Earth (American band)

Earth is an American rock band based in Olympia, Washington and led by the guitarist Dylan Carlson. Initially active between 1989 and 1997, their early work is characterized by heavy guitar distortion, drones, and lengthy, minimalist song structures; their 1993 debut album Earth 2 is recognized as a pioneering work of the drone metal genre. The band resurfaced in the early 2000s, with their subsequent output reducing the distortion and incorporating elements of country, jazz rock, and folk. Earth's current lineup consists of Carlson and drummer Adrienne Davies.

Biography
Dylan Carlson founded the band in 1989 along with Slim Moon and Greg Babior, taking the title "Earth" from Black Sabbath's prior name. Carlson has remained the core of the band's line-up throughout its changes. At the time of Earth's formation, Carlson was conceptually influenced by minimalist composers such as La Monte Young as well the bands King Crimson and Slayer.

Carlson was a close friend of Kurt Cobain, who sang lead vocals in the song "Divine and Bright", from a demo included on the re-release of the live album Sunn Amps and Smashed Guitars. Because police had twice confiscated guns from Cobain inside a single year, Cobain had Carlson purchase a shotgun for him on March 30, 1994. Cobain told Carlson the gun was for protection. Cobain would use the shotgun to kill himself six days later.

Earth 2 was described as a "milestone" by Terrorizer's Dayal Patterson, which he described as "a three-track, 75 minute deluge of feedback and distorted guitars that marked the blueprint for what Carlson at the time coined 'ambient metal'". The band went on hiatus after the release of Pentastar: In the Style of Demons due to Carlson's personal problems, including heroin addiction, rehabilitation, his connection to Kurt Cobain's death, and incarceration. Carlson attributed the break primarily to his heroin addiction:

Earth reappeared around 2000 with a markedly different sound. Its music was still drone based, slow-paced, and lengthy, but it now included a drummer and featured strong elements of country music. Remarking on the stylistic change, Carlson was quick to point to the continuity with Earth's previous sound:

The press release for Hex; Or Printing in the Infernal Method (2005) stated the band's music shows "the influence of country guitarists/songwriters such as: Duane Eddy, Merle Haggard, Roy Buchanan and fuses it with the vibe of epic visionary composer: Ennio Morricone." The press release for The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull (2008) referenced "the more adventurous San Francisco bands of the late 1960s and 1970s, and the more spiritually aware and exciting forms of Jazz-Rock from the same era". The press release for Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light I describes "inspiration from both British Folk-Rock bands the Pentangle and Fairport Convention".

Members
Current
 * Dylan Carlson – guitar
 * Adrienne Davies – drums

Former
 * Slim Moon – vocals
 * Greg Babior – guitar
 * Joe Preston – bass guitar, percussion
 * Ian Dickson – guitar, bass guitar
 * Dave Harwell – bass guitar
 * John Schuller – bass
 * Sean McElligot – guitar
 * Michael McDaniel – drums
 * Jonas Haskins – baritone guitar
 * Steve "Stebmo" Moore – electric piano, trombone, acoustic grand piano, Hammond organ, Wurlitzer electric piano
 * Lori Goldston – cello
 * Karl Blau – bass guitar
 * Angelina Baldoz – bass guitar (tour only)
 * Don McGreevy – bass guitar
 * Bill Herzog – bass guitar
 * Brett Netson – guitar

Discography
Studio albums
 * Earth 2: Special Low-Frequency Version (1993)
 * Phase 3: Thrones and Dominions (1995)
 * Pentastar: In the Style of Demons (1996)
 * Hex; Or Printing in the Infernal Method (2005)
 * The Bees Made Honey in the Lion's Skull (2008)
 * Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light I (2011)
 * Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II (2012)
 * Primitive and Deadly (2014)
 * Full upon Her Burning Lips (2019)

Collaborations
 * The Bug & Earth: Concrete Desert (2017)