Codeine is an American indie rock/slowcore band formed in 1989 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 and apathic vocals, and Engle’s ringing Telecaster, did not evolve much during their career.
Codeine | Tom
httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=I1JyIC1VgOc
Codeine released their first album Frigid Stars on the German label Glitterhouse in 1990. The album was released on Sub Pop the following year. Their second release, the short album Barely Real was issued in 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, but titled Wird.
Codeine | Loss Leader
httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=Rgdm21ovocw
Brokaw left the band after the release of Barely Real to play full-time with his other band Come. He was replaced by Douglas Scharin of the band Rex.
Codeine’s next and final release was the full-length album The White Birch, released in 1994. David Grubbs also participated on the album. After this release the band broke up.
Codeine | Interview with Chris Brokaw
httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=Qp_eTLtznAM
Stephen Immerwahr has since then been playing with the band Raymond, while Douglas Scharin continued in June of 44 and later HiM (a post-rock band from New York).
Definition: Codeine has been medically proven to soothe depression by submerging the user in a state of calm.
Schneider TM | The Light 3000
httpv://https://youtube.com/watch?v=FnEC35485DM
Codeine is supported by Berlin’s Schneider TM aka Dirk Dresselhaus, who is since the late 80’s active in different musical fields as indie-noiserock, experimental electro-freak-pop and electronica.
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Codeine & Schneider TM LIVE
presented by Digital in Berlin
Tuesday, 29 May 2012 | 20:00 CET
Festsaal Kreuzberg | Skalitzer Str. 130 | 10999 Berlin/Kreuzberg
Codeine at subpop.com | Codeine at heartofthunder.com | schneidertm.net | festsaal-kreuzberg.de
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