San Diego Reader

Cassandra Anderson: Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric), Percussion, Vocals | Chad Robinson: Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric), Keyboards, Vocals | Jack Panighetti: Drums | Dennis Smith: Keyboards | Craig Dolce: Piano | Derek Remaly: Bass guitar

Genre: Alternative, Rock

Sound description: Guitar-driven and synthesizer-heavy.

RIYL: Sirhan Sirhan, Archons, Sonic Youth, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Judys, the Flaming Lips, No Age, the Pixies, Weezer

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Song Downloads

• Contentment

Related Links

• Pleasure Device website

• As I Hear It · Oct. 21, 2009

• Blurt: "How to Break Up a Band" · July 9, 2008

• MySpace page

Synoposis

Inception: San Diego, 2008

Influences: The Whiskey Dicks, Archons, Get Your Death On!, the Long and Short of It, Hostile Comb Over, Sonic Youth, David Bowie, the Cure, Bauhaus, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the Judys, Wolf Parade, Failure, the Flaming Lips, the French Kicks, Mogwai, Cibbo Matto, No Age, the Pixies, Weezer, Echo and the Bunnymen

Background:

Pleasure Device is a guitar-driven, synthesizer-heavy band fronted by singer-bassist Chad Robinson, formerly with Austin-based alternative band Dynamite Hack, known for their tongue-in-cheek acoustic cover of Eazy-E’s “Boyz-n-the-Hood.” The song was heard often on local FM94/9 and on KROQ in L.A.

The song, off their 2000 album Superfast, peaked at number 12 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart and became their sole hit. While in the middle of recording their follow-up album in Chicago, their label, Universal, dropped them. Band members also had a falling-out with their manager, which led to lawsuits, lawyers, and division within the band.

Soon after the album was completed, Robinson left Austin for San Diego and founded Pleasure Device, based in Ocean Beach. The band includes former members of Boone Companion, El Buzzard, Hurricane Jenny, and Early Autumn.

Discography