Genre Indie rock | Years active 1987— | |
Past members J'Anna Jacoby, Roger Butchers, Randy Leasure, Darin Danford, Gary Sullivan, Tim Boland, Scott Taylor, Kenny Sonoquie, Steven Schayer Albums Led Zeppelin Five, Sugarplum Fairy, Sugarplum Fairy Record labels Pop Culture Press Records, Not Lame Recordings, Doctor Dream Records, Zero Hour Records People also search for The Pipes and Drums of the Black Watch | ||
The Black Watch is an independent rock band from Santa Barbara, California whose only constant member has been singer, guitarist, and primary songwriter, John Andrew Fredrick. Through their twenty years in the recording industry, the group has affiliated with at least eight different record labels.
Contents
Fredrick formed the band in 1987 after earning his Ph.D. in English from UC Santa Barbara. After recording St. Valentine and releasing it on eskimo, Fredrick's own label, violinist J'Anna Jacoby joined the group and the two of them formed the nucleus of the band until she left the group in 2003.
The Black Watch has recorded and toured consistently throughout its history except for a brief period in 1997 when the band broke up. During this hiatus, Fredrick wrote The King of Good Intentions, a semi-autobiographical novel about an indie rock band. The band recorded a CD of the same title intended as a companion piece to the novel.
In 2008, guitarist and singer Steven Schayer (formerly of the New Zealand band The Chills) joined, and Fredrick published another book of fiction, The Knucklehead Chronicles.
In 2013, The band released The End of When on Pop Culture Press Records.
Critical reception
Trouser Press has noted that, despite so many great reviews, it is "astonishing" that The Black Watch has only garnered a following "the size of a kitchen sponge."
Discography
Songs
Solo Sword Dance2002
How Much About LoveLed Zeppelin Five · 2010
Emily - Are You Sleeping?Led Zeppelin Five · 2010