{{Infobox musical artist
, name = Custom Floor
, image =
, caption =
, image_size =
, origin =
San Diego, California
San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
,
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, genre =
Indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand in the early to mid-1980s. Although the term was originally used to describe rock music released through independent reco ...
,
Post Punk
Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of music that emerged in late 1977 in the wake of punk rock. Post-punk musicians departed from punk's fundamental elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a broader, more experiment ...
, years_active = 1991–Present
, label = Analog Sound Recordings
, associated_acts = Carpet Floor
, website Bandcamp , current_members = Garry Davis Matt Crane
, past_members = Phil Esbenshade Chris Squire Adam Willard Miki Vuckovich Tod Swank Brent Fellows
Custom Floor is an American underground
indie rock
Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United Kingdom, United States and New Zealand in the early to mid-1980s. Although the term was originally used to describe rock music released through independent reco ...
band that was formed in 1991 in
San Diego
San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
, California by Garry Davis (Guitar and vocals), Phil Esbenshade (Bass and Vocals). and Miki Vuckovich (Drums). Although Garry and Phil were former pro skateboarders, Custom Floor was never a
skate rock
Skate or Skates may refer to: Fish
*Skate (fish), several genera of fish belonging to the family Rajidae
* Pygmy skates, several genera of fish belonging to the family Gurgesiellidae
* Smooth skates or leg skates, several genera of fish belongin ...
band, instead displaying a heavy indie rock and post punk influence. They've described their music as "a large dose of
guitar
The guitar is a stringed musical instrument that is usually fretted (with Fretless guitar, some exceptions) and typically has six or Twelve-string guitar, twelve strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming ...
, bass and drums-based rock all big banged out into a wide array of minor notes, ringing octaves, heavy distortion, hovering harmonics, cymbal crashes, drum splashes and big-britches bass throb."
History
Custom Floors first seven-inch record was released by
Goldenrod Records
Goldenrod Records was a record label formed by Tod Swank in 1991 in San Diego, California to release the first 7" record by Custom Floor, a band consisting of skateboarders Garry Davis, Phil Esbenshade, and Miki Vuckovich. After the release of t ...
in late 1991, and the band started playing frequent live shows throughout Southern
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
in 1992-'93. The first Custom Floor LP, ''Clear Day'', was released in December 1993 on the Analog Sound Recordings label, and was supported with a full U.S. tour in Summer 1994—the second half of which was spent opening for fellow San Diegans
Drive Like Jehu
Drive Like Jehu was an American post-hardcore band from San Diego active from 1990 to 1995 and later from 2014 to 2016. It was formed by rhythm guitarist and vocalist Rick Froberg and lead guitarist John Reis, ex-members of the band Pitchfor ...
.
After the original Custom Floor line-up fizzled out in late 1992, numerous other San Diego musicians enjoyed brief stints in the band with leader Garry Davis in the mid-to-late '90s, including
Tod Swank
Tod Swank is an American former professional skateboarder
Skateboarding is an action sport that involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard, as well as a recreational activity, an art form, an entertainment industry job, and ...
Rocket From The Crypt
Rocket from the Crypt is an American punk rock band from San Diego, California, originally active from 1990 to 2005, then active during 2011 and again from 2013 to the present.
The band gained critical praise and the attention of major record ...
(drums), Michelle Slater (bass), Chris Squire (bass),
Rafter Roberts
Rafter is the performing name of the American musician and producer Rafter Roberts. He owns his own studio, Singing Serpent, in San Diego, California, United States.
In 2005 he formed the project Bunky (a combination of the words "bunny" and "m ...
(drums) and Matt Crane (drums). Garry released an
experimental
An experiment is a procedure carried out to support or refute a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of something previously untried. Experiments provide insight into cause-and-effect by demonstrating what outcome occurs whe ...
Custom Floor seven-inch called ''The Handsome Young Airforce Lieutenant'' with Adam Willard in 1995, then teamed up with Matt Crane and Chris Squire to record the band's second full-length CD, ''From a Body'', in 1997.
A hiatus of several years then ensued, after which Garry and Matt recorded the band's third full-length, ''A Distant Dull'', in 2005. Custom Floor still exists today as a studio recording entity only, having played their last live show in 2000. Garry and Matt also occasionally play
free improvisation
Free improvisation or free music is improvised music without any general rules, instead following the intuition of its performers. The term can refer to both a technique—employed by any musician in any genre—and as a recognizable genre of ...
and spontaneous rock music with various side musicians under the offshoot name Carpet Floor, who released four CDs—''Majestic'', ''Hovering Pillows'', ''Mass Ejection'' and ''Blow Out''—on August 2, 2007. In 2014, Custom Floor briefly appeared in the film ''It's Gonna Blow'', a documentary about San Diego's underground music scene of the 1990s. In 2024, Custom Floor released its fourth full-length album, ''You Haunt Me'' with guest drummer Brendan K. filling in for Matt Crane.
Discography
Homeless / UPS Driver / In My House 7" (1991)
Clear Day LP (1993)
The Handsome Young Air Force Lieutenant 7" (1995)
From a Body CD (1997)
A Distant Dull CD (2005)
You Haunt Me LP (2024)
Compilations
Various Artists—Ask for Disorder CD (1993) "In the Glare of the Sun"
Various Artists—Flushing the Vault 7" (1999) "My Knot and Knee"