The Faint

{{short description|American dance-punk band}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = The Faint | image = TheFaintLive2008-01.jpg | caption = The Faint live on tour 2008 | background = group_or_band | origin = Omaha, Nebraska | genre = Dance-punk | years_active = 1995–present | label = Saddle Creek, Astralwerks | associated_acts = Vverevvolf Grehv, Broken Spindles, Depressed Buttons, Digital Leather, TIT, Reptar | website = {{URL|www.thefaint.com}} | current_members = Todd Fink Graham Ulicny Dapose Clark Baechle | past_members = Conor Oberst Matt Bowen Joel Petersen Jacob Thiele (deceased) }}

'''The Faint''' is an American dance-punk band from Omaha, Nebraska. They are members of the Saddle Creek Records collective.<ref name=faintprofile>[https://web.archive.org/web/20030810005332/http://www.thefaint.com/profile/ The Faint // Profile], ''The Faint'', (2005-01-27). Retrieved 2008-05-09.</ref><ref name=lazy-i_interview>[http://www.timmcmahan.com/macabre.htm Lazy-i // Interview] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150915010806/http://www.timmcmahan.com/macabre.htm |date=September 15, 2015 }}, ''The Faint: men in black'', (2001-08-15). Retrieved 2008-05-09.</ref> Founded in 1995 as Norman Bailer by vocalist Todd Fink, drummer Clark Baechle, and multi-instrumentalist Joel Petersen, the project briefly featured Bright Eyes frontman Conor Oberst before solidifying its lineup and touring alongside labelmates.<ref name=faintprofile /> The synth-driven albums ''Blank-Wave Arcade'' 1999 and ''Danse Macabre'' 2001 earned the group an underground following on the United States club circuit.<ref name=lazy-i_interview />

Since 2016 the band has featured Fink, Baechle, guitarist Dapose, and keyboardist Graham Ulicny while turning down major-label offers to remain part of the Saddle Creek community and releasing the career retrospective ''CAPSULE:1999-2016'' and the studio album ''Egowerk'' in 2019.<ref name=lasvegas /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Sodomsky |first1=Sam |title=The Music That Made Conor Oberst |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/5-10-15-20/the-music-that-made-bright-eyes-conor-oberst/|website=pitchfork.com|date=21 August 2020 |publisher=Pitchfork |access-date=March 6, 2021}}</ref><ref name=capsule>{{cite web |title=CAPSULE:1999-2016 |url=https://saddle-creek.com/products/capsule-1999-2016 |website=Saddle Creek |publisher=Saddle Creek Records |date=September 30, 2016 |access-date=October 10, 2025}}</ref><ref name=egowerk>{{cite web |title=Egowerk |url=https://saddle-creek.com/products/egowerk |website=Saddle Creek |publisher=Saddle Creek Records |date=March 15, 2019 |access-date=October 10, 2025}}</ref>

==History== ===Early years as Norman Bailer (1995–1997)=== Todd Fink, Clark Baechle, and Joel Petersen formed the project in Omaha in 1995 and performed briefly as Norman Bailer.<ref name=faintyoutubeinterview>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyycYQfIhjg The Faint // Youtube Interview] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160520044638/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyycYQfIhjg |date=May 20, 2016 }}, ''BeatLawrence Interviews the Faint'', (2007-10-21). Retrieved 2008-05-09.</ref> The trio spent much of its youth skateboarding until Fink's knee problems redirected their energy toward songwriting.<ref name=faintyoutubeinterview/> Gigs around Omaha helped secure a contract with Saddle Creek Records, although the group's early singles struggled to find an audience.<ref name=faintprofile/>

===The Faint and ''Blank-Wave Arcade'' (1997–2000)=== The group soon adopted the Faint name and began assembling songs around sequencers, drum machines, and analog keyboards, marking a shift away from the guitar-centered material of the Norman Bailer period.<ref name=faintyoutubeinterview/><ref name=lazy-i_interview>[http://www.timmcmahan.com/macabre.htm Lazy-i // Interview] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150915010806/http://www.timmcmahan.com/macabre.htm |date=September 15, 2015 }}, ''The Faint: men in black'', (2001-08-15). Retrieved 2008-05-09.</ref>

Matt Bowen joined for the debut album ''Media'', then Jacob Thiele replaced him in late 1998, while Ethan Jones briefly handled bass duties.<ref name=faintyoutubeinterview/><ref name=lazy-i_interview/> Touring across the United States previewed the dance-oriented material that surfaced on ''Blank-Wave Arcade'' in 1999 and earned the band an underground reputation.<ref name=lazy-i_interview/> They also released a remix album, ''Blank-Wave Arcade Remixes'' in 2000.

