Heading back to the States (at least as far as bands are concerned) for a session by New York Slowcore maestros Codeine to finish up the week. Recorded on December 22, 1992 and broadcast on February 26, 1993 for John Peel at BBC Radio 1.
Codeine was formed by members Stephen Immerwahr (vocal, bass), Chris Brokaw (drums), and John Engle (guitar). Codeine pioneered the slowcore and sadcore subgenres of indie rock, but with a more experimental attitude than other bands in the genre, such as Low, Idaho and Red House Painters. The band’s original tone, marked by slow tempos, Immerwahr’s nasal vocals, and Engle’s ringing Telecaster, did not evolve much during their career.
Codeine released their first album Frigid Stars LP on the German label Glitterhouse in August 1990. The album was released on Sub Pop in the Spring of the following year.
The Barely Real EP was released in November 1992. Immerwahr rejected several of the songs after the recording session. Some of these songs would be re-recorded for the final album. The song “W.” is a solo performance on piano by David Grubbs (of Bastro, Squirrel Bait and Gastr del Sol). A somewhat different full-band version of the song appears on Codeine’s next album, now titled “Wird”.
Brokaw left the band after the release of Barely Real to play full-time with his other band Come, and after Josh Madell of Antietam replaced him temporarily for a US tour, he was replaced permanently by Rex drummer Doug Scharin.
Codeine’s final release was the full-length album The White Birch, released in May 1994. David Grubbs also participated on the album. After this release, the band broke up. Doug Scharin continued in Rex and June of 44, and later as the band leader of HiM. Following the demise of Come, original drummer Chris Brokaw became a solo artist and itinerant musician, including playing drums for The New Year and playing guitar with Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth and with Christina Rosenvinge.
Dive in and get ready for the weekend.
