Mineral was an American emo band founded in Houston, Texas, that was primarily active in the late 1990s. Despite being initially active for less than five years and releasing only two albums, Mineral is considered among the seminal bands in the emo genre. Its first album, The Power of Failing, has received critical acclaim as a "classic" in the genre.
History
Within a few years of forming, Mineral were touring with emo bands including the Promise Ring and Jimmy Eat World, both early collaborators, Mineral went on their first ever tour with Christie Front Drive, those shows being Mineral's introduction to the DIY music scene, of which they had been unaware. The band was aware of then-current debates in the indie scene about selling out, and so asked to release EndSerenading on Crank!, meaning their deal with Interscope would only go into effect with their third album. Mineral played their final show in 1997, Members of the band worked on other musical projects after disbanding, including The Gloria Record, Pop Unknown, Zookeeper, and Mountaintime.
After a more than 15-year hiatus, Mineral announced a reunion tour on April 24, 2014. Simpson identified the resurgent popularity of the band's music among Millennials, around the time of the emo revival, as a major reason for its reunion. The band released remastered versions of its two albums around the same time, with these versions receiving a "classic" review from Pitchfork, with particular praise for The Power of Failing. In 2014, Simpson admitted to feeling "unsure" about the quality of both of the band's releases during and following the group's heyday, but said he has come to appreciate them later. On September 25, 2021, the band performed at Furnace Fest 2021 in Birmingham, Alabama. The group announced plans to disband for the second time in 2025, with a final show planned for the Best Friends Forever festival in Las Vegas. but incorporate elements of indie rock, post-rock, and alternative rock. Though its origins are in the Southern United States rather than the Midwestern United States, Mineral has been identified with the Midwest emo movement, and has been said to take significant influence from another non-Midwestern band commonly associated with Midwest emo, Sunny Day Real Estate. Simpson's idiosyncratic singing style was particularly influenced by the Innocence Mission's Karen Peris.
During Mineral's initial run, Simpson's grappling with his Christian beliefs was a key theme of the band's music, though he no longer considers himself a Christian. Critics have also identified family and romantic relationships and anxiety as common themes in the band's music. Jeff Mezydlo of Yardbarker wrote, "When it comes to emo royalty, Austin, Texas' Mineral is sitting at the head table."
Members
- Chris Simpson – vocals and guitar
- Scott McCarver – guitar
- Jeremy Gomez – bass
- Gabriel Wiley – drums
Discography
Albums
- The Power of Failing (1997)
- EndSerenading (1998)
Singles and EPs
- Gloria (1994)
- February / M.D. (1996)
- Split with Jimmy Eat World and Sense Field (1997)
- &Serenading / Love My Way (1998)
- One Day When We Are Young (2019)
Compilations
- TheCompleteCollection (2010)
- 1994–1998: The Complete Collection (2014)