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Kurt Travis

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Kurt Travis
Travis performing with Dance Gavin Dance in 2010.
Travis performing with Dance Gavin Dance in 2010.
Background information
Birth nameKurt Thomas Travis
Born (1984-01-16) January 16, 1984 (age 40)
Scottsdale, Arizona, United States
OriginSacramento, California, United States
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • musician
  • A&R
  • multi-instrumentalist
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • bass guitar
  • drums
  • keyboards
Years active2003–present
Labels

Kurt Thomas Travis (born January 16, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician from Sacramento, California. He is best known as the former lead vocalist for the post-hardcore bands Dance Gavin Dance and A Lot Like Birds. He is currently part of American post-hardcore bands Royal Coda and Push Over.

Travis began his musical career in 2001. He joined post-hardcore band Five Minute Ride, releasing the extended plays (EPs), Bathroom Walls... Lipstick Secrets in 2003, and The World Needs Convincing of All That It's Missing, on Rise Records, in 2005 before disbanding later that year. Travis later formed the folk group There & Back Again in 2006. Following these two groups, Travis helped form the band No Not Constant in July 2007, later disbanding the same year. In 2008, Travis became the lead vocalist for rock band O! the Joy, releasing one studio album, Zen Mode (2008). Following his underground success, Travis replaced Jonny Craig as clean vocalist in rock band Dance Gavin Dance. With the group, he released two studio albums, Dance Gavin Dance (2008) and Happiness (2009). After two years, it was revealed that Travis departed from Dance Gavin Dance, in 2010. The following year, Travis joined as a vocalist in the post-hardcore group A Lot Like Birds, releasing the studio albums Conversation Piece (2011) and No Place (2013) on Equal Vision Records, before departing in 2016. He briefly joined the math rock trio Eternity Forever, in 2016. He also formed the post-hardcore duo Push Over, along with The Fall of Troy's Thomas Erak, releasing a demo EP in January 2017. In 2018, he joined Royal Coda, having released two studio albums, Royal Coda (2018) and Compassion (2019).

As a solo artist, Travis has released two EPs, one split EP, and two full-length studio albums, Everything Is Beautiful (2014) and There's a Place I Want to Take You (2019). He launched his own record label, Esque Records, in 2016.

Career

Life and career

Kurt Travis was born in Scottsdale, Arizona. In 2019, Travis told Shane Told of Lead Singer Syndrome that both his parents are gymnasts and his father is 1976 Olympian and three-time world champion Kurt Thomas. Travis changed his surname from Thomas to Travis following his mother's remarriage. [1]

On April 22, 2014, Travis released the solo single "Brain Lord" and announced his debut full-length studio album, Everything Is Beautiful, which was released on May 14, 2014, on Blue Swan Records.[2][3] The album was written throughout a two to three year period between Travis and Strawberry Girls guitarist Zachary Garren. Inspiration for the album derived from At the Drive-In and Geoff Rickly of Thursday.[4] The percussionist for Travis' former band A Lot Like Birds, Joe Arrington, recorded drums for the album. Former Dance Gavin Dance guitarist Josh Benton served as the producer. Cory Lockwood of A Lot Like Birds made a guest appearance on the song "Casting Dreams." In support of the album, Travis toured in the U.S. and Canada from May 14 to June 7, 2014 with support from indie rock band Hotel Books and rock band So Much Light.[5][6]

Travis launched his independent record label Esque Records in 2015. He has signed various musical acts such as folk musician Paul Travis, post-hardcore band In Angles, rapper MENES the Pharaoh, and hip hop collective Galaxy Cloak.[7]

He released a split EP with Paul Travis on February 1, 2016.[8]

Travis has continually teased his sophomore studio album, There's a Place I Want to Take You, since 2016. He announced a headlining 2019 tour in support of his second solo studio album, which took place from May 17 to June 23, 2019 with support from singer-songwriter Andres, and post-hardcore bands Adventurer and Makari, on select dates, throughout the United States.[9] On April 16, Travis announced his second studio album There's A Place I Want To Take You, scheduled to be released on May 17, 2019.[10] A new song, "Easy Peasy", was released, accompanied with its music video, on the same day.[11]

2001–08: Five Minute Ride, No Not Constant, and O! the Joy

In 2001, while still a senior in high school, Travis was asked to join the Cameron Park based post-hardcore band Five Minute Ride, after the members discovered him at an open mic in Placerville, California.[12] The band's 2003 debut EP , Bathroom Walls... Lipstick Secrets, was released on promoter Eric Rushing's now-defunct 720 Records. Their follow-up EP, The World Needs Convincing of All That It's Missing, was recorded during the summer of 2004 with producer Kurt Ballou at Godcity Studios in Salem, MA, and released in 2005 through Rise Records. The group later disbanded in October 2005 after many of the original members, who formed the band during high school, had left for college.[13]

