Low is an American indie rock group from Duluth, Minnesota, formed in 1993. As of now, the group is composed of founding member Alan Sparhawk (guitar and vocals) and Steve Garrington (bass guitar). Previous bassists for the band include John Nichols from 1993 to 1994, Zak Sally from 1994 to 2005, Matt Livingston from 2005 to 2008, and Steve Garrington from 2008 to 2020.
Additional founding member, Mimi Parker (drums and vocals), passed away in November 2022 of ovarian cancer. It is not known currently what is the future of the band after her death.
The music of Low is characterized by slow tempos and minimalist arrangements. Early descriptions sometimes referred to it as rock subgenre called "slowcore".
Links To Peel []
Peel discovered the band through Sub Pop, the label that Nirvana were originally signed to. The band have done four sessions for Peel, two of them live at Maida Vale. In 2007, Sparhawk referenced John's effect on their career:
"Our Christmas record was significant. John Peel flipped out and played it on daytime BBC and that was a huge thing for us." [1]
Festive Fifty Entries[]
- 1999 Festive Fifty: Immune #10
- 2000 Festive Fifty: Dinosaur Act #11
- 2002 Festive Fifty: (That's How You Sing) Amazing Grace #36
- 2002 Festive Fifty: Canada #18
- 2002 Festive Fifty: In The Drugs #16
- Post-Peel
- 2011 Festive Fifty: Try To Sleep #45
- 2021 Festive Fifty: Days Like These #17
- 2021 Festive Fifty: The Price You Pay (It Must Be Wearing Off) #12
- 2021 Festive Fifty: White Horses #06
- 2021 Festive Fifty: Hey #05
Sessions[]
John Peel's Low (Live At Maida Vale 2000)
Four sessions. No known commercial release.
1. Recorded: 1999-05-16. First broadcast 22 June 1999. Repeated: 23 September 1999
- Those Girls (Song For Nico) / Liar / I Remember / Will The Night
2. Live at Maida Vale. First broadcast 08 November 2000. Repeated 11 January 2001
- Sunflower / Dinosaur Act / I Remember / Don't Carry It All / John Prine / In Metal / Closer / Venus / Over The Ocean
3. Recorded: 2001-11-26. First broadcast 02 January 2002. Repeated 19 September 2002.
- Last Snowstorm Of The Year / Canada / Lil' Argument With Myself / In The Drugs
4. Live from Peel Acres 30 January 2003. (From 'The Peel Sessions' (Ken Garner): Peel was snowbound in London at R1, the band playing in from Peel Acres. 'They were so disappointed he wasn’t there,' remembers Sheila.)
- Last Snow Storm of the Year/ That's How We Sing (Amazing Grace) / Fearless / La La / Tonight / Lordy
Live[]
- 25 April 2002: live set from All Tomorrow’s Parties, Camber Sands, 19-21 April 2002. No known commercial release.
- The Lamb
- (That's How You Sing) Amazing Grace
- Sunflowers
- Last Snowstorm Of The Year
- Starfire
- Canada
- Fearless
- Candy Girl
Other Shows Played[]
(The list below was compiled from the database of this site and Lorcan's Tracklistings Archive. Please add more information if known.)
- 03 August 1996: Over The Ocean (album - The Curtain Hits The Cast) Vernon Yard
- 18 August 1996: The Plan (LP - The Curtain Hits The Cast) Vernon Yard
- 21 September 1996 (BFBS): 'Prisoner (2xLP-The Curtain Hits The Cast)' (Vernon Yard Recordings)
- 22 September 1996: Prisoner (LP - The Curtain Hits The Cast) Vernon Yard
- 02 November 1996: Over The Ocean (7 inch) Vernon Yard
- 1997
- 25 February 1997: Throw Out The Line (CD – Long Division) Vernon Yard
- 17 March 1997 (BFBS): Throw Out The Line (CD-Long Division) Vernon Yard Recordings / Virgin America
- 17 March 1997 (BBC World Service): Throw Out The Line (album - Long Division) Vernon Yard
- 18 March 1997: Violence (CD - Long Division) Vernon Yard
- 25 March 1997: Shame (CD - Long Division) Vernon Yard
- 11 November 1997: 'If You Were Born Today (Song For Little Baby Jesus) (7")' (Wurlitzer Jukebox)
- 12 November 1997: 'Blue Christmas (7"-B side of If You Were Born Today (Song For Little Baby Jesus)' (Wurlitzer Jukebox)
