Pele (American band)

{{Short description|American instrumental post-rock band}}

{{Notability|Music|date=May 2024}}

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

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Pele

| image =

| caption =

| image_size =

| background = group_or_band

| origin = Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.

| genre = Post-rock, indie rock, jazz fusion, experimental rock

| years_active = {{hlist|1997–2004|2014–present}}

| label = Polyvinyl

| associated_acts = Collections of Colonies of Bees

| current_members = Jon Mueller
Chris Rosenau
Matt Tennessen

| past_members = Scott Schoenbeck
Scott Beschta
Jon Minor

}}

Pele is an instrumental post-rock band from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The group formed in the summer of 1997 by guitarist Chris Rosenau, bassist Scott Schoenbeck and drummer Jon Mueller.{{cite web|url=http://www.polyvinylrecords.com/artists/index.php?id=279|title=Pele|publisher=Polyvinyl Records|accessdate=January 22, 2012|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512212346/http://www.polyvinylrecords.com/artists/index.php?id=279|archivedate=May 12, 2012|url-status=dead}} Ever-evolving in sound, the band was difficult to classify. Early in Pele's career, critics had dubbed the band post-rock. However, later many fans began to hear them as jazzy, with "nimble" guitars, "rolling" bass, and "skittering" drums "with angular fills and layered beats." These so-called jazz elements shone through untraditional "syncopated handclaps, voices, and various blips and bleeps."

After seven years, thirteen releases, and various national and international tours, Pele announced their winter 2004 tour would be their last.{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/35000-news-in-brief-jayhawks-brakes-pele-roni-size/|last=Breihan|first=Tom|title=News in Brief: Jayhawks, Brakes, Pele, Roni Size|website=Pitchfork|date=April 3, 2009|accessdate=March 25, 2021}} The remaining members went on to various projects, most notably The Promise Ring and Paris, Texas, but also New Rising Sons, Volcano Choir, and Collections of Colonies of Bees.

In 2014, the lineup of Mueller, Rosenau and Tennessen reformed and supported fellow Polyvinyl act American Football, who themselves reunited that year, at their New Year's Eve show at the Bottom Lounge in Chicago.{{cite web|url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/pele-reuniting/|last=Sacher|first=Andrew|title=Pele reuniting for American Football's New Year's shows (Joan of Arc, Braid, Maritime, and S. Carey playing too)|website=Brooklyn Vegan|date=22 November 2014 |accessdate=March 25, 2021}} A show in Milwaukee was later announced for April 18, 2015 at the Cactus Club.

Band members

  • Jon Mueller - drums, percussion
  • Chris Rosenau - guitar
  • Scott Schoenbeck - bass
  • Scott Beschta - keyboards
  • Jon Minor - sampler, guitar, tambourine
  • Matt Tennessen - bass

Partial discography

  • Teaching the History of Teaching Geography (1998, Star Star Stereo Records)
  • People Living with Animals. Animals Kill People (1998, Star Star Stereo Records)
  • Elephant (1999, Sign Language Records)
  • The Nudes (2000, Polyvinyl Records)
  • Realize It (2001, Crouton Music)
  • Enemies (2002, Polyvinyl Records)
  • Pele/Rhythm of Black Lines (split 2003, Sixgunlover Records)
  • Pele / toe (split EP 2004, Polyvinyl Records)
  • A Scuttled Bender in a Watery Closet (April 7, 2009, Polyvinyl Records)

See also

References