View source for Glass Beach (band)

{{short description|American rock band}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Glass Beach
| image             =
| caption           =
| background        = group_or_band
| origin            = [[Los Angeles]], U.S.
| genre             = {{flatlist |
* [[Indie rock]]
* [[math rock]]
* [[art rock]]
* [[Emo revival|post-emo]]
}}
| years_active      = 2016–present
| label             = [[Run for Cover Records|Run for Cover]]
| website           = {{URL|http://glassbeach.band/}}
| current_members   = * J McClendon
* Jonas Newhouse
* William White
* Layne Smith
}}
'''Glass Beach''' (stylized as '''glass beach''') is an American [[indie rock]] band from Los Angeles, currently based in Seattle.<ref>{{cite web |title=glass beach |url=https://glassbeach.band/ |website=glassbeach.band |access-date=31 January 2024 |archive-date=January 19, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240119102717/https://glassbeach.band/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Their music has been described as "heavy indie rock", blending influences including [[punk rock]], [[math rock]], and mid-century jazz. They cite some of their musical influences as [[Jeff Rosenstock]], [[They Might Be Giants]], and [[the Brave Little Abacus]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=August 3, 2020|title=Glass Beach: Better Living Through Irony|url=https://trackseven.net/2020/08/03/glass-beach-better-living-through-irony/|access-date=February 24, 2021|website=Track 7|language=en|archive-date=March 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307024834/https://trackseven.net/2020/08/03/glass-beach-better-living-through-irony/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.getalternative.com/interview-glass-beach-break-down-their-restless-debut/|title=Interview: Glass Beach Discuss Their Restless Debut|date=January 28, 2020|website=The Alternative|access-date=February 28, 2021|archive-date=October 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025155621/https://www.getalternative.com/interview-glass-beach-break-down-their-restless-debut/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/glass-beach-the-first-glass-beach-album/|title=Glass Beach: ''The First Glass Beach Album''|website=Pitchfork|access-date=February 28, 2021|archive-date=February 27, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227070228/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/glass-beach-the-first-glass-beach-album/|url-status=live}}</ref>
The band's formation and music is closely tied to internet communities, and according to ''[[The Washington Post]]'' has "developed a cultish online following".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stereogum.com/2064287/glass-beach-interview-2019/interviews/band-to-watch/|title=Band To Watch: Glass Beach|date=November 13, 2019|access-date=February 28, 2021|archive-date=November 26, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201126045759/https://www.stereogum.com/2064287/glass-beach-interview-2019/interviews/band-to-watch/|url-status=live}}</ref> In early 2020, the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' predicted that the band "likely won't be playing cozy venues like All Star Lanes for much longer."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-01-01/best-concerts-la-this-week-the-smell-califone-glass-beach|title=Best concerts in L.A. This week: The Smell's anniversary celebration, Califone, Glass Beach|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=January 2020|access-date=March 6, 2021|archive-date=January 20, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210120002406/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-01-01/best-concerts-la-this-week-the-smell-califone-glass-beach|url-status=live}}</ref>
== History ==
In 2015, lead singer J McClendon made the move to Los Angeles, California, from her hometown of [[Burleson, Texas|Burleson]], [[Texas]],<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Run For Cover Records|url=https://www.runforcoverrecords.com/|access-date=February 24, 2021|website=Run For Cover Records|language=en|archive-date=February 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210223093053/https://www.runforcoverrecords.com/|url-status=live}}</ref> where she [[Couch surfing|couch-surfed]] and worked on her solo project, Casio Dad.