The Builders and The Butchers are a folk rock band based in Portland, Oregon, United States. It is fronted by singer/guitar player Ryan Sollee. The other members of the band are Willy Kunkle (bass guitar, vocals, percussion), Justin Baier (drums, backup vocals, percussion),[4] Ray Rude (drums, piano, clarinet, backup vocals, percussion), and Harvey Tumbleson (mandolin, banjo, guitar, vocals, percussion).
The band's debut self-titled album was released in 2007 by Bladen County Records.[5][6]
To date, the band has 6 full-length albums, 2 live album and 2 EP splits.
Willy Kunkle & Ryan Sollee, Live in Munich 2014Harvey Tumbleson, Live in Munich 2014Willy Kunkle, Live in Munich 2014Polaris Hall, 2022
History
The Builders and The Butchers formed on October 31, 2005.[7][8] They came together because "a lot of bands were all breaking up around the same time, and we were looking to get into something new—so it just worked out."[9]
Each member is originally from Anchorage, Alaska and migrated separately to Portland, Oregon to start a career in music.[10][11]
Initially they called themselves "The Funeral Band", performing in the streets and outside of music venues. The name eventually changed to The Builders and The Butchers, "for no other reason than it was the only name all five members liked."[11] The first year of acoustic performances were mostly street shows until opening for the experimental band Man Man in 2006.[11] "We very slowly started plugging [our instruments] in." Sollee says,[11] but the group had to figure out how to use its two percussionists on stage. They found that by splitting one drum kit between Seely and Rude, with one handling the kick drum and another playing the snare, they developed what the group calls a "deconstructed" drumming style.[11]
The band's song-writing process involves Sollee writing the lyrics out and presenting it to the other members, who then start playing and putting the music around these lyrics.[9]
In May 2008 the band won the Willamette Week's "Best New Band of 2008"[12] and Seattle Sound’s “Best Live Performers 2008”.
In late 2010, The Builders and the Butchers signed with Badman Recording Co. and released their third album, Dead Reckoning on February 22, 2011.[13][14]
Artwork
The Builders and The Butchers' album artwork is produced by Portland, Oregon artist Lukas Ketner.[15]
Alex Ellis (bass guitar, vocals, percussion) – "The Builders and The Butchers", "Loch Lomond/The Builders and The Butchers" 12-inch Split, "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well","Dead Reckoning"
Paul Seely (drums, trumpet, melodica, backup vocals, percussion) – "The Builders and The Butchers", "Loch Lomond/The Builders and The Butchers" 12-inch Split, "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well"
Guests
Annalisa Tornfelt (violin, backup vocals) for "The Builders and The Butchers", "Loch Lomond/The Builders and The Butchers" 12-inch Split, "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well"
Emily Tornfelt (cello) for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well"
Tyler Tornfelt (cello) for "Loch Lomond/The Builders and The Butchers" 12-inch Split
Skip Von Kuske (cello) for "Loch Lomond/The Builders and The Butchers" 12-inch Split
Douglas Jenkins (cello) for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well"
Justin Kagen (cello) for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well"
Joe Bowden (backup vocals) for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well"
Sean Flynn (backup vocals) for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well"
Jesse Bettis (backup vocals) for "Salvation is a Deep Dark Well"
^ a bThompson, Stephen (March 24, 2017). "The Builders And The Butchers: White-Knuckle Americana". NPR. Washington, D.C. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
^Gospe, Andrew (June 7, 2011). "The Builders and The Butchers". Seattle Weekly. Seattle, Washington. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
^Capozziello, Christine (July 28, 2017). "The Builders and the Butchers – The Spark". Mxdwn. Retrieved June 26, 2024.
^Kopet, Jeri (23 November 2011). "Remodeling The Builders and the Butchers". Anchorage Press. Archived from the original on 9 February 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2011.
^"Artist Biography". All Music. Retrieved 23 March 2010.
^"Artist Biography". Bladen County Records. Retrieved 23 March 2010.
^McCullough, Amy (7 May 2008). "The Builders and The Butchers". Willamette Week. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
^"Builders and the Butchers Artist Biography". All Music. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
^ a bunknown last name, Morgen (15 April 2010). "The Builders and the Butchers' Killer Show". The Sun Break. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
^"Artist Biography". The Builders and The Butchers Official Website. Retrieved 9 October 2009.
^ a b c d eWerthman, Christine (22 July 2009). "Brick By Brick The Builders and The Butchers Construct a Sound". New York Press. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
^McCullough, Amy (7 May 2008), "Best New Band 2008", The Willamette Week, vol. 34, no. 26, Portland, OR, p. 19
^Caraeff, Ezra Ace (10 December 2010). "The Builders and the Butchers Sign to Badman Recording Co". The Portland Mercury. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
^White, Ryan (6 December 2010). "The Builders and the Butchers have a body on their hands". Oregon Live (The Oregonian). Retrieved 7 August 2011.
^Stoloff, Zach (12 January 2010). "The Bridge to Somewhere". Retrieved 23 March 2010.
^Seifert, Brandon (28 March 2007). "The Builders and the Butchers, Friday, March 30". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on 21 January 2010. Retrieved 23 March 2010.
^Salmon, Ben (19 March 2010). "Bend welcomes cello group Portland Cello Project brings classical, pop blend to bars". The Bulletin. Archived from the original on 13 March 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2010.
