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Photon Band is an American indie rock band formed in Philadelphia, PA in 1994. The only constant member is Art DiFuria, who has played with several Philadelphia bands, including Baby Flamehead,
Brother JT A brother (: brothers or brethren) is a man or boy who shares one or more parents with another; a male sibling. The female counterpart is a sister. Although the term typically refers to a familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly ...
and Vibrolux, the Brother JT 3 and the Original Sins. Key members have included Simon Nagle (Drums) and Jeff Tanner (bass, guitar, and backing vocals). The band has achieved critical acclaim, but little recognition outside of Philadelphia.


History


Early Development

A native of the Philadelphia area, DiFuria started playing guitar at a young age. Two main influences on his early musical development were his sister’s participation in a church guitar group and his mother’s work as an astrologer.Blog Archive » EXIT INTERVIEW: The Photon Band’s Art DiFuria
Phawker (July 23, 2010). Retrieved on November 12, 2011.
When he arrived in Philadelphia to study at
Temple University Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related research university in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist ministe ...
in 1985, he became a founding member of Philadelphia punk band Tons of Nuns. He then joined Uptown Bones, who were signed to the Black et Noir (fr) record label run by 1990s French punk band
Les Thugs Les Thugs were a punk band from France. Their records are distributed in North-America by Sub Pop Records. Biography Early days and first issue The founding members of Les Thugs were two brothers, Eric and Christophe Sourice, from Angers, Fran ...
. Upon the demise of the Uptown Bones, DiFuria was asked by Bryan Dilworth to join the
Lilys Lilys are an American indie rock band formed in Washington, D.C in 1988. The only constant member is Kurt Heasley, with the line-up changing regularly. Several of the band's tracks have been used in television advertisements, including the ba ...
, fronted by
Kurt Heasley Lilys are an American indie rock band formed in Washington, D.C in 1988. The only constant member is Kurt Heasley, with the line-up changing regularly. Several of the band's tracks have been used in television advertisements, including the band' ...
. DiFuria joined but was experiencing a creative surge that the Lilys could not accommodate. DiFuria came up with the name "Photon Band" for his own band after reading an astrology magazine called Welcome to Planet Earth, which featured an article by Barbara Hand Clow describing a band of photons that would soon envelop the earth (aka the Photon Belt). DiFuria left the Lilys amicably and Heasley named his subsequent album
Eccsame the Photon Band ''Eccsame the Photon Band'' is the second album by the American indie rock band Lilys, released in 1994 on the spinART label. The album saw the band move towards dream pop. The notoriously nomadic Kurt Heasley refers to this period of Lilys histo ...
"in praise of" DiFuria’s new venture. Photon Band’s first single, "Sitting on the Sunn," appeared on Compulsiv Records in 1994 and featured DiFuria on all instruments. The songs were energetic affairs inspired by the Beatles and the Who, but with a
Sonic Youth Sonic Youth were an American rock band formed in New York City in 1981. Founding members Kim Gordon (bass, vocals, guitar), Thurston Moore (lead guitar, vocals) and Lee Ranaldo (rhythm guitar, vocals) remained together for the entire history of ...
influenced
lo-fi Lo-fi (also typeset as lofi or low-fi; short for low fidelity) is a music or production quality in which elements usually regarded as imperfections in the context of a recording or performance are present, sometimes as a deliberate stylistic ch ...
noise element added. Upon hearing this single, James Agren of
Darla Records Darla Records is an independent record label founded by James Agren in October 1993 while he was in New York (state), New York. Darla's first release was a 7-inch by Grifters (band), Grifters, an indie rock/lo-fi music, lo-fi band from Memphis. ...
asked DiFuria for more recordings. The result was the 1996 three song CD single "747 (Don’t Worry)." The title track featured a blend of psychedelia and country that presaged the band's later release, "Alone on the Moon," and the sound later developed by the
Beachwood Sparks Beachwood Sparks are an American alternative country band from Los Angeles. An article in ''The Daily Telegraph'' on America's underground psychedelic pop scene described Beachwood Sparks as "country through a kaleidoscope". Biography The band ...
and Darla label-mates,
My Morning Jacket My Morning Jacket is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1998. The band consists of vocalist/guitarist Jim James, bassist Tom Blankenship, drummer Patrick Hallahan, guitarist Carl Broemel, and keyboardist Bo Kos ...
.


