Lightning Bolt is an American noise rock duo from Providence, Rhode Island, composed of Brian Chippendale on drums and vocals and Brian Gibson on bass guitar. The band met and formed in 1994, when the members of the then-trio attended the Rhode Island School of Design. The band signed to Load Records in 1997, and released their self-titled debut two years later. In total, Lightning Bolt has released several full-length albums, numerous vinyl singles, and appeared on several compilations. Lightning Bolt are known for their guerrilla-style live performances, where they typically play on the ground rather than a stage, with the crowd gathered around them. The band's sound is typically loud and aggressive, though the group cites composers Philip Glass and Sun Ra as compositional influences.
Links To Peel[]
Peel seems to have heard Lightning Bolt via the Load record label in 2001, when he played couple of tracks from their second album Ride The Skies on his show. Peel continued playing their music and got them to perform a live session on his show of 31 March 2004. The same monnth, the duo had played on the doorstep of Peel's chalet at noon during the All Tomorrow's Parties festival.[1] On his 04 May 2004 show, Peel set a competition for his listeners to win a broken drumstick from the group.
Sessions[]
1. Recorded: 2004-03-31. Broadcast: 31 March 2004. Repeated: None.
- Intro / Morrow Morrow Land / On Fire / Dracula Mountain / Dead Cowboy / 30,000 Monkeys / Rotator
Other Shows Played[]
- 2001
- 04 April 2001: 13 Monsters (LP - Ride The Skies) Load Records
- 05 April 2001: Forcefield (LP - Ride The Skies) Load Records
- 12 April 2001 (Radio Eins): Ride The Sky (LP - Ride The Skies) Load Records
- 22 April 2001 (BBC World Service): 13 Monsters (album - Ride The Skies) Load
- 2002
- 14 May 2002: Saint Jacques (LP – Ride The Skies) Load
- 23 May 2002: Ride The Sky (LP – Ride The Skies) Load
- 29 May 2002: Into The Mist 2 (LP – Ride The Skies) Load
- 31 May 2002 (BBC World Service): Saint Jacques (LP - Ride The Skies) Load
- 06 June 2002 (BBC World Service): Ride The Sky (LP - Ride The Skies) Load
- 06 June 2002 (Radio Eins): Into The Mist 2 (album - Ride The Skies) Load
- 13 June 2002 (Radio Eins): Into The Mist 2 (album - Ride The Skies) Load
- 15 June 2002 (BBC World Service): Into The Mist 2 (LP - Ride The Skies) Load
- 17 July 2002: Murk Hike (LP - Lightning Bolt) Load
- 03 September 2002: 'A Diet Of Grapes And Nuts (Compilation CD-You're Soaking In It...The Sounds And Smells Of Load Records)' (Load)
- 2003
- 04 February 2003: 'Dracula Mountain (LP: Wonderful Rainbow)' (Load Records)
- 12 February 2003: Dracula Mountains (LP - Wonderful Rainbow) Load
- 19 February 2003 (Radio Mafia): Dracula Mountain (album - Wonderful Rainbow) Load (JP thinks he is playing this at the wrong speed. So he cranks it up to 45 and decides it was playing at the right speed in the first place! Though after he plays the track he says he thought it was playing too fast)
- 20 February 2003 (Radio Eins): Dracula Mountains (LP - Wonderful Rainbow) Load
- 27 February 2003: 'On Fire (LP: Wonderful Rainbow)' (Load Records)
- 06 March 2003 (Radio Eins): On Fire (album - Wonderful Rainbow) Load
- 22 April 2003: '30,000 Monkies (LP- Wonderful Rainbow)' (Load)
- 2004
- April 2004 (FSK): Swarm (v/a CD - Old Tyme Lemonade) Hospital Productions
- 08 April 2004: Swarm (Various LP - Ole Tyme Lemonade) Hospital Productions
- 23 April 2004 (BBC World Service): Swarm (Various LP - Ole Tyme Lemonade) Hospital Productions
- 12 May 2004: 'Pee Filled Longstockings (LP - US Pop Life Vol.12 / Tribute To Fort Thunder)' (Contact)
- June 2004 (FSK): Pee Filled Longstockings (v/a CD - Tribute To Fort Thunder (US Pop Life Vol.12)) Contact
- 12 October 2004: Into The Mist II (LP - Ride The Skies) Load
- 05 November 2004 (BBC World Service): 'Into The Mist II (LP-Ride The Skies)' (Load) (JP: 'As amazing live as it's possible to be, I think.')
- Others
- February 2003 (Peel's Record Box): 'Wonderful Rainbow' (Load)
- April 2003 (Peel's Record Box): 'Wonderful Rainbow' (Load)
- Peel Day 2008 (mixtape): Dracula Mountain (live at Maida Vale)