Black Lips
Black Lips is an American garage rock band from Atlanta, Georgia, that formed in 1999. Known for their raw sound and unpredictable live performances, the group quickly garnered a dedicated following and signed with Red Scare Industries in 2019.
History
The band emerged in Dunwoody, Georgia after members Cole Alexander and Jared Swilley left previous punk outfits. Tragedy struck early on when original guitarist Ben Eberbaugh died in a car accident just before a scheduled tour, but the band chose to persevere, honoring his legacy in their music. They released their debut 7-inch in 2002, and in 2003, their first full-length album Black Lips! hit the shelves on Bomp! Records. The band continued to develop their sound; a gritty pastiche of blues, rock, doo-wop, country, and punk; which gradually built a robust fanbase and attracted national media attention by 2006.
Throughout their career, Black Lips have been known for their wild onstage theatrics, which in their early days included outrageous stunts like vomiting and urinating onstage, although such antics have mellowed over time. They’ve toured extensively across North America, Europe, and other parts of the world, and have appeared on television, contributed music to films, and explored side projects, all while maintaining a reputation for high-energy live shows.
Discography
Studio Albums
- Black Lips! (2003, Bomp! Records)
- We Did Not Know the Forest Spirit Made the Flowers Grow (2004, Bomp! Records)
- Let It Bloom (2005, In The Red Records)
- Good Bad Not Evil (2007, Vice Records)
- 200 Million Thousand (2009, Vice Records)
- Arabia Mountain (2011, Vice Records)
- Underneath the Rainbow (2014, Vice Records) – Billboard 200 #143
- Satan’s Graffiti or God’s Art? (2017, Vice Records)
- Sing in a World That’s Falling Apart (2020, Fire Records/Vice Records)
- Apocalypse Love (2022, Fire Records)
