Last we heard from Girls’ Christopher Owens, he was talking to us about Spain’s national soccer team and and the Euro2012 tournament. Today, the Girls’ lead singer and songwriter hit Twitter with some surprising news — that he’s quitting the band he formed with J.R. White. Here’s Owens:
1) Dear all, This may come as a surprise to many & has been an issueof much thought for me. My decision was not easy to make
— Christopher Owens (@Chri55yBaby) July 2, 2012
2) I am leaving Girls. My reasons at this time are personal. I need to do this in order to progress
— Christopher Owens (@Chri55yBaby) July 2, 2012
3) I will continue to write & record music. More will be announcedsoon. I thank you all for everything. Sincerely–Christopher
— Christopher Owens (@Chri55yBaby) July 2, 2012
No word yet from White but we’ll update when/if he speaks.
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Hard to see how they can carry on without him.
I agree. It’s kind of like Morrissey leaving / ending the Smiths, and I hope for mystery’s sake, there’s always that “will they or won’t they?” reunion factor about them. Music is in need of some fresh new impossible reunions for kids to go apeshit over when they happen in 15 years.
No, it’s more like Morrissey leaving Morrissey, if such a thing could happen. J.R. White was the only other permanent member, and he wasn’t involved in the songwriting. Christopher Owens is still going to make music, so unless he is starting a hip-hop group, this is like the biggest non-announcement ever.
You’re assuming that he’s going to continue to write songs in the style of his Girls work, which might be true, but it’s still an assumption. There’s also a good chance the production on subsequent work could change. So, yes, it is a announcement that might matter to fans of Girls.
I am a huge fan of Girls. I’ve seen them five times, and I have the CDs, which I love. I’ll start crying when Chirstopher Owens releases his rap album.
let’s hope for a pop etc-esque transitiohahahahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Yeah, great points…but can someone fucking tell me when Savages will be in theaters? I can’t seem to find it anywhere.
Terrible news!
Why the hell did I decide to check my Twitter page when I was out?!
Disapointed with his #1 & #2 spots in Last Week’s Worst Comments, Corey Minagh dusted off his keyboard, popped his knuckles and uttered, “It’s a new day, a new month, a new week. Time to show Stereogum what it means to be a champion. I’ll show them what it takes to be Number One.”
Well, this may mean a solo album from him, which I would love to hear. Not as much as another Girls album though.
How are they not already basically solo albums? What are you imagining is going to be soooo different? I’m not saying J.R. White is not a gifted musician and producer, but since he’s just one other dude and not the songwriter, how are you even able to differentiate between a solo album and a Girls album in your mind?
Album definitely is as you described, but FSHG features a full rock lineup, among other things. In my mind, an Owens solo album might be more acoustic, and if not acoustic, a bit more stripped down then a girls album. Oh yeah, and it would be awesome!
You’ve obviously never been in a band before
The Pixies are a band. Bands have a sound that is dependent not only on the work of the songwriter(s) but on the different playing styles of the members. This was not a band. It was basically a songwriter getting some help from another (talented) guy in the studio and then going out to play shows with that guy and a changing lineup of hired hands. So yeah, on the second album there were more people in the studio than just those two guys, but those people were as permanent as the Wrecking Crew that played on Pet Sounds. I listen to a lot of music and have heard how breakups affect the realization of a songwriter’s sound if s/he was actually part of a band. If Christopher Owens’ songs start sounding markedly different, it will be because he decides to start writing them differently. This situation is like if Cat Power “broke up,” and I am surprised at how few people seem to get that.
“Christopher Owens Leaving Himself, Finding Himself”
Too good, my friend.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Christopher Owens essentially IS Girls isn’t he? If he is going to keep recording ssn’t this less the end of Girls and more Girls changing their name to Christopher Owens?
Yes.
Gotta feel for the other guy though. I guess he will have to go back to impersonating Dave Matthews at birthday parties…
…He kinda looks like Dave Matthews
No way, JR White is a huge part of Girls’ sound. He handles the production on their records, and I don’t know about you, but the way that Album SOUNDS is what really makes it an incredible record to me instead of just a great record. Owens is definitely a great songwriter, but the acoustic version of a song like “Hellhole Ratrace” does not become such a powerhouse of a recording incidentally. Between that production and his pitch-perfect basslines I think White was the perfect compliment to Owens. Dude needs his props. An Owens solo record will be good, but it won’t be Girls.
100%
I’ve seen Hellhole Ratrace performed live more than once, and the way it sounds is no production trick. Chirstopher Owens has gotten and still can get that sound out of a five-piece band.
yeah…Album is amazing (songwriting/production wise). Has anyone heard lust for life pre JR White? In my opinion Album had a more special “girls” sound. Sad that he’s leaving.
Finally someone making some sense…
This truly is the Broken Dreams Club.
Q: What does Christopher Owens have in common with the Japandroids?
A: They both “quit Girls”!
Any reference to the wire in anything gets a thumbs up from me, always.
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See this is something I don’t understand. As much as you may hate a band, how can you consider their breakup good news? Did their mere existence actually affect your life in any negative way? Probably not. And you obviously see all the people here who are upset by the news, so you coming on just to say it’s “great” kiiiiiinda makes you seem like a dick.
I suppose you’re simply saying maybe he’ll be able to write better songs without his band, but this also doesn’t make any sense since he wrote all the songs anyway. I doubt him leaving the band is going to affect his ability to write the songs in any way, just the way they sound when he releases them. In other words, if you hated the last album that much, can you really sit here and tell me with a straight face that it Mr. Owens was not to blame?
I have one word for you…. ALEX.
So he’s going to continue making music, but he just won’t call it “Girls” any more?