===''Danse Macabre'' and underground success (2000–2004)=== By the end of that cycle, the group had pivoted fully to a synth-punk identity, centering sequenced bass and a lighting-heavy stage production that became a hallmark of later shows.<ref name=lazy-i_interview/><ref name=lasvegas>{{cite web|url=https://lasvegasweekly.com/ae/music/2016/oct/19/interview-faint-frontman-todd-fink-gang-of-four/ |title=Frontman Todd Fink Talks 'Refuturizing' The Faint and Touring with Gang of Four' |date=19 October 2016 |access-date=21 August 2017}}</ref>

Jones left as the group developed ''Danse Macabre'', so Petersen split his time between bass and guitar while new member Dapose added a heavier guitar presence.<ref name=lazy-i_interview/> Before releasing their next studio album, Astralwerks issued the 2003 remix album, ''Danse Macabre Remixes'', which featured contributions from top electronic remixers, including Stuart Price (Thin White Duke), Paul Oakenfold, and Photek. ''Wet from Birth'' followed in 2004 after sessions with producer Mike Mogis, and longtime collaborator Conor Oberst later recalled that the band declined a major label offer in order to remain with Saddle Creek.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sodomsky |first1=Sam |title=The Music That Made Conor Oberst |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/5-10-15-20/the-music-that-made-bright-eyes-conor-oberst/|website=pitchfork.com|date=21 August 2020 |publisher=Pitchfork |access-date=March 6, 2021}}</ref> The group expanded its touring production during this period, pairing tightly synchronized electronics with a high-intensity light show.<ref name=lasvegas/>

===''Fasciinatiion'' and independent years (2008–2016)=== The Faint left Saddle Creek in 2008 and created the blank.wav imprint to release ''Fasciinatiion'' on August 5, 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.idiomag.com/peek/64480/ladytron |title=Ladytron and the Faint to Tour Together |access-date=2009-02-13 |date=2009-02-12 |publisher=idiomag |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219171115/http://idiomag.com/peek/64480/ladytron |archive-date=February 19, 2009 }}</ref> "The Geeks Were Right" led the release cycle, and a North American co-headlining tour with Ladytron supported the album.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.idiomag.com/peek/64480/ladytron |title=Ladytron and the Faint to Tour Together |access-date=2009-02-13 |date=2009-02-12 |publisher=idiomag |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219171115/http://idiomag.com/peek/64480/ladytron |archive-date=February 19, 2009 }}</ref> Baechle and Fink simultaneously pursued remix work and DJ sets under the Depressed Buttons name. After regrouping, the band issued a new full-length in 2014, titled ''Doom Abuse'', writing and recording quickly to emphasize a rawer, faster sound before returning to headlining tours.<ref name=lasvegas/>

During this period, the band performed the song "Teach Me Teacher" on the children's program Yo Gabba Gabba! in the third season episode "School", which aired September 19, 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8frUBgyoP4 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/L8frUBgyoP4| archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live|title=Teach Me - The Faint - Yo Gaba Gaba |website=YouTube|access-date=2021-03-06 |date=2010-09-10}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Saddle Creek issued a deluxe edition of ''Danse Macabre'' on October 30, 2012 with remastering, outtakes, and archival video, and the band toured North America performing the album in full.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://saddle-creek.com/store/550 |title=The Faint Danse Macabre (Deluxe Edition) [Remastered] |access-date=15 September 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120825161638/http://saddle-creek.com/store/550 |archive-date=25 August 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefaint.com/ |title=The Faint website |access-date=15 September 2012}}</ref>

