Screaming Trees: Американдық рок тобының тарихы

American rock band

Screaming Trees were an American rock band formed in Ellensburg, Washington, in 1984 by vocalist Mark Lanegan, guitarist Gary Lee Conner, bassist Van Conner, and drummer Mark Pickerel. Pickerel was replaced by Barrett Martin in 1991. Screaming Trees became known as one of the pioneers of grunge along with Melvins, Mudhoney, U Men, Skin Yard, Soundgarden, Green River, and Malfunkshun, among others. Although widely associated with grunge, the band's sound incorporated hard rock and psychedelic elements. After releasing a string of EPs and albums in the 1980s on independent labels, Screaming Trees signed with Epic Records in 1990. They released their major label debut album in 1991, Uncle Anesthesia, which spawned their first charting single "Bed of Roses". After Martin replaced Pickerel on drums, Screaming Trees released their most successful album in 1992, Sweet Oblivion. "Dollar Bill" became a minor radio hit, but the lead single "Nearly Lost You" vastly increased the band's popularity as it peaked at No. 5 on the Modern Rock Tracks Chart, No. 12 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart, No. 50 on the UK Singles Chart, and No. 96 on the ARIA Chart. After an extended hiatus and various recording sessions, the band's follow up album was eventually released in 1996, entitled Dust. Although the lead single "All I Know" peaked at No. 9 on both the Modern Rock Tracks and Mainstream Rock Tracks charts, the album did not match its predecessor's success. After difficulties in recording another album, the band announced their official breakup in 2000. Their aborted album from the late 1990s was later released in 2011 as Last Words: The Final Recordings. Lanegan died aged 57 on February 22, 2022. Van Conner died aged 55 on January 17, 2023.

The Conner brothers formed Screaming Trees with Mark Lanegan and Mark Pickerel in 1984 in Ellensburg, Washington, a small town a little over 100 miles from Seattle. The band was drawn together in high school by an interest in punk, garage, and classic rock. The band rehearsed at the Conner family's video rental store and recorded their demo tape Other Worlds in the summer of 1985 with Steve Fisk at Creative Fire recording studio in Ellensburg. It was initially distributed by the independent label K Records. Other Worlds then got a wider release through the independent label, Velvetone Records (also based out of Ellensburg). Towards the end of 1989, Screaming Trees briefly became a part of the roster for the prominent independent label Sub Pop. The label released the band's EP Change Has Come in December 1989. Half of it was produced by Fisk and the other half was produced by Jack Endino. Drummer Pickerel later described the EP, in his own opinion, as "our best recorded moment".

In 1990 the band signed a major label contract with Epic Records. making it the band's first single to chart outside the United States. "Dollar Bill" was also released as a single and it peaked at No. 28 on the Modern Rock Tracks Chart and at No. 40 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks Chart. Overall, Sweet Oblivion sold a total of 300,000 copies in the United States. Screaming Trees also played at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark in 1992 which Nirvana headlined as well. The band supported Sweet Oblivion with a year long tour, during which tension developed among the members. After the tour was finished, the group took an extended hiatus. During that time, Lanegan recorded his second solo album, Whiskey for the Holy Ghost, which was released in 1994. In 2021, when asked about his time with Screaming Trees, Lanegan replied, "It's kind of like looking back at grade school. I definitely have fond memories and it's really how I learned to sing — through trial and error, with those guys." Lanegan died on February 22, 2022, at his home in Killarney, Ireland. Gary Lee Conner revealed on January 18, 2023 that Van Conner had died aged 55. He had previously been in a coma due to stomach surgery, followed by contracting COVID 19. It was reported that pneumonia had ultimately led to his death. On Black Friday 2023, Wrong Turn to Jahannam: Live From Egg Studio 1991 was released. It consisted of an in studio rehearsal session by the band which was unreleased up to that point. Dan Peters of Mudhoney played drums on the recording as it was during his brief time in the band as a touring member.

Mark Lanegan released a solo album in May 2001 entitled Field Songs. Also in that year, he became a member of the alternative rock group Queens of the Stone Age with Homme. Lanegan recorded two albums as one of the group's three vocalists before leaving the group in late 2005. His sixth solo album Bubblegum was released in 2004 and became his best selling album and his first solo album to chart. He went on to work with Greg Dulli in the Gutter Twins and the Twilight Singers. Lanegan also received critical acclaim for his albums with Isobel Campbell, one of which, Ballad of the Broken Seas, was nominated for the 2006 Mercury Music Prize. Gary Lee Conner started the bands the Purple Outside and Microdot Gnome as the vocalist. He has also done session work with other musicians. In 1999, he released the single "Grasshopper's Daydream/Behind the Smile" on Sub Pop, which featured his former bandmates Homme and Pickerel along with his brother Van as producer. Gary Lee later released four solo albums between 2016 and 2021. Initially, Van Conner turned his efforts to his side project Gardener with Aaron Stauffer (formerly of Seaweed, and later VALIS). In 2001, he contributed to Lanegan's album Field Songs. Van has produced and contributed to several other projects over the years, including Kitty Kitty, VALIS, Gardener, and Gary Lee's Sub Pop single "Grasshopper's Daydream/Behind the Smile". Van's band VALIS released several recordings between 2002 and 2012. Barrett Martin became a touring member for several bands after the breakup of Screaming Trees, including Stone Temple Pilots and R. E. M., and has released two solo albums with limited success. He later contributed to Lanegan's solo album I'll Take Care of You and the album Rated R by Queens of the Stone Age. He later became the drummer for Tuatara and also the drummer/vocalist in The Minus 5. Martin contributed playing drums on two albums by Nando Reis, a Brazilian musician: Para Quando O Arco Irís Encontrar O Pote de Ouro (2000) together with Peter Buck from R. E. M., and A Letra A (2003). Almost immediately after departing from Screaming Trees in 1991, Mark Pickerel formed the band Truly alongside Robert Roth, original Soundgarden bassist Hiro Yamamoto, and Chris Quinn. Truly released their debut EP Heart and Lungs in 1991, followed by Quinn's departure shortly after. The band stayed as a trio and they released two full length albums plus a compilation, followed by a hiatus in 1998. Pickerel also played drums on three of Lanegan's solo albums throughout the 1990s. Pickerel released his debut solo album in 2006, Snake in the Radio. He eventually followed it up with three additional solo albums.