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"Some people act like stars. Some people see stars. But Rollerball I think might actually be stars — the galactic kind, giant nuclear fusion engines firing atoms & light across the vacuum of the universe. Right now, of course, the five members of Rollerball are trapped in human form, mere dying bones, blood, & brain cells. Yet there are moments during every Rollerball album when it seems like they cease to exist. They have transcended gravity, time, space. They have become energy."
~ John Graham, Williamette Week

A brief introduction to Rollerball

In a recent show preview, one Portland music critic wrote, "Which Rollerball will show up?" It was an acknowledgement of Rollerball's voracious creative appetite. They write smoky, dark, post-cabaret songs with accordian and dueling male-female vocal harmonies; blat out gnarled jazz-damaged improvisations with reeds, brass, shakers, and wild-eyed drumming; make you ache with melodic bass-and-piano-driven drifters; and get you up with skronking noise-beat laced with samples. They are always exploring, they fairly teeter into chaos, but their strong personalities always ensure that they are not too scattered. A certain "rollerballness" always pervades.

Rollerball continue to sharpen their unique musical vision with the release of their third Silber cd titled Catholic Paws/Catholic Pause. On their 11th album, Rollerball continue pushing the boundaries between song and sound, free and structured, light and darkness. Utilizing every sonic knife in the aural scabbard, Rollerball grafts organic song structure to analog jazz and digital noise.  Experimenting. Collaborating. Making beautiful power music that creates emotion and energy. This time along for the ride, Rollerball packs it's horn section with tuba guru Ben Wright, Italian sax stallion Jacopo Andreini, and Dang Head's Jamie Smith and Dylan Hinkley, and once again Ovo lends Rollerball their really scary vocal and drum talents. Catholic Paws/Catholic Pause has all the elements that make a Rollerball album so original, the catchy pop songs with tints of goth, the jazz maelstroms & the ambient whimpers.

Altogether, over the past decade Rollerball has released 10 full-lengths, over a dozen EPs and singles, not to mention the compilations. They have also recorded releases for Roadcone, San Francisco's Cochon Records, Italian labels Wallace and Bar La Muerte, along with their own Portland, OR-based Nillacat and Felina y Magia. They have toured the western US regularly and have been to Europe twice. Most of the members reside at the Ranch Rollerball and Salon where the group record, practice, and dine.

Rollerball's Silber debut, Real Hair was released in late 2003, followed by Behind the Barber in June 2004, & more recently Catholic Paws/Catholic Pause & its associated Companion EPs in 2005.  They have since been working with the Italian label Wallace Records.
 
Rollerball Discography
Ahura
CD Album 2008 | Wallace 
15 tracks, 47 minutes
$12
Ahura finds the band sounding its most distilled, focused, and accessible.
~ Willamette Week
Rollerball
CD Album 2007 | Wallace 
10 tracks, 42 minutes
$12
All music that transcends time & culture while at the same time treading over new sonic territories is well worth a listen in my book, & it’s hard to think of anyone doing just that more than Rollerball.
~ Mats Gustafson, The Broken Face

Rollerball continues their genre blowing fusion of jazz, post rock, & explosive experimentations.
Catholic Paws/Catholic Pause
CD Album 2005 | Silber 037
15 tracks, 45 minutes
$12
purchase from iTunes | Napster | Yahoo Music | eMusic
: Listen to the track Erzulie
: More info
: Reviews
Companion 3 (The Thief on the Right)
MP3 EP 2005 | Silber 042c
5 tracks, 19 minutes
Free Download
Companion 2 (The Woman at the Well)
MP3 EP 2005 | Silber 042B
5 tracks, 10 minutes
Free Download
Companion 1 (The Good Samaritan)
MP3 EP 2005 | Silber 042A
5 tracks, 12 minutes
Free Download
Behind the Barber
CD Album 2004 | Silber 033
11 tracks, 52 minutes
$12
purchase from iTunes | Rhapsody | Napster | eMusic
: Listen to the track Chi Town Cub
: More info
: Reviews
Real Hair
CD Album 2003 | Silber 028
8 tracks, 42 minutes
$12
purchase from iTunes | Rhapsody | Napster | eMusic
: Listen to the track Girls Hugging Trees
: More info
: Reviews
Rollerball/Ovo
my first cowboy
CD Split 2002 | BarLaMuerte 019
17 tracks, 47 minutes
$8
Long Walk for Ice Cream
CD  Album 2002 | Cochon 08
13 tracks, 54 minutes
$12
PORKY PUPPET
CD  Album 2001 | Wallace 023
18 tracks, 70 minutes
Trail of the Butter Yeti
CD Album 2001 | Roadcone 030
11 tracks, 46 minutes
$12
Travels With Steam
Vinyl 7" Single 2001 | Cochon 
bathing music
CD  Album 2000 | Roadcone 027
9 tracks, 42 minutes
$12
einaugige kirsche
CD  Album 1999 | Felina Y Magia 0i
3 tracks, 35 minutes
$12
Zapatos
Vinyl 10" EP 2000 | Cochon 
We Owned Lions
Vinyl Album 1998 | Pacific Wonderland
Schizherue 
one-sided Vinyl 12" EP 1997 | Jalopy Grotto
Garlic 
CD Album 1997 | Resistor

Rollerball Links

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