Codeine (band)

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American indie rock band

title: "Codeine (band)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["indie-rock-musical-groups-from-new-york-(state)", "musical-groups-established-in-1989", "musical-groups-disestablished-in-1994", "musical-groups-reestablished-in-2012", "musical-groups-from-new-york-city", "sub-pop-artists", "american-shoegaze-musical-groups", "slowcore-groups", "glitterhouse-records-artists", "musical-groups-reestablished-in-2023", "the-numero-group-artists", "american-indie-rock-groups", "american-post-rock-groups", "1989-establishments-in-new-york-city"] description: "American indie rock band" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Codeine_(band)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American indie rock band ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox musical artist"]

FieldValue
nameCodeine
imageCodeine - Alexandra Palace London 260512.jpg
captionCodeine playing one of their first reunion shows at I'll Be Your Mirror, Alexandra Palace, London, May 2012
image_size250
discographyCodeine discography
originNew York City, United States
genre{{flatlist
years_active{{flatlist
label{{flatlist
associated_actsCome, Rex, HiM, June of 44
websitehttps://codeine.nyc
current_membersStephen Immerwahr
John Engle
Chris Brokaw
past_membersDoug Scharin
::

| name = Codeine | image = Codeine - Alexandra Palace London 260512.jpg | caption = Codeine playing one of their first reunion shows at I'll Be Your Mirror, Alexandra Palace, London, May 2012 | image_size = 250 | discography = Codeine discography | alias = | origin = New York City, United States | genre = {{flatlist|

History

Codeine was formed by members Stephen Immerwahr (vocals, bass), Chris Brokaw (drums), and John Engle (guitar). Codeine pioneered the indie rock subgenre slowcore, but with a more experimental attitude than other bands in the genre, such as Low, Idaho and Red House Painters. The band's original tone, marked by slow tempos, Immerwahr's nasal vocals, and Engle's ringing Telecaster, stayed consistent during their career.

Codeine released their first album Frigid Stars LP on the German label Glitterhouse in August 1990. The album was released on Sub Pop early the following year.

The Barely Real EP was released in November 1992. Immerwahr rejected several of the songs after the recording session. Some of these songs would be re-recorded for the final album. The song "W." is a solo performance on piano by David Grubbs (of Bastro, Squirrel Bait and Gastr del Sol). A somewhat different full-band version of the song appears on Codeine's next album, now titled "Wird".

Brokaw left the band after the release of Barely Real to play full-time with his other band Come, and after Josh Madell of Antietam replaced him temporarily for a US tour, he was replaced permanently by Rex drummer Doug Scharin.

Codeine's final release was the full-length album The White Birch, released in May 1994. David Grubbs also participated on the album. After this release, the band broke up. Doug Scharin continued in Rex and June of 44, and later as the band leader of HiM. Following the demise of Come, original drummer Chris Brokaw became a solo artist and itinerant musician, including playing drums for The New Year and playing guitar with Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth and with Christina Rosenvinge.

Reunion

In February 2012, Codeine announced it would perform on the request of Mogwai at All Tomorrow's Parties' sister event, I'll Be Your Mirror on May 26, 2012, in London at Alexandra Palace, along with other shows, to commemorate a comprehensive reissue of their recordings by The Numero Group in June 2012. Codeine's final reunion show was at Le Poisson Rouge in New York on July 15, 2012.

In September 2022, the band released Dessau, an album of 8 songs recorded at Harold Dessau Recording in 1992 that was originally intended to appear on their second album, but was scrapped due to production conflicts. Chris Brokaw would leave the band shortly after the album was shelved. Two songs from these sessions would be re-recorded and released on Barely Real, others re-recorded for The White Birch; four songs from the Dessau sessions were first released on their 2012 compilation When I See the Sun.

Codeine's first show in 11 years took place in New York City's Union Pool on February 11, 2023, prior to playing the Numero Group's 20th anniversary festival in Los Angeles on February 18 and 19. Additional shows took place later that year throughout Europe and the US. The following Spring the band played shows in Canada, Australia, Japan, and Mexico.

Discography

Main article: Codeine discography

References

References

  1. (2000). "[[Encyclopedia of Popular Music". [[Virgin Books]].
  2. Weingarten, Christopher. (February 21, 2012). "Slowcore Pioneers Codeine Announce Reunion Tour". Spin.
  3. Parish, Matt. (June 28, 2012). "'90s slow-core pioneers Codeine return". [[Boston Globe]].
  4. Mason, Stewart. "Codeine Biography".
  5. "Codeine".
  6. Pearis, Bill. (January 3, 2023). "Codeine & The Hated playing East Coast shows before Numero Group anniversary festival".
  7. (September 30, 2022). "Codeine, The Hated, Ida, Chisel, & More Reuniting For Numero Group 20th Anniversary Festival".
  8. Strong, Martin C. (2003) ''The Great Indie Discography'', Canongate, {{ISBN. 1-84195-335-0, p. 679-680
  9. Mason, Stewart "[https://www.allmusic.com/artist/codeine-p12579/biography Codeine Biography]", [[AllMusic]], Retrieved June 26, 2011
  10. Pareles, Jon. (July 1, 2012). "Grunge's Estranged, Desolate Cousins: Codeine, with Stephen Brodsky, at Bell House". [[The New York Times]].
  11. "The Numero Group".
  12. (February 21, 2012). "Codeine Announce Reunion Tour".
  13. (July 18, 2012). "Codeine played Le Poisson Rouge (pics & setlist)".
  14. "Codeine – Dessau".

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indie-rock-musical-groups-from-new-york-(state)musical-groups-established-in-1989musical-groups-disestablished-in-1994musical-groups-reestablished-in-2012musical-groups-from-new-york-citysub-pop-artistsamerican-shoegaze-musical-groupsslowcore-groupsglitterhouse-records-artistsmusical-groups-reestablished-in-2023the-numero-group-artistsamerican-indie-rock-groupsamerican-post-rock-groups1989-establishments-in-new-york-city