GoGoGo Airheart

GoGoGo Airheart was a post-punk band from San Diego, California that started in 1996 by self-releasing a split 7" with Carpet (who later changed their name to The Rapture), before signing with local independent label Vinyl Communications to release their self-titled debut in 1997. By that time drummer Andy Robillard and violinist Teri Hoefer joined the group. 1998 saw the release of their second album 'Love My Life... Hate My Friends', which quickly gave rise to their popularity amongst the local music scene, which soon followed with their 1999 release 'The Things we Need' EP on the Touch & Go subsidiary Overcoat Recordings. 1999 also gave way to personal changes within the band; Jimmy LaValle temporarily replaced Robillard on drums, while Hoefer left the band permanently, to start a band with her fiance Chris Relyea, formerly of The Rapture, giving way for Ben White to assume the lead guitar role. By the turn of the century, the band went on various national tours, and brought drummer Jay Hough in place of Lavalle (so he could focus on his group The Album Leaf full-time). By this time, GoGoGo Airheart switched to Angel Hair/The VSS vocalist Sonny Kay's record label (GSL), and the band issued their 3rd album, "Out Every Window The Snap Of Envy And Greed", in 2000. 2001 saw the band tour the states and work on their next album "EXITHEUXA" which was released in June of 2002, when GoGoGo Airheart embarked on a national tour with Liars, and later in the year a European tour, supported by fellow indie rock artists such as Franz Ferdinand and The Futureheads, followed by another national tour on their way back to California with Get Hustle. In 2003 White left the band, and Robillard was invited back to double-drum with Jay, who ended up parting ways with the band in July 2003, stripping the band down to a 3 piece. In 2004 the band recorded demos of new material with Rocket From The Crypt/Pitchfork/Drive Like Jehu founder John Reis, but material from these sessions has yet to be released. By 2005, Ben White was back in the band and the group released their final album, Rats! Sing! Sing! which followed both national and international tours, and in early 2006, the band decided to call quits. Their final show was played at The Casbah on May 22nd, 2006. On their website, Andy Robillard told fans, "after almost ten years of doing GGGAH we just can't keep living on the cheap ... I'm a little sad but also relieved that the band is done, end of an era and all that, but at least I can say without any reservations whatsoever that we never put out a shitty record, and we never sold out to The Man."