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Beach Slang

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Beach Slang
Background information
OriginPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Genres
Years active2013 (2013)–2021 (2021)
Labels
Past members
  • James Alex
  • Aurore Ounjian
  • Scott Schoenbeck
  • Gee Lima
  • Spencer Dorsey
  • Dan Metzker
  • JP Flexner
  • Ruben Gallego
  • Ed McNulty
  • Cully Symington
Websitebeachslang.com

Beach Slang was an American rock band from Philadelphia formed in May 2013. The band underwent several line-up changes, with lead vocalist/guitarist James Alex serving as the band's leader, figurehead, chief songwriter and sole original member.

History

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Early years and The Things We Do to Find People Who Feel Like Us (2013–2015)

[edit]

Beach Slang formed in June 2013. In June 2014, they played their first live shows and released a 7-inch EP titled Who Would Ever Want Anything So Broken? via Dead Broke Records.[1][2] They followed that release in October 2014 with their second extended play titled Cheap Thrills on a Dead End Street via Tiny Engines.[3][4][5]

Beach Slang started out with a string of live, lead guitarists; Spencer Dorsey of the band No Summer and Dan Metzker of the band The Danger O's. In February 2015, Beach Slang released a split along with five other bands titled Strength in Weakness via Lame-O Records.[6]

Shortly before the recording of the band's first full-length LP, the band added Ruben Gallego as its permanent lead guitarist. Their debut full-length album, The Things We Do to Find People Who Feel Like Us, was released on October 30, 2015.[7]

A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings and line-up changes (2016–2018)

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In April 2016, Beach Slang apparently broke up on stage at a show in Salt Lake City. James told the crowd it was their last show and asked the venue to refund the audience's ticket money.[8] Ruben slammed his guitar down and walked off stage during the incident.[9] Just over a month later, drummer JP Flexner was kicked out of the band after being blamed for causing James' on-stage meltdown[10] in Salt Lake City.[11] Recorded with Flexner, prior to his departure, the band released its second studio album, A Loud Bash of Teenage Feelings, in September 2016.

In October 2016, the band parted ways with guitarist Ruben Gallego.[12] That December, the band officially replaced Flexner and Gallego with two new members: former Mean Creek guitarist Aurore Ounjian and former Afghan Whigs and Cursive drummer Cully Symington.[13]

Alex began his side project Quiet Slang as a way to reinterpret some Beach Slang material and to create new music of a different stripe.[14] In October 2017, Alex released the EP We Were Babies & We Were Dirtbags, which contains 4 acoustic reworkings of previously released songs.[15]

Everything Matters But No One Is Listening and The Deadbeat Bang of Heartbreak City (2018–2020)

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A full Quiet Slang album, Everything Matters But No One Is Listening, was released in May 2018, and Alex went on a supporting tour.[14] He described his inspiration for the project succinctly in an interview: "If Beach Slang is me fawning over The Replacements, Quiet Slang is me head-over-heels for Stephin Merritt (The Magnetic Fields). And, really, that's all it is. I mean, the first time I heard a Magnetic Fields record, I was completely knocked out. I wanted to deconstruct it, to figure it out. All of a sudden, I felt like rock ‘n’ roll could be tender, but still mean it just as much".[14]

On October 14, 2019, the band announced their third studio album, The Deadbeat Bang of Heartbreak City. Its lead single, "Bam Rang Rang," was released the same day.[16] The album was released on January 10, 2020.

Emotional abuse allegations and split (2021)

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On January 5, 2021, James Alex was accused of emotional abuse by the band's former manager and tour manager, Charlie Lowe. The band's social media pages went offline the following day.[17]

On January 12, 2021, a statement was published on the band's Instagram account, stating that James Alex's behaviour was a result of "severe mental health issues" and that the band had split up. It also states that he is currently "an inpatient facility after attempting to take his life".[18]

Previous bands

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The members of Beach Slang all participated in various bands and projects in their time as musicians.

  • James Alex was previously a member of the band Weston between 1992 and 2011, and Cordova Academy Glee Club from 2005 to 2009.[19]
  • Ed McNulty was a member of Crybaby from 2012 until 2015.
  • JP Flexner was previously a member of the band Ex Friends from 2011 to 2014, and No Summer from 2013 to 2014. He has also served as a touring drummer for the band Worriers, filling in for Mikey Erg.
  • Ruben Gallego was previously a member of the band Glocca Morra.
  • Spencer Dorsey is a solo artist and also formerly of the band No Summer alongside Flexner, self-releasing his music through his label Twin Wasp.[20]
  • Dan Metzker was a member of Philadelphia band The Danger O's.
  • Cully Symington was the drummer for Cursive between 2009 and 2018, and has since joined the band Sparta.
  • Aurore Ounjian was the lead guitarist in Mean Creek from 2006 to 2015.
  • Tierney Tough is the lead singer and chief songwriter in The Pauses, and has also played in War On Women and in the backing band of Matt Pond PA.[21]
  • Dan Crotts was the drummer in Nashville band Brave Town.[22]
  • John Herguth has played in bands such as AciD, Rocketscience and The Love Scene. He has also released solo music under the project name Atlantic/Pacific.[23]
  • Scott Schoenbeck was originally in the band Cleveland Bound Death Sentence before joining Dashboard Confessional in 2002.
  • Benjamin Clapp is the Junk Percussionist for Skeleton Key.

