↑↑ [OPEN THE POST TO SEE THE FULL INFODUMP!] ↑↑
(last updated 03/31/2025)
many small artists i grow to love are incredibly sparse for information
online; the INFODUMP post series is my attempt to host as much
of my personal research regarding these artists as i can. these posts are
intended to be returned to and updated!
i try to add sources where i can (using the "[src]" format for readability's sake), but please understand that this is fan-created work and it is not official in any capacity. thanks!
i try to add sources where i can (using the "[src]" format for readability's sake), but please understand that this is fan-created work and it is not official in any capacity. thanks!
this post in particular was co-written alongside my friend Burnst
Jamp!
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(L-R) Jonathan Loucks, Scott Silsbe, Kurt
Garrison, John Zebroski Recording sessions for What You Wanted, December 2006[src] |
Workshop were an indie rock/noise pop band from Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania formed in 2004 by Scott Silsbe and Jonathan Loucks. The duo (both
University of Pittsburgh alumni with backgrounds in literature and poetry)
would release a lo-fi self-titled EP in 2004 before recruiting drummer Thomas Kane and bassist
John Zebroski, with Kane later being replaced by Kurt Garrison for the band's
debut album What You Wanted in 2007. Zebroski would later be
replaced by bassist Brenden Kerr for the recording of the band's second
full-length album Hi-Level which would ultimately never receive an
official release. The band would perform live sparingly throughout the
mid-to-late 2000s before disbanding by early 2009,[src] with Silsbe and Garrison forming a new project, Thee Shopkeepers, shortly after.
Members:
Discography
Workshop (2004)
What You Wanted (2007)
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Scott Silsbe (vocals, guitar, keys)
Active in Workshop: 2004 - 2009
Associated acts: Pond Hockey, The Electrical Transformer, Samoan Cats, Thee Shopkeepers
Associated acts: Pond Hockey, The Electrical Transformer, Samoan Cats, Thee Shopkeepers
Jonathan Loucks (vocals, guitar)
Active in Workshop: 2004 - 2009
Thomas Kane (drums)
Active in Workshop: 2004 - 2006(?)
Kurt Garrison (drums)
Active in Workshop: 2006[src] - 2009
Associated acts: Driver UFO, Halogen, The Plat Maps, Moldies & Monsters, Thee Shopkeepers
Associated acts: Driver UFO, Halogen, The Plat Maps, Moldies & Monsters, Thee Shopkeepers
John Zebroski (bass)
Active in Workshop: 2006 - 2007
Aliases: John Zebrowski
Aliases: John Zebrowski
Brendan Kerr (bass)
Active in Workshop: 2007[src] - 2008(?)
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| Post-duo lineup: (L-R) Jonathan Loucks, Thomas Kane, Scott Silsbe |
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2008 line-up: (L-R) Brenden Kerr, Jonathan
Loucks, Kurt Garrison, Scott Silsbe February 9th, 2008[src] |
Discography
*listed in chronological order
Workshop (2004)
Type: EP
Released: 2004
Format(s): CD-R
Recorded: 2004 at Jonathan's house in Squirrel Hill, PA
Length: 21:57
Label(s): [none, self-released]
Track listing:
- "Chemistry" (4:42)
- "Space" (4:09)
- "Lost Gestures" (2:55)
- "In Virginia" (2:10)
- "Last Call" (2:22)
- "Tourist" (3:45)
- [untitled hidden track] (1:54)
Personnel:
- Scott Silsbe - vocals, guitar, organ (track 5), writing
- Jonathan Loucks - guitar, vocals (tracks 2, 4, and 7), writing
Audio:
YouTube
Notes: Debut release as the original duo of Scott Silsbe and
Jonathan Loucks. Homemade CD-R release, likely 50-100 total copies
produced. Track 7 is an unlisted hidden track and is an instrumental
reprise of "Chemistry".
What You Wanted (2007)
Type: Album
Released: Late 2007 (November/December?)
Format(s): CD
Recorded: December 2006[src]
Length: 33:03
Label(s): [none, self-released]
Track listing:
- "Swinburne" (3:26)
- "What You Wanted" (3:56)
- "Games Night" (4:13)
- "Scientists" (4:34)
- "Tourist" (2:28)
- "Doesn't Help" (3:01)
- "Catherine" (4:44)
- "Community Drug" (2:57)
- "Hot Metal" (3:44)
Personnel:
- Scott Silsbe - guitar, vocals, writing
- Jonathan Loucks - guitar, vocals, writing
- Kurt Garrison - drums
- John Zebroski - bass
Audio:
YouTube
Notes: Debut (and sole officially released) full-length album.