- 13 November 1997 (BFBS): 'If You Were Born Today (Song For Little Baby Jesus) (7")' (Wurlitzer Jukebox)
- 13 November 1997 (BFBS): 'Blue Christmas (7"-B side of If You Were Born Today (Song For Little Baby Jesus)' (Wurlitzer Jukebox)
- 27 November 1997 (BFBS): 'Blue Christmas (7"-B side of If You Were Born Today (Song For Little Baby Jesus)' (Wurlitzer Jukebox)
- 1998
- 21 April 1998: Joan Of Arc (7") Tugboat
- 24 April 1998 (BFBS): Joan Of Arc (7") Tugboat
- 28 April 1998: Long, Long, Long (7”) Tugboat
- 07 May 1998: Joan Of Arc (7") Tugboat
- 19 May 1998: Lord Can You Hear Me? (CD: A Tribute To Spaceman 3) Rocket Girl
- 13 October 1998 (& Piano Magic, Transient Waves): Sleep At The Bottom (7") Rocket Girl
- 23 November 1998 (BFBS): 'Over The Ocean (CD-One More Reason To Forget)' (Bluesanct)
- November 1998 (FSK): Condescend (CD - One More Reason To Forget) Bluesanct
- 1999
- 02 February 1999: Immune (7") Tugboat
- 11 February 1999 (Radio Eins): Immune (7") Tugboat TUGS006
- 18 February 1999: Immune (7") Tugboat
- 20 February 1999 (BFBS): Immune (7") Tugboat
- 06 April 1999: I Remember (LP - Secret Name) Tugboat
- 25 April 1999 (BFBS): Weight Of Water (2xLP-Secret Name) Tugboat
- 27 April 1999: Weight Of Water (LP-Secret Name) Tugboat
- 05 May 1999: Missouri (LP - Secret Name) Tugboat
- 26 August 1999: Venus (Compilation CD-Shanti Project Collection) Badman
- 05 September 1999 (BFBS): Venus (Compilation CD-Shanti Project Collection) Badman
- 23 November 1999: (JP: “Unless I was hallucinating, I heard Mark And Lard this afternoon talking about the Low Christmas album. Unfortunately, they just talked about it and didn't play a track from it, so I will.”)
- Blue Christmas (CD-Christmas) Tugboat - 28 November 1999 (BBC World Service): Blue Christmas (CD - Christmas) Tugboat
- 02 December 1999 (Radio Eins): Blue Christmas (CD-Christmas) Tugboat
- 08 December 1999: Blue Christmas (CD-Christmas) Tugboat
- 09 December 1999 (Radio Eins): If You Were Born Today (CD-Christmas) Tugboat
- 13 December 1999 (BFBS): Blue Christmas (CD-Christmas) Tugboat
- 14 December 1999: Blue Christmas (CD-Christmas) Tugboat
- 16 December 1999: Taking Down The Tree (CD: Christmas) Tugboat
- 29 December 1999: Immune (7 inch) Tugboat FF#10
- 06 January 2000 (Radio Eins): Taking Down The Tree (CD: Christmas) Tugboat
- 30 March 2000 (Radio Eins): Joan Of Arc (7”) Tugboat
- 07 November 2000: Dinosaur Act (single) Tugboat
- 09 November 2000 (Radio Eins): Dinosaur Act (single) Tugboat
- 15 November 2000: Dinosaur Act (CDS) Tugboat
- 16 November 2000 (Radio Eins): Dinosaur Act (CDS) Tugboat
- 19 November 2000 (BBC World Service): Dinosaur Act (single) Tugboat
- 22 November 2000: Just Like Christmas (CD: It's A Cool Cool Christmas) Jeepster
- 28 November 2000: Blue Christmas (EP - Christmas) Tugboat
- 30 November 2000 (Radio Eins): Blue Christmas (EP - Christmas) Tugboat
- 21 December 2000: Just Like Christmas (Christmas EP) Kranky (Christmas special live from Peel Acres)
- 28 December 2000: Dinosaur Act (CD single) Tugboat FF#11
- 2001
- 08 February 2001: Sunflower (CD-Things We Lost In The Fire) Tugboat
- 14 February 2001: Embrace (CD-Things We Lost In The Fire) Tugboat
- 15 February 2001: White Tail (CD-Things We Lost In The Fire) Tugboat
- 20 February 2001: Medicine Magazines (CD-Things We Lost In The Fire) Tugboat
- February 2001 (FSK): Medicine Magazines (CD - Things We Lost In The Fire) Tugboat
- 21 February 2001: Laser Beam (CD-Things We Lost In The Fire) Tugboat
- 25 February 2001 (BBC World Service): Sunflower (album - Things We Lost In The Fire) Tugboat
- 01 March 2001: Whore (LP-Things We Lost In The Fire) Tugboat
- 04 March 2001 (BBC World Service): Medicine Magazines (album - Things We Lost In The Fire) Tugboat
- 08 March 2001: Embrace (CD - Things We Lost In The Fire) Tugboat
- 13 March 2001: Whore (CD-Things We Lost In The Fire) Tugboat
