...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead

Associated_acts Mukilteo FairiesA Roman ScandalForget Cassettes
URL http://www.trailofdead.com/
Current_members Conrad KeelyJason ReeceKevin Allen (guitarist)Kevin AllenJay Leo PhillipsAaron FordClay Morris
Past_members Neil BuschDeanne RowleyDoni SchroaderDanny Wood


"...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead" (often abbreviated as "Trail of Dead") is an American art rock band from Austin, Texas. According to the band's website, their name is taken from an ancient Maya civilizationMayan ritual chant which shows a striking similarity to an ancient Egyptian chant. However, this explanation is said to be merely an ongoing joke. The chief creative elements of the band are Jason Reece and Conrad Keely. The two switch between drumming and lead vocals and guitar, both on their records and during their shows. (On some songs, former bass player Neil Busch sang lead vocals). As of February 2009, the band has released six studio albums. Their sixth album, 'The Century of Self', was released on February 17, 2009.

History
Formation
Keely and Reece have been friends since their youth, meeting originally in Hawaii. They each formed their first band in 1993, soon after moving to Olympia, Washington, where Keely studied at The Evergreen State College. As an interesting aside, Keely, along with Anton Newcombe of the Brian Jonestown Massacre, used to supplement their incomes by refurbishing the mastheads of many of the fishing vessels that would dock in Olympia's scenic port. Keely started a band called Benedict Gehlen that only lasted a year. Nancyville was Keely's next project, though it also was short-lived. Reece played drums with Honeybucket and then queercore band Mukilteo Fairies (the name is a play on words, referencing the ferry boat that travels between Mukilteo and Clinton, Washington) while living in Olympia. The two moved to Austin, Texas and started playing as a duo under the moniker, You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead. The band expanded to include guitarist Kevin Allen and bassist Neil Busch. They then officially lengthened their name to ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead. Conrad's girlfriend from Olympia, Deanne Rowley (now Deanne McAdams), of Plain Jane, Pro-Ex Marauders, and currently Leopards (and occasionally Dead Air Fresheners), briefly played with them as a back-up guitarist, but never appeared on any recordings.


Rise and success (1995–2006)
By 1995, they had issued their first release (one song on cassette-only compilation called 'Austin Live Houses'), followed by another self-titled four song cassette on Golden Hour, and in January 1998 a ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead (album)self-titled full-length on Trance Syndicate.

Trail of Dead soon moved on to Merge RecordsMerge after the Trance label went defunct. The band released Madonna (...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead album)'Madonna' on Merge in late 1999, and toured the U.S. opening for labelmates Superchunk to promote it. They signed to Interscope Records and released the Relative Ways'Relative Ways' EP in 2001.

In early 2002, the Trail of Dead released 'Source Tags & Codes' which received universal acclaim, including a 10/10 rating from Pitchfork Media, later saying it is 'one of indie rock's truly epic albums'. Their following tour was chronicled by Rolling Stone, with Andrew Dansby commenting on their group dynamic as a 'post-punk Voltron, that just might be the most exciting unit working today.'

A follow-up EP to 'Source Tags & Codes' was released in April 2003, titled The Secret of Elena's Tomb'The Secret of Elena's Tomb'. The EP featured contained the electronic track 'Intelligence' which featured, and was co-written by, Tyler Jacobson from A Roman Scandal, Reece's other band.

In July 2004 it was announced that Neil Busch was ejected from the band and Danny Wood (bass player)Danny Wood had taken his place on bass. Second drummer/percussionist Doni Schroader also joined the band around this time. Trail of Dead released 'Worlds Apart (...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead album)Worlds Apart' on January 25, 2005. The band's fifth album, 'So Divided', was released on November 14, 2006.

Post-Interscope era (2007–present)
In late summer of 2007, the Trail of Dead once again toured Europe, this time with drummer Aaron Ford replacing Doni Schroader. The band provided the soundtrack to the 2007 film 'Hell on Wheels (2007 film)Hell on Wheels', a documentary about the formation of Roller Derby in Austin, Texas. After their overseas tour ended on March 15, 2007, the Trail of Dead returned to the studio to begin recording their sixth record. In October they supported the virtual band Dethklok on an Adult Swim college tour. In that same month, the band became independent, having left Interscope Records after lack of support.

In early 2008, Trail of Dead went back into the studio, without a record contract. Using their own capital, they filmed their recording experiences and released them on YouTube. On October 21, they released an EP, resembling an 'album teaser', titled 'Festival Thyme'. On February 17, 2009, a 13-track album, 'The Century of Self' was released.

Personnel
Current lineup
Conrad Keely – vocals, guitar, drums, piano
Jason Reece – drums, vocals, guitar
Kevin Allen (guitarist)Kevin Allen – guitar, vocals
Aaron Ford – drums, piano, vocals
Jay Phillips – bass, vocals
Clay Morris – piano, vocals

Former members

Danny Wood
Doni Schroader

Discography
Albums
1998: '...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead (album)...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead' (January 20, 1998)
1999: 'Madonna (...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead album)Madonna' (October 19, 1999)
2002: 'Source Tags & Codes' (February 26, 2002) UK Album ChartUK 73
2005: 'Worlds Apart (...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead album)Worlds Apart' (January 24, 2005) UK 92, US 88
2006: 'So Divided' (November 14, 2006) UK 190, US 188
2009: 'The Century of Self' (February 17, 2009) US 169

Singles
2000: 'Mistakes & Regrets' UK Single ChartUK 69
2002: 'Another Morning Stoner' UK 54
2002: 'Relative Ways' UK 84
2004: 'Worlds Apart'
2005: 'And the Rest Will Follow' UK 77
2006: 'A Classic Art Showcase' UK Official Download ChartUK Download 49
2006: 'Wasted State of Mind'
2009: 'Isis Unveiled' (Radio Edit) 'promo only' for radio stations (e.g. Germany)

EPs
Self-titled CD-R (October 1998, self-released) (Limited edition of 60 copies; all three songs would later appear on 'Madonna')
'Relative Ways' (November 6, 2001)
'The Secret of Elena's Tomb' (April 1, 2003)
'Worlds Apart - EP' (October 12, 2004)
'Festival Thyme' (October 21, 2008)

Music videos
'Mistakes & Regrets'
'Relative Ways'
'Another Morning Stoner'
'All St. Day' (on 'Worlds Apart"s bonus DVD)
'The Rest Will Follow'
'Caterwaul'
'Naked Sun' (Edit)
'Isis Unveiled' (Radio Edit)

References


External links


http://www.trailofdead.org


at Synthesis.net
at Last.fm
at the Internet Archive's live music archive
from Poorboys on The Road
on The Syndicate Blog
on MyNorthwest.com March 2009
on Shockhound
at Exclaim!
March 2009


at Anthem Magazine
featured in Spin (magazine)SPIN's 'In My Room'

en.wikipedia.org