Unextraordinary Gentlemen

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Unextraordinary Gentlemen

| image = Unextraordinary Gentlemen.jpg

| caption = From top to bottom: Richard "Professor Mangrove" Pilawski, Jennifer "J. Frances" Pomerantz, Eric "Malcom" Schreeck

| background = group_or_band

| origin = Los Angeles, California, United States

| genre = {{Flatlist|

}}

| years_active = 2007-current

| label =

| associated_acts = Vernian Process, Demonika & The Darklings, BloodPenny

| website = [http://www.unextraordinarygentlemen.com/ Official website]

| current_members = Eric "Malcom" Schreeck
Richard "Professor Mangrove" Pilawski
Jennifer "J. Frances" Pomerantz

}}

Unextraordinary Gentlemen (UXG) is a musical project formed in Los Angeles in 2005 by bassist/keyboardist Richard Pilawski (previously with the surf punk band Sex with Lurch) & vocalist/lyricist Eric Schreeck to "...explore our love for post-punk, synth-pop, industrial & experimental music combined with the literary genre of Victorian fantasy." The project went public in early 2007, joined by Jennifer Pomerantz (of Demonika & The Darklings) on violin. The band's name is a tongue-in-cheek nod to Alan Moore's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

UXG has been called one of the "foremost of the musical assets of... steampunk"{{cite news |url=http://steampunkunderground.today.com/2009/01/03/myspace-steampunk-resource-connections/|work=Steampunk Underground|title= Myspace Steampunk resource connections|author=theladyofshalott|date=Jan 3, 2009 |quote=For the foremost of the musical assets of our steampunk realm, there are... The Unextraordinary Gentlemen with their cool, yet minimalistic postpunk-like tones. |access-date=2009-09-17 }} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}} and has been interviewed by or featured in several genre and local scene publications.{{cite news |url=http://www.sepiachord.com/uxgint.htm|work=Sepiachord|title= An Interview with The Unextraordinary Gentlemen|date=2008-11-26 |access-date=2009-09-26 }}Other interviews with UXG:

{{cite news |url= http://mickmercer.com/themick.html |work= MickMercer.com |title= Interview from The Mick #42 (interview starts on page 69) |author= Mick Mercer |author-link= Mick Mercer |year= 2008 }}
{{cite news |url= http://graveconcernsezine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1977&Itemid=83 |work= Grave Concerns E-Zine |title= Interview- Unextraordinary Gentleman |author= Lynda Dale MacLean |date= 14 April 2008 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110711123902/http://graveconcernsezine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1977&Itemid=83 |archive-date= 11 July 2011 }}
{{cite news |url= http://www.matrix-online.net/bsfa/website/matrixonline/Matrix_Features_4.aspx |work= Matrix Online : the news and media magazine of the British Science Fiction Association |title= Pump Up The Volume: The Sound of Steampunk |author= Kim Lakin-Smith |date= 2008-06-20 |url-status= usurped |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080820072943/http://www.matrix-online.net/bsfa/website/matrixonline/Matrix_Features_4.aspx |archive-date= 2008-08-20 }}
{{cite news |url= http://steampunkunderground.today.com/2009/01/25/beating-the-heart-of-steampunk-through-music-an-unextraordinary-gentlemen-interview/ |work= Steampunk Underground Magazine |title= Beating the heart of steampunk through music: an Unextraordinary Gentlemen interview |author= theladyofshalott |date= 2009-01-25 }}
{{cite news|url=http://la.metblogs.com/2009/03/04/unextraordinary-gentlemen/|work=Los Angeles Metblogs|title=Unextraordinary Gentlemen|author=Victoria Lane|date=March 4, 2009|access-date=2009-09-26}}
{{cite news|url=http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/synthful/unextraordinary-gentlemen-play/|work=LA Weekly|title=Interview: Unextraordinary Gentlemen Play an Evening of Steampunkery Sunday Night|author=Liz Ohanesian|date=Sep 18, 2009|access-date=2009-09-26|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090923164240/http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/synthful/unextraordinary-gentlemen-play/|archive-date=2009-09-23}}
{{cite news|url=http://www.efanzines.com/ExhibHall/ExhibHall-03.pdf|work=Exhibition Hall Steampunk Fanzine, Issue 3|title=Interview - The Unextraordinary Gentlemen|author=Chris Garcia|page=6|date=November 2009|access-date=2010-01-16}}

