Remy Zero - Biography
By Brad Austin
Remy Zero's lack of genuine success during their three-album career can be blamed on a couple of different circumstances. First of all, their brand of alternative pop, a style that evoked U2 and The Bends-era Radiohead, was yesterday's news in 1998, the year the band released Villa Elaine, their second album and their first to gain attention. However, had that album come out in, say, 1995 (the same year as The Bends, which only did moderately well on the US charts anyway), one could argue that it wouldn't be that much more successful. Remy Zero did not arrive with the same conviction as Radiohead did on their second album, nor did they bring any new ideas to their genre, so while it is undeniable that Villa Elaine is a pleasant listen, it lacks an inventiveness that would have made it memorable. Things got more interesting on the band's third album, The Golden Hum, and it would have been worth hearing which direction they chose for their fourth. But now, one can only speculate about that, as the band broke up in 2003.
Remy Zero was formed in Birmingham, Alabama in 1989, by five school friends, most of whom came from artistic parents. Brothers Cinjun (vocals/guitar) and Shelby Tate (guitar) had a mother who was a cellist and their father was an artist. Bassist Cedric Lemoyne's stepfather played in a funk band during the 70's. Drummer Gregory Slay's father was a jazz saxophonist. Along with guitarist Jeffrey Cain, these guys had no problem wearing their artistic inclinations on their sleeves, and their interests were not limited to making music; most of the members were interested in painting and film-making as well. They were all about sixteen years old when they moved into a house together in Birmingham, where they were free to experiment with different forms of art. They soon decided to make the band their main focus and recorded their work using old tape machines on which the Tate brothers' parents made spoken word albums in the 60's. As is always the case when an entire band decides to share living space, the situation eventually grew claustrophobic and tiresome, and the group moved on from the house. They stayed in Atlanta for a while, and then in New Orleans, never getting comfortable, and always being low on money.
In 1995, the demo tape that they'd sent out into circulation was happened upon by members of Radiohead, who liked it so much that they asked Remy Zero to tour with them in support of the album, The Bends. With the vote of confidence from Radiohead, and the airplay given to their demo by Santa Monica community radio station KCRW, the band landed a contract with Geffen Records. This deal incited them to move to Los Angeles, which was either the best or worst decision they ever made as a band. The deal did not make them financially secure, and while living in LA, the guys were sleeping on couches if they weren't completely homeless, and many of them began to use drugs heavily.
Upon recording their debut album, the group made the most of these treacherous experiences and wrote songs about their dire circumstances. By exaggerating certain aspects, they were able to distance themselves from the realities of their situation by facing them head on. Remy Zero was released by Geffen on January 30th, 1996. This first LP was the band at their most experimental, as their next two albums showcased a much more streamlined sound. It becomes obvious very quickly that the band is unsure of what their sound should be; album opener “Temenos (Here Come the Shakes)” sounds like the band is trying their hand at shoegazer. Second song “Descent” recalls Pavement's “Here.” Still, the group wear these hats well, and it is even reported that producer Nigel Godrich used the album as a sound template when making OK Computer with Radiohead. Unfortunately, Remy Zero only sold 2,000 copies.
Again, the band did not let their misfortunes break them. They moved into Villa Elaine in Hollywood, a rundown apartment complex with cheap rent and a unique history; it used to be inhabited by the likes of Orson Welles and influential Dada artist, Man Ray. There, they were allowed to hammer out the details of their next album and rehearse this new material well into the night. Their second album was partly recorded in that apartment and finished in studios in LA and England with producers Alan Moulder and David Bottril. The aptly-titled Villa Elaine (Geffen) was released in 1998. The album was well-received and the group were being touted as the next Radiohead, thanks to the earnestness of songs like “Prophecy” (which peaked at 27 on the modern rock charts) and “Motorcycle,” songs that were uplifting and anthemic without being sappy. But the band arrived on the scene too late perhaps, as mainstream radio was moving away from genuine pop bands in favor of rap-rock and Britney Spears.
Remy Zero returned three years later with The Golden Hum (2001, Elektra), an album similar in style to Villa Elaine, but one that attempted an even bigger, more anthemic sound. One song, “Save Me,” gained the group popularity for its inclusion as the theme song on the show Smallville. There was nothing too experimental on The Golden Hum, but there was just enough departure from convention to make it stand out (slightly). The LP opens with the slow-building, instrumental title track, which gives way to an all-out rocker, “Glorious #1.” Altogether, the compositions were sound and its clear that the band have settled into a groove here. Although its a definite possibility that Remy Zero could have put out a groundbreaking, barn-burning fourth album, it's most likely that, had they stayed together, their next LP would be a Golden Hum sound-alike. They would have probably gone the route of their friends in Travis, releasing reliably catchy songs on album after album, enjoying a loyal fan base, but never really diverting from formula. A fourth album was not to be, however, as Remy Zero disbanded, or more accurately fizzled out, in 2003, and the members have gone on to different projects, none of which have generated very much buzz. They announced a reunion in 2006, but nothing materialized.