Angwish

Artist Information

Biography

Angwish IS rock and roll. Bryan Bielanski started the band in 1996 to cope with the grief of losing both his sister and his hero to suicide in 1994. 16 years later Bielanski is still rocking the world. Last year he transformed Angwish from a trio to an alternative rock POWER DUO by building a special pick-up in his guitar so that he can play guitar and bass guitar simultaneously. The music ranges from happy power-pop to harmony laden acoustic rock to grungy in your face songs of despair! Bielanski overcomes any challenge including the most recent of his drummer quitting with no notice in the middle of his last tour. He hustled and found 6 fill in drummers to cover the shows until being joined by long time friend and drummer Josh Griffin.

Angwish is well known for their hard work ethic and dedication to their music and their accomplishments back up their reputation. They have released 6 albums and 3 EPs, toured the US, Canada, Mexico, Italy and Greece, have had songs placed in Red Bull advertisements in several foreign markets, won the Charlotte Music Award for "Most Promising Artist" in 2008 and Bryan was nominated for "Best Songwriter" in the 2011 Charlotte Music Awards.

The lyrics are painfully honest, dealing with real life trials and tribulations, unrequited love, mythological creatures, apocalyptic visions, self affirmation anthems, rock and roll, supernatural experiences, descending into insanity, sex, and zoological themes. The music is driving and never predictable, filled with hooks, and the shows are filled with energy and conviction that is hard to find in a rock band in these times of heartless corporate music industry domination ....the albums have no filler, it is "A" material from start to finish. They actually throw away their "throw away" songs.

Angwish released their sixth studio album "Rock and Roll Destroyed My Life" in 2012 and completed a 5 month 95 show North American tour! The band is currently working on a new album "The Big Rip Off" and a world tour for 2013.

Instrumentation

Bryan Bielanski - Vocals, Bass, guitars, Synth
Josh Griffin - Vocals, Drums

Discography

QFQ EP 1998 KEH Records
Prototype 1999 Street Records
He'll Remember EP 2001 Street Records
485 2002 Street Records
All The Problems EP 2005 KEH Records
Calamity 2007 KEH Records
Into The Void 2010 KEH Records
Data West 2011 KEH Records
Rock And Roll Destroyed My Life 2012 KEH Records

Official Website

http://www.angwish.com

Links

• Facebook
• Twitter
• MySpace

Audio

• Basicly I'm Lost
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• I Wanna Be Your Monkey
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• The Sadist
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• Super Power
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• Hello Katie
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Lyrics

• Basicly I'm Lost

Video

The Sadist

Photo Gallery

Press

• Angwish Goes All In With Rock and Roll Dream [+ Show ]
  

  For well over a decade, Charlotte, N.C., band Angwish played it safe. The trio rocked around the ...For well over a decade, Charlotte, N.C., band Angwish played it safe.
  
  The trio rocked around the Southeast as weekend warriors while maintaining their day jobs. For singer-guitarist Bryan Bielanski, that meant working as a restaurant manager and feeling unfulfilled.
  
  Then last year, Bielanski decided it was put-up-or-shut-up time for the band he formed in the mid-’90s while still in high school. He dreamed of bigger things, but not everyone shared his vision. Therefore, the trio became a duo, forcing the guitarist to now play bass notes from his guitar, albeit while still playing guitar. Considering the outfit had one less member, that meant the band’s music had to change into more of a grungy sound.
  
  Also, if he was going to give it his all, he had to cast away his worldly chains. Now unfettered by a day job and no longer renting an apartment, Bielanski is about to find out if he made a series of bad decisions or the first step toward stardom. Angwish makes its Youngstown debut Friday at the Lemon Grove.
  
  “We’re going on our first national tour,” Bielanski said. “Basically, reducing the band to a two-piece is what gave us the ability to tour. It’s opened some doors for the band, but it’s definitely a very big challenge to be your own bass player. In a way, it’s very liberating, but there are limitations that I can’t always pull off certain solos because I’m using like loop stations and all kinds of different effects to get the bass. But it’s playing the bass notes at the same time I’m playing the guitar notes on the same instrument. It’s cool.”
  