- 15 March 2001 (& Dirty Three): When I Called Upon Your Seed (EP - In The Fishtank 7) Konkurrent
- 15 March 2001 (& Dirty Three): Down By The River (EP - In The Fishtank 7) Konkurrent
- 20 March 2001 (& Dirty Three): I Hear... Goodnight (EP - In The Fishtank 7) Konkurrent
- 22 March 2001 (Radio Eins): Whore (CD-Things We Lost In The Fire) Tugboat
- 29 March 2001 (Radio Eins): (& Dirty Three): When I Called Upon Your Seed (EP - In The Fishtank 7) Konkurrent
- 03 April 2001: (& Dirty Three): When I Called Upon Your Seed (EP - In The Fishtank 7) Konkurrent
- 05 April 2001: Whore (CD-Things We Lost In The Fire) Tugboat
- 05 April 2001 (Radio Eins) (& Dirty Three): Down By The River (EP - In The Fishtank 7) Konkurrent
- 08 April 2001 (BBC World Service) (& Dirty Three): When I Called Upon Your Seed (EP - In The Fishtank 7) Konkurrent
- 10 April 2001 (& Dirty Three): Invitation Day (12” single – In The Fishtank) Konkurrent
- 12 April 2001 (Radio Eins): Medicine Magazines (album - Things We Lost In The Fire) Tugboat
- 12 September 2001 (presented by Mary Anne Hobbs): Don't Carry It All (LP-Things We Lost In The Fire) Tugboat
- 14 November 2001: Last Night I Dreamed Somebody Loved Me (single) Chairkickers
- 25 November 2001 (BBC World Service): Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me (single) Chairkickers' Music
- 29 November 2001 (Radio Eins): Last Night I Dreamed That Somebody Loved Me (CD Single) Chairkickers' Music
- 20 December 2001: Just Like Christmas (LP-It's A Cool Cool Christmas) Jeepster (Christmas special live from Peel Acres)
- 26 December 2001: Blue Christmas (CD mini album-Christmas) Tugboat
- 2002
- 23 May 2002: David And Jude (7” split single with Vibracathedral Orchestra) Misplaced
- 28 August 2002: In the Drugs (LP - Trust) Rough Trade
- 29 August 2002: Candy Girl (Rough Trade
- 13 September 2002 (BBC World Service): In The Drugs (LP - Trust) Rough Trade
- 25 September 2002: Fearless (EP - Canada) Rough Trade
- 26 September 2002: (That's How You Sing) Amazing Grace (LP - Trust) Rough Trade
- October 2002 (FSK): Fearless (CD - Canada) Rough Trade
- 02 October 2002: In The Drugs (LP - Trust) Rough Trade
- 03 October 2002 (Radio Mafia): Fearless (EP - Canada) Rough Trade
- 03 October 2002 (Radio Eins): Fearless (EP - Canada) Rough Trade
- 10 October 2002 (Radio Eins): In The Drugs (album - Trust) Rough Trade
- 10 December 2002: Blue Christmas (LP - Christmas) Tugboat
- 19 December 2002: Blue Christmas (LP - Christmas) Tugboat
- 26 December 2002 (Radio Mafia): Blue Christmas (CD-Christmas) Tugboat
- 26 December 2002: (That's How You Sing) Amazing Grace (LP-Trust) Rough Trade) FF#36
- 26 December 2002: Canada (CD Single) Rough Trade FF#18
- 26 December 2002: In The Drugs (LP-Trust) Rough Trade FF#16
- 27 December 2002 (BBC World Service): 'Blue Christmas (CD-Christmas)' (Tugboat)
- 2003
- 28 January 2003: Last Night I Dreamed Somebody Loved Me (single) Chairkickers
- 06 February 2003 (Radio Eins): Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me (CD Single) Chairkickers
- 20 May 2003: Dinosaur Act (CD Single) Tugboat
- 18 December 2003: Blue Christmas' (LP - Christmas) Tugboat
- 2004
- 06 July 2004: Because You Stood Still (LP- A Lifetime of Temporary Relief) Rough Trade
- 20 July 2004: Bright (LP- A Lifetime Of Temporary Relief) Rough Trade
- Post-Peel
- 18 November 2004: 'Last Snowstorm of the Year' - (Peel Session)
- 23 November 2004: 'Monkey' - (Rough Trade)
- 30 November 2004: 'Pissing' (CD- Album Sampler) - (Rough Trade)
- 14 December 2004: 'Taking Down The Tree' (LP- Low Christmas) - (Tugboat)
- Pop Depresija (Pop Depression): Fearless (Peel Session)
See Also[]
- November 2000 (Peel's Record Box)
- February 2001 (Peel's Record Box)
- April 2001 (Peel's Record Box)
- August 2002 (Peel's Record Box)
- September 2002 (Peel's Record Box)
- July 2004 (Peel's Record Box)