Band members

[edit]
Final lineup
  • James Alex – lead vocals, lead guitar (2013–2021)
  • Aurore Ounjian – rhythm guitar, backing vocals (2016–2021)
  • Scott Schoenbeck – bass (2019–2021)
  • Gee Lima – drums (2019–2021)
Former members
  • Spencer Dorsey – guitar (2013)
  • Dan Metzker – guitar (2013)
  • JP Flexner – drums (2013–2016)
  • Ruben Gallego – guitar (2013–2016)
  • Ed McNulty – bass (2013–2018)
  • Arik Dayan – drums (2017–2017)
  • Cully Syminton – drums (2017–2019)
  • Tierney Tough – bass, backing vocals (2018)
  • Dan Crotts – drums (2018)
  • Maura Weaver – bass (2019)
  • John Herguth – bass (2019)
  • Jason Draper – bass (2019)
  • Benjamin Clapp – drums (2019)
Timeline

Discography

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Studio albums

EPs

  • Who Would Ever Want Anything So Broken? (2014)
  • Cheap Thrills on a Dead End Street (2014)
  • Here I Made This For You: Volume 1 (2016)
  • Here I Made This For You: Volume 2 (2017)
  • We Were Babies & We Were Dirtbags (2017, released under Quiet Slang)

Compilations

  • Broken Thrills (2015) [compilation of both 2014 EPs]

Compilation appearances

References

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  1. ^ Blest, Paul. "Beach Slang just released the summer EP to end all summer EPs". Vice. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  2. ^ Thompson, Paul. "Beach Slang Who Would Ever Want Anything So Broken? EP". Pitchfork. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  3. ^ Powers, Chris. "Beach Slang Announces New EP Cheap Thrills on a Dead End Street". Paste Magazine. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  4. ^ "Beach Slang – Cheap Thrills On A Dead End Street [EP]". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  5. ^ Ozzi, Dan. "Blast this song from Beach Slang's new EP and feel alive, Dammit!". Vice. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  6. ^ Sacher, Andrew. "Modern Baseball release song from 6-way split; Hop Along, Beach Slang, Aye Nako & Ryley Walker play BV-RBSS soon". Brooklyn Vegan. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
  7. ^ Katzif, Mike (21 October 2015). "First Listen: Beach Slang, 'The Things We Do To Find People Who Feel Like Us'". NPR. NPR. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  8. ^ "Beach Slang Are Not Breaking Up". Stereogum.com. 30 April 2016.
  9. ^ "Hard Luck Kid by Beach Slang @ Kilby Court". YouTube. 2016-04-29. Retrieved 2017-01-09.
  10. ^ "Hard Luck Kid by Beach Slang @ Kilby Court". YouTube. 2016-04-29. Retrieved 2018-05-23.
  11. ^ "Drummer JP Flexner Leaves Beach Slang". Pastemagazine.com.
  12. ^ "Beach Slang Remove Guitarist Ruben Gallego Amid Sexual Assault Allegations". Pitchfork. 11 October 2016.
  13. ^ Josephs, Brian (8 December 2016). "Beach Slang Announce New Touring Lineup | SPIN". Spin. Retrieved 8 December 2016.
  14. ^ a b c Romaine, Jenna (May 2, 2018). "Quiet Slang: Are You Listening?". The Aquarian Weekly. Arts Weekly Inc. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
  15. ^ Colburnon, Randall (October 19, 2017). "Quiet Slang, a.k.a. Beach Slang's James Alex, unveils We Were Babies & We Were Dirtbags EP: Stream". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 2017-10-22.
  16. ^ Rettig, James (14 October 2019). "Beach Slang – "Bam Rang Rang"". Stereogum. Prometheus Global Media, LLC. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
  17. ^ Punknews.org. "James Alex of Beach Slang accused of Emotional Abuse by Former Manager". www.punknews.org. Retrieved 2021-01-07.
  18. ^ "Beach Slang issue statement regarding allegations; band split!". www.deadpress.co.uk. DEAD PRESS!. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  19. ^ "The Cordova Academy Glee Club | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  20. ^ Records, Twin Wasp. "Home". Twin Wasp Records.
  21. ^ "Tierney Tough – Discogs". Discogs. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  22. ^ "An Interview With Brave Town". soundigest. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  23. ^ "John Herguth – Discogs". Discogs.
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