  The cool motif, which was inspired by Bielanski’s favorite band, Local H, led to a change of sound for Angwish. Before, the band was more power-pop and pop-punk. Now the duo is a bit heavier, as heard on its recently released album “Rock And Roll Destroyed My Life.” While compared to the likes of Nirvana, Alice in Chains and White Zombie, the CD features songs such as the sludgy rock “The Sadist” and the Beastie Boys-sounding “Super Power.” Oh, yeah, there’s something else about the new studio effort that makes it stand out.
  
  “So, basically, it’s a 36-minute-long song,” Bielanski said. “The whole album was recorded in one 36-minute take, but it’s divided into tracks and is just us trying to play real rock again.”
  
  Considering Bielanski’s current situation and what’s at stake, the new CD’s album title could end up being his epitaph. Finally, one must assume his parents aren’t thrilled with the idea. They must be worried or at least concerned, right?
  
  “I know mine aren’t or at least they’re pretending they’re not,” Bielanski said. “The whole family seems to be behind us. Even our grandma who is about to turn 90 is excited for us to be out on the road and touring and really trying to make this happen. I think we have what it takes to go all the way — otherwise I wouldn’t try.”

• Angwish : Rock N' Roll Fable [+ Show ]
  

  How’s this for a rock ’n’ roll fable? Bryan Bielanski formed a rock trio in high school back in the ...How’s this for a rock ’n’ roll fable? Bryan Bielanski formed a rock trio in high school back in the ’90s, was a weekend warrior musician for years while managing a restaurant, said “screw this” and quit, pared his trio down to a grungy duo, recorded Rock and Roll Destroyed My Life, an album of nine songs in one 36-minute continuous take, sold everything and abandoned his apartment, and hit the road. Feel the commitment on Wednesday, May 23, when Bielanski’s band Angwish plays the Frog and Peach; then revel in the way he plays both the guitar notes and bass notes simultaneously on his guitar. Rock on! ?

• CD Review: Angwish's "Rock And Roll Destroyed My Life" [+ Show ]
  

  Charlotte rock trio Angwish celebrates the release of its new album "Rock n' Roll Destroyed My Life"...Charlotte rock trio Angwish celebrates the release of its new album "Rock n' Roll Destroyed My Life" Saturday, February 25, at The Milestone. The cd release party marks the band's final show with longtime bassist/backing vocalist Rachael Malmberg Harper and its final headlining show before founder Bryan Bielanski and his cousin/new drummer Mike Smith set off on a nomadic national six month tour.
  
  "Rock n' Roll Destroyed My Life" was recorded live in the studio in one take to help capture the heavier aspect that comes through in the band's live shows. Over the course of its last few albums Angwish has reminded me of everything from the Pixies (thanks to the great vocal interplay) to Cake to NOFX. It never sounded like any one influence in particular, but a mesh of two decades of alternative rock. "Rock n' Roll Destroyed My Life" is its most singular record. From the start it recalls the messy, driving punk of the Sex Pistols and the sludgy, angst-ridden grunge of early Nirvana (Angwish will also appear at The Milestone's March 3 Nirvana tribute show).
  
  Although Nirvana had a huge impact on popular music in the `90s and helped usher in the mainstreaming of punk, aside from the bands that immediately came after it, I don't hear its influence that often. Angwish has long paid subtle tribute to the grungefathers, but this new album recalls "Bleach" era Nirvana and early singles like "Sliver" (which appeared on its "Incesticide" b-sides and rarities disc).There are shades of grungy stoner rock amid the thick riffs, which are the heaviest thing I remember hearing Angwish do. But even at its heaviest there are hooks and melodies anchoring the songs.
  
  Malmberg's counterpoint was always one of my favorite parts of Angwish's songs because her quiet, understated vocals reminded me of Kim Deal. She didn't do as much of that this time because she knew she'd be leaving the band to focus on her photography business (www.chickswithcameras), but her mark is there on "Medicated Mommy." That track, which finds Bielanski talk-singing like a punk bluesman during the verses, combines a playful Weezer-like intro with Nirvanaesque dynamics, fuzzy bass, and a group chorus. The political "Super Power" is another fun standout with isolated drums and vocals alternating with an exploding guitar hook.
  