No Not Constant, another post-hardcore project based in Sacramento, California, consisting of Kurt Travis, Julian Loy, Tony Marks, Josh Benton, Alex Fleshman and Dale Arseneau, formed in 2007. The band was described as a "nu-jazz" and "indie pop" group and were heavily praised throughout the Northern California music scene. The band was short-lived and disbanded the same year.[14]

After numerous trial and errors with previous rock bands Five Minute Ride and No Not Constant, as well as his folk music project There & Back Again, he joined the post-hardcore band O! the Joy.[15] With the band, he released one full-length studio album, titled Zen Mode (2008), which was recorded at Tiny Telephone Recording Studios in San Francisco, California.[16] Despite local success, the group disbanded the same year.

2008–10: Dance Gavin Dance

Main article: Dance Gavin Dance

In late 2007, Kurt Travis replaced Jonny Craig as clean vocalist for the American post-hardcore band Dance Gavin Dance.[17] The band released two albums with Travis, including their sophomore studio album self-titled (also known as the "Death Star" album), releasing a music video for "Me and Zoloft Get Along Just Fine", and their third studio album Happiness, which spawned the single and music video for "Tree Village."

On August 18, 2010, Alternative Press announced Kurt's departure from Dance Gavin Dance via a press release from the band. He was replaced by the band's former vocalist Jonny Craig. The split was amicable, with Dance Gavin Dance officially stating "[they] and Kurt remain friends, and they wish Kurt the best in all of his future endeavors".[18]

Due to Jonny Craig's inability to tour in 2012, Travis also sang for Dance Gavin Dance, sharing duties with Lower Definition lead vocalist Matt Geise.

In 2018, he featured on the track "Shelf Life" on Dance Gavin Dance's eighth studio album, Artificial Selection.

2011–16: A Lot Like Birds

Main article: A Lot Like Birds

On January 9, 2011, A Lot Like Birds announced that Kurt Travis would be joining the band as a second vocalist.[19] Since joining the band, they have released two studio albums, Conversation Piece (2011) and No Place (2013) and embarked on a nationwide tour with Just Like Vinyl and Dance Gavin Dance.

On February 20, 2016, Travis departed from A Lot Like Birds.[20]

On May 6, 2018, Travis reunited with the group to perform at their final concert before permanently disbanding.[21]

2016–17: Eternity Forever

Eternity Forever was an American math rock supergroup composed of Strawberry Girls drummer Ben Rosett, former CHON bassist Brandon Ewing, and Kurt Travis. The trio formed in Carmel, California in December 2016.[22] The group reportedly recorded their debut studio album in the first week of December at Spirit Vision Studios in Carmel. On January 25, 2017, the group released the single "Fantasy", announcing their debut EP, Fantasy, which was released on Spirit Vision Records on April 20, 2017. Another single, "Letting Go", was released on February 28, 2017.[23] The project was discontinued after their first and only performance at Concert in the Park in Sacramento due to conflicts within the group.

2017–present: Push Over and Royal Coda

Main articles: Push Over (band) and Royal Coda

A post-hardcore musical group, consisting of Kurt Travis and The Fall of Troy vocalist and guitarist Thomas Erak, named Push Over, was revealed on January 29, 2017. Travis announced that the duo were composing new material for an upcoming release in 2017.[24] A demo EP was released on February 5, 2017.[25] Travis has teased that the group will release a full-length studio album.

Erak joined Travis' post-hardcore band Royal Coda as a touring guitarist and backing vocalist in August 2018, however dropped off halfway through the tour. It was speculated the duo was on hiatus as Erak was focusing on his solo career and Travis was focusing on his respective musical endeavors, but it was confirmed in February 2019 that the group will release new material in 2019.

