Shortly after the world was supposed to end a few years ago, the guys who would eventually start this band were tossing some terms and phrases around like the elements of a gritty, gross salad. Noise rock, math rock, dub rock, to name a few. In retrospect, the source material seems to reflect an aesthetic developed from listening habits that formed a good decade earlier. But once the obsessions with nomenclature subsided, the real work began.
A small handful of half finished songs and jammed out ideas comprised the *Expatriates first half-dozen live performances, way back in 2002-2003. Lacking a guitar player, or a real drummer, and deemed something of a novelty in some circles, we got a few shows under our belts, and some people were impressed enough that they would even start sticking around for the entirety of our 20-25 minute sets.
Call it the 400m race of rock and roll: not a full sprint, but too short to establish a real pace. Most of those songs are not played live any more. I can only attribute their demise to plain old natural selection. Survival of the rockingest.
And as with all other evolutionary processes, change is inevitable. First I bought a couple of real cymbals, notably a Chinese Trash that tended to play too much. Then Chris came on board and opened up a case of whup-ass on the high end of the frequency spectrum, partly due to his fierce picking style, and partly due to extensive damage in the upper registers of his own hearing. Then we found a reliable place to rehearse.
Then we played a few more shows. Then we made a recording. Then Damien broke his arm. Then it healed and we started playing differently, yet again. I think was in reaction to certain trends in our collective listening at that point, and may have also been in reaction to certain trends around town that were beginning to pick up steam. Call it bandwagon dodging. Maybe we were slowed down by the heaviness of the whole thing. Maybe we got sick of keeping pace with the 400m and wanted to start running marathons.
Thank you for the add. I remember i played a show with you guys when i was drumming in the diving belles. you guys blew me away that night and i bought your ep. i was wondering if your coming out with some more stuff?
Do not turn your back on them! Pickpockets! Every last one of 'em.
The only difference with these boys is that they tap you on the shoulder after they've stollen your wallet so they can punch you.
badical.
if i ever make a movie, i might ask you to score it.
the demo has music for horror, fights, walking by yourself on a cold winter day or hot summer night... all kindsa stuff!
