Alt-Rock Band Revisits Landmark Album
By Dave Pehling
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Of all the bands that got signed during the early 1990s feeding frenzy of the alternative-rock explosion, Los Angeles group Failure was one that seemed destined to catapult past having a fiercely loyal cult of fans to mainstream success. Over the course of three albums. the partnership of guitarist and songwriter Ken Andrews and multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Greg Edwards produced some of the most indelible rock tunes of the decade.
While Andrews wrote all of the songs on the band's tersely tuneful, hard-hitting 1992 debut Comfort, his collaboration with Andrews blossomed during the recording of their sophomore effort Magnified. On tunes like the infectious opener "Let It Drip" and bass-driven "Frogs" and "Wet Gravity," the band's established its trademark mix of richly textured atmospheres, muscular riffs, and crafty pop hooks.
Despite critical praise and repeat tours supporting fellow LA band and avowed fans Tool, Failure never quite broke through to a wider audience, even after the release of their masterstroke 1996 album, Fantastic Planet. The minor modern-rock hit "Stuck On You" should have been the tipping point to bigger success, but distribution issues with then label Slash Records hamstrung the release. Frustrated and struggling with drug-related personal issues, Failure would called it a day the following year.
The band members stayed busy, with the production work Andrews did on the latter two Failure albums serving as a calling card that made him an in-demand mix engineer. He also recorded with solo projects ON and Year of the Rabbit, while Edwards contributed to the sole album by psych-pop band Lusk and celebrated shoegaze/noise trio Autolux.
Still, the interest and fan worship of Failure (including the numerous musicians from alt-rock bands in the 2000s who would cite the group as an influence) eventually spurred a reunion. In February of 2014, the classic line-up of Andrews, Edwards, and drummer Kelli Scott shared the stage at the El Rey Theater for Failure's first show in 16 years to the rapturous response of fans.
The success of the show led to a full-blow tour and -- more importantly -- the band's return to the studio. Last year, Failure released it's first album in nearly two decade -- The Heart Is a Monster -- to nearly universal acclaim. Incorporating numerous instrumental segues between songs with a similar structure as Fantastic Planet, the album firmly announced that Failure was back to stay. Despite having the relatively new material to promote, last summer the group announced plans to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Fantastic Planet with a month-long tour featuring the band performing the entire album from beginning to end. The trek comes to a close this Sunday night at Social Hall in San Francisco.
An Evening with Failure
Sunday, October 30, 8 p.m. $26-$28
Social Hall
