Guided By Voices Artistfacts

Guided By Voices song list

Guided By Voices Artistfacts

1983-
Robert PollardLead vocals, guitar
Jim PollardBass1983-1995
Mitch MitchellGuitar1983-1997, 2010-2014
Kevin FennellDrums1983-1989, 1993-1997, 2010-2014
Tobin SproutGuitar1986-1997, 2010-2014
Greg DemosBass1990-1992, 1994-2000, 2010-2014
Doug GillardGuitar1997-2004, 2016-
Kevin MarchDrums2002-2004, 2014, 2016-
Mark ShueBass2016-
Bobby Bare Jr.Guitar2016-
Guided By Voices formed in 1983 but didn't quit their day jobs until 1994, when their no-frills rock found an audience in the alternative music scene. Group leader Robert Pollard was a fourth grade teacher; guitarist Mitch Mitchell was a factory worker; Kevin Fennell was a counselor; and guitarist Tobin Sprout, who joined in 1986, was an illustrator.
Robert Pollard writes most of their songs, banging them out at an astonishing pace. He's published over 2600 songs, with about 500 of them making it on to Guided By Voices albums and hundreds more recorded solo or with his sundry side projects. There are many more songs he's written but hasn't published. "I do it for a living, so I have a lot of time to think," he told Songfacts. "Not having many other distractions, other obligations."
In the August 1994 issue of the teen magazine Sassy, Guided By Voices was featured in their Cute Band Alert column. Other bands to receive that honor include Luscious Jackson, Ween and Bikini Kill.
Pollard has broken up the band a few times, shutting it down any time it starts to feel like a chore. Their first split was in 1992, but it didn't last long because Propeller, intended as their last album, caught on and earned them a record deal. The next breakup came in 1997, but Pollard quickly re-formed the group with another lineup. They broke up again 2004, then returned with their classic lineup in 2010. That lasted until 2014, when they again disbanded. Pollard resurrected Guided By Voices again in 2016 with yet another lineup.
Pollard has a signature stage move: the high kick, which he can do with or without a guitar. You'll often see him described as "the high-kicking frontman" of the group.
Their first five albums, released between 1987 and 1992, were released independently with different names they made up for the record label (Schwa Records, Halo, Rockathon...). They did this to make it look like they were bouncing around to different labels, always frustrated with the politics.
Their breakout year was 1994, when Bee Thousand made the lists of best albums of the year in both Spin and the Village Voice. They also jumped on the Lollapalooza tour that year.
Their 1999 album Do The Collapse was produced by Ric Ocasek of The Cars. The songs "Teenage FBI" and "Hold On Hope" were deemed hit-worthy and released as singles, but didn't trouble the charts. Pollard thinks it was for the best. "Why did I want a hit anyways? That probably would've ruined us!" he asked in Harp in 2005. "Once you get a hit, you start making a lot of money!"

Comments

Be the first to comment...

More Songfacts:

Rebel YellBilly Idol

Billy Idol got the title for "Rebel Yell" from a brand of whiskey he saw members of The Rolling Stones drinking.

LaylaDerek & the Dominos

Eric Clapton wrote "Layla" about his love for Pattie Harrison, who was married to George Harrison at the time. He eventually married Pattie, and managed to stay friends with George.

Something In The AirThunderclap Newman

Pete Townshend never had a #1 UK hit with The Who or as a solo artist, but he did produce and play on a song that hit the top spot there: "Something In The Air" by Thunderclap Newman, a group he assembled.

Police Dog BluesHugh Laurie

Hugh Laurie, star of the TV show House, had a minor hit in 2011 with "Police Dog Blues," an old Blues song from 1929.

Bad, Bad Leroy BrownJim Croce

"Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" is about a guy Jim Croce met in the National Guard, which Jim joined to keep him out of Vietnam. Leroy went AWOL, but got caught when he tried to pick up his paycheck.