===Return, ''Egowerk'', and reissues (2016–present)=== Following their independent period, The Faint returned to Saddle Creek Records for subsequent releases and reissues. In 2016 the band released the retrospective ''Capsule:1999-2016'', which included the new track "Young and Realistic", and toured with Gang of Four.<ref name=lasvegas/> Graham Ulicny of Reptar joined on keyboards in 2016, replacing Thiele and expanding the live arrangement.<ref name=lasvegas/> The Faint followed with a new studio album, ''Egowerk'', in March 2019, returning to their electronic roots with a mix of new wave and synth-punk influences.<ref name=egowerk/> Thiele died on February 13, 2020.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Coffey |first1=Kevin |title=Former member of The Faint, Jacob Thiele, has died. He helped Omaha music get recognized |url=https://www.omaha.com/entertainment/former-member-of-the-faint-jacob-thiele-has-died-he/article_1f9d1893-38d5-56d2-b437-5a890af269b5.html |website=Omaha.com |date=14 February 2020 |publisher=The Omaha World-Herald |access-date=14 February 2020 |language=en}}</ref>

In March 2025 they released a twenty-fifth anniversary deluxe edition of ''Blank-Wave Arcade'' alongside a twentieth anniversary edition of ''Wet from Birth'', each packaged with remasters, remixes, and archival recordings.<ref name=blankwave2025>{{cite web|title=Blank-Wave Arcade (Deluxe Edition)|url=https://thefaint.bandcamp.com/album/blank-wave-arcade-deluxe-edition|website=Bandcamp|publisher=The Faint|date=March 14, 2025|access-date=June 16, 2025}}</ref><ref name=wet2025>{{cite web|title=Wet From Birth (Deluxe Edition)|url=https://thefaint.bandcamp.com/album/wet-from-birth-deluxe-edition|website=Bandcamp|publisher=The Faint|date=March 14, 2025|access-date=June 16, 2025}}</ref> The band described the reissues as a chance to recontextualize the turn of the century albums and to circulate period-specific extras alongside newly remastered audio.<ref name=blankwave2025/><ref name=wet2025/>

==Members== ===Current members=== *Todd Fink – lead vocals, keyboards, guitar (1995–present) *Clark Baechle – drums, percussion (1995–present) *Dapose (Michael Dappen) – guitar, bass (2001–present) *Graham Ulicny – keyboards, backing vocals (2016–present)

===Former members=== *Conor Oberst – guitar, backing vocals (1995) *Matt Bowen – bass, keyboards (1995–1998) * Ethan Jones – bass (1998-1999) *Jacob Thiele – keyboards, backing vocals (1998–2016, died 2020) *Joel Petersen – guitar (1995–2008), bass, programming (1999-2008)

====Timeline==== <div class="left" > <timeline> ImageSize = width:800 height:300 PlotArea = left:80 bottom:120 top:0 right:30 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1995 till:01/01/2025 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy

Colors = id:vocals value:red legend:Lead_vocals id:bvocals value:pink legend:Backing_vocals id:guitar value:green legend:Guitar id:bass value:blue legend:Bass id:keys value:purple legend:Keyboards id:drums value:orange legend:Drums id:lines value:black legend:Studio albums

Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:3

ScaleMajor = increment:4 start:1995 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1995

LineData = at:02/06/1995 color:black layer:back at:24/10/1998 color:black layer:back at:01/11/1999 color:black layer:back at:21/08/2001 color:black layer:back at:14/09/2004 color:black layer:back at:05/08/2008 color:black layer:back at:08/04/2014 color:black layer:back at:15/03/2019 color:black layer:back

BarData = bar:Fink text:"Todd Fink" bar:Oberst text:"Conor Oberst" bar:Petersen text:"Joel Petersen" bar:Dapose text:"Dapose" bar:Bowen text:"Matt Bowen" bar:Jones text:"Ethan Jones" bar:Thiele text:"Jacob Thiele" bar:Ulicny text:"Graham Ulicny" bar:Baechle text:"Clark Baechle"

