Ponytail (band)

Ponytail was a 4-piece art rock band formed in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. The group featured vocalist Willy Siegel, guitarists Dustin Wong and Ken Seeno, and drummer Jeremy Hyman.[1][2] The band has toured internationally, with bands such as Battles, Hella, Don Caballero, High Places and others.[3] They have released three albums, Kamehameha, Ice Cream Spiritual, and Do Whatever You Want All The Time. They were named "Best Live Band" by Baltimore City Paper in September 2007[4] and "Best Band" in September 2008[5]

Ponytail
OriginBaltimore, Maryland, United States
GenresArt rock
Years active2005-2011
LabelsWe Are Free
Creative Capitalism
Monitor Records
Gaarden Records
MembersDustin Wong
Jeremy Hyman
Ken Seeno
Willy Siegel
Past membersMichael Petruzzo

History

In January 2005, the band came together originally as a 5-piece, incorporating Wong, Hyman, Seeno, Siegel and Petruzzo. The group was originally assembled by their professor for an assignment to start a band. Seeno recalls; "He put me and the drummer Jeremy [Hyman] together because we were the youngest. He put Dustin [Wong] with us because he was oldest in the class. And then he put this guy Michael Petruzzo with us, he was wearing a Destiny's Child t-shirt, I remember that. And then Willy was the last one to get picked." After talking about their favorite music, the group started playing together, with the experienced musicians Hyman, Wong and Seeno playing off the freeform noise made by Petruzzo and Siegel. Petruzzo eventually left the band, which led to them focusing more on melody with Siegel as their frontman.[6]

Kamehameha was released in vinyl on Friday, April 17, 2006, on Portland, Oregon-based label Gaarden Records.

After the Jump Fest, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY 6/21/08 . Photo by Bob Sanderson

In mid-June 2008, Ponytail released their second full-length, Ice Cream Spiritual to positive reviews.[7] The band has been praised for their energetic, 'sugar-rush type' performances by BBC as well as Pitchfork Media.[8] Wong left Ecstatic Sunshine in 2009 to fully focus on Ponytail. The band toured internationally throughout Europe, USA, Australia, and New Zealand in promotion of their latest record. The band was also chosen by Matt Groening to perform at the edition of the All Tomorrow's Parties festival which he curated in May 2010 in Minehead, England. Ponytail went on hiatus in August 2010. Wong published a solo-album Infinite Love in October 2010. A 40-minute piece cut into 15 tracks and then re-done on a 2nd CD. This instrumental release appeared on Thrill Jockey.[9] Although Dustin Wong had announced that Whartscape 2010 in Baltimore, Maryland would be their last show, a new album was announced. The band released their third full-length album, titled Do Whatever You Want All The Time, in April 2011. The cover art that was designed by Yamantaka Eye of the Japanese rock band Boredoms.[10] The band officially broke up on September 22, 2011.[11]

Discography

Albums
  • Kamehameha (We Are Free, November 22, 2006)
  • Ice Cream Spiritual (We Are Free, June 17, 2008)
  • Do Whatever You Want All The Time (We Are Free, April 12, 2011)[12]

Singles
  • Celebrate the Body Electric (It Came from An Angel) (We Are Free. April 29, 2008)

References
  1. Cat Dirt Sez, catdirtsez.blogspot.com/, contains review of band, as well as information on formation and history, retrieved 16 August 2008.
  2. allmusic Biography allmusic.com/, written biography of Ponytail, retrieved 19 August 2008.
  3. Ponytail Myspace Page, myspace.com/, contains band-member-written information, retrieved 19 August 2008.
  4. "Best Live Band: Ponytail", Baltimore City Paper, 2007-09-19
  5. "Best Band: Ponytail", Baltimore City Paper, 2008-09-17
  6. https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/band-to-watch-ponytails-ecstatic-ambient-art-rock-20110406#ixzz1klONyCBp
  7. Pitchfork Review of ICS Archived 2008-08-16 at the Wayback Machine, pitchforkmedia.com/ review of Ice Cream Spiritual and information on Ponytail, retrieved 16 August 2008.
  8. BBC Review, bbc.co.uk/, gives a thorough review of Ice Cream Spiritual, retrieved 19 August 2008.
  9. http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/14802-infinite-love/
  10. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-12-13. Retrieved 2013-08-06.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  11. http://pitchforkmedia.com/news/44072-ponytail-break-up/
  12. http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2011/03/ponytail_has_no.html
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