That’s my take. It’s not so much that he “quit” Girls, it’s pretty much just “Christopher Owens will stop using the name ‘Girls’ on the records he makes”. Umm, OK.
Or better yet “That other dude in Girls is gonna have to find something new to do”.
“That other dude in Girls” is a big part of Girls. This is sad news.
There’s two people in the band. One guy writes all the songs. The other guy produces and helps out with instrumentation on the records. In a live setting, the majority of the band is hired hands and that lineup changes from release to release. J.R. White certainly did some great work on those albums, but it is not work that would have been impossible for someone else to do. I fail to see how the sound of future albums or performances will be dramatically affected. For me, the story is sad mainly because it makes me wonder what happened between Owens and White; they made something from nothing together, so it is sad if the friendship is history.
Basically J.R. White is a talented guy that no one would have every heard of without Christopher Owens.
I don’t think I would go that far. I think he definitely would have had a career as a producer anyway and would have gotten noticed that way eventually. Unless all bands are completely stupid, I think he will definitely continue to get work and be appreciated.
might be true but the way he produced Album into an album, the same could be said for Owens.
JR White will probably just replace him with Lana del Rey.
Because Lana del Rey will finally get them on Jools Holland.
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Now I feel A LOT better about seeing Girls over Death Grips at Coachella.
he probably just got tired of everyone confusing his band for an hbo series
Glad I’m not the only one who thinks this makes no sense
shucks….
Although I was never the biggest fan, actually disliked most I heard by them, I wish I hadn’t turned down the opportunity to go see them. I’m sure his solo stuff will be great.
If you don’t like Girls, why would you say that his solo stuff would be great? Christopher Owens will still be writing Christopher Owens songs by himself as usual.
I wish I saw all the bands I didn’t like that don’t exist anymore too
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Ryan Schreiber just retweeted someone making this exact same joke
I’m sorry. But that is the hipsteriest thing I’ve read in a long time. And I’m all against using “hipster” as a derogatory term.
…Let this serve as an example of why one shouldn’t drink and comment
But I upvoted it just the same. Because it’s true. I upvoted Joey too though. Because it would be a good joke if Mr. Pitchfork hadn’t retweeted it.
C’mon Nathan, a true hipster would think Pitchfork was too mainstream. I thought it was pretty funny because the joke had a negative rating here but Ryan Schreiber seemed to really enjoy it. However, I didn’t notice that it had a negative rating because ANOTHER PERSON made the same joke earlier in these very comments. The lesson is a. it’s kind of an obvious joke and b. I’m not a hipster.
I wasn’t calling you a hipster. I don’t really know what I was saying.
Wow… Girls were probably my favorite new band from the last few years. I haven’t been able to smile since I read this. Time to revisit the best EP ever released by anyone…
What is making you frown? There will be more Christopher Owens music, and he will hire a bunch of people to tour with him as usual. J.R. White is out of the picture apparently and that is odd since they seemed so tight and he is a talented musician, but Owens was the identity of the songs since he wrote all of them. Unless there is some HUGE stylistic change, there is nothing to lament.
It will be sad if Christopher shys away from playing these great Girls songs he’s written at future shows.
He won’t.
Is christopher dane owens still making music though?
“I will continue to write & record music.”
It sure sounds like it.
Judging by the reaction, I’m guessing most people either know nothing about this band or simply failed to read the above story.
google chirstopher DANE ownes, I was making a joke. I thought everyone knew about this the masterpiece that was “Shine on me”
google chirstopher DANE ownes, I was making a joke. I thought everyone knew about this the masterpiece that was “Shine on me”
Chris quitting Girls is like Huey Lewis quitting Huey Lewis and The News
Didn’t like that one? Fine.
How about: Chris Owens quitting Girls is like Daryl Hall quitting Hall & Oates
That one is pretty accurate.
You were losing the crowd, but then brought them right back. You’re like the Andy Kaufman of Stereogum commenters.
Chris Owen’s new solo project – “Girl”
Is this Lena Dunham’s fault?
Girls to Christopher Owens is a much better name change than Morning Benders to Pop Etc…
My personal opinion is that Chris Owens is just taking a break. I really don’t think he’s quitting Girls at all…dude probably just wants to work out his life.
Just a guess, though.
This is just as heartbreaking as when Owen Pallett quit Final Fantasy….
It was between this joke and making a gay joke about “quitting girls”….
ha!
…and on other news, Lana del Rey’s lips are starting a new band.
this and the beach boys reunion are now the two saddest parts of my life.
Drugs are a helluva drug.
everyone here is off base about jr’s contribution. songs like die were created by him and owens jamming while taking drugs, notably meth
Really? They’re fucking methheads? That explains it.
Well now he and the japandroids have someth-
Oh… Wait… Im too late for that joke.
Sooo, how bout that Michael Phelps.
Damn…never had a chance to see them live…:(
i think…i think… i think i’m gonna VOMIT!!!!
TOO SOON
this is a Goddamned Heartbreaker, and it’s giving me a Headache this Summertime. i think i might Die, or at least Vomit. hurts like Big Bad Mean Motherfucker and screws with my Lust For Life. this isn’t Alright, because i am addicted to this Substance, this band. it wasn’t Just A Song, it was Magic. for this band i can’t stop Saying I Love You, love you more than My Ma. for these songs i have Love Like A River. hope chris and jr seek Forgiveness. i’ll my Honey Bunny. guess i’ll join the Broken Dream Club now…….
Can’t wait for the crossover indie pop album!
#fuckyeahlenadunham
Father, Son, Holy Ghost was my favorite album of last year. I hope Chris Owens goes on to still write and record amazing songs, but this is a huge disappointment, and also terrible that these great songs won’t be performed live by Chris and J.R. together.