Guerilla Toss is an American rock band, formed in Boston in 2011. Now based in New York City,Johnston, Maura "Guerilla Toss returns to Cambridge, chaos intact", "Boston Globe", Boston, 21 October 2015. Retrieved 4 June 2016. the group currently consists of singer Kassie Carlson, drummer Peter Negroponte, guitarist Arian Shafiee, keyboardist Jake Lichter, and bassist Zach Lewellyn. Guerilla Toss has released six studio albums, seven EPs, and three remix albums, on various underground labels, DFA Records and more recently on Sub Pop. They were listed in Rolling Stone magazine as one of the "10 Great Modern Punk Bands""10 Great Modern Punk Bands", Rolling Stone, New York, 13 April 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016. and Henry Rollins has called them "one of the first great bands of the new century".Rollins, Henry "Live In Nashville, Feeding Tube Records" "Guerilla Toss - Live In Nashville"
History
Formation and early years (2011–2014) In 2011, Andy Allen and Peter Negroponte formed an early instrumental version of Guerilla Toss that played a mix of free jazz and punk. Singer Kassie Carlson joined the band in 2012, replacing Allen.Ruiz, Matthew Ismael "Flavorwire Video Premiere: Guerilla Toss’ Technicolor Acid Test Gets Doused in 'Perfume' ", Flavorwire, 19 April 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2016.Levy, Marc "Guerilla Toss performs tonight, and here are 10 things you might want to know", "Cambridge Day", Cambridge, 5 December 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2016. Carlson first met Guerilla Toss when her former hardcore band, Western Syndrome, performed with the group at a house show.Price, Dillon "Guerilla Toss- Eraser Stargazer", "Sound Renaissance", 3 March 2016. Retrieved 4 June 2016. Around this time is when Guerilla Toss' members consider the band to have truly started.
Guerilla Toss toured extensively, nationally, and within Boston's DIY community by performing at many show houses such as Gay Gardens, where Carlson and Negroponte were both residents on separate occasions. Later that year Guerilla Toss released Jeffrey Johnson, through Feeding Tube Records."Guerilla Toss is The Deli’s Best Emerging New England Band of 2012", "The Deli Magazine", Boston, 17 February 2013. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
In May 2013, Guerilla Toss released an EP, GTOSS, through Tzadik Records, the record label owned by avant-garde composer John Zorn.Parish, Matt "A Boston indie-rock watch list", "Boston Globe", Boston, 3 January 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2016. The group then released an EP later that year—Kicked Back into the Crypt, a split LP with noise rock band The Sediment Club that was co-released through Sophomore Lounge Records and Feeding Tube RecordsBucciero, Joe "Guerilla Toss: "(God Fearing) Sex Symbol"" , Adhoc.fm, New York, 30 July 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
Guerilla Toss began to incorporate disco and funk elements into their sound as shown with the release of their debut LP Gay Disco through NNA Tapes in December 2013."Guerilla Toss Gay Disco", "Pitchfork", Chicago, 20 January 2014. Retrieved 6 June 2016."Five Best New Artists", "Spin", New York, 26 November 2013. Retrieved 4 June 2016. In July 2014, they released their next EP, 367 Equalizer, through Infinity Cat Recordings.Bowe, Miles "Guerilla Toss – "367 Equalizer" (Stereogum Premiere)", "Stereogum", 4 June 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2016."10 New Artists You Need to Know: November 2016"
Towards the end of 2014 the band released the EP, Smack The Brick, through NNA Tapes.Sugarman, Mike "Guerilla Toss: "Be the Breeder"" , Adhoc.fm, New York, 28 October 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2016. Guerilla Toss wrapped up the year by going on a US / Europe tour that included the fourth-to-last show at New York City warehouse venue Death By Audio with Thee Oh Sees.Pearis, Bill "Guerilla Toss releasing new EP (stream it), playing DbA’s final week and Bard College before European tour", "Brooklyn Vegan", Brooklyn, 3 November 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2016.Pearis, Bill "Thee Oh Sees said “We’re here for 2 nights” last night at DbA; Dope Body, Roomrunner, Guerilla Toss & Junkyard played too", "Brooklyn Vegan", Brooklyn. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
Signing to DFA Eraser Stargazer, GT Ultra, Twisted Crystal (2015–2019)
Guerilla Toss relocated to New York City during the summer of 2015.Klingman, Jeff "Guerilla Toss Is Brooklyn’s Best New Band (from Boston)", "Brooklyn Magazine", Brooklyn, 2 November 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
On June 24, 2015, Guerilla Toss opened for seminal Boston post-punk band Mission Of Burma in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.Sears, Ken "Live Shows: Mission of Burma and Guerilla Toss, 3S Artspace, Portsmouth, NH 6/24/15", "If It's Too Loud", Retrieved 15 December 2022 The band's leader, Roger Miller is a self proclaimed fan.McBride, Cathal "Out Of Oblivion Into The Light: An Interview with Mission of Burma", "The Thin Air". Retrieved 15 December 2022.
