Electric Guest

History

Asa Taccone met Matthew Compton after renting a room, previously inhabited by Brian "Danger Mouse" Burton, in a large house of mostly musician tenants. Compton was a session drummer, and the two artists began to collaborate. Burton heard demos of their work and, over the span of a year, urged Taccone to make an album.

Taccone recalled an older woman once calling him "an electric guest of the universe", and used the quote as an inspiration for their band name.

They performed their single "This Head I Hold" on an April 2012 taping of the Late Show with David Letterman and have made other television appearances on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and Conan in the United States. In the UK, they have done studio performances for Lauren Laverne, Dermot O'Leary, and Rob da Bank on BBC sessions. While they have performed live on television they have also had their music featured in popular US television shows such as Teen Wolf, HBO's award-winning Girls and Suits.

Electric Guest debuted their album Mondo in April 2012. The album is very much influenced by retro grooves from the 1970s and 1980s. As reviewed by Rolling Stone magazine, the sound of Mondo is a “Beck-ian journey into L.A. slacker soul, full of hooky neon jams that ponder fame's fraught highway and the emptiness of modern life.”

Burton co-produced Electric Guest's debut album Mondo after a year of exchanging advice and music with Asa Taccone, who happened to be a friend's younger brother. Taccone then moved to Los Angeles by taking the room Burton was moving out of. Their relationship continued, and ultimately blossomed into their collaboration on Mondo. Besides the album and singles, there has also been a popular cover of Little Dragon's 'Ritual Union' which was done for the "Like a Version" sessions for Triple J in Australia. Nu:Logic also did a remix of "This Head I Hold" on UFK Drum&Bass.

Both men have been influenced by distinct genres. Compton has noted Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons and Vu de l'extérieur as favorites, and said he grew up mostly listening to indie artists. The band is notable for its pop sound that features Motown sensibilities with Taccone's falsettos.

Matthew Compton has also appeared on other artist's records, including playing drums on the track 'Wes Come Back' from Rodes Rollins' debut EP Young Adult (2017) and 'Mystery Man' (2018).

Music videos

The band has released nine music videos: "This Head I Hold", "American Daydream", "The Bait", "Dear to Me", "Oh Devil", "Back for Me", "Dollar", "Play With Me" and "More".

Reception

They were featured as one of twelve on MTV's list of Artists to Watch in 2012 as well as *NME'''s Radar Band of the Week in February 2013. The Guardian said the band "specialise in soulful, funked-up pop so insidiously catchy you suspect it was designed as a homage to – even a pastiche of – the originators of the form."

Tour

Their Mondo tour debuted in 2012, selling out shows. Along with Taccone and Compton, keyboardist Todd Dahloff and his brother, guitarist Tory Dahloff, join the duo on tour. In 2012 and 2013 they toured through France several times, with the last tour ending with a sold out headliner at Le Trianon venue in Paris. The UK also has a large fan base with several tours that have gone through; the most recent tour ending with a headlining sold out show at the Scala in London.

Electric Guest earned a month-long residency at the Echo in Echo Park, Los Angeles. Bonnaroo Music Festival, and the Leeds Festival in the UK, as well as the Festival Printemps de Bourges, Eurockeennes, and We Love Green (all in France). In 2013, they appeared on Austin City Limits and the First City Fest. They also played at Berlin's Fashion Week as well as Cannes Film Festival.

They were a headline act for SLO Brew's 30th Anniversary Music Festival on September 8, 2018, in San Luis Obispo, California.

In 2019, they performed on popular comedy podcast Comedy Bang Bang for their holiday special, performing "Oh, Devil" and two songs from Kin.

Members

• Asa Taccone – vocals, instrumentals
• Matthew "Cornbread" Compton – drums
• Luke Top – bass guitar
• Reese Richardson – guitar, keyboard

Discography

Studio albums

Extended plays

Singles

Other charted songs

References

References

1. Gotch, Kristin (May 7, 2012), [https://www.popmatters.com/feature/158207-troublemen-an-interview-with-electric-guest/ "An Interview with Electric Guest"]. PopMatters. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
2. Hermes, Will. (May 7, 2012). "Electric Guest Mondo Album Review".
3. Tittiger, Annie (October 29, 2012), [http://www.modernluxury.com/san-francisco/story/7-questions-asa-taccone "7 Questions for Asa Taccone"]. ''Modern Luxury''. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
4. [https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/danger-mouse-reveals-why-he-produced-electric-guests-debut-album-20120411#ixzz40vh9cZdM "Danger Mouse Reveals Why He Produced Electric Guest's Debut Album"]. ''Rolling Stone''. April 11, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
5. (August 12, 2012). "Electric Guest – Ritual Union".
6. (April 12, 2013). "Electric Guest – This Head I Hold (Nu:Logic Remix)".
7. Taccone grew up on hip/hop and soul, citing [[Souls Of Mischief]]'s ''[[93 'til Infinity]]'' album, [[E-40]], and [[Mac Dre]] as influences.Kauffman, Alexia (May 3, 2012), [http://www.welovedc.com/2012/05/03/qa-with-electric-guest/ "Q&A with Electric Guest"]. ''We Love DC''. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
8. (August 10, 2017). "Electric Guest – Oh Devil". YouTube.
9. (January 24, 2012). "Electric Guest – American Daydream". YouTube.
10. (January 17, 2013). "Electric Guest – Bait". YouTube.
11. (December 6, 2016). "Electric Guest – Dear To Me". YouTube.
12. Tim Nackashi (Director). (August 10, 2017). "Electric Guest – Oh Devil". Youtube.
13. Joe Weil (Director). (October 18, 2019). "Electric Guest – More". Youtube.
14. (February 15, 2013). "Radar Band Of The Week – No. 123: Electric Guest". IPC Media Entertainment Network.
15. Lester, Paul (March 7, 2012), [https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/mar/07/new-band-electric-guest "Electric Guest (No 1,223)"]. ''The Guardian''. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
16. Electric Guest. 5.2.12"]. The Soul Dynamic tumblr. May 8, 2012. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
17. They have made domestic festival appearances at [[South by Southwest
18. [[Sasquatch Music Festival. Outside Lands]]. Internationally, they have performed at the [[Montreux Jazz Festival
19. slobrew.com/live
20. "Electric Guest – Chart History".
21. "4 Charts Independent Albums".
22. "Discografie Electric Guest Wallonie". ultratop.be/fr/ Hung Medien.
23. "LesCharts.com: Electric Guest page". eMedia Jungen.
24. "KIN by Electric Guest".
25. "Electric Guest – Chart History – Alternative Songs".
26. "Electric Guest – Chart History – Hot Rock Songs".
27. "ARIA Report: Issue 1173". ARIA.
28. "Discografie Electric Guest Vlaanderen". ultratop.be/nl/ Hung Medien.
29. "Discografie Electric Guest". irishcharts.com Hung Medien.
30. "Schweizer Airplay Charts 35/2012 - hitparade.ch". hitparade.ch.