Abney Park

Abney Park comes from an era that never was, but one that we wish had been.

"We tried to make a buck, but we could barely stay aloft
Tried swinging a deal, but we pissed the wrong guys off
With a clockwork guitar, and a flintlock bass
We're blasting the past all over the place -
And now there's nothing left but Post-Apocalypse Punk"!

Abney Park is a Seattle-based steampunk band that mixes elements of industrial dance, and world music influences in their work. The band has a Steampunk theme that they incorporate in their instruments, music, outfits, and even their own studio, which is actually pretty awesome. Really, is there more that needs to be said?

Current Band Members:

• "Captain" Robert Brown - Vocals, Darbuka, Diatonic button accordion
• Kristina Erickson - keyboards, vocals
• Josh Goering - Guitar, banjolele
• Daniel Cederman - Bass, Guitar
• Jody Ellen - Vocals
• Titus Munteanu - Violin

Albums:

• Abney Park (1998)
• Return to the Fire (1999)
• Cemetery Number 1 (2000)
• From Dreams Or Angels (2001)
• Twisted & Broken: Abney Park Remixed (This album is available from the band as part of a special package)
• Taxidermy (2005)
• The Death of Tragedy (2005)
• Lost Horizons (2008)
• Aether Shanties (2009)
• The End Of Days (2010)
• Off The Grid (2011)

The band also produces an award-winning Role-Playing Game called Airship Pirates, and has published a Tie-in Novel of stories set in their backstory universe entitled "The Wrath of Fate."

---

Abney Park provides examples of the following tropes:

• All Myths Are True: "All The Myths Are True", predictably.
• Bildungsroman: "The Clockyard".
• The Captain: Captain Robert.
• Concept Album: Lost Horizons follows the crew of the HMS Ophelia (an airship) as they travel around the world during a Victorian era that never was - mad scientists, exploring mysterious lands, airship pirates, strange science, and the joy and heartbreak of traveling abound.
  • An RPG based on the post-apocalyptic airship pirate theme is due to be released in August, using the Heresy System as seen in Victoriana.
  • The End Of Days follows the crew (and mankind in general) as they pick up the pieces after accidentally causing the apocalypse at the end of Lost Horizons.
• Cool Airship: Linked in with the band's fictional Backstory is the time travelling airship HMS Ophelia
  • Just to reiterate that: their dirigible airship travels through time.
• Clockwork Creature: "Herr Drosselmeyer's Doll" from Lost Horizons, a clockwork sex doll. Really.
  • Also the protagonist of "The Clockyard," who is building himself up from scrap.
• Cool Sidecar: "To The Apocalypse In Daddy's Sidecar", based on something Captain Robert's daughter said.
• Distinguished Gentleman's Pipe: Promotional photos of Capt. Robert show him smoking a pipe.
• Downer Ending: Airship Pirates.
• The Game Of The Band: "Airship Pirates", the RPG.
• Goggles Do Nothing
• Impossibly Cool Clothes
  • Since they wear most of it, it's probably possible. But they are still cool.
• Intercourse with You: From before their Steampunk days: "Love", a song unashamedly about rough sex.
• Mad Science: "The Secret Life of Doctor Calgori" from Lost Horizons
• Mike Nelson, Destroyer of Worlds / Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: They accidentally caused the Apocalypse.
• Murder the Hypotenuse: "The Emperor's Wives" has a particularly unusual example.
• Mr. Fanservice: Mostly Nathaniel and his mandolin, though Robert would probably get more if he weren't married.
• Nostalgic Music Box: "The Secret Life of Doctor Calgori" begins with one, underscored and eventually taken over by the sounds of steam and clockwork.
• Never the Selves Shall Meet: In the novel, Dr. Calgori is very insistent that they can't meet up with his past self to repair the Ophelia.
• Of Corsets Sexy
• Religion Rant Song: One of the ways (the most obvious way) to interpret "Virus" is as a Type 2.
  • Also possibly "False Prophecy."
  • And "Stigmata Martyr."
• Self-Titled Album: Their first album, which seems to have been lost to the world. They also have a song called "Abney Park" on another album (which is about the cemetery).
• Set Right What Once Went Wrong: In the novel, Captain Robert and the rest try to do this, but because of the Butterfly of Doom, it didn't turn out so well.
• Shout-Out: From Victorian Vigilante:

Each night as I go walking underneath the lamplight.
I bring my baritsu and I'm ready for a fight.

• • And in the Wrath Of Fate novel, Dr. Calgori makes a reference to The Once and Future King by calling Captain Robert "Wart" and making a reference to Merlin Sickness.
• Sky Pirate: The group logo is a goggle-wearing skull and crossed cutlass-and-propeller; figure it out. Also the basis of much of their music, especially "Airship Pirates", "Under the Radar", "Post-Apocalypse Punk" and "Aether Shanty"; though by the lyrics they're not nearly as good at pirating as they'd like.
  • The hidden track on Lost Horizons ("The Ballad of Captain Robert") splits it squarely between the lifestyle being rough, and them being pretty hopeless.
  • They even named their RPG "Airship Pirates."
• Space Western: "Space Cowboy."
• Steampunk: Obviously.
• Stripperific: Look at them garments.
• Sword Cane: The person the vigilante in "Victorian Vigilante" kills has one of these.
• Tie-in Novel: The band has written a novel of stories set in the Abney Park backstory universe.
• Villain Song: "Evil Man"
• Wanderlust Song: "Wanderlust" from Aether Shanties.

And probably every other Steampunk trope.