Formation of "Classic" lineup and full-length releases

During these early years, DiFuria had enlisted friend and drummer Simon Nagle and bassist Gary Plowman to perform his songs with him. By late 1996, Plowman had left and Jeff Tanner had taken over, stabilizing the band as a live unit. The trio spent the next few years building a repertoire, recording, and releasing singles and compilation tracks. Its first full-length record appeared in 1998 on Darla Records, entitled "All Young in the Soul." Like the earlier releases, the album featured a heavy late 1960s psychedelic influence, with noted off-kilter, "day-glo" overtones. The band was prolific over the next three years. 2000 witnessed two Photon Band releases on Darla: "Our ESP Driven Scene" collected the band’s singles, compilation tracks, and outtakes since their inception, and "Oh the Sweet Sweet Changes" featured new material in the vein of "All Young in the Soul," but quieter. While these releases feature some tracks with DiFuria playing all instruments, they mostly feature Nagle and Tanner on drums and bass, respectively.


DiFuria's academic pursuits, changes in sound, and sporadic releases

In 2001, DiFuria moved to
Newark, Delaware Newark ( )Not as in Newark, New Jersey. is a city in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. It is located west-southwest of Wilmington. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 31,454. The University of Delaware is ...
to enter the
University of Delaware The University of Delaware (colloquially known as UD, UDel, or Delaware) is a Statutory college#Delaware, privately governed, state-assisted Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Newark, Delaware, United States. UD offers f ...
’s PhD program in
Art History Art history is the study of Work of art, artistic works made throughout human history. Among other topics, it studies art’s formal qualities, its impact on societies and cultures, and how artistic styles have changed throughout history. Tradit ...
. The band ceased to perform live and drummer Nagle quit. The releases from this period show dramatic changes in sound and attitude. In 2001 Darla released "Alone on the Moon," a limited edition, vinyl-only full-length album of three slow, mournful songs inspired by
Neil Young Neil Percival Young (born November 12, 1945) is a Canadian and American singer-songwriter. After embarking on a music career in Winnipeg in the 1960s, Young moved to Los Angeles, forming the folk rock group Buffalo Springfield. Since the begi ...
's so-called Ditch Trilogy. A description of the album as containing "three fresh, adrenaline fueled songs" is ubiquitous on the internet, but also erroneous, suggesting that a major vendor did not preview the album before publishing a description of its contents, assuming instead that the band's new release sounded like its previous ones. The 2003 album "It’s a Lonely Planet," which received a 7.3 rating from online indie-rock arbiter
Pitchfork A pitchfork or hay fork is an agricultural tool used to pitch loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. It has a long handle and usually two to five thin tines designed to efficiently move such materials. The term is also applie ...
, continued the theme of loneliness while featuring another radical shift in sound, combining the influences of
Syd Barrett Roger Keith "Syd" Barrett (6 January 1946 – 7 July 2006) was an English singer, guitarist and songwriter who co-founded the rock band Pink Floyd in 1965. Until his departure in 1968, he was Pink Floyd's frontman and primary songwriter, ...
, T. Rex, and ''Hunky Dory''-era
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...
. Though released under the Photon Band name, these last two albums were solo efforts, with DiFuria again recording at home and playing all instruments. It has been stated that "it is no accident that hesetwo…albums feature the words ‘alone’ and ‘lonely’ in their titles," suggesting that DiFuria's isolation from friends and his choice to exclude all other musicians gave rise to the recurring themes of alienation and delusion that pervaded his lyrics. The band would not release another album for four years. During this convalescence, "All Young in the Soul" placed 93rd in the
Philadelphia Weekly ''Philadelphia Weekly'' (''PW'') is a website based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded as a newspaper in 1971 as ''The Welcomat'', a sister publication to the ''South Philadelphia Press''. In 1995, the paper became ''Philadelphia Week ...
’s list of the "100 Best Philly Albums of all time."


