Surfer Blood
{{Short description|American indie rock band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Surfer Blood
| image = Surfer Blood 2013.jpg
| caption = Surfer Blood performing at the House of Blues in Cleveland in 2013
| background = group_or_band
| origin = West Palm Beach, Florida, United States
| genre = Indie rock, post-punk revival, surf rock, alternative rock
| years_active = 2009–present
| label = Joyful Noise Recordings, Kanine, LAB 344 (South America), Warner Bros. Records, Fierce Panda (UK)
| website =
| current_members = John Paul Pitts
Tyler Schwarz
Mike McCleary
Lindsey Mills
| past_members = Kevin Williams
Thomas Fekete (deceased)
Brian Black
Marcos Marchesani
}}
Surfer Blood are an American indie rock band from West Palm Beach, Florida, United States, currently signed to Kanine Records, formerly signed to Joyful Noise Recordings and Warner Bros. Records. The band currently consists of four members: John Paul Pitts (lead vocals/guitars), Tyler Schwarz (drums), Mike McCleary (guitars/backing vocals), and Lindsey Mills (bass/backing vocals).
Formation
Founding members John Paul Pitts and Tyler Schwarz started playing music together in Orlando, Florida{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/36919-rising-surfer-blood/ |title=Rising: Surfer Blood | News |publisher=Pitchfork |date=2009-10-27 |accessdate=2013-06-15}} under the name Jabroni Sandwich.[1] They then moved back to their hometown of West Palm Beach, Florida and started playing with guitarist Luke Bovat and bassist Freddy Schwenk in 2008 under the name "TV Club." As this early incarnation of the group they developed most of the material that would end up on Surfer Blood's debut album, Astro Coast. TV Club lasted for about a year until Bovat was kicked out and Schwenk left the band. Around that time, Pitts and Schwarz met Thomas Fekete at an Ultra Music Festival after party in Miami and the group was renamed to Surfer Blood (a name that Schwarz randomly came up with during a conversation with Pitts about his surfer backpack from high school{{cite web |author= |url=http://www.spinner.com/2010/03/14/surfer-blood-interview-sxsw-2010/ |title=Surfer Blood Interview: SXSW 2010 |publisher=Spinner |date=2010-03-18 |accessdate=2013-06-15 |archive-date=2018-08-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180808171615/http://www.spinner.com/2010/03/14/surfer-blood-interview-sxsw-2010/ |url-status=dead }}) with the immediate goal of releasing a record and touring nonstop.
Career
The band's 2009 debut single, "Swim", gained much critical acclaim and was named as the 37th best track on Pitchfork's 100 Best Songs of 2009.{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7742-the-top-100-tracks-of-2009/7/ |title=Staff Lists: The Top 100 Tracks of 2009 | Features |publisher=Pitchfork |date=2009-12-14 |accessdate=2013-06-15 |archive-date=2012-04-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419025932/http://pitchfork.com/features/staff-lists/7742-the-top-100-tracks-of-2009/7/ |url-status=dead }} They released their debut album, Astro Coast, in January 2010.
The band were widely considered to be the breakout band of 2009's CMJ Music Marathon.{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.spin.com/2011/10/15-industry-insiders-decode-cmj-2011s-breakout-buzz-band/ |title=15 Industry Insiders Decode CMJ 2011's Breakout Buzz Band | SPIN | Newswire |publisher=SPIN |date=2011-10-17 |accessdate=2013-06-15}} In March 2010, playing songs from their debut album, Astro Coast, Surfer Blood made quite a splash at the SXSW NPR music party (and returned to SXSW in 2011).{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/41806-the-pitchfork-guide-to-sxsw-2011/|title=The Pitchfork Guide to SXSW 2011 {{!}} Pitchfork|website=pitchfork.com|date=11 March 2011 |language=en|accessdate=2018-09-22}} In May 2010, the band played at the ATP music festival curated by Pavement along with other groups such as Broken Social Scene, The Walkmen, and Atlas Sound.{{cite web|url=http://www.atpfestival.com/events/pavement/news/1005061023.php |title=Stage Times for ATP curated by Pavement - updated with DJ times - Events - All Tomorrow's Parties |publisher=Atpfestival.com |date=2010-05-06 |accessdate=2013-06-15}} Later that month, Surfer Blood headed over to Spain to join the lineup at the San Miguel Primavera Sound Festival.