Stellastarr

Stellastarr (styled as stellastarr*) was an American indie rock band based in New York City. Its members were Shawn Christensen (vocals, rhythm guitar), Amanda Tannen (bass, vocals), Arthur Kremer (drums, percussion, keyboards), and Michael Jurin (lead guitar, vocals).

Stellastarr
Stellastarr playing in Mexico
Background information
OriginBrooklyn, New York, United States
GenresIndie rock, post-punk revival, alternative rock
Years active2000–2009
LabelsTiswas, RCA/Sony, Bloated Wife
Websitestellastarr.com
MembersArthur Kremer
Shawn Christensen
Amanda Tannen
Michael Jurin

History

The band was formed in March 2000 from a previous musical effort, the band Ghistor,[1] formed while studying art and design at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. A few years later, after a chance meeting with Jurin, who had recently relocated to Brooklyn and had left his former band Charlotte's Funeral behind in his hometown of Philadelphia, the former classmates reunited, this time with Christensen on vocals. The band was named after an old purple hearse parked in Poughkeepsie, where Christensen grew up.[2]

Stellastarr played its first gig at Luna Lounge, formerly on the Lower East Side of Manhattan in July 2000, and released a limited series of independent/homemade EP CDs shortly thereafter. The band has toured with Jane's Addiction, The Raveonettes, Placebo, The Killers, and Editors. Stellastarr has played live in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Europe.

The third album, Civilized, was released in July 2009 on the band's own label, Bloated Wife. "Graffiti Eyes" and "Numbers" are the singles, the last one has a B-side that includes "Winter Song".[3] Since the release of the album, the band has been on indefinite hiatus.[4]

Members of the band have collaborated with Project Runway winner Christian Siriano and his boyfriend, musician Brad Walsh on music for Siriano's runway shows at fashion week. Michael Jurin played guitar on Walsh's song "Pop" which was the runway music in 2009, and Amanda Tannen contributed vocals to the song "I Got What U Need" on Walsh's 2009 album. Arthur is currently involved in a project titled Dear Comrade, which released its first LP in 2011.

Other projects

All members of the band have alternate careers.

Frontman Shawn Christensen is an Academy Award winning filmmaker[5][6] having won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for his 2012 short Curfew at the 85th Academy Awards. Christensen is also a professional painter. His award-winning art has been displayed at various New York exhibits and published in journals like Metropolis and The Village Voice.[7] He painted the portraits inside the album artwork for the group's eponymous debut album.

Bassist Amanda Tannen is a member of the Los Angeles-based band Cheekface, a graphic designer, and created the album art for the third album, Civilized.

Guitarist Michael Jurin is a member of the Philadelphia-based band The Midnight Sounds, creates his own music under the name Piano Belly and has scored various short independent movies.

Drummer Arthur Kremer is a graphic designer, and a founding member of a Brooklyn band called Dear Comrade, and acted in The Lost Battalion.

Discography

Albums

EPs
  • Somewhere Across Forever (May 19, 2002 UK; December 2002 US)

Singles
  • "Somewhere Across Forever" (2003)
  • "Jenny" (September 15, 2003)
  • "My Coco" (August 3, 2004) #46 Radio and Records Alternative chart[9]
  • "Sweet Troubled Soul" (September 2005 US; February 27, 2006 UK) #48 Radio and Records Alternative chart [10]
  • "Graffiti Eyes" (April 20, 2009 US)[8]
  • "Numbers" (December 1, 2009 US)

References
  1. "Stellastarr Biography". AllMusic. 2009. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  2. Huhn, Mary (March 30, 2004). "Rising Stellastarr". New York Post. Retrieved July 20, 2014.
  3. "Stellastarr on Twitter". March 10, 2009. Retrieved March 7, 2009.
  4. Leas, Ryan (November 19, 2014). "26 Essential Songs From The NYC Rock Resurgence". Stereogum. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  5. "Nominees for the 85th Academy Awards". Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  6. "WB, Lin join Christensen's 'Coalition'", Tatiana Siegel, Variety, September 10, 2008.
  7. "stellastarr*'s Shawn Christensen Gets Deep On Art and Music". Paste Magazine. December 3, 2004. Retrieved December 19, 2014.
  8. "New Track Up van stellastarr op Myspace". Blogs.myspace.com. April 7, 2009. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
  9. https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2004/RR-2004-06-04.pdf
  10. https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2005/RR-2005-09-16.pdf
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