Return to activity and expanded lineup

In 2007, new label support came from Empyrean Records, which released the digital-only EP, "Get Down Here in the Stratosphere" as a teaser for the 2008 full-length release, "Back Down to Earth." These releases mark the end of the band’s "lonely" period, with DiFuria once again writing uptempo songs with influences as disparate as
Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...
,
the MC5 MC5 was an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan, in 1963. The classic lineup consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson. MC5 were listed b ...
, the
Monkees The Monkees were an American pop rock band formed in Los Angeles in the mid-1960s. The band consisted of Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork. Spurred by the success of ''The Monkees'' television series, they were one o ...
,
Stereolab Stereolab are an English people, Anglo-French avant-pop band formed in London in 1990. Led by the songwriting team of Tim Gane and Lætitia Sadier, the group's sound incorporates repetitive motorik beats with the use of vintage electronic keybo ...
, and
Al Green Albert Leornes Greene (born April 13, 1946), known professionally as Al Green, is an American singer, songwriter, pastor and record producer. He is best known for recording a series of soul hit singles in the early 1970s, including " Tired of ...
. For support, DiFuria called on Tanner to perform most of the bass duties. Brendan Gallagher plays drums on most of the album's tracks. Also appearing are outside musicians, including but not limited to
Dimitri Coats Dimitri Coats is an American musician, songwriter, producer, filmmaker, and actor. Music Coats fronted the rock band Burning Brides and is the guitarist in the hardcore punk band Off!. The Brides released four critically acclaimed albums and t ...
of the Burning Brides, Tracy Stanton of
Matt Pond PA Matt Pond PA is a New York–based band formed in Philadelphia by singer-songwriter Matt Pond. It has released numerous LPs, EPs, and singles. Throughout the years Pond enlisted a rotating cast of collaborators for recording and touring, inclu ...
, Dave Frank of the Lilys, and Edward Farnsworth of
Bardo Pond Bardo Pond are an American psychedelic rock band formed in 1991, and who are currently signed to London-based label Fire Records. The current members are Michael Gibbons (guitar), John Gibbons (guitar), Isobel Sollenberger (flute and vocals), ...
. The band returned to playing live during this period, with Tanner moving to guitar, longtime friend Chris Kubicek added on bass, and Jason Kourkounis of the
Hot Snakes Hot Snakes were an American rock band led by Rick Froberg and John Reis, formed in 1999 in San Diego, California. Reis and Froberg had previously performed together in Pitchfork and Drive Like Jehu, after which Reis found international succe ...
and
Burning Brides Burning Brides was an American hard rock band. They were partially known for their live performances, such as selected dates as the opening band for The White Stripes in 2000. In 2002 they toured with …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead ...
on drums. Patrick Berkerey of the
Pernice Brothers Pernice Brothers are an American indie rock band. Formed by Joe Pernice in 1998 after the breakup of his old band, the Scud Mountain Boys, and including Joe's brother Bob Pernice, the band recorded their first album, '' Overcome by Happiness ...
quickly replaced Kourkounis for unknown reasons. The title track of "Back Down to Earth" was chosen by the clothing vendor
Free People Free People is an American bohemian apparel and lifestyle retail company that sells women's clothing, accessories, shoes, intimates, and swimwear. It also has a beauty and wellness category, which includes products such as cosmetics, skin, an ...
for use in an online advertisement for their Summer 2009 line. The video contained a direct link for purchase on the iTunes Store and facilitated the band's greatest commercial success when
Joey Sweeney Joey may refer to: People *Joey (name) Animals * Joey (marsupial), an infant marsupial * Joey, a blue-fronted Amazon parrot who was one of the Blue Peter pets Film and television * ''Joey'' (1977 film), an American film directed by Horace ...
embedded it and praised it on his weblog, Philebrity.com, resulting in a spike in sales.


DiFuria leaves Philadelphia for Savannah

In July 2010, DiFuria announced that he had taken a job at
Savannah College of Art and Design Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is a private art school with locations in Savannah, Georgia; Atlanta, Georgia; and Lacoste, France. It was founded in 1978 to provide degrees in programs not yet offered in the southeast of the United ...
and that the band would play what would be its last show before his re-location. In the same interview, he expressed his intention to continue playing and recording, claiming to be at work on a "quadruple album." On stage at the last show, DiFuria is reported to have told the audience that the band would "probably" be back in Philadelphia to play again "in a year." Since moving to Savannah, the band has continued to play and record, albeit sporadically. They have released two albums: 2013's ''Pure Photonic Matter Volume I'', and 2015's ''Songs of Rapture and Hatred''. The former album received praise as "an unanticipated surprise for 2013." The band most notably opened for Champaign, IL's
Poster Children Poster Children is an American indie rock band formed at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1987.Blurt (magazine) ''Blurt'' is a music print magazine and online outlet originally based in Silver Spring, MD. The magazine was originally known as ''Harp Magazine'' for over 10 years, also based in Silver Spring, and was considered one of the best music magaz ...
, DiFuria promised "two albums...the next installment in the ''Pure Photonic Matter'' series ndanother, probably done around the same time...very long songs, sloppy, poppy, noisy, and primitive, with lots of jamming.


References


External links

* http://www.myspace.com/photonband {{Authority control Indie rock musical groups from Pennsylvania Musical groups from Philadelphia Noise pop musical groups Darla Records artists