Filter (band)
American rock band formed by Richard Patrick after leaving Nine Inch Nails.
Filter started in 1993 when Richard Patrick, fresh off a stint as Nine Inch Nails' touring guitarist, decided to launch his own project with Brian Liesegang in Cleveland, Ohio. Their first album, *Short Bus*, dropped in 1995 and went platinum, thanks largely to the controversial single "Hey Man Nice Shot." That record marked the beginning of a pattern: after its release, the lineup started shifting, and Patrick became the one constant through every era of the band.
Liesegang left in 1997, and Patrick made the next album with the crew that had been touring *Short Bus*—they became official members. That second record, *Title of Record* (1999), matched the first album's success, boosted by the hit "Take a Picture." A third album, *The Amalgamut*, came out in 2002, but sales slowed when Patrick entered rehab for substance abuse just as the tour kicked off. The band went on hold while Patrick got clean, and he later formed a side project called Army of Anyone, which put out one self-titled album. When that group paused, Patrick revived Filter, releasing *Anthems for the Damned* in 2008, *The Trouble with Angels* in 2010, and *The Sun Comes Out Tonight* in 2013, each time with a rotating cast of musicians. A seventh studio album, *Crazy Eyes*, arrived on April 8, 2016, recorded with yet another entirely new lineup. In 2018, Liesegang came back to work on a record called *reBus*, intended as a musical sequel to *Short Bus*. That project got shelved after PledgeMusic went bankrupt, so Patrick shifted gears and recorded *The Algorithm*, which came out in August 2023.
Quick Facts
- Landscape
- yes
- Origin
- Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
- Discography
- Filter discography
- Genre
- Industrial rock / post-grunge / alternative rock / hard rock / industrial metal / alternative metal
- Years Active
- 1993–present
- Label
- Reprise / Wind-up / Pulse / Rocket Science / Golden Robot Records
- Current Members
- Richard Patrick / Jonny Radtke / Bobby Miller / Elias Mallin
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Filter's debut album Short Bus (1995) was commercially successful and included the controversial single 'Hey Man Nice Shot', which was seen as capitalizing on the public suicide of R. Budd Dwyer; Kurt Cobain's suicide was widely rumored to have inspired the song, but the band denied this. The band contributed to multiple soundtracks, including 'Thanks Bro' for Songs in the Key of X: Music from and Inspired by the X-Files album and 'Jurassitol' for The Crow: City of Angels soundtrack. Brian Liesegang left in 1997 due to creative differences with Patrick.
Their second album, Title of Record (1999), moved away from industrial rock and produced their biggest hit, the ballad 'Take a Picture', about a dispute on an aircraft when Patrick drunkenly stripped down to his boxers. The Amalgamut (2002) followed, but touring ended abruptly when Patrick checked into rehab. After a hiatus and side projects including Army of Anyone, Patrick returned to Filter, releasing Anthems for the Damned (2008), The Trouble with Angels (2010), and The Sun Comes Out Tonight (2013) with a revolving door of musicians. A seventh studio album, Crazy Eyes, was released in 2016. In 2018, Liesegang returned to work on reBus, but due to the PledgeMusic bankruptcy, it was shelved; Patrick then recorded The Algorithm, released in August 2023.
Reader's Guide
Filter's significance lies in their role as a post-industrial rock band that achieved mainstream success in the mid-1990s and early 2000s, largely through the persistent leadership of Richard Patrick. The band's debut album Short Bus earned platinum certification and introduced a sound blending industrial elements with alternative rock, while the single 'Hey Man Nice Shot' sparked controversy and enduring recognition. Their second album, Title of Record, produced their biggest hit 'Take a Picture', demonstrating a shift toward more melodic rock. Despite numerous lineup changes—with Patrick as the only consistent member across all releases—Filter continued to release albums over three decades, adapting to changing musical trends and personal challenges. The band's legacy includes soundtrack contributions to major films and television, and their history reflects the volatility of the music industry, including the shelving of the album reBus due to the PledgeMusic bankruptcy. Filter remains a notable example of a band that evolved through industrial rock, alternative rock, and personal reinvention.
Did You Know?
- The song 'Hey Man Nice Shot' was controversial for being seen as capitalizing on the public suicide of R. Budd Dwyer; rumors that it was inspired by Kurt Cobain's suicide were denied by the band.
- Richard Patrick tattooed his date of sobriety, September 28, 2002, on his forearm after checking into rehab.
- Brian Liesegang left Filter in 1997 due to creative differences with Patrick, but returned in 2018 to work on the shelved album reBus.
- Filter's song 'Take a Picture' was inspired by an incident where Richard Patrick drunkenly stripped down to his boxers on an aircraft.
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