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Whirr
Whirr in 2014
Background information
Also known asWhirl
OriginModesto, California, U.S.
Genres
Years active2010 (2010)–present
Labels
Spinoffs
Members
  • Nick Bassett
  • Joseph Bautista
  • Loren Rivera
  • Eddie Salgado
  • Devin Nunes
Past members
Websitefreewhirlrecords.com

Whirr is an American shoegaze band, formed in 2010 in Modesto, California. The band currently consists of vocalist/guitarist Loren Rivera, guitarist Nick Bassett, guitarist Joseph Bautista, bassist Eddie Salgado, and drummer Devin Nunes. The band underwent numerous lineups changes early in their history, including a rotating lineup of female vocalists and keyboardists and the departure of founding drummer Sergio Miranda, before settling on their current lineup in 2013.

As of 2024, Whirr has released three studio albums, two EPs, and two live albums. The band has seen a increased popularity amongst Generation Z listeners, and are considered to be one of the leading shoegaze bands of the 2010s.

History

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Originally known as Whirl, the band had to legally change its name after a woman performing acoustic covers of Black Sabbath songs trademarked the name and threatened a lawsuit.[1] Whirr's shoegaze sound is often compared to My Bloody Valentine and Slowdive.[1][2]

Whirr self-released a demo cassette and the EP Distressor before signing to Tee Pee Records in 2011. The band released June that year, followed by their 2012 debut album, Pipe Dreams. The latter was met with a generally positive reception from music critics.[3][4][5] On October 16 of the same year, the band released a split with Anne on Run for Cover Records.[6]

Whirr released the Around EP on July 9, 2013, and toured to support it that August with the band Nothing.[7][8] As a result of touring together, members of Nothing and Whirr formed a side project called Death of Lovers,[9] and Whirr and Nothing released a split EP. Bassett then joined Nothing on bass and toured with them.[10] Bassett also started a new indie pop project with former Whirr vocalist Alexandra Morte called Camera Shy,[11] while guitarist Joseph Bautista joined Best Coast as a touring member.

On September 23, 2014, Whirr released their second studio album, Sway, on Graveface Records.[12]

On October 25, 2019, Time Well Recordings announced that Whirr would be releasing their third studio album, Feels Like You.[13] Initially intended as a vinyl only release, the album was made available through the band's website as a limited pressing of 650 copies which sold out within the first day. Following this, the album was leaked online and the band opted to do an official digital release made available on Bandcamp.[14]

On February 14, 2023, Whirr announced the release of a live album – titled Live In Los Angeles. Orders of the album came with two new songs recorded in January 2023 at Earth Analog Studios Muta and Blue Sugar.[15]

Social media use

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Whirr became notorious for being inflammatory toward its own fans on social media, an action that the band described in a 2014 interview as "weeding out the pussies".[16][17] After Pitchfork writer Ian Cohen gave Bassett's other band Nothing a mixed review, the band wrote on Facebook, "Ian Cohen is still a retarded pussy and pitchfork still don't know what they're talking about".[18] A fan-created Tumblr page documented Whirr's instances of insulting its fans. When given an offer to apologize, Bassett refused and said that if Whirr alienated its entire fanbase, he would "be stoked that we didn't suck anyone's dick as a band and were just real dudes being real."[17] On October 19, 2015, a series of derogatory remarks towards the transgender band G.L.O.S.S. were posted on Whirr's Twitter account, including one that read: "[G.L.O.S.S. is] just a bunch of boys running around in panties making shitty music".[19] These tweets resulted in a backlash on social media; Graveface, who released the band's Sway, and Run for Cover Records, who released three of their EPs, severed ties with the band.[16] In a 2024 interview, Nick Bassett expressed remorse over the band's past social media posts.[20]

Band members

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Discography

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References

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  1. ^ a b Gagnon, Sarah (April 4, 2012). "Local shoegaze band Whirr releases debut LP, Pipe Dreams". The Bay Bridged. Archived from the original on May 23, 2013. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
  2. ^ Thomas, Fred. "Whirr – Biography". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 20, 2013.
  3. ^ Raggett, Ned. "Review: Pipe Dreams". AllMusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
  4. ^ Douglas, Martin (March 20, 2012). "Review: Pipe Dreams". Pitchfork. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
  5. ^ Shultz, Brian (March 29, 2012). "Review: Pipe Dreams". Alternative Press. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
  6. ^ Pesarro, Fred (September 20, 2012). "Anne and Whirr team up for a double 7" split (stream a song); Deafheaven and Bosse De Nage prep split EP". BrooklynVegan. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  7. ^ Sacher, Andrew (June 19, 2013). "Whirr releasing a new mini-LP, announce tour (dates, stream)". BrooklynVegan. Spin Media. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
  8. ^ Paul, Aubin (June 19, 2013). "Tours: Whirr / Nothing". Punknews.org. Retrieved July 21, 2013.
  9. ^ McGovern, Kyle (October 22, 2013). "Watch Death of Lovers' Eerie 'Buried Under A World of Roses' Video". Spin. Spin Media. Retrieved October 22, 2013.
  10. ^ Gelb, Daniel (February 26, 2014). "Philly's own Nothing is really something". Philadelphia Weekly. Archived from the original on April 15, 2015. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  11. ^ Chandler, Kyle (May 22, 2014). "Alexandra Morte leaves whirr, forms camera shy". Soft Concrete. Archived from the original on April 15, 2015. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  12. ^ Cimarusti, Luca (July 11, 2014). "12 O'Clock Track: 'Mumble' is the return of shoegaze revivalists Whirr". Chicago Reader. Sun-Times Media Group. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  13. ^ "Time Well Recordings on Instagram: "Now available for preorder at www.freewhirl.com 🌀 . . . Recorded at @timewellrecordings . . 🎞: @documavision"". Instagram. Archived from the original on December 25, 2021. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
  14. ^ "Feels Like You, by Whirr". Whirr. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
  15. ^ "Live In Los Angeles, by Whirr". Whirr. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  16. ^ a b Gordon, Jeremy (October 20, 2015). "Record Labels Sever Ties With Whirr Over Transphobic Tweets". Pitchfork. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  17. ^ a b Hodge, Lukas (April 23, 2014). "Whirr Wants You to Fuck Off". Noisey. Vice. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  18. ^ Whirr (March 4, 2014). "Breaking News, Ian Cohen is a pussy and Pitchfork continues to be clueless about anything they're talking about..." www.facebook.com. Retrieved December 20, 2023.
  19. ^ Ozzi, Dan (October 20, 2015). "Whirr Got Dropped by Their Record Label for Tweeting Transphobic Bullshit". Noisey. Vice. Retrieved October 24, 2015.
  20. ^ Enis, Eli (May 8, 2024). "To be at ease: A long talk with Whirr guitarist Nick Bassett". Chasing Sundays. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
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