Magic Bullets

Magic Bullets was[1] a United States pop band from San Francisco, California.

Magic Bullets
OriginSan Francisco, California, United States
GenresPop
Years active2004 - 2011
Associated actsThe Cosmos, Dominant Legs, Golden Soldiers, Terry Malts, Shony Collins, Business Of Dreams, Smokescreens
MembersPhilip Benson (vocals 2004–2011)
Corey Cunningham (guitar, 2004–2011)
Alex Kaiser (drums, 2010–2011)
Sean "Shony Collins" McDonnell (Keys, 2010–2011)
Nathan Sweatt (bass guitar, 2004–2011)
Past membersNoah Brodsky (drums, 2005)
Colin Dobrin (drums, 2004–2009)
Ryan "Gran" Lynch (guitar, 2004–2009)
Matthew Kallman (keyboards, 2004–2010)
Dan "Danny Panic" Sullivan (drums, 2009-2010)

History

Magic Bullets formed in San Francisco, California in 2004 with musicians primarily hailing from the Bay area who had spent most of their musically formative years playing with or alongside one another in various punk rock outfits. Vocalist Philip Benson and guitarist and primary songwriter Cunningham first met in 2000 and later played together in The Cosmos[2] (a musical project of Cunningham's which released a split 7" on England's Becalmed Records[3] with soon-to-be Words On Music artist Lorna in 2001).

After a few years Cunningham and Benson called upon friends Colin Dobrin (drums), Matthew Kallman (Future Girls) (keys) and Nathan Sweatt (bass guitar) to form a new band to play music inspired by their favorite artists — drawing from the likes of Orange Juice, The Sound, and The Feelies, to name a few.

After developing an agreeable repertoire, and with the welcomed addition of long-time friend and musical collaborator and guitarist Ryan Lynch (Former Cosmos/Future Dominant Legs/Girls), Magic Bullets set out to play scores of shows in the winter of 2004/2005. In October 2005 the sextet had their first recording session of material to be included on their debut at Atomic Garden in East Palo Alto, California.[4] In June 2006 Magic Bullets recorded six additional songs at House of Faith in Oakland with Bart Thurber, and a few more songs recorded by Lev Perrey at The Emergency Room. Perrey mixed the album in the Summer of 2006.

In early 2007 the band released their debut, an album's worth of recordings collected over the span of the three years since the band's conception. Their first full length “A Child But In Life Yet A Doctor In Love” was released on Minneapolis’ Words on Music. Numerous tours of the States followed, finding the band as far east as New York and showcased at Austin's SXSW music festival in 2008.

2009 would see the first change in the Magic Bullets line up as guitarist Ryan Lynch exited the group to pursue his own project (Dominant Legs). A few months later drummer Colin Dobrin left the band. Magic Bullets then recruited well-known punk drummer Danny "panic" Sullivan. Magic Bullets opted to self-release their second recording, a four-song 12″ titled Lives For Romance. “Lives for Romance” saw a dramatic maturation of the band's sound from “A Child…” and despite various lineup changes, shining reviews for the EP encouraged the band to continue writing songs for a second album.

Magic Bullets second full-length album (untitled) was recorded at Atomic Garden in East Palo Alto by long-time friend Jack Shirley. Mona Dehghan (Mon Amie Records) offered to put out the new album and Magic Bullets jumped at the chance to be involved with the new start up. It was at this time that the band had yet another line up change. Danny "Panic" Sullivan and longtime keyboardist Matt Kallman left the group and the band was left in an incomplete state, recruiting various friends to fill in for one off shows. With the album's release date looming Magic Bullets set to the task of finding fresh blood. Sean McDonnell (Shony Collins), longtime friend and fan of Magic Bullets was asked to join the band and played his first show live on public radio's west coast live. Soon after that Alex Kaiser (Tempo no Tempo) took on the role of Magic Bullets drummer. With a full lineup and new album (released June/2010 on Mon Amie Records) Magic Bullets did multiple West and East Coast jaunts.

Mon Amie Records released the group's final release, a posthumous EP entitled Much Ado About in 2012.[5] Phil Benson, Corey Cunningham, and Nathan Sweatt continued playing in Terry Malts, a group they started in 2009.[6]

A lost album from 2007-2008 titled Young Man's Fancy was released by Cunningham on his Parked In Hell label in 2016.[7]

Discography

Albums
  • a CHILD but in life yet a DOCTOR in love (2007, Words On Music) (recorded 2005-2006) "Yesterday's Seen Better Days" video
  • Upstairs Flight (iTunes single) • February 2008
  • Lives For Romance (self-released) • January 2009
  • Lying Around 7" (Mon Amie) • April 2010
  • S/T (also known as Second Glance) (Mon Amie) • June 2010
  • Young Man's Fancy (lost album, recorded 2007-2008 - Parked In Hell) • March 2016

Notes and references
  1. "Photos: Tim Cohen/Magic Trick, Magic Bullets, Tambo Rays @ Rickshaw Stop, 8/24/11 - The Bay Bridged - San Francisco Bay Area Indie Music". The Bay Bridged - San Francisco Bay Area Indie Music. 2011-08-29. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
  2. Magic Bullets
  3. Becalmed Records: Releases - Lorna b/w The Cosmos
  4. [magic bullets]
  5. "Magic Bullets - Much Ado About". Discogs. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
  6. "Terry Malts | Biography & History | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
  7. "Magic Bullets - Young Man's Fancy". Discogs. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
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