On January 28, 2018, Blue Swan Records confirmed that American music trio Royal Coda signed to its label.[26] The band consists of A Lot Like Birds drummer Joe Arrington and Stolas and Sianvar guitarist Sergio Medina, along with Kurt Travis as vocalist. The group revealed that they finished recording their debut studio album on January 29, with a tentative release date in the spring 2018.[27]

The band released their debut song, "Anything to Save", as the lead single off their upcoming debut studio album, on February 16, 2018.[28] They released their self-titled debut studio album on April 27, 2018.[29]

The band toured as support on Tilian's headlining solo U.S. tour in August and September 2018.[30] The band's first headlining tour is set to take place from March 14 to March 30, 2019 in the United States, with support from Body Thief.[31] The band is set to release their second studio album, Compassion, in November 2019.[32]

Sound and musical influence

Kurt Travis has been primarily a singer and songwriter in post-hardcore groups throughout most of his music career. As a solo musician, he has pursued electronica, emo, folk, indie rock, pop, and progressive rock. In other musical groups and side-projects, he has performed different styles of alternative rock music including post-hardcore, punk rock, screamo, experimental rock, melodic hardcore, psychedelia, indie rock, and shoegaze. He has used his vocals for both singing and screaming in respective musical projects.

Travis grew up in a musical family having been influenced by his grandparents who inspired him to pursue guitar. At a young age, he was inspired by Counting Crows, Elliott Smith, and Heatmiser.[33]

Discography

References

  1. ^ "Lead Singer Syndrome". Retrieved September 28, 2019.
  2. ^ http://propertyofzack.com/post/83538253754/poz-video-premiere-kurt-travis-brain-lord
  3. ^ https://kurttravis.bandcamp.com/track/everything-is-beautiful
  4. ^ "Interview: Kurt Travis of A Lot Like Birds". The New Fury.
  5. ^ "Kurt Travis To Tour With Hotel Books, Zachary Garren, So Much Light". Under the Gun Review.
  6. ^ "Kurt Travis set to tour in May".
  7. ^ https://esquerecords.bandcamp.com/
  8. ^ https://kurttravisandpaultravis.bandcamp.com/
  9. ^ https://twitter.com/kurttravis/status/1116417133821321216
  10. ^ https://twitter.com/BlueSwanRecords/status/1118197501088002050
  11. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZZwAdVHnc0&feature=youtu.be
  12. ^ https://www.jabberjawmedia.com/podcasts/lead-singer-syndrome/165-kurt-travis
  13. ^ http://www.last.fm/music/Five+Minute+Ride/+wiki
  14. ^ http://www.last.fm/music/No+Not+Constant/+wiki
  15. ^ http://www.last.fm/music/O!+The+Joy/+wiki
  16. ^ http://www.last.fm/music/O!+The+Joy/+wiki
  17. ^ Donnelly, Dave (December 19, 2007). "New Dance Gavin Dance Singer". Sputnikmusic.
  18. ^ [1].
  19. ^ "A Lot Like Kurt". AbsolutePunk.net. Retrieved January 7, 2016.
  20. ^ "A Lot Like Birds LP IV". Retrieved February 21, 2016.
  21. ^ https://twitter.com/alotlikebirds/status/983427228980555777
  22. ^ https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=221049781674809&id=219725231807264
  23. ^ https://www.facebook.com/ETERNITYFOREVEROFFICIAL/videos/263886874057766/
  24. ^ kurt travis [@kurttravis] (January 29, 2017). "Follow pushovermusic for more updates 😎😎😎 the man @thomas_of_troy killing it on these drum tracks!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  25. ^ https://pushovermusic.bandcamp.com/
  26. ^ https://www.facebook.com/BlueSwanRecords/photos/a.534314129924798.1073741825.513920765297468/1695723020450564/?type=3
  27. ^ https://twitter.com/royalcoda/status/958161504787943424
  28. ^ https://www.facebook.com/RoyalCodaOfficial/videos/403741273399543/
  29. ^ https://www.facebook.com/RoyalCodaOfficial/photos/a.396736314100039.1073741828.396723737434630/419975568442780/?type=3&theater
  30. ^ http://www.bringthenoise.com/blog/dance-gavin-dances-tilian-pearson-announces-solo
  31. ^ https://twitter.com/RoyalCoda/status/1095064115540766720
  32. ^ https://ventsmagazine.com/2019/09/12/royal-coda-announce-new-album-compassion-release-video-for-new-track-numbing-agent/
  33. ^ http://switchbitchnoise.com/dont-lose-sight-of-what-is-important-kurt-travis-talks-inspirations-over-his-career-and-hints-at-collaboration-with-thomas-erak/
  34. ^ "October Wolves - "A Final Letter" feat. Kurt Travis OFFICIAL VIDEO". Globe Garage. November 16, 2013.
  35. ^ "Amarionette - "Get It Right" feat. Kurt Travis OFFICIAL VIDEO". Esque Records. July 27, 2016.
  36. ^ Boy Becomes Hero (November 17, 2018). "Boy Becomes Hero - Delectation (feat. Garrett Rapp and Kurt Travis) Official Lyric Video". Retrieved November 17, 2018 – via YouTube.
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