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Fleet Foxes
Fleetfoxes08.jpg
Fleet Foxes performing in Copenhagen, 2008.
Background information
Origin Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Genres Indie folk, baroque pop, folk rock, psychedelic folk, progressive rock
Years active 2006–2012 (hiatus)
Labels Sub Pop (U.S.)
Bella Union (UK)
Arts & Crafts México
Associated acts Crystal Skulls, Pedro the Lion, White Antelope, Poor Moon, Father John Misty, The Blood Brothers, Past Lives, Japanese Guy, Peter Matthew Bauer & the Devourers
Members Robin Pecknold
Skyler Skjelset
Casey Wescott
Christian Wargo
Morgan Henderson
Past members Nicholas Peterson
Craig Curran
Joshua Tillman

Fleet Foxes is an American indie folk band that started in Seattle, Washington. They are known for their unique sound, which mixes folk music with other styles like baroque pop. The band became famous in 2008 with their second EP, Sun Giant, and their first album, Fleet Foxes. Their second album, Helplessness Blues, came out in 2011.

History of Fleet Foxes

How the Band Started

Robin Pecknold and Skyler Skjelset became friends while going to Lake Washington High School in Kirkland, Washington. They both loved listening to folk music artists like Bob Dylan and Neil Young. Soon, they started making music together.

At first, they called themselves "The Pineapples." But they found out another band already had that name. So, Pecknold chose "Fleet Foxes" instead. Robin Pecknold became the main songwriter, singing and playing guitar. Skyler Skjelset played lead guitar. In 2006, they recorded their first demo, an EP called Fleet Foxes, with help from producer Phil Ek. By the end of 2006, people in Seattle started to notice their music.

The band grew popular by playing local concerts. They began working on their first full album in early 2007. They recorded some songs in a studio with producer Ek. But because they didn't have a lot of money, they recorded most of their music at home.

Becoming Well-Known

Fleet Foxes became popular mainly through word of mouth. This means people told their friends about the band. By late 2007, their songs had been played over 250,000 times on their Myspace page. On January 18, 2008, they signed a record deal with Sub Pop, a big record label. Robin's sister, Aja Pecknold, became the band's manager. Robin Pecknold has said that a lot of their early success came from people sharing their music online.

The band recorded their second EP, Sun Giant, at Bear Creek Studio. They added more layers to their songs and mixed them at Avast! Recording Co. in Seattle. Fleet Foxes then went on a tour with the band Blitzen Trapper starting in February 2008. Their performances at big festivals like SXSW in March 2008 and Sasquatch! in May 2008 helped them get a lot of public attention.

Sun Giant was released around the world on April 8, 2008. Music critics really liked it. After this, Christian Wargo joined the band on guitar, and J. Tillman joined on drums. Their first full album, Fleet Foxes, came out on June 3, 2008. This album also got great reviews, just like the EP. On June 24, 2008, Fleet Foxes reached No. 1 on the College Music Journal Radio 200 Chart.

In Europe, Fleet Foxes sold over 200,000 copies in just five months. Tickets for their concerts in Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom sold out quickly. By the end of 2008, the album had sold over 408,000 copies in North America and over 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom. The band went on a worldwide tour in 2008 and 2009.

Second Album Release

The band started practicing new songs in February 2009. But they didn't begin recording until April 2010. Many of the singing parts were recorded in just one try.

Their second album, Helplessness Blues, was released on May 3, 2011. The album cover was drawn by Seattle artist Toby Liebowitz and painted by Christopher Alderson. This album featured a new band member, Morgan Henderson, who played upright bass and woodwind instruments.

On January 18, 2012, drummer J. Tillman announced that he had left the band.

Helplessness Blues was nominated for Best Folk Album at the 2012 Grammy Awards. The band then took a break from 2013 to 2016.

Third Album Release

On May 18, 2016, Robin Pecknold shared on his Instagram that Fleet Foxes were working on new music.

Their third album, called Crack-Up, was released on June 16, 2017. It was released on Nonesuch Records, which was a new record label for the band.

They started playing concerts again on May 15, 2017.

Band Members

  • Robin Pecknold - lead vocals, guitar (2006–present)
  • Skyler Skjelset - guitar, mandolin, vocals (2006–present)
  • Casey Wescott - keyboards, mandolin, vocals (2006–present)
  • Christian Wargo - bass guitar, guitar, vocals (2008–present)
  • Morgan Henderson - upright bass, guitar, woodwinds, violin, percussion, saxophone (2010–present)

Former Members

  • Craig Curran - bass guitar (2006-2008)
  • Nicholas Peterson - drums, percussion, vocals (2006–2008)
  • Joshua Tillman - drums, percussion, vocals (2008–2012)

Music Releases

Fleet Foxes have released several albums and EPs (Extended Plays). EPs are shorter than full albums.

Studio Albums

  • Fleet Foxes (2008)
  • Helplessness Blues (2011)
  • Crack-Up (2017)

Extended Plays (EPs)

  • The Fleet Foxes (2006)
  • Sun Giant (2008)
  • The Shrine / An Argument – Live at the BBC (2011)

Singles

Some of their popular singles include:

  • "White Winter Hymnal" (2008)
  • "He Doesn't Know Why" (2008)
  • "Mykonos" (2009)
  • "Your Protector" (2009)
  • "Helplessness Blues"/"Grown Ocean" (2011)
  • "Battery Kinzie" (2011)
  • "Lorelai" (2011)
  • "Third of May / Ōdaigahara" (2017)
  • "Fool's Errand" (2017)
  • "If You Need To, Keep Time on Me" (2017)

Music Videos

Fleet Foxes have also released music videos for some of their songs:

  • "White Winter Hymnal" (2008)
  • "He Doesn't Know Why" (2008)
  • "Mykonos" (2009)
  • "Grown Ocean" (2011)
  • "The Shrine / An Argument" (2011)
  • "Fool's Errand" (2017)

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Fleet Foxes para niños

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