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CONDITIONED RESPONSE
FORMED: 1992 - 2003 MINNEAPOLIS, MN

Although initially coined as a band in the genre of the American heavy metal scene of the 80’s, Conditioned Response has becomes one of the most distinctive bands of the Midwest music scene of the 90’s. Where their contemporaries built on the legacy of grunge bands like Kurt Cobain and Pearl Jam, Conditioned Response constructed a progressive form of metal that drew equally from the art-rock cinematic of Queensryche and 90’s guitar crunch a’ la Alice In Chains . After a respectably selling debut album, Pavlov’s Dog, the band begun to dominate the area hard rock scene with the acclaimed 1999 album, In Flagranté Delecto. Its success being partially due to the single, "Stealin", which started getting massive local airplay in the summer of ’99. They have since retained a large cult following in the upper Midwest rock scene.

Singer Rick Forsgren and guitarist Kent Stevenson formed Conditioned Response in 1992 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Both had been playing in heavy metal cover bands and had decided to form a group that would play original material. The duo recruited a coworker, Paul "PC" Christenson, from a an area music store as well as drummer Randy Olsen, and bassist Paul Hlavnicka. Instead of hitting the clubs circuit as a "bar band", the group performed concert style shows, making a name for themselves as the "band to see" with their musicianship and melodic harmony. As they slowly conquered the area club circuit they eventually recorded and released a ten-song CD, Pavlov’s Dog. The CD quickly sold out of area record stores, which only brought more attention to the fledgling band.

At this stage, Conditioned Response’s Sound was closer to the American heavy metal bands of the 80’s. In 1997, Michael Simonds (bass) and Zane Petersen (drums) replaced the former rhythm section. Over the next two years, the group continued to refine their sound as they opened for hard rock acts such as warrant, Night Ranger, Quiet Riot, & Great White. Their second album -- 1999’s In Flagranté Delecto -- Sold beyond the band’s expectations and is still selling well in Midwest area record stores as well as nationally through distributors such as Amazon.com . In Flagranté Delecto Demonstrated a flowering of progressive-rock influences and proved to be a high watermark, gaining the attention of local airwaves, which put the song "Stealin" in heavy rotation. This culminated in even greater popularity when Conditioned Response opened for Sammy Hagar at a downtown Minneapolis concert filled to capacity with 80,000 fans. On going television coverage and area press have since proven this bands up and coming status in the ever-changing rock scene.