Cone Five


Cone Five
Origin Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
Genres alternative, indie rock, indie pop
Years active 1999 (1999)-2006 (2006)
Labels Grumpy Cloud Records
Dismal Failure Records
Conifera Records

Cone Five was an indie noise-pop band from Winnipeg, Manitoba, active from 1999 to 2006.

Cone Five's signature sound was a mix of high volume and emotional content. This at times garnered them the "emo" label, though the group was better characterized as a rather eclectic mix of art rock, punk rock, surf, pop and other styles. Live shows were energetic and chaotic, often beginning and ending in extended feedback squalls.

History

The band began as a recording project spearheaded by Matt McLennan, Galaxy Jenny, Sean Pauls and Ryan McVeigh. Upon completion of the first album, the band's original live lineup consisted of Matt McLennan (vocals, guitar), Galaxy Jenny (bass, backing vocals), Jason Peters (guitar, backing vocals) and Christian Bohonos (drums, backing vocals). Upon completion of the band's third album, Bohonos and Peters left the group on amicable terms. They were replaced by Andrew Workman (drums, backing vocals, guitar, bass, piano rape, echo tube, tabla, synthesizer, jawbone of an ass, harmonica, handclaps, tuba, recorder, violin, can opener, etc.) and Leslie Oldham (vocals, keyboards, accordion), both of whom appeared on the fourth and fifth albums and innumerable live shows. Peters returned to the band in 2005, in time for the recording of the fifth and final album as well as the group's final two shows. Longtime sound engineer Ryan McVeigh is also listed in the credits of the final album as a band member.

The band gained a steady following over the course of its first three albums, piquing the interest of local label Conifera Records. Conifera helped release 2003's "Fond Of", the only Cone Five album to break the national Canadian campus top 50 (Earshot). The album, as well as the band's frequent live performances, helped to usher in and sustain the short-lived Conifera Records scene in Winnipeg which lasted from approximately 2002-2005 and which featured such artists as Effector, Nowheretogo, Boat, The Horribly Awfuls, the Poets, and UBCLF.

The final album "Ants in the Sugar", released in 2007 on Grumpy Cloud Records, saw a dramatic shift with the sharing of lead vocal duties by keyboardist Leslie Oldham. The album is according to the group its "most extreme and adventurous outing to date" (Myspace reference), blending styles and moods at an unprecedented degree.

Cone Five was dissolved in mid-2006 following more than two years of logistical problems (McLennan moved to Ottawa in 2003 to pursue graduate degrees in philosophy at the University of Ottawa) as well as increasingly strained personal relationships. Having slowed down considerably as a live outfit, the group recorded "Ants in the Sugar" as its testament. The official breakup was announced mid-2006 on the group's Myspace.

Of the former members of Cone Five, McLennan, Oldham, Bohonos and Workman have remained consistently active as musicians. McLennan released three independent solo outings in one year (from 2003–2004), all of which cracked the Canadian national campus top 200 (Earshot). Since then, he has gone on to found the psychedelic folk group Mr. Pine with Kevin Scott, and has contributed to recordings by the Horribly Awfuls and Transmitter Down. Oldham went on to join McLennan in Mr. Pine, and is also a member of Winnipeg pop institution Paper Moon. Bohonos served a stint as drummer for the Martian Graverobbers, and currently plays with the band Breakaway Faction. Workman creates mostly unlistenable noise in his basement and one day hopes to spit on the grave of Philip Glass.

Discography

Albums

Compilations

See also

External links

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