G. Green (also styled "G.Green") is a Sacramento post-punk/indie rock band that grew out of Andrew Henderson's solo bedroom-recording project into a full band, becoming a fixture of the city's DIY and Midtown scene.[1][2] The band describes themselves as "Literate rockers from Northern California," with Sacramento, California listed as their location.[3]
At a glance
- From Sacramento; a "rad post-punk band hailing from Sacramento" and described repeatedly as "locals."[2][4]
- Began as Andrew Henderson's solo recording moniker; Henderson is an "awkward kid from Folsom."[1]
- Core members in the mature lineup: Andrew Henderson (vocals, guitar), Liz Liles (drums), Mike Morales (lead guitar), Simi Sohota (bass).[2]
- Releases: Crap Culture (recorded 2010, released August 2012) and Area Codes (2014), both on Mt. St. Mtn.[1][5]
- Area Codes placed No. 3 on Submerge's Top 30 Albums of 2014.[5]
Origin and local status
G. Green is unambiguously a Sacramento band. Submerge calls them "a rad post-punk band hailing from Sacramento" and "locals," and frontman Andrew Henderson is described as "an awkward kid from Folsom" (a Sacramento-region suburb).[2][1] The group is treated throughout as a homegrown act of the Sacramento DIY and Midtown scene rather than a touring visitor.[1]
Formation and early years
G. Green originated as Andrew Henderson's bedroom-recording moniker, and his early solo shows in Sacramento drew "ridicule and indifference."[1] The first G. Green show was a one-off lineup of Henderson on guitar and local promoter/KDVS DJ Rick Ele ("DJ Rick") on drums; Ele became the band's earliest steadfast supporter and "scene-dad," booking Henderson repeatedly and later putting the band on the Operation Restore Maximum Freedom event.[1]
Submerge documents notably rough early performances, including an infamous West Sacramento Capital Bowl show in 2008 on a bill with Mayyors and Portland's Eat Skull, where the G. Green solo set was the "black sheep."[1] The band's existence as early as 2008 is confirmed by Hot Streets, their second release, recorded at Dunkeld Lane in Folsom, CA during summer/fall 2008 and released September 1, 2008.[6]
A turning point came when Liz Liles—who had previously openly mocked Henderson's sets—met him after he showed up expecting a Thee Oh Sees show at her Midtown home (then known as the Funcastle). The encounter sparked a friendship, and Liles installed herself as G. Green's new drummer despite being, by her own account, untrained.[1] Henderson assembled an opening band over two months for a house show with Kurt Vile, Eat Skull and Ganglians; the early live lineup added Julian Elorduy (then Mayyors' drummer) and Dylan Craver on guitar.[1]
Lineup changes
The early incarnation was volatile. Elorduy left after Liles broke up with him for Hella drummer Zach Hill and was replaced by Brittney Gray on bass; Henderson and Craver were close friends prone to feuds, and Craver repeatedly quit.[1] Michael Feerick was also an early bassist (later credited as "ex G. Green member").[7] The lineup stabilized with Simi Sohota on bass and Mike Morales on guitar joining Henderson and Liles, which Submerge identifies as the band's mature, "far superior" lineup.[1][2]
Rick Ele summarized the band's identity as resilient to lineup churn: "They could change lineups 100 more times, and from now on, I'll always think of Andrew and Liz as G. Green."[1]
Releases and recordings
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Hot Streets (2008) — The second G. Green release, recorded at Dunkeld Lane in Folsom, CA during summer/fall 2008 and released September 1, 2008, predating the Crap Culture sessions and confirming the band's existence that year.[6]
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OK See Ya (2010) — According to Bandcamp, the first attempt to record a full-length G. Green album, documenting the Andrew-Liz-Dylan-Brittney lineup. Recorded at A2B2 in Sacramento by Andy Morin during summer 2010, it has remained unreleased and largely unheard since.[8]
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Crap Culture — The band's debut album, recorded February–April 2010 by Andy Morin at A2B2 in Sacramento, with the lineup of Andrew Henderson (vocals, bass, guitars), Liz Liles (drums), Michael Feerick (guitars), and Rod Meyer (guitars). Mixed September 2010 by Rod Meyer at Rob's house in Portland. Not released until August 1, 2012, on Mt. St. Mtn., the label founded by former Mayyors member Mark Kaiser.[9][1] Kaiser likened it to Superchunk's No Pocky For Kitty and cited the song "Pool Of Blood" as what convinced him to offer a record deal.[1]
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USA Don't Run (2012) — According to Bandcamp, recorded at the Hanger in Sacramento by Robby Moncrieff during summer 2012 and released June 9, 2012. It is notable as the only G. Green recording where Mike Morales and Simi Sohota are given lead vocal spotlights.[10] A scrapped companion session with Moncrieff (known for Dirty Projectors' Bitte Orca and Ganglians' Still Living) at the Hangar produced the "Funny Insurance" b/w "Sounds Famous" 7-inch; Henderson later said these sessions misused Moncrieff's strengths.[1]
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Area Codes (2014) — The band's sophomore album, recorded in the fall of 2013 by Chris Woodhouse at the Dock in Sacramento, CA, with the lineup of Andrew Diamond Henderson (lead vocal, guitar), Liz Liles (drums, backing vocal, lead vocal on track 5), Mike Morales (guitar, backing vocal), and Simi Sohota (bass guitar, backing vocal).[11][12] Released August 13, 2014, on Mt. St. Mtn.; its release show was Saturday, Aug. 30, 2014 at Witch Room with Rat Columns and Violent Change.[1] Submerge ranked it No. 3 on its Top 30 Albums of 2014, calling it "the plucky quartet's sophomore effort. Reinvention, done."[5]
The band has also been described as "SXSW veterans," and as of late 2013 were "working on an album" with Chris Woodhouse (i.e., Area Codes).[2]
Touring and radio
G. Green has toured the Pacific Northwest, the East Coast, parts of the Midwest, and parts of the South, and has also performed in Toronto and Ontario.[13] The band has played events including KDVS Fundraiser parties and Treefort Music Fest in Boise, ID.[13] They have received radio airplay on KDVS and KEXP 90.3 FM (Seattle).[13]
Scene relationships
G. Green is densely connected to the Sacramento scene. Henderson contributed to Chelsea Wolfe's The Grime and the Glow (2010) and also plays second guitar in Darling Chemicalia; former G. Green bassist Michael Feerick joined Darling Chemicalia as well.[14][7] The band's release show for Crap Culture shared a bill with Ganglians (just back from a European tour) and Texas teen band Fungi Girls at a Sacramento "undisclosed location" DIY show in July 2010.[4] Promoter/DJ Rick Ele was their longtime champion, and Mark Kaiser's Mt. St. Mtn. released both of their albums.[1]
Notable shows
- July 28, 2010 — A 7-inch release show at an "undisclosed location" in Sacramento with Ganglians and Fungi Girls.[4]
- June 10, 2013 — Davis Bike Collective, with Parquet Courts and Julian Elorduy's project Fine Steps; the night the reviewing writer "stopped laughing at G. Green."[1]
- Dec. 14, 2013 — Opened for San Francisco's Two Gallants at Harlow's, booked by Brian McKenna of Abstract Entertainment.[2]
- Aug. 30, 2014 — Area Codes release show at Witch Room.[1]