Horse The Band

Horse The Band

Horse The Band are a group from Lake Forest, United States, active from 1998. They form around a mix of hardcore punk, metalcore, experimental and electronic elements, and are closely associated with the term “Nintendocore”, which they use for their Nintendo-influenced sound. Their work is also tagged as chiptune, electronicore and nerdcore.

Style and lyrical themes

The band is known for combining 8-bit and synthesiser textures with heavy guitar music. Their lyrics often use vivid, chaotic imagery, with humorous or abstract references to pop culture and to vocalist Nathan Winneke’s own life. Winneke describes his writing style as “lynchian”, a reference to filmmaker David Lynch and the oblique, narrative approach associated with his work.

Albums and song references

The band’s early self-description as “Nintendocore” reflects the synth sounds they adopt. Several songs use Nintendo characters or game references in metaphorical ways, including “Cutsman”, which refers to a childhood friend as well as the Mega Man character, “Birdo”, “Pol’s Voice” and “A Million Exploding Suns”. These songs also draw on personal experiences, such as Winneke’s feelings about eggs, his relationship with his stepfather, his dislike of the sound of his own voice, and his double life as a musician and video rental clerk.

The album A Natural Death marks a lyrical and musical shift towards ideas of nature and mortality, while moving somewhat away from the Nintendo imagery. Songs on it include “Murder”, inspired by Lonesome Dove, “Hyperborea”, which refers to Robert E. Howard’s Conan stories, and “The Red Tornado”, named after a DC Comics character.

Career and activity

Horse The Band are signed to Vagrant Records and have also been associated with LIF Records, Kangarooster Records, Pluto Records, Combat Records, Roadrunner Records Australia and KOCH Records. The line-up changes frequently over time, and members listed across the group’s history include Nathan Winneke, Erik Engstrom and a long list of other players such as Risto Metso, Jason Robert Redmer, Adam Crook, David Isen, Jeremy Elder, Nicole, Guy Morgenshtern, Jason Karuza, Mike Benitez, Andy Stokes, Alex Duddy, Eli Green, Dashiell Han Arkenstone, Daniel Pouliot, Chris Prophet, Jon Karel, Brian Grover, Jeremiah Bignell, Ed Edge and Jeremy.

The band begins booking their own tours in 2002, including a three-month run across seven countries. In 2004 they undertake the HORSE the World Tour, which covers 85 shows in 90 days across seven countries in North America and Europe. Desperate Living is one of their later albums in the period described.