Ghost Mice
Ghost Mice | |
---|---|
Origin | Bloomington, Indiana, United States |
Genres | Folk punk |
Years active | 2002–present |
Labels | Plan-It-X Records, No Idea Records, Hill Billy Stew Records, Anti-Creative Records, Friends and Relatives Records, Valiant Death Records, Discount Horse Records |
Associated acts |
Operation: Cliff Clavin Disarm The Devil Is Electric |
Website | http://ghostmice.bandcamp.com/ |
Members |
Chris Clavin Hannah Jones |
Ghost Mice is an American two-piece folk punk band from Bloomington, Indiana, United States. Both members, Chris Johnston (aka Chris Clavin) and Hannah Jones, have been in a handful of pop-punk bands together: namely Disarm, The Devil is Electric and Operation: Cliff Clavin. They decided to "turn to the folk side"[1] in the hopes that they could tour more easily and play almost anywhere, and to this end Hannah changed from playing bass to violin.[2][3]
Ghost Mice's records are available through Chris Johnston's record label Plan-It-X Records along with the respective labels, such as No Idea Records, that released them. The band feature in Roll Up Your Sleeves, directed by Dylan Haskins and released in 2008.
Band ethos
The following is a quote from Ghost Mice:
We play 100% acoustic. We never use amps or mics (except at Plan-It-X Fest and on Oct. 28, 2006 for The fest V]). We have been playing in bands together for about 7 years. We started Ghost Mice in 2002 because we were tired of being restricted. We were tired of having to travel in big vans and depend on amps, PA systems and electricity. With Ghost Mice we can travel very light and we need nothing to play. We often play in back yards or on the street corner in front of the venue. We have toured the United States many times and we toured Europe (Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, France, Spain, Belgium, England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland) by foot. We hitch-hiked and took trains to all of our shows. It was fun and very liberating. We sing a mix of personal and political lyrics, we are anarchist, we are dedicated to the DIY ethic and the struggle to make the world a better place. We play music and travel for fun and to meet new people. Music is our lives. We love travel. We are nice and a little shy.[4]
Ghost Mice's lyrics mostly involve trying to hold on to a positive outlook on life in the midst of fear and depression. Common themes of their songs include riding bikes, eating healthy food, love, stealing, scamming, traveling, building sustainable radical communities, death, family, depression, suicide, and previous love interests.
At Plan-It X Fest 2016 Ghost Mice played their set with electric instruments, and before they started playing Cris Clavin said "folk punk is dead".
Members
- Chris Johnston - acoustic guitar, vocals, harmonica, tambourine
- Hannah Jones - violin, vocals, melodeon, melodica
- Emily Timm - mandoline, melodica and vocals
Other members
- Pascal Benvenuti - ukulele, melodeon, concertina, bass, backing vocals
- Matty Pop Chart - accordion, drums
- Lily Richeson - cello
- Greg Wells - howling and breathing
- Eric Ayotte - mandolin
- Marty Sprowles - drums, percussion
- Olive Anne - violin (UK tour only)
Discography
Albums
- Ghost Mice - CDR - Plan-It-X Records, 2002 (out of print)
- The Debt of the Dead - CD - Plan-It-X Records, 2004
- Europe - CD - Plan-It-X Records, LP - No Idea Records 2006
- All We Got Is Each Other - LP/Cassette/Web download - Plan-It-X Records, 2012
- Death and Hatred to Mankind - LP - No Idea Records, Web download - Plan-It-X Records, 2012
Split albums
- Saw Wheel & Ghost Split - CD - Hill Billy Stew Records, 2003
- Rymodee & Ghost Mice Split - CD - 'Friends and Relatives Records, 2003
- Defiance, Ohio & Ghost Mice Split - CD - Plan-It-X Records, 2004
- Pretty Hot & Ghost Mice Split - CD - Anti-Creative Records, 2005
- Paul Baribeau & Ghost Mice & Paul Baribeau Split - CDR - Plan-It-X Records, Cassette tape - I Eat Tapes!, 2006
- Andrew Jackson Jihad & Ghost Mice - CD - Plan-It-X Records, 2007
- Brook Pridemore & Ghost Mice - 7" - Crafty Records/Plan-It-X Records, 2008
- ONSIND & Ghost Mice - 7" - Discount Horse Records, 2009
- Heathers & Ghost Mice Split / Plan-It-X Records 2009
- Ramshackle Glory & Ghost Mice 'Split' - Shelter / Plan-It-X Records 2013
Live albums
- Live At The Nest - CD - DIY Bandits, 2006
Compilation albums
- Collection One: Fairy Battle - LP - Valiant Death Records, 2006 (compilation of Ghost Mice tracks previously appearing on splits)
- The Three Dollar Gallon - CD - Crafty Records, December 16, 2006
References
- ↑ "Ghost Mice". Punknews.org. 2007-08-28. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
- ↑ "Ghost Mice". Last Hours. 2007-02-05. Retrieved 2015-08-10.
- ↑ Archived June 18, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
- ↑ Archived December 28, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.