PlotData= width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)

bar:Fink from:01/01/1995 till:end color:vocals bar:Fink from:01/01/1995 till:end color:keys width:3 bar:Fink from:01/09/1995 till:end color:guitar width:7 bar:Baechle from:01/01/1995 till:end color:drums bar:Oberst from:01/01/1995 till:01/09/1995 color:guitar bar:Oberst from:01/01/1995 till:01/09/1995 color:bvocals width:3 bar:Bowen from:01/01/1995 till:01/12/1998 color:bass bar:Bowen from:01/01/1995 till:01/12/1998 color:keys width:3 bar:Petersen from:01/01/1995 till:01/06/2008 color:guitar bar:Petersen from:01/06/1999 till:01/06/2008 color:bass width:3 bar:Jones from:01/12/1998 till:01/06/1999 color:bass bar:Thiele from:01/11/1998 till:01/06/2016 color:keys bar:Thiele from:01/11/1998 till:01/06/2016 color:bvocals width:3 bar:Dapose from:01/04/2001 till:end color:guitar bar:Dapose from:01/06/2008 till:end color:bass width:3 bar:Ulicny from:01/06/2016 till:end color:keys bar:Ulicny from:01/06/2016 till:end color:bvocals width:3 </timeline> </div>

==Discography==

===Albums=== ====Studio albums==== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Album details ! width="50"|{{small|US}} <ref name=us>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-faint/chart-history/tlp/|title = The Faint|magazine = Billboard}}</ref> ! width="50"|{{small|US Indie}} <ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-faint/chart-history/ind/|title = The Faint|magazine = Billboard}}</ref> |- |1995 | ''Sine Sierra'' (as Norman Bailer) *Released: 1995 *Label: Lumberjack {{small|(LBJ-08)}} *Formats: cassette (CS) | align="center" | — | align="center" | — |- |1998 | ''Media'' *Released: 1998 *Label: Saddle Creek {{small|(LBJ-21)}} *Format: CD | align="center" | — | align="center" | — |- |1999 | ''Blank-Wave Arcade'' *Released: November 1, 1999 *Label: Saddle Creek {{small|(LBJ-28)}} *Format: CD, LP | align="center" | — | align="center" | — |- |2001 | ''Danse Macabre'' *Released: August 21, 2001 *Label: Saddle Creek {{small|(LBJ-37)}} *Format: CD, LP | align="center" | — | align="center" | — |- |2004 | ''Wet from Birth'' *Released: September 14, 2004 *Label: Saddle Creek {{small|(LBJ-67)}} *Format: CD, LP | align="center" | 99 | align="center" | 9 |- |2008 | ''Fasciinatiion'' *Released: August 5, 2008 *Label: blank.wav {{small|(.WAV 01)}} *Format: CD, 2-LP | align="center" | 46 | align="center" | 6 |- |2014 | ''Doom Abuse'' *Released: April 8, 2014 *Label: SQE Music {{small|(SQE 145-S)}} *Format: CD, 2-LP | align="center" | 199 | align="center" | 30 |- |2019 | ''Egowerk'' *Released: March 15, 2019 *Label: Saddle Creek {{small|(LBJ-279)}} *Format: CD, LP | align="center" | — | align="center" | 26 |}

====Remix albums==== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Album details |- |2000 |''Blank-Wave Arcade Remixes'' *Released: May 29, 2000 *Labels: Saddle Creek {{small|(lbj-33)}}, Blood Of The Young Records – {{small|(young-015)}} *Format: LP |- |2003 |''Danse Macabre Remixes'' *Released: April 1, 2003 *Labels: Astralwerks {{small|(ASW 83269-2)}} *Format: CD, 3-LP |}

====Compilation albums==== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Album details |- |2016 |''CAPSULE:1999-2016'' *Released: September 30, 2016 *Label: Saddle Creek {{small|(LBJ-245)}} *Format: CD, 2-LP/7" |}

===EPs=== {| class="wikitable" |- ! Year ! Album details |- |2001 |''Mote/Dust'' *Released: 2001 *Label: Gold Standard Laboratories {{small|(GSL47)}} *Format: 12-inch |- |2012 |''Evil Voices'' *Released: November 2012 *Label: Self-Released *Format: 12-inch *Note: Sold on tour, also available in the deluxe vinyl edition of ''Doom Abuse'' |- |2019 |''This Never Happened'' *Released: 2019 *Label: Self-Released *Format: CD *Note: Sold during the 2019 tour |}