{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/38632-pitchfork-stage-at-primavera-sound-festival-lineup-announced/ |title=Stage at Primavera Sound Festival Lineup Announced | News |publisher=Pitchfork |date=2010-04-30 |accessdate=2013-06-15}} In August of that year, Surfer Blood finished out the summer playing two more festivals; Splendour in the Grass in Australia{{cite web |url=http://wots-on.info/whats-on/?event=Splendour_In_The_Grass_2010--Woodford--QLD--Australia--000A3sh--Live_Music--2010-08-01 |title=Splendour in the Grass 2010 - Woodford QLD, Australia - Sunday August 01, 2010 - Live Music |website=wots-on.info |access-date=3 February 2022 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120719161732/http://wots-on.info/whats-on/?event=Splendour_In_The_Grass_2010--Woodford--QLD--Australia--000A3sh--Live_Music--2010-08-01 |archive-date=19 July 2012 |url-status=dead}} and Summer Sonic in Tokyo.{{cite web |url=http://www.summersonic.com/2010/lineup/ |title=LINEUP | SUMMER SONIC 2010 |publisher=Summersonic.com |date= |accessdate=2013-06-15 |archive-date=2018-09-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922140107/http://www.summersonic.com/2010/lineup/ |url-status=dead }}
The band was chosen by Les Savy Fav to perform at the ATP Nightmare Before Christmas festival that they co-curated in December 2011 in Minehead, England.{{cite web|url=http://www.atpfestival.com/events/nightmare2011.php |title=Nightmare Before Christmas curated by Battles/Caribou/Les Savy Fav - All Tomorrow's Parties |publisher=Atpfestival.com |date= |accessdate=2013-06-15}}
On October 25, 2011, Surfer Blood released the Tarot Classics EP on Kanine Records. The EP's first single "Miranda" debuted on Pitchfork on August 30, 2011, and "I'm Not Ready" was named NPR's Song of the Day on December 8, 2011.{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/12305-miranda/ |title=Surfer Blood: "Miranda" | Tracks |publisher=Pitchfork |date=2011-08-30 |accessdate=2013-06-15 |archive-date=2013-06-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603012807/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/12305-miranda/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|last=Butler |first=Will |url=https://www.npr.org/2011/12/08/143291449/surfer-blood-all-the-right-spots?ft=3&f=4703895&sc=nl&cc=sod-20111208 |title=Surfer Blood: All The Right Spots |publisher=NPR |date= |accessdate=2013-06-15}} Artists that contributed remixes to the EP include Totally Sincere (Connor Hanwick of the Drums and Peggy Wang of The Pains of Being Pure at Heart), Speculator, School of Seven Bells and Allen Blickle.
The band opened for the Pixies during their Doolittle Lost Cities Tour in 2011. The tour came about after Pitts met the Pixies in an airport in New Zealand and they said they were already familiar with Surfer Blood's music. Surfer Blood performed a cover of their song "Gigantic" for The A.V. Club's music-video series "AV Undercover" which Pitts says he'd like to think that was "the needle that broke the camel's back when it came to the decision" to tour with them.{{Cite web|url=http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/reverb/2011/08/surfer_bloods_jp_pitts_on_taro.php|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713071336/http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/reverb/2011/08/surfer_bloods_jp_pitts_on_taro.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-07-13|title = Surfer Blood's JP Pitts on Tarot Classics + Running into Kim Deal at …}}
On January 9, 2012, they appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon where they performed the single "Miranda" off of Tarot Classics. The next day, news spread that the band would be entering the studio in February 2012 with producer Phil Ek (Fleet Foxes, Built to Spill) to record their highly anticipated second album which was released on Warner Bros. Records.{{cite web |author= |url=http://www.dailyrindblog.com/?p=10279 |title=Surfer Blood Stays Out Late on Jimmy Fallon | The Daily Rind |publisher=Dailyrindblog.com |date=2012-01-10 |accessdate=2013-06-15 |archive-date=2012-07-30 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120730012828/http://www.dailyrindblog.com/?p=10279 |url-status=dead }}
File:John Paul Pitts and Lindsey Mills of Surfer Blood The Saint Asbury Park NJ 2017 LHCollins.jpg|John Paul Pitts and Lindsey Mills of Surfer Blood performing at The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ, August 2017
File:Tyler Schwarz of Surfer Blood The Saint Asbury Park NJ 2017 LHCollins.jpg|Tyler Schwarz of Surfer Blood at The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ, August 2017
File:Mike Mcleary of Surfer Blood The Saint Asbury Park NJ 2017 LHCollins.jpg|Mike McCleary of Surfer Blood performing at The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ, August 2017
File:Lindsey Mills of Surfer Blood Saint Asbury Park NJ 2017 LHCollins (2).jpg|Lindsey Mills of Surfer Blood on stage at The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ, August 2017
File:Lindsey Mills and John Paul Pitts of Surfer Blood Saint Asbury Park NJ 2017 LHCollins.jpg|Lindsey Mills and John Paul Pitts of Surfer Blood jamming at The Saint in Asbury Park, NJ, August 2017