Their first CD, 5 Tales from God-Only-Knows received positive reviews from several sources,{{cite news |url= http://www.midnightcalling.com/wordpress-mc/2008/07/unextraordinary-gentlemen-5-tales-from-god-only-knows/|work= Midnight Calling EZine |title= Unextraordinary Gentlemen: 5 Tales from God-Only-Knows |author= DJ Delicti |date= Jul 25, 2008}}{{cite news |url= http://www.post-punk.com/|work= post-punk.com |title= Unextraordinary Gentlemen: 5 Tales from God-Only-Knows EP (2007)|author=Joshua Pfeiffer}} most notably ReGen magazine,{{cite news |url= http://www.regenmag.com/Reviews-1286-Unextraordinary-Gentlemen-5-Tales-from-God-Only-Knows.html |work= ReGen magazine |title= Unextraordinary Gentlemen: 5 Tales from God-Only-Knows |author= Amy Mauk |date= February 1, 2008}} Mick Mercer{{cite news|url=http://mickmercer.livejournal.com/791441.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121205204059/http://mickmercer.livejournal.com/791441.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 5, 2012 |work=LiveJournal |title=Unextraordinary Gentlemen: 5 Tales from God-Only-Knows |author=Mick Mercer |date=January 8, 2008 }} and Sepiachord.{{cite news |url= http://www.sepiachord.com/unexgent.htm|work= Sepiachord |title= Unextraordinary Gentlemen: 5 Tales from God-Only-Knows CD |date= January 16, 2008}} Mick Mercer called their second release, No Hands To Guide Us, "most impressive".{{cite news|url=http://mickmercer.livejournal.com/928375.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121203211618/http://mickmercer.livejournal.com/928375.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 3, 2012 |work=LiveJournal |title=Unextraordinary Gentlemen: No Hands To Guide Us |author=Mick Mercer |date=March 26, 2009 }} In December 2011, the 2010 version of their song, "Open Arms, Empty Air" was a Track of the Week on the UK review site, "Keep Pop Loud".{{cite news |url= http://www.keeppoploud.co.uk/2011/12/track-of-week-unextraordinary-gentlemen.html |title= Track of the Week: Unextraordinary Gentlemen - Open Arms, Empty Air (2011 Version) |date= 26 December 2011 | quote= In short they could be the best band that you've yet to hear.}}

Back-story

The band has created a back-story set in a fictional area based on a mixture of Victorian England and American Old West, with the band members taking on alternate identities that relate to that back-story. In character, the band members are time travellers who have come from that past using one of Professor Mangrove's amazing inventions. Most of their songs are set in and tell stories about this fictional 19th century place, sung from the points-of-view of characters like "Clive the Barker", "Dread Penny" and "Elwood Lovekraken". A page on their website contains "The Unextraordinary Encyclopedia", a list of names, places and events in this fictional world that are referred to in their music.

Career

UXG has performed in notable venues such as the CIA, the Knitting Factory and the Derby, and have performed at major goth and steampunk events including Eccentrik Festival, Bats Day and The Edwardian Ball. They can often be heard on a number of steampunk radio broadcasts that stream worldwide, such as The Clockwork Cabaret,{{cite web |url= http://clockworkcabaret.podhoster.com/|title= Clockwork Cabaret podcast archive|access-date=2009-08-29 }} and were recently featured in the SmallWORLD podcast's focus on steampunk.{{cite web|url= http://www.alterati.com/blog/2010/01/steampunk/|title= The SmallWORLD: Steampunk|author= Bazooka Joe|date= January 15, 2010|access-date= 2010-01-15|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100119080918/http://www.alterati.com/blog/2010/01/steampunk/|archive-date= January 19, 2010}}

Festival appearances have included:

:*The 2008 Edwardian Ball in San Francisco, CA.{{cite web |url=http://edwardianball.com/ |title=Edwardian Ball official website|access-date=2009-09-28}}{{cite web|url=http://www.edwardianball.com/2008/promo/Edwardian08PressRel.pdf|title=PARADOX Media Presents the Edwardian Ball Weekend 2008|date=December 14, 2007|access-date=2009-09-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710171813/http://www.edwardianball.com/2008/promo/Edwardian08PressRel.pdf|archive-date=July 10, 2011|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}

:*The 5th Annual Eccentrik Festival{{cite web |url=http://eccentrikfestival.com/|title=Eccentrik Festival official website|access-date=2009-09-28}} in Chapel Hill, NC 2008.

:*Bats Day in the Fun Park Dark Park Festival 2008 [http://www.babbleandbeat.com/concert-reviews/voltaire-frankenstein.html Babble and Beat music magazine concert review of Bats Day Dark Park Festival] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120718160346/http://www.babbleandbeat.com/concert-reviews/voltaire-frankenstein.html |date=2012-07-18 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.yelp.com/events/anaheim-the-dark-park-festival|title=The Dark Park Festival, Anaheim|work=Yelp.com|access-date=2010-10-01}}{{cite web|url=http://www.batsday.net/photos/iframe/2008photos/dpf_uxg/dpf_uxg.html |title=Dark Park Festival - Unextraordinary Gentlemen |work=Batsday.net |year=2008 |access-date=2009-10-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090507082710/http://batsday.net/photos/iframe/2008photos/dpf_uxg/dpf_uxg.html |archive-date=May 7, 2009 }} in Anaheim, CA.

