The Seattle post-hardcore band, The Blood Brothers, have just announced that they will reunite at this year’s FYF Fest in Los Angeles, on August 24th at the LA Sports Arena.
Joining such bands as Presidents of the United States of America, Little Dragon, Against Me!, Interpol and The Strokes, The Blood Brothers will play together for the first time in 9 years.
At age 15, vocalists Jordan Blilie, Johnny Whitney and drummer Mark Gajadhar formed a band called Vade. After adding bassist Morgan Henderson and guitarist Devin Welch in 1996, the band became known as The Blood Brothers. In 1997, the band replaced Welch with guitarist Cody Votolato, creating the current lineup.
After recording 5 studio albums, two EP’s and many internal irreconcilable differences, the band officially broke up in 2007.
In a 2008, Jordan Blilie told the Seattle newspaper The Stranger, “I can’t point to one defining event…. It was harder and harder for us to find that middle ground where all of us were happy. People weren’t getting what they desired from music and being in a band. I couldn’t imagine trying to work on another record with that band. We drifted apart, as people do, as people grow into different individuals and have different ideas of where they want to be in their lives and what they want to be doing with music. As different as we were, we all shared a similar vision as far as where we wanted to be; as the years progressed, it became more and more polarized. If something is no longer bringing you joy, it’s time to make a change.”
Several band members went on to continue their music careers with several different bands and projects.
In 2005, Johnny Whitney and Mark Gajadhar released an album under the name Neon Blonde called Chandeliers in the Savannah. Jordan Blilie and Cody Votolato teamed up with members of The Locust and Yeah Yeah Yeahs to form Head Wound City releasing an album of the same name. Whitney and Votolato then joined with Jay Clark of Pretty Girls Make Graves to start the band Jaguar Love in 2007, which sparked two albums, Take Me To The Sea, and Hologram Jams.
Keeping busy, Johnny Whitney, has also been a part of The Vogue which became Soiled Doves, and started a clothing company with his wife Amy Carlsen called Crystal City Clothing, making shirts for Panic! At the Disco, Thursday, Rocky Votolato and merch design for The Blood Brothers.
Blilie, Gajadhar, Henderson and original guitarist Devin Welch formed the band Past Lives in late 2007. In February of 2010, the band released their debut album, Tapestry of Webs. Henderson also has a solo electronic project called O, Hunter, and has done remixes for bands such as Minus The Bear.
Mark Gajadhar performs as a DJ Gajamagic, has formed the group Champagne Champagne with rapper Pearl Dragon and Thomas Gray, and WEEKEND with Ryan Donnelly of Schoolyard Heros, while Cody Votolato is currently the guitarist for the band Telekinesis, and touring with Cold Cave.
There has been no indication of exactly which members will be playing the reunion, making this performance that much more of a surprise.
All passes for this event go on sale Thursday, May 22nd at 12pm PDT. Follow this link on that day when purchase links will be posted.
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