In May 2012, the band confirmed via their Twitter account that they were moving to California on May 12, 2012, to record their second album with legendary producer Gil Norton.{{cite web|last= |first= |url=http://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/latest-news/surfer-blood-start-work-on-new-album-with-pixies-producer-92073 |title=Surfer Blood start work on new album with Pixies producer |publisher=The Line Of Best Fit |date=2012-05-05 |accessdate=2013-06-15}}
On January 21, 2013, they uploaded a new song off their next album, Pythons, called "Weird Shapes".{{cite web|author= |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIvMR8YDqWU&noredirect=1 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/jIvMR8YDqWU |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title=Surfer Blood - Weird Shapes [Official Audio]|publisher=YouTube |date=2013-01-28 |accessdate=2013-06-15}}{{cbignore}}
In February 2014, the band announced that work on their third record had begun.
On May 20, 2014, the band debuted a video of them playing a new song titled "Island". The song has been played before back in 2011, during various radio sessions.
On September 16, 2014, a new song titled "NW Passage" was debuted on SoundCloud, as part of their split single with We Are Scientists.
On February 17, 2015, the band announced their third album 1000 Palms and that it would be released on Fierce Panda / Joyful Noise Recordings on May 12. The lead single, "Dorian", was premiered on BBC Radio 1 at midnight.
Original guitarist Thomas Fekete left the band in 2015 shortly after the announcement of their third album, 1000 Palms, due to a medical diagnosis for a rare form of cancer (sarcoma) that had spread to his lungs and spine. He was diagnosed in the winter of 2014.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/may/31/surfer-blood-guitarist-thomas-fekete-dies-at-age-27|title=Surfer Blood guitarist Thomas Fekete dies at age 27|date=31 May 2016|work=the Guardian|last1=LeDonne|first1=Rob|accessdate=31 May 2016}} The band announced a fundraising effort to help alleviate Thomas' medical bills through the site GoFundMe on April 20, 2015. On May 31, 2016, Fekete's wife Jessica announced that he had died.{{cite web|url=https://www.gofundme.com/welovethomas?pc=14_tw_up&rcid=10560208273511e6b500bc764e052a98 |title=Medical -Thomas Fekete/Surfer Blood by Thomas Fekete |publisher=GoFundMe |date=2017-02-13 |accessdate=2017-02-25}}
In April 2015, the song "Swim" was featured in an episode of the Netflix series "Daredevil."{{cite web |url=http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/the-daredevil-binge-blog |title=The "Daredevil" Binge-Blog |publisher=Comicbookresources.com |date=13 April 2015 |accessdate=2015-05-15 |archive-date=2016-03-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160323195250/http://www.comicbookresources.com/article/the-daredevil-binge-blog |url-status=dead }}
Surfer Blood shared the video for album track "Island" in June 2015, in support of "1000 Palms".{{cite news|title=Surfer Blood announce UK tour and 'Island' video|url=http://www.neverenoughnotes.co.uk/2015/06/surfer-blood-announce-uk-tour-and-new-video/|accessdate=12 June 2015|work=Never Enough Notes|publisher=Never Enough Notes|date=12 June 2015|ref=Never Enough Notes|archive-date=13 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150613160750/http://www.neverenoughnotes.co.uk/2015/06/surfer-blood-announce-uk-tour-and-new-video/|url-status=dead}}
In October 2015, the band announced that their longtime bassist, Kevin Williams, was leaving the band to pursue a new job in Austin, Texas. The band later announced that their long time friend from high school, Lindsey Mills, would be replacing Kevin on bass.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/surferblood/with_replies |title=Tweets with replies by Surfer Blood (@surferblood) |publisher=Twitter |date= |accessdate=2017-02-25}}
The band's fourth album, Snowdonia, was released on February 3, 2017. It is the first album the band has released following Fekete's death,{{cite news|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/69382-surfer-blood-announce-new-album-share-new-song-six-flags-in-f-or-g-listen/|title=Surfer Blood Announce New Album, Share New Song "Six Flags in F or G": Listen|work=Pitchfork|accessdate= 3 November 2016}} and features Mills and guitarist Michael McCleary.{{Cite web|url=http://www.magnetmagazine.com/2017/03/16/essential-new-music-surfer-bloods-snowdonia/|title=Essential New Music: Surfer Blood's "Snowdonia"|website=www.magnetmagazine.com|date=16 March 2017|language=en-US|access-date=2017-03-17}}
In October 2017, Surfer Blood released Covers, an album featuring cover versions of songs by Pavement, OutKast, and more. Following Covers, in 2019 the band released their second EP/10" vinyl called Hourly Haunts.