Adding to Guerilla Toss’ growing popularity, Kris Petersen and Jonathan Galkin of DFA Records, the record label co-founded by James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem, signed Guerilla Toss to the label.Caldwell, Patrick "Guerilla Toss creates exuberant noise you want to dance to" , "My Statesman", Austin, 9 March 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016. The band's first release through them was the EP Flood Dosed in October 2015, which was met with some acclaim.Rettig, James "25 Great EPs from 2015", "Stereogum", 2 December 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2016.Corcoran, Nina "30 Best Local Albums of 2015", "DigBoston", Boston, 30 December 2015. Retrieved 22 May 2016.Clark, William F "Wydyde – "Body in the Sand"", "Boston Hassle", Boston, 24 March 2016. Retrieved 22 May 2016.
Around this time, the band began varying their setlists and jamming during their live performances in addition to encouraging tapers to come and check out their shows, citing the Grateful Dead as an inspiration.Arroyo, Steven "Guerilla Toss – Eraser Stargazer", "Consequence of Sound", Chicago, 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 June 2016.
In March 2016, Guerilla Toss released their album Eraser Stargazer through DFA Records. Eraser Stargazer was recorded during the winter of 2015 in Livingston Manor, NY.
Guerilla Toss released two more recordings in 2016. One of them was a remix EP of Eraser Stargazer by Giant Claw—who did the artwork for Eraser Stargazer, Live in Nashville, and Gay Disco—titled Giant Claw vs. Guerilla Toss, which was released in May 2016 through DFA Records. The other release was their first live album, Live in Nashville, which was recorded at The End in Nashville, TN on March 11, 2016, during the Eraser Stargazer tour. The album was released in June 2016 on vinyl via Feeding Tube Records and digitally via DFA Records.Bowe, Miles "Guerilla Toss get remixed by Giant Claw and destroy an audience with Live In Nashville", "Fact", London, 27 May 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
In June 2017, Guerilla Toss released GT ULTRA, their second full-length album release on DFA Records.Rettig, James "Stream Guerilla Toss GT Ultra", "Stereogum", 23 June 2017. Retrieved 4 July 2017. The LP received positive reviews.Jarnow, Jesse "GT Ultra Review" "Pitchfork" July 2017. Retrieved 15 Dec 2022 Popular YouTuber and music critic Anthony Fantano gave the album an 8/10, saying "Thanks to some clearer production, more up-front performances, and a zany new wave influence, GT ULTRA is the most I've ever enjoyed a Guerilla Toss album"Fantano, Anthony "GT Ultra ALBUM REVIEW" 5 July 2017. Retrieved 15 Dec 2022. and included it on his "Loved List: 2017"Fantano, Anthony "Loved List 2017" Retrieved 15 Dec 2022.
On July 18, 2018, the band released a music video for the song "Meteorological", alongside an announcement on their official Facebook page. The video was produced by giraffestudio and directed by Nicky "Giraffe" and Juliana "Giraffe". Carlson was also part of the video editing process. On the official announcement, that was released alongside an article on Stereogum, where their sixth full-length album, Twisted Crystal, was announced. The album was released on September 14, 2018, with artwork made by Jacob van Loon.