Track 5 "Tourist" is a re-recording of the track previously released
on Workshop. "Hot Metal" and "Games Night" both recieved homemade music videos that were uploaded to YouTube in September of 2007 and January of 2008 respectively.[src][src]
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| Original image used on the What You Wanted album cover Taken November 4th, 2007[src] |
Unreleased material
*unreleased—in this context—refers to anything known to be
unreleased or that doesn't appear on a
mainline release by the band
Workshop's second EP
Type: EP
Released: [unreleased/unfinished]
Recorded: [unknown]
Known tracks:
- "Stillness" (2:20)
- "Swinburne" (1:52)
Audio: YouTube: "Stillness", "Swinburne"
Notes: A second Workshop EP was planned (possibly under the working title Twice Your Age, Half as Strong) following the departure of the band's first drummer Thomas Kane. Two songs—"Stillness" and "Swinburne"—are known to have been demoed for the EP, and the EP would eventually evolve into the first Workshop album What You Wanted. "Stillness" would not considered for the album, as it didn't translate well to full-band performance.
Hi-Level (2008)
Type: Album
Released: [unreleased]
Formats: [none, intended for CD]
Recorded: (around) January 2008 in Harrisburg, PA[src]
Length: [unknown]
Label(s): [none, unreleased]
Known tracks:
- "Bad Blood" (8:58)
- "Gold Way" (4:23)
- "Homestead Grays"
- "Through the New Summer" (5:25)
- "Voicemail" (3:39)
Personnel:
- Scott Silsbe - vocals, guitar, writing
- Jonathan Loucks - guitar, vocals, writing
- Brendan Kerr - bass
- Kurt Garrison - drums
- Bryan Baker - producer
Audio: YouTube: "Bad Blood"
Notes: Second full-length album which was fully recorded
but never fully mastered and released. Five songs from the album
were released on the band's MySpace page in December of 2008,
though these were not archived;[src] however, the unmastered recording of "Bad Blood" was shared
by the band in 2022 (the file's metadata indicates that it may be
the fourth track of Hi-Level). A live recording of "Gold
Way" is also circulating.[src]
Miscellaneous unreleased tracks
- [unknown title (a)] (2008)
- Rehearsal recording featured in "Workshop Promo for New CD"[src], likely a track from Hi-Level.
- [unknown title (b)] (2008)
- Rehearsal recording featured in "The new Workshop disc"[src], likely a track from Hi-Level.
- [unknown title (c)] (2008)
- Live recording circulating.[src]
List of Workshop songs
an attempt to collate all known songs by the band; for further
info/links/sources regarding these songs please see
the sections above.
| Song title | Circulating? | Year | Appearance(s) | Length | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Bad Blood" | yes | 2008 | Hi-Level | 8:58 | |
| "Catherine" | yes | 2007 | What You Wanted | 4:44 | |
| "Chemistry" | yes | 2004 | Workshop | 4:42 | |
| "Community Drug" | yes | 2007 | What You Wanted | 2:57 | |
| "Doesn't Help" | yes | 2007 | What You Wanted | 3:01 | |
| "Games Night" | yes | 2007 | What You Wanted | 3:56 | |
| "Gold Way" | yes* | 2008 | Hi-Level | 4:23 | *live recording only |
| "Homestead Grays" | no | 2008 | Hi-Level | ||
| "Hot Metal" | yes | 2007 | What You Wanted | 3:56 | |
| "In Virginia" | yes | 2004 | Workshop | 2:10 | |
| "Last Call" | yes | 2004 | Workshop | 2:22 | |
| "Lost Gestures" | yes | 2004 | Workshop | 2:55 | |
| "Scientists" | yes | 2007 | What You Wanted | 4:34 | |
| "Space" | yes | 2004 | Workshop | 4:09 | |
| "Stillness" | yes | [unfinished second EP] | 2:20 | ||
| "Swinburne" | yes | 2007 | What You Wanted [unfinished second EP]* |
3:26 1:52* |
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| "Through the New Summer" | no | 2008 | Hi-Level | 5:25 | |
| "Tourist" | yes | 2004 | Workshop What You Wanted* |
3:45 2:28* |
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| "Voicemail" | no | 2008 | Hi-Level | 3:39 | |
| "What You Wanted" | yes | 2007 | What You Wanted | 3:56 | |
| [untitled instrumental hidden track] | yes | 2004 | Workshop | 1:54 | Hidden reprise of "Chemistry" |
| [unknown title (a)] | partial | 2008 | Likely a track from Hi-Level | ||
| [unknown title (b)] | partial | 2008 | Likely a track from Hi-Level | ||
| [unknown title (c)] | yes* | 2008 | 3:35 | *live recording only |
List of Workshop concerts
an attempt to collate all known performances (concerts, shows, etc.) by the band as well as relevant links to audio/video/imagery. INCOMPLETE AND PROBABLY ALWAYS WILL BE!