• CD Review: Angwish's "Data West" [+ Show ]
  

  THE DEAL: Charlotte duo Angwish releases its fifth full-length album — a b-sides and rarities collec...THE DEAL: Charlotte duo Angwish releases its fifth full-length album — a b-sides and rarities collection.
  
  THE GOOD: Celebrating 15 years isn't a milestone that many bands get to see, let alone a local duo that has been scrapping it together themselves. The album includes tracks from their days as a power trio up through last year. It starts with the acoustic "I Wanna Be Your Monkey" from 2010, before going to the Beach Boys-esque lead-in of "Neighbor" from 2001. The album goes back to songs from 1997 showing a more Nirvana-esque side of the distortion-laden band's past. The variety of tracks shows diversity in the band's songwriting as much as a diversity in styles.
  
  THE BAD: There are two ways to look at an album like this — one is to expect that you're not getting the best stuff they've written — that's on the previous albums. The second is to look at it as a snapshot of how far the band has come, to hear what they didn't like and wanted to finally let their fans hear.
  
  THE VERDICT: It's an album for fans and not the most polished introduction to their music, but it does give fans a look at "what else" the band has recorded over the years. Angwish is commemorating its anniversary with a CD release party at Smokey Joe's Cafe.
  

Setlist

In addition to Angwish's cache of original songs from their many releases, they have also been known to cover the bands that inspired them. Some of them include.......

BRYAN ADAMS-- Summer of '69
A-HA-- Take On Me
THE BEACH BOYS-- Surfin' USA
THE BEATLES-- Please Please Me, Twist and Shout, Misery, Anna, She Loves You, I Want To Hold Your Hand, Hard Day's Night, I Should've Known Better, Help, In My Life
CHUCK BERRY-- Roll Over Beethoven
THE BYRDS-- Mr. Tambourine Man
THE CARS-- Just What I Needed
THE CAVALIERS-- Last Kiss
CCR-- Bad Moon Rising
CHEAP TRICK-- I Want You To Want Me
EDDIE COCHRAN-- 20 Flight Rock
CONCRETE BLONDE--Joey
THE CURE-- Friday I'm In Love
JOHN DENVER-- Country Roads
DONOVAN-- Mellow Yellow
THE DOORS-- Light My Fire
THE EVERLY BROTHERS-- Dream
FLICKERSTICK-- Chloroform, Coke
GEORGE HARRISON-- I Got My Mind Set On You
BUDDY HOLLY-- Peggy Sue, Words Of Love
CHRIS ISAAK-- Wicked Game
THE ISLEY BROTHERS-- Shout
BEN E. KING-- Stand By Me
THE KINKS-- All Day And All Of The Night
LED ZEPPELIN-- Whole Lotta Love, Immigrant Song
LOCAL H-- Bound For The Floor
THE MARVELETTES-- Please Mr. Postman
MAZZY STAR-- Fade Into You
NENA-- 99 Red Balloons
NIRVANA-- About A Girl, Lithium, Drain You, Territorial Pissings
ROY ORBISON-- Pretty Woman, You Got It
THE PENGUINS-- Earth Angel
TOM PETTY-- American Girl, Learning To Fly, Won't Back Down, Yer So Bad
PINK FLOYD-- Wish You Were Here
THE PIXIES-- Gigantic, Where Is My Mind?
PRESIDENTS OF THE USA-- Peaches
RADIOHEAD-- Creep, Fake Plastic Trees
RAMONES-- Blitzkrieg Bop, I Wanna Be Sedated
REM-- It's The End Of The World As We Know It, Man On The Moon, The One I Love, Stand, Losing My Religion
THE ROMANTICS-- What I Like About You
NANCY SINATRA-- These Boots
SMASHING PUMPKINS-- Today
TOMMY TUTONE-- 867-5309
THE TRASHMEN-- Surfin' Bird
U2-- With Or Without You
RICHIE VALENS-- La Bamba
VAN MORRISON-- Brown Eye Girl
VIOLENT FEMMES-- Blister In The Sun, Gone Daddy Gone
WHEATUS-- Teenage Dirtbag
HANK WILLIAMS SR.-- Hey Good Lookin', Jambalaya, Move It On Over
THE WONDERS-- That Thing You Do
THE YARDBIRDS-- The Train Kept A Rollin'/Stroll On

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