Artist Profile: The Gutter Twins

www.theguttertwins.org

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It is most likely that you haven't heard of them. Yet. However, if there is one new rock collaboration to look forward to in 2008 it would be The Gutter Twins. Comprised of Mark Lanegan and Greg Dulli, both successful rock musicians, together The Gutter Twins signed on to Sub Pop records in July of 2007.

Greg Dulli was born in Hamilton, Ohio but didn't get real attention until he appeared in Cincinnati with the band The Afghan Whigs. The band experienced roaring successes especially for a comic punk rock band, including being the first band not from the northwest United States to be signed to Sub Pop records. Eventually, The Afghan Whigs broke up, but it proved not to be the end of Dulli as he then joined the Backbeat Band in 1994 that included such rock greats as Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth), Don Fleming (Gumball), Mike Mills (R.E.M.), Dave Grohl (Nirvana, later Foo Fighters), and Dave Pirner (Soul Asylum). Now, he has teamed up with Mark Lanegan to form The Gutter Twins.

Mark Lanegan, the 2nd half of the group began his successful musical career in 1986 when Screaming Trees, his band partnered with Van Conner, released Clairvoyance. They remained a very successful band until they broke up in 1997. After the separation, Lanegan released a solo album, The Winding Street, which was followed by his second solo album, Whiskey for the Holy Ghost. The album, highly approved by critics, almost never came into existence. Because it took almost 3 years to produce, Lanegan was ready to throw the master tapes into a pond but was stopped by his producer just in time. Finally, after releasing more solo albums, the last of which was titled Bubblegum, Mark teamed up with Greg Dulli to form the band The Gutter Twins.

Although the band hasn't officially released a single yet to know what they'll sound like we can draw predictions from The Twilight Singers' EP, A Stitch in Time. (Available on iTunes) The EP has Dulli included and a guest appearance by Mark Lanegan. The Gutter Twins Album ready to be released sometime in 2008 has been titled Saturnalia. Following the release of Saturnalia, the group has scheduled performances around the globe to promote the album, including San Francisco, New York City, Paris, London and Amsterdam.

All in all, there isn't a lot known about the band. This is mostly because they haven't released a single yet, but even more likely is that they are purposely laying low to stick with their previous grunge-rock mystique. The Gutter Twins appear to be a something to look forward to in this newborn year. But as they say on Reading Rainbow, don't take my word for it.

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