its songs.{{cite web|url = {{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p459926/biography|pure_url=yes}}|title = Biography @ Allmusic|access-date = 2007-07-21|quote = Their hectic mix of jazz, metal, video game themes, and bluegrass was eaten up by hardcore Mr. Bungle fans, but went largely unnoticed elsewhere.}} The band was a self-proclaimed inventor of bizarre genres such as "Bulgarian Surf", "Romanian Gypsy-Metal", and "Spaghetti Eastern" and sounded like "Psychedelic-Sci-fi", "Gypsy-Metal-Jazz" and "Epic-Cinema-Thon", according to its MySpace.{{cite web|url = http://www.myspace.com/estradasphere|title = Estradasphere's MySpace|access-date = 2007-07-21|quote =Sounds like a Psychedelic-Sci-fi... Gypsy-Metal-Jazz... Epic-Cinema-Thon.}}

In 1997, members of the group released an avant-garde metal album called Koolaide Moustache in Jonestown under the name Don Salsa.{{cite web |url=http://www.xtrememusic.org/features/donsalsa.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080401030853/http://www.xtrememusic.org/features/donsalsa.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=1 April 2008 |title=Exclusive Interview |last=Sanvicens |first=Justin |date=14 July 2004 |website=Xtreme Music |access-date=6 October 2017}}

Band members

;Final line-up

;Previous members

Discography

;Studio albums

;Extended plays

;Live albums

  • These are the Days (2000)
  • Passion for Life (2004)
  • These are the Days (2005)
  • Palace of Mirrors - Live (2007)

Notes

{{Reflist|30em}}

External links

  • [http://www.estradasphere.com Estradasphere's official website]
  • [http://www.myspace.com/estradasphere Estradasphere] MySpace
  • [http://www.theendrecords.com The End Records] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100721234604/http://www.theendrecords.com/ |date=2010-07-21 }} - website of Estradasphere's current record label.
  • [http://www.webofmimicry.com Web of Mimicry] - website for Estradasphere's former record label.
  • [https://web.archive.org/web/20081204104415/http://www.obnoxiouslisteners.com/album/buck-fever-estradasphere/ Obnoxious Listeners: Estradasphere]

{{Estradasphere}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:American experimental musical groups

Category:Musical groups from California

Category:Web of Mimicry artists