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=''The First Glass Beach Album'', by Glass Beach|url=https://glassbeach.bandcamp.com/album/the-first-glass-beach-album|access-date=February 24, 2021|website=Glass Beach|archive-date=February 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218222133/https://glassbeach.bandcamp.com/album/the-first-glass-beach-album|url-status=live}}</ref> During this time she released an [[Extended play|EP]] titled ''He's Not With Us Anymore''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=''He's Not With Us Anymore'', by Casio Dad|url=https://petalportmusic.bandcamp.com/album/hes-not-with-us-anymore|access-date=February 24, 2021|website=Petal Port Music}}</ref> Shortly after, while attending the [[University of Minnesota Morris]], close friends Jonas Newhouse and William White heard a song from J's new EP on their school's radio station, and immediately found interest in the musician.<ref name=":1" /> The trio quickly became friends, and soon Newhouse and White joined J in Los Angeles to live together and form Glass Beach.<ref name=":7">{{cite AV media |date=February 17, 2020 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsjbxWWNKKE |title=The Making of ''The First Glass Beach Album'' |publisher=[[Run For Cover Records]] |via=[[YouTube]] |access-date=May 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527151828/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsjbxWWNKKE |archive-date=May 27, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> For the next three years, the group worked diligently on their first album, ''[[The First Glass Beach Album]]'', which debuted on May 18, 2019, under Run for Cover Records.<ref name=":1"/>
Before the album's release, musician and artist Layne Smith joined the group <ref name=":7" /> as the band's guitarist after bonding over [[Dungeons & Dragons]],<ref>{{Cite web|date=January 28, 2020|title=Interview: Glass Beach Discuss Their Restless Debut|url=https://www.getalternative.com/interview-glass-beach-break-down-their-restless-debut/|access-date=February 24, 2021|website=The Alternative|language=en|archive-date=October 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025155621/https://www.getalternative.com/interview-glass-beach-break-down-their-restless-debut/|url-status=live}}</ref> and immediately got to work developing the band's [[Live sound mixing|live sound]] and became a key member of the group.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Glass Beach|url=https://terrorbird.com/artists/glass-beach|access-date=February 24, 2021|website=Terrorbird|language=en}}{{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
The band released several singles and a remix album following ''The First Glass Beach Album'', for many of them initially on [[Bandcamp]]. These included  "running", originally written for ''[[Bill & Ted Face the Music]]'' before it was cut from the film, and released in 2020.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Deville |first=Chris |date=2020-07-30 |title=Glass Beach's New Song "Running" Was Originally Written For The New 'Bill & Ted' Movie |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2093271/glass-beach-running-bill-and-ted/music/ |access-date=2022-10-22 |website=Stereogum |language=en |archive-date=October 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022055427/https://www.stereogum.com/2093271/glass-beach-running-bill-and-ted/music/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The band released an alternate version of "classic j dies and goes to hell", a song on their first album, in celebration of the song achieving 1 million streams on [[Spotify]].<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Rettig |first=James |date=2020-09-16 |title=Glass Beach – "classic j dies and gets a million streams on spotify" |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2098431/glass-beach-classic-j-dies-and-gets-a-million-streams-on-spotify/music/ |access-date=2022-10-22 |website=Stereogum |language=en |archive-date=October 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022055430/https://www.stereogum.com/2098431/glass-beach-classic-j-dies-and-gets-a-million-streams-on-spotify/music/ |url-status=live }}</ref> They covered [[Car Seat Headrest]]'s "Beach Life-In-Death" in January 2021,<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Deville |first=Chris |date=2021-01-07 |title=Glass Beach – "Beach Life In Death" (Car Seat Headrest Cover) |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2112299/glass-beach-beach-life-in-death-car-seat-headrest-cover/music/ |access-date=2022-10-22 |website=Stereogum |language=en |archive-date=October 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022055433/https://www.stereogum.com/2112299/glass-beach-beach-life-in-death-car-seat-headrest-cover/music/ |url-status=live }}</ref> as well as "[[Welcome to the Black Parade]]" by [[My Chemical Romance]] in July of the same year, for [[Pride Month]].