Quasi
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225122635
2008-07-12T00:08:22Z
Atom jack
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/* External links */
{{Infobox musical artist
|Name = Quasi
|Img = Quasi 1.JPG
|Img_capt = Quasi on stage in Chicago
|Landscape = yes
|Background = group_or_band
|Alias =
|Origin = [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], [[Oregon]], [[United States]]
|Genre = [[Indie rock]]
|Years_active = 1993–present
|Label = [[Touch & Go Records|Touch & Go]]<br />[[Up Records|Up]]<br />[[Domino Records|Domino]] (in Europe)
|Associated_acts = [[Sleater-Kinney]]<br />[[Heatmiser]]
|URL = [http://www.theequasi.com/ www.theequasi.com]
|Current_members = [[Sam Coomes]]<br />[[Janet Weiss]]<br />[[Joanna Bolme]]
}}
:''For the prefix, see the [[Wiktionary]] entry [[:wikt:quasi-|quasi-]].''
'''Quasi''' is [[indie rock]] band formed in [[Portland, Oregon]] in 1993, consisting of the ex-husband and wife team of [[Sam Coomes]] ([[vocal]]s, [[guitar]], [[roxichord]], various [[Keyboard instrument|keyboards]]) and [[Janet Weiss]] vocals and [[drum set|drums]]. In 2007, [[bass guitar|bassist]] [[Joanna Bolme]] became an official member of the band; she had toured with Quasi in 2006.[http://prod1.cmj.com/articles/display_article.php?id=49547350]
==History==
In 1990, Coomes, Weiss, and Brad Pedinov formed the band Motorgoat. The band released two self-released cassettes and one 7" single before dissolving in 1993. Quasi started recording as a [[Duet (music)|duo]] in 1993. They played with various additional musicians in early live appearances, but eventually settled on playing live as a duo as well. They self-recorded and self-released a [[compact audio cassette|cassette]] and a [[CD]] in 1993. They recorded ''[[R&B Transmogrification]]'' in the Portland band [[Pond (band)|Pond's]] basement recording studio and released it on [[Up Records]] in 1997. The released two more albums with Up: ''[[Featuring "Birds"]]'' in 1998 and ''Field Studies'' in [[1999]]; both albums were recorded at Jackpot Studios in [[Portland, Oregon]].
In 1998 and 1999 they toured the [[U.S.]], [[Europe]], [[Australia]], and [[Japan]] opening for and serving as the backup band for [[Elliott Smith]] (who [[Sam Coomes|Coomes]] had played with in [[Heatmiser]]) as well as touring on their own in the U.S. and Europe. In 2001 They home-recorded ''[[The Sword of God]]'' and released it on [[Touch and Go Records|Touch & Go]]. They released ''[[Hot Shit!]]'' in 2003 and ''[[When the Going Gets Dark]]'' in 2006, both on Touch & Go in the U.S. and [[Domino Records]] in Europe.
Although Coomes and Weiss remain busy with other bands, Quasi tours fairly regularly. In 2007, they toured the U.S. with Touch & Go labelmates [[Ted Leo and the Pharmacists]]. Just prior to that tour, Quasi announced that bassist Joanne Bolme, who had toured with Quasi in 2006 and plays with Weiss in [[Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks]], was a permanent member of the band.
In addition to her work in the Jicks, Weiss has recently played with [[Bright Eyes (band)|Bright Eyes]] and [[John Doe]], while Coomes has been working with Pink Mountain and on his solo project, Blues Goblins. He has also played with [[Jandek]], and has appeared on several [[Built to Spill]] albums. According to a recent post on their website, Coomes stated they are beginning to work on new material following the end of touring.
Quasi has been somewhat [[politics|political]] since its inception, but their opposition to the [[2003 Invasion of Iraq]] showed through in a straight-forward way with the release of ''Hot Shit!'' in 2003, particularly in the songs "White Devil's Dream" and "Master and Dog."
==Discography==
===Albums===
* Self-titled cassette ([[1993]]) self-released
* ''[[Early Recordings (Quasi album)|Early Recordings]]'' ([[1996]]) [[Key Op Records|Key Op]] (rereleased in 2001 by [[Touch and Go Records|Touch & Go]])
* ''[[R&B Transmogrification]]'' ([[1997]]) [[Up Records|Up]]
* ''[[Featuring "Birds"]]'' ([[1998]]) [[Up Records|Up]]
* ''[[Field Studies]]'' ([[1999]]) [[Up Records|Up]]
* ''[[The Sword of God]]'' ([[2001]]) [[Touch and Go Records|Touch & Go]]
* ''[[Hot Shit!]]'' ([[2003]]) [[Touch and Go Records|Touch & Go]] / [[Domino Records]] (Europe) — inlcudes the ''Live Shit'' bonus CD.
* ''[[When the Going Gets Dark]]'' ([[2006]]) [[Touch and Go Records|Touch & Go]] / [[Domino Records]] (Europe)
* ''[[Quasi Self Boot 93-96]]'' (2006) self-released, tour-only release
===EPs and singles===
* ''Kill Rock Stars Singles Club 7"'' (1993) [[Kill Rock Stars]]
* Split 7" with [[Bugskull]] (1994)
* "The Poisoned Well" / "California" 7" (1998)
* Split 7" with [[Mars Accelerator]] and [[Space Pants]] (2000)
* "The Sword of God" (2001)
* ''Tour 7"'' (2001)
* ''Hot Shit Tour CD'' (2003)
==External links==
*[http://www.theequasi.com/ Official Quasi home page]
*[http://www.quasi2x2.com/ Unofficial Quasi site] — includes a complete tour history
*[http://www.tgrec.com/bands/album.php?id=410 Touch and Go Records 25th Anniversary footage of Quasi performance and interview]
*[http://www.archive.org/details.php?identifier=Quasi Quasi collection] at the [[Internet Archive]]'s live music archive
[[Category:American indie rock groups]]
[[Category:1990s music groups]]
[[Category:2000s music groups]]
[[Category:Oregon musical groups]]
[[Category:Culture of Portland, Oregon]]
{{US-indie-rock-band-stub}}
[[nn:Musikkgruppa Quasi]]