Black Lab

Black Lab

Black Lab is an alternative rock band from Berkeley, United States, active since 1995. The group centres on Paul Durham, who sings and plays guitar and remains its only constant member. Andy Ellis joins him as the other official member, playing keyboards and guitar, and has been part of the band since 2000.

History

Durham grows up in Twin Falls, Idaho before moving to San Francisco to pursue music. Before Black Lab, he records and tours with friends under the name Durham and also makes an acoustic-based singer-songwriter record with jazz producer Lee Townsend, later issued as Ten Million Years: songs from the nineteen nineties. After Durham ends that project, he secures a deal with Geffen Records and builds a new band around the Black Lab name.

The band’s debut album, Your Body Above Me, appears in 1998 on Geffen Records and receives critical attention. It produces the rock and alternative single “Wash It Away,” which reaches the top 10, and “Time Ago,” which reaches the top 40 in adult contemporary and pop.

Black Lab also contributes songs to film and television soundtracks, including Can’t Hardly Wait, Varsity Blues, Permanent Midnight and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. After its early touring period, the band’s label closes, and Durham later moves to Los Angeles, buys a computer, and learns studio software in order to shape the sound around his voice.

Andy Ellis and later recordings

Durham hires Andy Ellis to set up his studio, and the two begin writing together. Ellis is already an experienced guitarist, keyboard player and programmer, and has worked as an assistant to engineers in the industry. Durham describes collaboration with Ellis as unusually easy, and Ellis becomes the band’s other official member.

The pair’s work leads to See the Sun, much of which is mixed by Tom Lord-Alge. The album includes “Remember,” “See the Sun,” “Without You” and “Lonely Boy.” “Learn to Crawl” appears on the platinum Spider-Man soundtrack and is produced by Durham and Tom Lord-Alge. Another track, “Ecstasy,” reflects Durham’s studio experience.

Black Lab also records the techno track “This Blood” for Blade: Trinity and continues to make music for television, including MTV’s Real World, What I Like About You and The Days, as well as the film Lovewrecked.

Passion Leaves a Trace

The band’s third album, Passion Leaves a Trace, is released in 2007. It includes “Mine Again,” “This Night,” “The Real You” and “Ghost In Your Mind.” “This Night” is used in the trailer for season six of The Shield and in the House episode “Out of the Chute.”