southern records

SPIRIT CARAVAN SPLIT-UP
July 21, 2002

FRONT MAN WINO RELEASES OFFICIAL STATEMENT

"After the last Spirit Caravan tour in May of 2002 some underlying issues came to the surface that led to the split up of the band. This was sudden and a shock to everyone. However, the fundamental differences could not be ignored. Thanks to everyone for their undying support, friendship and inspiration. Dave Sherman will continue as front man for the Maryland-based hard rock outfit, Earthride.
I have decided to continue to carry the torch of universal expression via heavy music by teaming up with longtime friend guitarist/vocalist, Victor Griffin (Death Row, Pentagram), and his band, Place Of Skulls. This will be a collaboration of styles, beliefs, emotions and, of course, heavy music and prose. We invite you to share our excitement as we explore this new dimension.
May peace and happiness be yours forever,

Wino

Scott "Wino" Weinrich has become an underground legend. His unique brand of Sabbath-inspired doom/stoner rock are embraced the world over. He began his musical journey early in life forming The Obsessed while still in high school. He's toured the world and sold thousands of records under various monikers.
Following the local notoriety of The Obsessed in the Washington, DC area, he joined Saint Vitus for their most successful period in the mid-to-late Eighties. He recorded several albums with them for the SST and Hellhound labels. Wino then reformed The Obsessed with (amongst others) Scott Reeder (who later went on to play for Stoner gods KYUSS) and released two albums on Hellhound.
In the early Nineties, Wino finally got the respect he deserved and a worldwide record deal with Columbia who released The Church Within in 1994. This was the last album recorded by The Obsessed.

Wino returned to the music scene in late 1996 with Spirit Caravan, initially named Shine. Spirit Caravan started out playing in the Maryland area. At the time, half of their set list consisted of The Obsessed and St. Vitus songs. Shine released a single on Tolotta Records in late 1997. In 1999 Spirit Caravan released their first full-length record on Tolotta Records, Jug Fulla Sun.

Tolotta Records owner, Joe Lally (Fugazi), describes Wino's music as "a healthy, uplifting mix of all the best bits of all the best rock bands from the past (Sabbath, Motorhead, Cream, Grand Funk Railroad, MC5, Blue Cheer, Mountain, The Groundhogs) with a down to earth attitude and lyricism earned by years of paying dues in the punk and metal underground."

Spirit Caravan releases include the band's last release, a self-titled 7" on white vinyl (So Mortal Be /Undone Mind), Elusive Truth (2001), Jug Fulla Sun (1999), Dreamwheel (Meteorcity). Other recent releases featuring Wino include the Man's Ruin spilt Acid King/Mystick Krewe of Clearlight, The Obsessed (Tolotta), and Incarnate (Southern Lord). All Spirit Caravan releases are available online at www.tolotta.com.

Wino's current creative efforts will be directed towards writing songs and performing with the band Place of Skulls, featuring long-time friend, Victor Griffin. Visit Place Of Skulls online at www.placeofskulls.com.

PRESS QUOTES ON WINO (SPIRIT CARAVAN):

'Queens of the Stone Age, Goatsnake and even Britain's Orange Goblin owe [Wino] their careers...'
- NME

'Wino is such an inspiration to me because of his passion and his soul.'
- Dave Grohl (taken from NME article)

'After single-handedly inventing stoner rock Scott 'Wino' Weinrich....is
back to reclaim his crown.'
- Kerrang

'Next to the relentlessness Wino has exhibited thus far, many of the
pretenders to the Black Sabbath and Blue Cheer throne seem, at best, like
misguided tribute acts.'
- Alternative Press

'If there were a Heisman Trophy in doom metal, Weinrich would be the first
winner, hands down. Weinrich's the only true triple threat in the genre: He
writes, he plays, he sings.'
- Village Voice