===Singles=== ====Retail singles==== {|class="wikitable" !Year !Single !Label !Album |- |2002 |"Agenda Suicide" | City Slang {{small|(20220-2)}} |rowspan="2"|''Danse Macabre'' |- |rowspan="2"|2003 |"The Conductor" | City Slang {{small|(20216-2)}} |- |"Agenda Suicide" (remixes) | Astralwerks {{small|(7243 547106 6 7)}} | ''Danse Macabre Remixes'' |- |2004 |"I Disappear" |Saddle Creek {{small|(LBJ-66)}} |rowspan="2"|''Wet from Birth'' |- |2004 |"Desperate Guys" |Saddle Creek {{small|(LBJ-83)}} |- |2008 |"The Geeks Were Right" |Boysnoize {{small|(BNR 026)}} |rowspan="2"|''Fasciinatiion'' |- |2009 |"Mirror Error" |Boysnoize {{small|(BNR 033)}} |}

====Promotional singles==== {|class="wikitable" !Year !Single !Label !Album |- |1997 | ''Norman Bailer'' {{small|("Some Incriminating Photographs"/"Typing: 1974-2048")}} | Saddle Creek | ''Media'' |- |2004 | "Southern Belles In London Sing" | Saddle Creek | ''Wet From Birth'' |}

===Splits=== *''Music Me All Over'' (split 7-inch) (as Norman Bailer) (Rolling Hill Records and Lumberjack) *''The Faint/Ex-Action Figures'' (split 7-inch) (1999, Saddle Creek)

===Remixes=== *Radio 4 - ''Dance to the Underground'' (2002 · City Slang) *Joy Electric - ''We Are Rock'' (2002 · BEC Recordings) *Yeah Yeah Yeahs - ''Y Control'' (2004 · Interscope Records / Polydor Records) *Nine Inch Nails - ''Meet Your Master'' (2007)

===Compilation appearances=== *''Nothing Left Fanzine No. 8 CD Sampler'' (1998) **Song: "Acting: On Campus Television" *''Messages: Modern Synthpop Artists Cover OMD'' (2001 · Ninthwave) **Song: "Enola Gay" *''Saddle Creek 50'' (2002 · Saddle Creek) **Songs: "Worked Up So Sexual", "Take Me to the Hospital" *''Liberation: Songs to Benefit PETA'' (2003 · Fat Wreck Chords) **Song: "Agenda Suicide" *''Lagniappe: A Saddle Creek Benefit for Hurricane Katrina'' (2005 · Saddle Creek) **Song: "Hypnotised" *''Injustice: Gods Among Us Soundtrack'' (2013 · WaterTower Music) **Song: "This Is Is Is Is Pain"

==Other projects==

===Vverevvolf Grehv=== {{Infobox musical artist | name = Vverevvolf Grehv | image = | caption = | background = group_or_band | origin = Omaha, Nebraska | genre = {{Hlist|Death metal|speed metal|IDM|noise}} | years_active = 2007–present | label = Relapse Records | associated_acts = The Faint, Conor Oberst | website = | current_members = Dapose | past_members = }}

''Vverevvolf Grehv'' (pronounced as Werewolf Grave) is the brainchild of Dapose. The music of Vverevvolf Grehv combines the brutality of death metal, the tempos of speed metal and the sonic decimation of noise with the complexities of electronic music genres such as snare rush and IDM. He is influenced by Merzbow’s work, the writings of Howard Bloom, and numerous classical composers. ;Albums *''Zombie Aesthetics'' - Relapse Records 2008

===Broken Spindles=== {{Infobox musical artist | name = Broken Spindles | image = | caption = | background = group_or_band | origin = Omaha, Nebraska | years_active = 2001–2011 | label = Saddle Creek | associated_acts = The Faint, Conor Oberst, The Show Is the Rainbow | past_members = Joel Petersen }}

''Broken Spindles'' was a band solely consisting of Joel Petersen of Omaha, Nebraska, who also played bass, guitar and keyboards in The Faint. Their music ranged from instrumental electronic songs to sparse piano pieces to rock-influenced pop songs. Broken Spindles originally started in 2001 as the soundtrack for a friend's film.

==See also== *Broken Spindles

==References== {{reflist|2}}

==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070429152427/http://www.freeindie.com/2006/09/the_faint.html The Faint] on FreeIndie * {{discogs artist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Faint, The}} Category:Conor Oberst Category:American dance-punk musical groups Category:Musical groups from Omaha, Nebraska Category:American remixers Category:Astralwerks artists Category:Saddle Creek Records artists Category:Musical groups established in 1995 Category:1995 establishments in Nebraska