<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |last=Deville |first=Chris |date=2021-06-28 |title=glass beach – "Welcome To The Black Parade" (My Chemical Romance Cover) |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2152538/glass-beach-welcome-to-the-black-parade-my-chemical-romance-cover/music/ |access-date=2022-10-22 |website=Stereogum |language=en |archive-date=October 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022055431/https://www.stereogum.com/2152538/glass-beach-welcome-to-the-black-parade-my-chemical-romance-cover/music/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The remix album, featuring [[Bartees Strange]], [[Skylar Spence]], [[Ska Tune Network]], and [[Dogleg (band)|Dogleg]], was also released in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rettig |first=James |date=2021-02-23 |title=Glass Beach Announce Remix Album Featuring Bartees Strange, Skylar Spence, Dogleg, & More |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2117180/glass-beach-remix-album-tracklist/music/ |access-date=2022-10-22 |website=Stereogum |language=en |archive-date=August 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240806003222/https://www.stereogum.com/2117180/glass-beach-remix-album-tracklist/music/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
On September 27, 2023, Glass Beach released an [[alternate reality game]] hosted on their website which culminated in the reveal of the name and [[Track listing|tracklist]] of their second album ''[[Plastic Death]]''.{{Citation needed|date=September 2023}} On October 11, 2023 the band released the album's first single, "the CIA", featuring themes of fear and surveillance by the [[Central Intelligence Agency]], with a music video directed by White.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Pappis |first=Konstantinos |date=2023-10-11 |title=glass beach Return With New Song 'the CIA' |work=[[Our Culture Mag]] |url=https://ourculturemag.com/2023/10/11/glass-beach-return-with-new-song-the-cia/ |access-date=2023-11-01 |archive-date=August 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240806003222/https://ourculturemag.com/2023/10/11/glass-beach-return-with-new-song-the-cia/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On November 6 the band released the second single, "rare animal", about the disappearance of [[D. B. Cooper]].<ref name=":6" />  ''Plastic Death'', produced by [[Will Yip]],<ref name="Album announcement" /> was released on January 19, 2024.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web |last=Breihan |first=Tom |date=2023-11-06 |title=Glass Beach Announce New Album 'Plastic Death': Hear "Rare Animal" |url=https://www.stereogum.com/2241662/glass-beach-rare-animal/music/ |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=[[Stereogum]] |language=en |archive-date=November 7, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231107164924/https://www.stereogum.com/2241662/glass-beach-rare-animal/music/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Members ==
* J McClendon<ref>{{cite tweet |author=beach band |user=glassbeachband |number=1422245490406531093 |date=August 2, 2021 |title=-j (they/them) Glass Beach's front person, singer, keyboardist, rhythm guitarist, and writer. crushing it on tracks such as "Classic J Dies", "Cold Weather", and "Orchids". interests: graphic design, animation, watching streams, cooking, and not being on social media |language=en |access-date=May 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220501201214/https://twitter.com/glassbeachband/status/1422245490406531093 |archive-date=May 1, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> – vocals/guitar (2015–present)
* Jonas Newhouse<ref>{{cite tweet |author=beach band |user=glassbeachband |number=1422245128190631947 |date=August 2, 2021 |title=-jonas (they/she) @jonasnewhouse Glass Beach's funky-ass bass player. catch their heat coming off of tracks like "Bedroom Community" and "Yoshi's Island". interests: video games, streaming, guitar and piano, denim dresses, books about pirates, and her dog markle. |language=en |access-date=May 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220501201211/https://twitter.com/glassbeachband/status/1422245128190631947 |archive-date=May 1, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> – bass (2015–present)
* William White<ref>{{cite tweet |author=beach band |user=glassbeachband |number=1422245357308682245 |date=August 2, 2021 |title=-william (they/them) @KWilliamWhite Glass Beach's thumping drummer. breaking it down on tracks like "Neon Glow", "Glass Beach", and "Dallas". interests: film, cameras, podcasts, guitar, overworking, their cat tig, and running the socials. |language=en |access-date=May 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220501201211/https://twitter.com/glassbeachband/status/1422245357308682245 |archive-date=May 1, 2022 |url-status=live}}</ref> – drums (2015–present)