| Date | City | Venue | Other act(s) | Link(s) | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| [unknown] | Pittsburgh, PA | Jonathan Loucks' house | Hallie Pritts | Image | First show |
2005
| Date | City | Venue | Other act(s) | Link(s) | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 25 | Pittsburgh, PA | Garfield Artworks | Biirdie, Chris Cannon, Shanely-DeFoe | [src] | ||
| July 13 | Pittsburgh, PA | Garfield Artworks | Marvin Dioxide, THE TEETH | [src] | ||
| August 26 | Pittsburgh, PA | Quiet Storm | The Old Haunts | [src] |
2006
| Date | City | Venue | Other act(s) | Link(s) | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| December 9 | Pittsburgh, PA | Quiet Storm | Julie Sokolow, Kevin Finn | Images | [src] |
2007
| Date | City | Venue | Other act(s) | Link(s) | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 30 | Pittsburgh, PA | Garfield Artworks | Anita Fix, Del Ray, The Impossible Shapes | [src] | ||
| May 19 | Pittsburgh, PA | Gooski's | Low Water, Skidmore Foundation | [src] | ||
| June 30 | Pittsburgh, PA | Gooski's | Lazy Susan, Low Water | [src] | ||
| August 30 | [unknown] | [unknown] | Image | |||
| September 7 | Pittsburgh, PA | Bloomfield Bridge Tavern | Kevin Finn Band, Leslie Addis, Side Orders | Video | [src] | Known songs
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| September 9 | Harrisburg, PA | Der Harrisburg Maennerchor | Video | Performed at the Rambo FaireKnown songs
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| November 4 | Pittsburgh, PA | The Rex Theatre | The Sexes | Image | [src] | Performed at the ninth "Liquid Sunday" (a monthly event held at a selection of Pittsburgh venues in 2007 featuring art, poetry, and live music). A photo from this show was used for cover of What You Wanted |
| December 12 | [unknown] | [unknown] | Images |
2008
| Date | City | Venue | Other act(s) | Link(s) | Source | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January 18 | Pittsburgh, PA | Brillobox | Life in Bed, Sovus Radio | Flyer | [src] | |
| February 1 | Columbus, Ohio | Cara Bar | Images | [src] | ||
| February 7 | Pittsburgh, PA | Club Cafe | Images | [src] | ||
| February 9 | [unknown] | [unknown] | Images | |||
| February 28 | [unknown] | [unknown] | Images | |||
| March 1 | York, PA | The Depot | Videos | [src] | Known songs
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| May 17 | Pittsburgh, PA | Bloomfield Bridge Tavern | Bigmouth Strikes Again, Weird Paul Rock Band | [src] | ||
| May 24 | Pittsburgh, PA | Brillobox | Karl Hendricks, Lohio, Maxi-Pads | [src] | ||
| August 1 | Pittsburgh, PA | Bloomfield Bridge Tavern | Branches!, Carrie Furnace | [src] | ||
| August 23 | Pittsburgh, PA | Gooski's | [src] | |||
| November 7 | Pittsburgh, PA | Modern Foundations | Karl Hendricks Trio, Kyle Sowashes | Image | [src] [src]* |
*Other acts listed in archived markup of XML feed |
| November 9 | Pittsburgh, PA | Bloomfield Bridge Tavern | Karl Hendricks Trio, Kyle Sowashes | [src] | ||
| November 23 | Pittsburgh, PA | Brillobox | San Serac, Wilderness | [src] |