Wipers was an American punk group, which in 1977 in Portland, Oregon was established. The band was one of the first of its genre in America and the typical tight song structures in combination with lots of distortion are considered very influential. As has been covereda number of Nirvana songs. The band was also known as a champion of the DIYmentality. Guitarist Greg Sage was the central figure in the songwriter as Wipers.
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Origin[Edit][]
Of origin was the Wipers only a studio project, where the plan was to record 15 albums in 10 years without touring or other promotional activities. The thought of Sage was that by the lack of traditional promotion would form a myth around the band, which would cause the listener with more attention and fantasy would take the recordings to.Sage thought it would be hard not to avoid press, performances and interviews. He saw music more as art than as entertainment.
But soon, the band found out that the original philosophy was difficult to implement in practice. Most tags accepted the conditions of the Wipers, since for their music in the first place was a business matter. It was at that time still exceptionally to take such an independent attitude as artist. Sage experienced that it was virtually impossible to complete the concept artist on way that him originally wanted and that meant compromises do survive, so did the Wipers to performances and eventually they gave even a live album out.
Career[Edit][]
The first album by the Wipers Is This Real was released in 1978 on Park Avenue Records. Although it was originally recorded on a four-track recorder in the practice studio of the band, was the label that the band would use a professional studio. The album yielded band little fame initially on, but over time it obtained a cult status.
Is This Real? in 1981 was followed by Youth of America, with which the band explored longer song structures. Especially the title track, which is typified by a driving guitar solo, is in stark contrast with the predominant punk flow in that time which focused on quick and short numbers. The militant and soaked in distortion Over The Edge was the first Wipers album that garnered some success right. The single "Romeo" even got a modest form of airplay.
A lot of used musical instruments and recording techniques were developed by Sage and the band itself. The band was purposefully depending on Word of mouth to promote their albums. Interviews were driven off and compared to other bands they played few live performances. At the end of the eighties , the Wipers for the first time from each other. In the 1990s the band back on and still brought Sage founded three albums, but he hit a offer if for program for the mega star of Nirvana to play.
Influence[Edit][]
The Wipers became better known when the popular grunge band Nirvana two songs from Is This Real? covered. Kurt Cobain claimed to be very influenced by the band. The Wipers are considered influential on the grunge music scene in General, taking them by bands such as The Melvins, Mudhoney, and Dinosaur Jr are tightened.
Discography[Edit][]
- Is This Real? (1979)
- Alien Boy (EP) (1980)
- Youth of America (1981)
- Over the Edge (1983)
- Wipers Live (1985)
- Land of the Lost (1986)
- Follow Blind (1987)
- The Circle (1988)
- The Best of Wipers and Greg Sage (1990)
- Silver Sail (1993)
- The Herd (1996)
- Power in One (1999)
- Wipers Box Set (2001)