In January 2020, Surfer Blood announced that they would be releasing a new album called Carefree Theatre which was inspired by the historic landmark theater of the same name in West Palm Beach. The album is currently scheduled for release on September 25, 2020, according to the band's website,{{Cite web|title=SURFER BLOOD|url=https://www.surferblood.com/|access-date=2020-06-08|website=SURFER BLOOD|language=en-US}} and marks the band's return to Kanine Records, the label that had put out Astro Coast 10 years earlier.{{Cite web|title=Kanine Records - Surfer Blood|url=https://www.kaninerecords.com/surfer-blood/|access-date=2020-06-08|website=www.kaninerecords.com|language=en}} A 10-year anniversary deluxe double LP version of Astro Coast is slated for release by Kanine on Record Store Day, August 29, 2020.{{Cite web|title=Kanine Records - Astro Coast (10 Year Anniversary) Record Store Day Exclusive|url=https://www.kaninerecords.com/product/surfer-blood-astro-coast-10-year-anniversary-record-store-day-exclusive/|access-date=2020-06-08|website=www.kaninerecords.com|language=en}}
Legal problems
In March 2012, frontman John Paul Pitts was arrested for domestic battery in Lake Worth, Florida. He pled no contest and agreed to complete a court supervised program, rather than go to trial as it would interfere with his tour plans.{{cite news|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/47420-surfer-bloods-john-paul-pitts-arrested-for-battery/|title=Surfer Blood's John Paul Pitts Arrested for Battery|work=Pitchfork|accessdate= 7 November 2016}} All charges were eventually dropped.{{cite web|author=Ryan Reed |url=http://www.salon.com/2015/05/08/surfer_blood_wants_a_fresh_start_everyone_wants_to_go_to_bed_thinking_everyone_thinks_theyre_a_good_person/ |title=Surfer Blood wants a fresh start: "Everyone wants to go to bed thinking everyone thinks they're a good person" |website=Salon.com |date=2015-05-08 |accessdate=2017-02-25}}
Discography
=Albums=
==Studio albums==
==Demo albums==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of demo albums, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:10em;"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Album details ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US Heat. |
|---|
| scope="row"| Pythons Demos
|
| 43 |
| colspan="11" style="font-size:90%" |"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
==Cover albums==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of cover albums ! scope="col" style="width:10em;"| Title ! scope="col" style="width:18em;"| Album details |
| scope="row"| Covers
|
|
|---|
=EPs=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of EPs, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:10em;"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:18em;"| Album details ! scope="col" colspan="3"| Peak chart positions |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US Heat. ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US |
|---|
| scope="row"| Tarot Classics
|
| 5 || 46 || 48 |
| scope="row"| Hourly Haunts
|
| — || — || — |
| scope="row"| Hard Boiled
|
| — || — || — |
| colspan="11" style="font-size:90%" |"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
=Singles=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of singles, with selected chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:14em"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:1em" | Year ! scope="col" colspan="2"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:12em" | Album |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| MEX Eng. {{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/surfer-blood/chart-history/MIN/ |title=Surfer Blood – Chart History: Mexico Ingles Airplay |magazine=Billboard |publisher=Billboard |access-date=May 18, 2022}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| UK
|
|---|
| scope="row"| "Swim"
| rowspan="2"| 2009 | 11 || — | rowspan="4"| Astro Coast |
| scope="row"| "Slow Jabroni"
| — || — |
| scope="row"| "Take It Easy"
| rowspan="2"| 2010 | — || — |
| scope="row"| "Floating Vibes"{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/floating-vibes-single/1481794602|title=Floating Vibes - Single by Surfer Blood on Apple Music|work=Apple Music (US)|accessdate=May 18, 2022}}
