American Music Club
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San Francisco, United States (1983 – present)
American Music Club (often abbreviated AMC) is a San Francisco-based band led by singer-songwriter Mark Eitzel. They’ve been recording and playing in SF clubs since the mid 1980’s, showing a remarkable longevity for a band that has been far more critically acclaimed than financially successful.
Although born in California, frontman Mark Eitzel spent his formative years in Great Britain and Ohio before returning to the Bay Area in 1980. After a brief stint with the punk band The Naked Skinnies he founded American Music Club in 1983 with guitarist Vudi, bassist Dan Pearson, keyboardist Brad Johnson, and drummer Matt Norelli. This lineup would change over the next several years but Eitzel always remained the core of the band in terms of its vocals, lyrics and thematic focus.
Their 1985 debut, The Restless Stranger, offers a rough outline of their increasingly eclectic sound and firmly established Eitzel’s worldview, a harrowing vision of life as seen through the bottom of a shot glass. 1987’s Engine honed the formula: the addition of producer Tom Mallon as a full-time member expanded the group’s sonic palette.
American Music Club earned a solid cult following on the strength of 1988’s California. Their next LP, 1989’s United Kingdom, appeared only in the nation which lent the record its name and consisted of leftover material and live tracks.
In 1991 American Music Club emerged with the record that is widely considered their masterpiece, Everclear. Critical acclaim attracted the attention of several major labels. Eventually AMC — now consisting of Eitzel, Vudi, Pearson, multi-instrumentalist Bruce Kaphan, and drummer Tim Mooney — signed with Reprise in the U.S. and Virgin throughout the rest of the world.
Although born in California, frontman Mark Eitzel spent his formative years in Great Britain and Ohio before returning to the Bay Area in 1980. After a brief stint with the punk band The Naked Skinnies he founded American Music Club in 1983 with guitarist Vudi, bassist Dan Pearson, keyboardist Brad Johnson, and drummer Matt Norelli. This lineup would change over the next several years but Eitzel always remained the core of the band in terms of its vocals, lyrics and thematic focus.
Their 1985 debut, The Restless Stranger, offers a rough outline of their increasingly eclectic sound and firmly established Eitzel’s worldview, a harrowing vision of life as seen through the bottom of a shot glass. 1987’s Engine honed the formula: the addition of producer Tom Mallon as a full-time member expanded the group’s sonic palette.
American Music Club earned a solid cult following on the strength of 1988’s California. Their next LP, 1989’s United Kingdom, appeared only in the nation which lent the record its name and consisted of leftover material and live tracks.
In 1991 American Music Club emerged with the record that is widely considered their masterpiece, Everclear. Critical acclaim attracted the attention of several major labels. Eventually AMC — now consisting of Eitzel, Vudi, Pearson, multi-instrumentalist Bruce Kaphan, and drummer Tim Mooney — signed with Reprise in the U.S. and Virgin throughout the rest of the world.
Shouts:
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Top Albums
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Everclear
American Music Club
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The Golden Age
American Music ClubBuy- Download Album
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Love Songs For Patriots
American Music Club Buy- Download Album
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Mercury
American Music ClubBuy- Download Album
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Shoutbox
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Hirapur wrote:
I just took my two sleeping pills and now I feel like a bridegroom standing at the altar.
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Nikolaj-Bruus wrote:
The Restless Stranger is such an insanely underrated record - I can't believe they doesn't even acknowlegde the album themself. Having heard of all their albums incredibely much, TRS has such a raw and emotional energy that cannot be compared to anything else ...
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nixhex4311 wrote:
How many six packs does it take to screw in a light?
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rockstarvaci wrote:
How come that this fantastic band didnt surpass one million?! Cmon! Amazing band!
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eyesaresmiles wrote:
Engine version of everything.
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Uniontrade wrote:
OUTSIDE THIS BAR (engine Version)
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ijkidd wrote:
Rekindled my old affection for AMC recently, I haven't outgrown it yet. San Francisco sounds better now than I thought it would. Scandalously underated on http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/american_music_club, any fans register there and rate, Everclear 3.49 out of 5 at moment...
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indietrash wrote:
www.last.fm/group/sad
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markgreville wrote:
Simply a fantastic band! Is there a better song than Patriots Heart or The Dance??
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mutantoverlords wrote:
This is pretty good.
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mattarmstead wrote:
Everclear
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TheMusicalVito wrote:
The Restless Stranger. So good.
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Coanimatrice wrote:
some bands a timeless...
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eyesaresmiles wrote:
Yeah, I'm with you on that one. AMC are for life, not just for Christmas.
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wrwills wrote:
It's been nearly 20 years and I still love this band.
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mitsario wrote:
everclear
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shootmeadeer wrote:
Heard some early AMC songs and they piqued my interest. So, what's the best album to start with?
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rada2323 wrote:
I got into these guys around the time San Francisco came out, and I fell in love with them. I got them some chart time on a small college station I was Djing at during that time also. Saw them in Boston when they did their Love Songs tour, amazing! I wish Tim and Dan were still playing with them. Favorite album is a toss up between Everclear and California. Thats a hard one.
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flame_leaf wrote:
I got into this band listening to United Kingdom. I love every song on that album. I need to hear more of their other stuff.
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Waltz3 wrote:
1 everclear 2 engine 3 california
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Recent Activity
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Pap12345, senor_cyborg, johnny_omega and 25 other people added American Music Club to their libraries. yesterday afternoon
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arjn added American Music Club to the lineup of American Music Club at Hotel Arena. December 2011
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spidertown and gesmond added American Music Club to their libraries. December 2011
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unilintu tagged American Music Club with ‘sadcore’. December 2011
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kubsztal2 tagged American Music Club with alternative rock, singer-songwriter, indie rock and 2 other tags. December 2011
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Cosmosagan and LeVinRouge added American Music Club to their libraries. December 2011
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pablo-niddle tagged American Music Club with post-punk and indie rock. December 2011
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stephaniepulver added American Music Club to stephaniepulver’s library. December 2011
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SimonePerrota, alidix99, SickDeathCity and 1 other person added American Music Club to their libraries. December 2011
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SimonePerrota tagged American Music Club with ‘alternative country’. December 2011
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