{{Short description|American Midwest emo band}} {{For|the type of ship|Merchant ship}} {{Verify sources|date=February 2024|talk=Fixing References}}
{{Infobox musical artist | name = Merchant Ships | image = | image_size = | landscape = <!-- yes, if wide image, otherwise leave blank --> | alt = | caption = | alias = | origin = South Bend, Indiana and Sturgis, Michigan | genre = {{flatlist| *Midwest emo *screamo *post-hardcore }} | years_active = {{start date|2008}}–{{end date|2009}}, 2010<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rateyourmusic.com/artist/merchant_ships|title = Merchant Ships discography - RYM/Sonemic}}</ref> | label = | spinoffs = *Midwest Pen Pals *William Bonney | website = <!-- {{URL|example.com}} --> | current_members = | past_members = * Jack Senff * Nick Stutsman * Michael Gerstein * Dwayne Robinson | module = | module2 = | module3 = }}
'''Merchant Ships''' was an American midwest emo and Screamo band from South Bend, Indiana.<ref>{{cite web|title=Merchant Ships|url=http://www.sputnikmusic.com/bands/Merchant-Ships/19551/|publisher=Sputnikmusic|accessdate=26 November 2015}}</ref>
==History== Merchant Ships was formed in 2008 by singer Jack Senff and drummer Dwayne Robinson after both being inspired by local bands performances. Nick Stutsman and Michael Gerstein were recruited as the guitarist and bassist, respectively. Their first demo titled ''LOL Cats demo'' was released in July 2008. Their first proper release was an EP titled ''I Want To Forget About Everything Bad That Ever Happened, Ever'' via Antietam Records. They later released their single "Old Grey" featured on the ''Simple Days Comp.'' in January 2009.<ref>{{cite web|title=Merchant Ships - I.W.T.F.A.E.B.T.E.H.E|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/36541/Merchant-Ships-I.W.T.F.A.E.B.T.E.H.E/|publisher=Sputnikmusic|accessdate=26 November 2015}}</ref>
In May 2009, Merchant Ships parted ways for the first time. In the summer of the same year, Senff and Stutsman formed Midwest Pen Pals alongside Garrett Cabello and Mike Kenway and self-released their only official EP ''Inside Jokes.'' They ultimately broke up in September, 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/6302385-Midwest-Pen-Pals|title = Midwest Pen Pals|website = Discogs}}</ref> In 2010, Merchant Ships reunited and released their single "Better Days Ahead" featuring "Sentinel" and "Good Weekend". They later signed with Count Your Lucky Stars Records and released their second EP (first on the label) titled ''For Cameron'' in July 2010.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Paul|first1=Aubin|title=Merchant Ships / Prawn / Analecta|date=20 May 2010 |url=https://www.punknews.org/article/38352/merchant-ships-prawn-analecta|publisher=Punknews|accessdate=26 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Merchant Ships - For Cameron|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/47703/Merchant-Ships-For-Cameron/|publisher=Sputnikmusic|accessdate=26 November 2015}}</ref>
In July 2010, Merchant Ships broke up for good, releasing their full discography for free via their Myspace page along with a compilation entitled "Shipsography".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Shotwell|first1=James|title=Merchant Ships call it quits, give away discography|url=http://www.altpress.com/news/entry/merchant_ships_call_it_quits_give_away_discography|publisher=Alternative Press|accessdate=27 November 2015}}</ref> The band was featured in Funeral Sounds article titled "Five Emo One-Release Wonders".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Garza|first1=Mark|title=Five Emo One-Release Wonders|url=http://funeralsounds.com/uncategorized/five-emo-one-release-wonders/|publisher=Funeral Sounds|accessdate=27 November 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208075447/http://funeralsounds.com/uncategorized/five-emo-one-release-wonders/|archivedate=8 December 2015}}</ref> Jack Senff went on to play in William Bonney with Gerstein, Kenway, Josh Miller, and Ethan Coad. After William Bonney, Jack started North Folk, Sailor Heart, Boy Rex and Knola, and began to release acoustic folk music under his full name, "Jack M. Senff" on Skeletal Lightning Records.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://skeletallightning.com/collections/jack-m-senff|title=Jack M. Senff}}</ref> Michael joined East Lansing based band Lucy.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lucy-music.bandcamp.com/album/love-myself-to-sleep|title = Love Myself to Sleep, by Lucy}}</ref> Nick Stutsman went on to form emo band Park Jefferson, as well as the band Jingwei<ref>{{cite web|url=https://parkjefferson.bandcamp.com/album/park-jefferson|title = Park Jefferson, by Park Jefferson}}</ref> while Dwayne Robinson joined the Bloomington based bands Hive Mind and House Olympics.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hivemindin.bandcamp.com/ |title=Hive Mind |publisher=Hivemindin.bandcamp.com |date= |accessdate=2022-05-04}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://houseolympics.bandcamp.com/album/spectral|title = Spectral, by House Olympics}}</ref>
The band had planned a reunion show in late 2016 alongside longtime friends Sleep Patterns, but dropped the show shortly after.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Guzman |first=Olli |date=2016-11-19 |title=UPDATE: Merchant Ships Reunites for One Show |url=https://midwestmusiccollective.com/2016/11/18/merchant-ships-reunites-for-one-show/ |access-date=2025-06-23 |website=MIDWEST MUSIC COLLECTIVE |language=en}}</ref>
==Band members== *Jack Senff – vocals <small>(2008-2009, 2010)</small> *Nick Stutsman – guitar <small>(2008-2009, 2010)</small> *Michael Gerstein – bass <small>(2008-2009, 2010)</small> *Dwayne Robinson – drums <small>(2008-2009, 2010)</small>
==Discography== === EPs === *LOL Cats Demo (2008, self-released) *I Want To Forget About Everything That Ever Happened, Ever (2008, self-released) *Bummer Times Demo (2009, self-released) *For Cameron (2010, self-released)
=== Compilations === *Shipsography (2010, self-released)<ref>{{cite web|title=Merchant Ships - Shipsography|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/37840/Merchant-Ships-Shipsography/|publisher=Sputnikmusic|accessdate=27 November 2015}}</ref> *Merchant Ships a.k.a I Want To Remember (2025, self-released)
==References== {{reflist}}
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Category:Musical groups from Indiana Category:Musical groups from Michigan Category:American emo musical groups Category:Musical groups established in 2008 Category:Musical groups reestablished in 2010 Category:2008 establishments in Indiana Category:Count Your Lucky Stars Records artists