Secret Machines

Early years

Before forming Secret Machines, the members played in various Dallas bands such as UFOFU, Captain Audio, Comet, When Babies Eat Pennies, and Tripping Daisy. Captain Audio was formed by Garza and vocalist/guitarist/chief songwriter Regina Chellew in the late 1990s as a two-piece noise duo.^[1] Brandon — and occasionally Ben — Curtis joined soon after as the original duo began to develop a more standard rock sound. In a little over a year they had recorded and released the EP My Ears Are Ringing But My Heart's OK (1999) and the full-length Luxury or Whether It Is Better To Be Loved than Feared (2000). Shortly after the release of Luxury the band went on extended hiatus and eventually disbanded when Garza and the Curtis's moved to New York, leaving Chellew in Dallas to form the band Chao and later join indie pop outfit The Happy Bullets.

Sonically, Captain Audio and Secret Machines are very similar. Although Captain Audio employed more experimentation and sound collage and Secret Machines are a more structured indie rock band, the Captain Audio records form the template that the Curtis brothers built upon when forming The Secret Machines. In the liner notes for Captain Audio's Luxury, all of the additional musicians who played on the album are credited simply as "Secret Machines".

September 000 and Now Here Is Nowhere

The band went to Chicago first, where they recorded their EP, September 000, six weeks after forming, as a document of the bands development at that stage.

Upon moving to New York the band rehearsed relentlessly and developed a strong enough industry Buzz to be signed to Warner Brothers but only after going to Los Angeles to play live.^[2]

In 2004, Secret Machines released their first full-length CD - Now Here Is Nowhere. Unusually the album was released online for purchase well ahead of the physical release feeding additional press coverage. The song "Nowhere Again", from their debut album, was used in promotional spots for American during its launch, and appeared in the 2006 videogame Driver: Parallel Lines.^[3]

The album was received very well critically with a composite 80 out of 100 rating from critics compiled by Metacritic ^[4]

Their second EP, The Road Leads Where It's Led, was released on 7 June 2005. The EP includes a re-recording of the song "The Road Leads Where It's Led", which originally appeared on the debut full-length. The Secret Machines opened for Interpol during their 2004 tour in support of the album ^[5]

In 2005 The Secret Machines opened for Oasis in Europe^[6] and co-headlined a US tour With the Kings of Leon.^[7]

Ten Silver Drops and Ben's departure

Ten Silver Drops, their second album, leaked onto file sharing websites following the release of their lead single "Alone, Jealous and Stoned" in the UK. The album was once again received favorably, though some reviewers struggled with the move towards what sounded like more stadium friendly songs. The album received a composite 75 out of 100 on Metacritic composite rating.^[8]

In 2006, the band did a headlining In-the-Round tour in support of the album.^[9] In addition the band opened for U2 at three dates in Mexico.^[10]

Following the album's release, the band were interviewed for radio by David Bowie, who was openly a huge fan of the band.^[11] Bowie was impressed by the band's ability to record songs that had not been pre-written and said he was a big fan of the first three songs on the album, in particular "Alone, Jealous and Stoned".

Benjamin Curtis left the band on March 3, 2007, to focus full-time on his new band, School of Seven Bells. The news was posted by Brandon Curtis on the Secret Machines' message board.^[12] On December 29, 2013, former member Benjamin Curtis died of lymphoma in New York City at the age of 35.^[13]

Third album

After Ben's departure from the band, Secret Machines played two shows in New York, one at the Annex,^[14] and the other at the newly opened Highline Ballroom.^[14] At these shows, the band played mostly new material to be put on their next album. They included two new members: Blasco (Interpol's touring keyboardist) on guitar, keyboards, and bass, and ex-Tripping Daisy member Phil E. Karnats on guitar. Since these shows, Karnats has become the official guitarist of the band, replacing Ben.

The band finished recording quickly during May 2007 and released a new, self-titled album in the United States on October 14, 2008 ^[15]on their newly formed TSM recording and distributed by Worlds Fair Records.^[16] The online release notice features a free download of a non-album B-side titled "Dreaming of Dreaming". Phil E. Karnats announced on his MySpace blog that he recorded guitar parts for the album and will continue to play live with the band.

Fourth album

In 2010, a new single "Like I Can" along with "A terrible light" was released digitally, and Brandon Curtis announced plans for a new Secret Machines album, to be titled The Moth, The Lizard and The Secret Machines.^[17] While no official announcement was made the secret machines have been inactive since 2010. "The Moth, The Lizard and The Secret Machines" remains unreleased.

Run Out Groove Records Re-releases

In 2016 Run out Groove Records, a subsidiary of Warner Brothers, announced that fans had voted "Now Here is Nowhere" as the new labels 3rd project for vinyl re-issue.^[18] This marked the first release of the title in The U.S. on vinyl, limited to 1,625 copies. On September 10th 2018 the label announced that the bands album Ten Silver drops had been voted by fans as the next ROG re-release and would include a 6 song bonus disc containing B-sides and unreleased alternate versions of songs. ^[19]

Reunion

While no specifics were announced as of this writing The official Secret Machines Twitter account (@TheRealMachines) posted a video of Josh Garza in the studio recording drums with Brandon Curtis filming. The band responded to fans that there was "more to come" leading to speculation amongst fans on Twitter as to a return to activity for the band in 2018. The Band launched a new website in June of 2018 that indicates they have new U.S. representation by Fenway Recordings. ^[20]

Former members

• Phil Karnats: guitar (2007–2010)
• Benjamin Curtis: guitar, backing vocals (2000–2007)
• Frederick Blasco: guitar, keyboard, bass (two shows in 2007)

Albums

• Now Here Is Nowhere (May 18, 2004) Reprise
• Ten Silver Drops (April 25, 2006) Reprise No. 43 UK,^[21] No. 159 US^[22]
• Secret Machines (October 14, 2008) World's Fair Label Group (defunct)^[23] & TSM Recordings U.S. No. 12 Heatseekers

EPs

• September 000 (2002)
• The Road Leads Where It's Led (2005)
• Live At Austin City Limits Music Festival 2006 (iTunes Exclusive EP) (2006)
• Morning Becomes Eclectic (Live At KCRW) (2006)

Singles

• "What Used To Be French (Revisit)" (7" Vinyl only) (2003) UK
• "Nowhere Again" (2004) UK No. 49 ^[21]
• "Sad And Lonely" (2004) UK No. 38 ^[21]
• "The Road Leads Where It's Led" (2005) UK No. 56 ^[21]
• "Alone, Jealous & Stoned" (12" Vinyl only) (2006) No. 93
• "Lightning Blue Eyes" (2006) UK No. 57 ^[21]
• "All At Once (It's Not Important)" (2006) UK No. 76
• "Dreaming of Dreaming" (2008)
• "Like I Can" (2010)
• "Quisiera Ser Alcohol (Nos Vamos Juntos: Un Tributo a Caifanes y Jaguares) (2010) Mexico

DVD

• Marfa Mystery Lights – The Secret Machines – A Concert for the UFO's (A performance conceived and filmed by Charles de Meaux) (2007), Les presses du réel

Soundtracks

Secret Machines have three tracks on the soundtrack for the 2007 film Across the Universe, which highlights the music of the Beatles, set to the story of a handful of characters living out the songs. They perform "I Am the Walrus" with Bono singing; an instrumental, "Flying", and "Blue Jay Way" in their notable style.