Estradasphere was an American experimental band that originated in Santa Cruz, California, during the late 1990s. The band, which in its last incarnation was based in Seattle, consisted of six multi-instrumentalists from a variety of musical backgrounds trained in disciplines ranging from classical music and jazz to heavy metal.[1]
The band is on a "permanent hiatus"[4] since 2010.
Music
Estradasphere were influenced by many different artists from many different subgenres, such as jazz, funk, techno, classical music, pop, heavy metal, New Age, Latin, Balkan, klezmer, Greek and Romani.[5] They were influenced by artists such as The Beach Boys and Secret Chiefs 3, and have been compared to Mr. Bungle,[6]Frank Zappa and John Zorn.[7] Similarly to Mr. Bungle and Secret Chiefs 3, the band mixes several genres in its songs.[8] The band was a self-proclaimed inventor of bizarre genres such as "Bulgarian Surf", "Romanian Gypsy-Metal", and "Spaghetti Eastern"[5] and sounded like "Psychedelic-Sci-fi", "Gypsy-Metal-Jazz" and "Epic-Cinema-Thon", according to its MySpace.[9]
In 1997, members of the group released an avant-garde metal album called Koolaide Moustache in Jonestown under the name Don Salsa.[10]
^"Estradasphere's website". Archived from the original on 2007-07-16. Retrieved 2007-07-21. Estradasphere is a band of multi-instrumentalists from an unlikely variety of musical backgrounds. Timb Harris (violin/trumpet), Jason Schimmel (guitar/banjo/keyboards/vocals), Tim Smolens (upright and electric bass/vocals), Kevin Kmetz (Tsugaru Shamisen/guitar/keyboards), Adam Stacey (accordion/keyboards/clavinet), and Lee Smith (drums/percussion) were trained in disciplines ranging from classical and jazz to metal. This diverse instrumental and stylistic palette enables them to execute a vast array of orchestrations and even forge entirely new genres such as "Bulgarian Surf," "Romanian Gypsy-Metal," and "Spaghetti Eastern."
^ ab"Estradasphere's MySpace". Retrieved 2007-07-21. Estradasphere is a band trained in disciplines ranging from classical and jazz to metal.
^"Biography @ Allmusic". Retrieved 2007-07-21. Unmistakably derived from the genre-bending loins of experimental rockers Mr. Bungle and Secret Chiefs 3, Estradasphere respectfully lives up to the ambitious musical aims of their wildly talented mentors.
^"SSMT Reviews". Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-07-21. Estradasphere returns with another collection of Zappa-esquely varied songs spanning almost every musical genre invented since early Homo sapiens individuals first blew into hollow branches recreationally.
^"Biography @ Allmusic". Retrieved 2007-07-21. Their hectic mix of jazz, metal, video game themes, and bluegrass was eaten up by hardcore Mr. Bungle fans, but went largely unnoticed elsewhere.
^"Estradasphere's MySpace". Retrieved 2007-07-21. Sounds like a Psychedelic-Sci-fi... Gypsy-Metal-Jazz... Epic-Cinema-Thon.
^Sanvicens, Justin (14 July 2004). "Exclusive Interview". Xtreme Music. Archived from the original on 1 April 2008. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