* Layne Smith<ref>{{cite tweet |author=beach band |user=glassbeachband |number=1422245227734073346 |date=August 2, 2021 |title=- layne (he/him) @SillyBoyArt glass beach’s ripping lead guitarist. here to tear into tracks like glass beach and 1015. interests: anime, video games, streaming, drawing/painting, music engineering, flannel shirts, birds, and buc-ees. |language=en |access-date=April 16, 2024}}</ref> – lead guitar (2019–present)
== Discography ==
=== Studio albums ===
* ''[[The First Glass Beach Album]]'' (2019)<ref>{{Cite web |title=the first glass beach album, by glass beach |url=https://glassbeach.bandcamp.com/album/the-first-glass-beach-album |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=glass beach |language=en |archive-date=February 18, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218222133/https://glassbeach.bandcamp.com/album/the-first-glass-beach-album |url-status=live }}</ref>
* ''[[Plastic Death]]'' (2024)<ref name="Album announcement">{{Cite news |last=Sacher |first=Andrew |date=November 6, 2023 |title=Glass Beach announce new album ''Plastic Death'' & tour, share "Rare Animal" |work=[[BrooklynVegan]] |url=https://www.brooklynvegan.com/glass-beach-announce-new-album-plastic-death-tour-share-rare-animal/ |access-date=January 3, 2024 |archive-date=January 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240106163508/https://www.brooklynvegan.com/glass-beach-announce-new-album-plastic-death-tour-share-rare-animal/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Remix albums ===
* ''Alchemist Rats Beg Bashful (Remixes)'' (2021)<ref>{{Cite news |last=Moore |first=Em |date=February 24, 2021 |title=Glass Beach announce remix album |work=Punknews.org |url=https://www.punknews.org/article/74140/glass-beach-announce-remix-album |access-date=July 25, 2022 |archive-date=July 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220725064331/https://www.punknews.org/article/74140/glass-beach-announce-remix-album |url-status=live }}</ref>
=== Singles ===
* "Neon Glow" (2018) <ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bwBTHQlEiUM |title=glass beach - neon glow (2018) |date=2018-06-07 |last=glass beach |access-date=2024-09-09 |via=YouTube}}</ref>
* "Running" (2020)<ref>{{Cite web |title=running, by glass beach |url=https://glassbeach.bandcamp.com/track/running |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=glass beach |language=en |archive-date=August 6, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240806003223/https://glassbeach.bandcamp.com/track/running |url-status=live }}</ref>
* "Classic J Dies and Gets a Million Streams on Spotify" (2020)<ref>{{Cite web |title=classic j dies and gets a million streams on spotify, by glass beach |url=https://glassbeach.bandcamp.com/track/classic-j-dies-and-gets-a-million-streams-on-spotify |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=glass beach |language=en}}</ref>
* "1015" (2020)<ref>{{Cite web |title=1015, by glass beach |url=https://glassbeach.bandcamp.com/track/1015 |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=glass beach |language=en |archive-date=September 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928123947/https://glassbeach.bandcamp.com/track/1015 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* "[[Beach Life-in-Death|Beach Life in Death]]" (2021)<ref>{{Cite web |title=beach life in death, by glass beach |url=https://glassbeach.bandcamp.com/track/beach-life-in-death |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=glass beach |language=en |archive-date=September 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928123948/https://glassbeach.bandcamp.com/track/beach-life-in-death |url-status=live }}</ref>
* "[[Welcome to the Black Parade]]" (2021)<ref>{{Cite web |title=welcome to the black parade, by glass beach |url=https://glassbeach.bandcamp.com/track/welcome-to-the-black-parade |access-date=2023-09-28 |website=glass beach |language=en |archive-date=September 28, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230928123947/https://glassbeach.bandcamp.com/track/welcome-to-the-black-parade |url-status=live }}</ref>
* "The CIA" (2023)<ref>{{Cite web |title=the CIA, by glass beach |url=https://glassbeach.bandcamp.com/track/the-cia |access-date=2023-10-12 |website=glass beach |language=en |archive-date=October 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231011194357/https://glassbeach.bandcamp.com/track/the-cia |url-status=live }}</ref>
* "Rare Animal" (2023)<ref name=":6" />
{{notelist}}
==References==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Musical groups from Los Angeles]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 2015]]
[[Category:2015 establishments in California]]