An EP titled What Would The Odd Do? was released on NNA Tapes October 18, 2019.Aswad, Jem "EP Review - What Would The Odd Do?", Variety", Nov 23, 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2022. The band continued to tour, opening for Battles in Toronto, Chicago, Brooklyn, and Boston in December 2019.Alejandra Mataon, Maria "Photo Gallery: Battles and Guerilla Toss live in Boston", "Vanya Land", 12 Dec 2019. Retrieved 15 Dec 2022
Signing to Sub Pop, Famously Alive (since 2022)
On June 15, 2020, the band released 2 songs as part of the Sub Pop 7" club, "Human Girl" and "Own Zone".Small-Samantha "Guerilla Toss Share New Songs Human Girl and Own Zone", "Under The Radar", 15 June 2020. Retrieved 15 Dec 2022.
In January 2022, Guerilla Toss announced that they had signed to Sub Pop, and released their next album, Famously Alive, through the label on March 25, 2022. They released the album's first single, "Cannibal Capital", on January 12, 2022.Rettig, James "Guerilla Toss – "Cannibal Capital", "Stereogum", 12 January 2022. Retrieved 15 Dec 2022. The LP received positive reviews.Reyes-Kulkarni, Saby "Guerilla Toss Famously Alive Review"Pop Matters", 25 March 2022. Retrieved 14 Dec 2022.Freedman, Max "Famously Alive Review" "Pitchfork", 28 March 2022. Retrieved 14 Dec 2022. Nick Forté, of the seminal hardcore punk band Rorschach, is credited as co-writing two songs on the album."All Music: Famously Alive Credits""TP Mix #145 - Guerilla Toss" "The Playground". Retrieved 15 Dec 2022
Shortly after Famously Alive was released, Stephen Malkmus, who had seen the band perform in 2019, personally asked Guerilla Toss to open for his band Pavement on their 2022 reunion tour.Everhart, Josh "Pavement reveals what they learned from Sonic Youth, R.E.M. and Echo & the Bunnymen", The A.V. Club 7 September 2022. Retrieved 15 Dec 2022. It was announced in May that they would open in San Francisco, Troutdale, and Seattle.Pearis, Bill "Pavement Announce Tour Openers", "Brooklyn Vegan", Brooklyn, 4 May 2022. Retrieved 14 Dec 2022. They were later added to the Toronto and Boston Pavement shows as well.
In July 2022, Guerilla Toss released the single "Zum Herz" on the official tribute album to Neu!, through Grönland Records.Minsker, Evan "Neu 50th anniversary box set announced", Pitchfork 30 June 2022Williger, Jonathan "Neu! created a rhythm that’s still beating 50 years later", The Washington Post September 23, 2022, Retrieved December 18, 2022 2022
On October 28, 2022, Guerilla Toss released the single "Heathen Money" on a compilation called "The Eleventh Hour: Songs For Climate Justice", curated by Sub Pop and film director Adam McKay. All of the proceeds from the compilation go to the Climate Emergency Fund.Deville, Chris "Sub Pop & Adam McKay’s The Eleventh Hour: Songs For Climate Justice Has New Moby, Cloud Nothings, Deerhoof, & More", Stereogum October 28, 2022, Retrieved December 18, 2022 2022
Guerilla Toss toured extensively throughout the year, playing festivals such as Pickathon,Pearis, Bill "Pickathon 2022 lineup", Brooklyn Vegan", Brooklyn, 12 April 2022. Retrieved 14 Dec 2022 Pitchfork Berlin and Paris,"Announcing Pitchfork Music Festival Berlin Initial Lineup and Dates For Paris and London Festivals", Pitchfork 30 June 2022 and the Primavera Weekender."RPS Presents the Weekly Review"
Frequent collaborator and former Guerilla Toss bassist Ben Katzman was a contestant on Survivor 46, which aired in 2024.