:*Gothla: The Divining: Cogs In Motion{{cite web|url=http://www.gothla.com/home.html|title=Gothla: The Divining: Cogs in Motion|access-date=2009-09-26|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090501051917/http://gothla.com/home.html|archive-date=2009-05-01}} in Pomona, CA 2009.

:*San Diego Comic-Con's steampunk after-party "The Ventricular Engine", in San Diego, CA, July 2009.{{cite web|url=http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs195.snc1/6571_1171156873331_1060261715_538537_2144196_n.jpg|title=Promotional poster for Comic Con's steampunk after-party, "The Ventricular Engine"|access-date=2009-09-26|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727114735/http://photos-b.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs195.snc1/6571_1171156873331_1060261715_538537_2144196_n.jpg|archive-date=2011-07-27}}

:*The Steampunk World's Fair in Piscataway, NJ, May 2010.{{cite web |url=http://steampunkworldsfair.com/performers/|title=The Steampunk World's Fair – May 14–16, 2010 in Piscataway, NJ » Performers|access-date=2010-05-18}}

:*San Diego Comic-Con's steampunk after-party "The League of Temporal Adventurers First Society Gala", in San Diego, CA, July 2010, headlining with Voltaire and The Slow Poisoner.

:* Wild Wild West Con at Old Tucson Studios in Tucson, Arizona, March 2011.

:*San Diego Comic-Con's steampunk after-party "The Time Machine", in San Diego, CA, July 2011, headlining with Abney Park.{{cite web|url=http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/2092/26205610150364945442306.jpg |title=Promotional poster for Comic Con's steampunk after-party, "The Time Machine" |access-date=2011-07-23 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120323222230/http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/2092/26205610150364945442306.jpg |archive-date=2012-03-23 }}

:* Steamstock 2013 in San Francisco, California.

=Collaboration=

Their song "Open Arms, Empty Air" was remixed by Vernian Process.{{cite web|url=http://dj-fact50.livejournal.com/222805.html |title=Unextraordinary Gentlemen - Open Arms, Empty Air (Vernian Processed Mix) |author=DJ FACT.50 |date=2008-03-23 |access-date=2009-09-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809050520/http://dj-fact50.livejournal.com/222805.html |archive-date=2011-08-09 }}
Their song "Mr. Soot's Little Black Book" was also included on the steampunk compilation, An Age Remembered: A Steampunk and Neo-Victorian Mix (2007){{cite web |url= http://www.discogs.com/Various-An-Age-Remembered-A-Steampunk-Neo-Victorian-Old-World-Mix/release/1599472|title= An Age Remembered - A Steampunk / Neo-Victorian Old World Mix|work=Discogs|year=2007|publisher=Gilded Age Records|author=DJ FACT.50|access-date=2009-09-30}}
Malcom Schreeck helped write the lyrics on two songs by Vernian Process ("The Alchemist's Vision", and "Crime of the Century") and is credited with vocals on versions of those tracks.{{cite web |url=http://www.myspace.com/vernianprocess|title=Vernian Process on MySpace Music|quote=Guest Musicians: Malcom Schreeck - Vocals (The Alchemist's Vision, Crime of the Century)|access-date=2009-09-28}}
In 2011, their song "Open Arms, Empty Air" was again remixed, this time by Barry Adamson, as well as their song, "Goodbye 1870s", a reworking of Yazoo's "Goodbye Seventies".
Adamson also remixed their song, "Black Iron Road", for the "Projekt Presents: A Dark Cabaret 2" (September 2011 release date).

Discography

=Albums=

Stars Pulled Down (August 7, 2012)

=EPs=

5 Tales From God-Only-Knows (Dec. 2007){{cite web |url= http://www.discogs.com/Unextraordinary-Gentlemen-5-Tales-From-God-Only-Knows/release/1948260|title= Unextraordinary Gentlemen - 5 Tales From God-Only-Knows|work=Discogs|year=2007|access-date=2009-09-30}}
No Hands To Guide Us (Oct. 2008){{cite web |url= http://www.discogs.com/Unextraordinary-Gentlemen-No-Hands-To-Guide-Us/release/1948280|title= Unextraordinary Gentlemen - No Hands To Guide Us|work=Discogs|year=2008|access-date=2009-09-30}}