| — || 66 |
| scope="row"| "Miranda"
| 2011 | 45 || — | Tarot Classics |
| scope="row"| "Demon Dance"{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/demon-dance-single/1349930281|title=Demon Dance - Single by Surfer Blood on Apple Music|work=Apple Music (US)|accessdate=May 18, 2022}}
| rowspan="3"| 2013 | — || — | rowspan="2"| Pythons |
| scope="row"| "Weird Shapes"{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/weird-shapes-single/1349956883|title=Weird Shapes - Single by Surfer Blood on Apple Music|work=Apple Music (US)|accessdate=May 18, 2022}}
| — || — |
| scope="row"| "Spanish Bombs"
| — || — | {{N/A|non-album single}} |
| scope="row"| "Grand Inquisitor"{{cite web |url=https://www.joyfulnoiserecordings.com/collections/surfer-blood/products/grand-inquisitor.html |title=Surfer Blood // Grand Inquisitor |publisher=Joyfulnoiserecordings.com |date= |accessdate=2015-02-15 |archive-date=2016-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104030909/https://www.joyfulnoiserecordings.com/collections/surfer-blood/products/grand-inquisitor.html |url-status=dead }}
| rowspan="2"| 2014 | — || — | rowspan="2"| 1000 Palms |
| scope="row"| "I Can't Explain"{{cite web|url=https://www.joyfulnoiserecordings.com/surfer-blood-i-cant-explain.html |title=Surfer Blood // I Can't Explain / Death And The Maiden |publisher=Joyfulnoiserecordings.com |date= |accessdate=2015-05-15}}
| — || — |
| scope="row"| "Women of Your Life"
| rowspan="2"| 2016 | — || — | {{N/A|non-album single}} |
| scope="row"| "Six Flags in F or G"
| — || — | rowspan="2"| Snowdonia |
| scope="row"| "Frozen"
| 2017 | — || — |
| scope="row"| "Around Your Sun"
| 2019 | — || — | Hourly Haunts |
| scope="row"| "Karen"
| rowspan="3"| 2020 | — || — | rowspan="2"| Carefree Theatre |
| scope="row"| "Parkland (Into The Silence)"
| — || — |
| scope="row"| "Summer Trope" {{small|(featuring Pip Blom)}} | — || — | Hardboiled |
| colspan="10" style="font-size:90%"| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
==Split singles==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of split singles, with notes, showing year released and album name ! scope="col" style="width:16em;" | Title ! scope="col" | Year ! scope="col" style="width:21em;" | Notes |
| scope="row" | "Evil Cat" / "Bub the Builder"{{cite web|url=https://www.joyfulnoiserecordings.com/collections/surfer-blood/products/surfer-blood-and-lil-bub.html |title=Surfer Blood / Lil Bub Split // Evil Cat / Bub the Builder |publisher=Joyfulnoiserecordings.com |date= |accessdate=2016-05-13}}
| 2016 |
|
|---|
=Notes=
{{notelist-ua}}
Appearances in media
- The band's song "Swim" is playable in the video game Power Gig: Rise of the SixString. "Swim" and "Floating Vibes" have also been released as downloadable content for the Rock Band video game series through its Rock Band Network service. "Floating Vibes" also appears in video game "Test Drive Unlimited 2". The band's song and music video for "Demon Dance" appears in the video game "Guitar Hero Live". The band's song "Fast Jabroni" appears in the television series "Community (TV series)" Season 1 Episode 25, titled "Pascal's Triangle Revisited" which originally aired 20 May 2010.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tunefind.com/show/community/season-1/5560|title = Music from Community S1E25}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{Official website|http://www.surferblood.com/}}
- [http://www.joyfulnoiserecordings.com/collections/surfer-blood Joyful Noise Recordings // Surfer Blood]
- [http://www.kaninerecords.com/surfer-blood Surfer Blood at Kanine Records]
- [http://www.themusicfix.co.uk/content/feature/9305/surfer-blood-interview.html Interview with TMF after their first European tour] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007061713/http://www.themusicfix.co.uk/content/feature/9305/surfer-blood-interview.html |date=2011-10-07 }}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2009 establishments in Florida
Category:Indie rock musical groups from Florida
Category:Joyful Noise Recordings artists
Category:Fierce Panda Records artists
Category:Kanine Records artists
Category:Musical groups established in 2009