devon e. levins - guitar & vocals,
john castro - bass & vocals,
stephen calhoon - drums
Influences
x, di, vu, eu, ui, oo, sa, va, f8, l7, u2, mc5, ne1, fsp, mia, mdc, coc, ccr, dri, dna, doa, dys, dio, gbh, gza, rza, rkl, rzm, rem, jfa, soa, sod, fod, ssd, nwa, bgk, boc, bto, elo, elp, pil, pwt, xtc, can, man, neu, nas, war, pee, egg, devo, love, wire, ween, styx, acdc, awol, tsol, csny, snfu, epmd, nota, rota, qotsa, trex, toto, fus, jayz, ojays, b52s, 10cc, 999, 5150, 5051, enon, devo, wire, kiss, ratt, fear, maze, brick, blurt, slint, slave, faust, fartz, blitz, wings, crass, sweet, queen, prince, scream, death, ghost, goblin, magma, necros, bastro, blondie, cymande, creedle, cluster, kluster, slayer, venom, voivod, voidoids, void, ripple, ruckus, locust, discharge, helmet, flipper, pavement, pitchfork, switchblade, buzzcocks, boredoms, bauhaus, pixies, wipers, cameo, suicide, subterfuge, sebadoh, parliament, fantomas, harmonia, helicopter, television, material, funkadelic, penetrators, the razz, the damned, the fall, the freeze, the lewd, the who, the time, the cult, the cure, the clash, the church, the cramps, the germs, the kinks, the byrds, the pogues, the smiths, the sluts, the slits, the misfits, the melvins, the dickies, the ruins, the stooges, the zeros, the zombies, the ramones, the remains, the rugburns, the replacements, the mummies, the meters, the undertones, the dramatics, the wailers, the the, the jesus & the mary chain, the jesus lizard, hot snakes, adam and the ants, the insect surfers, butthole surfers, surf punks, dennis wilson, dennis dragon, hatebeak, caninus, sam and dave, david bowie, lester bowie, wicked lester, mission of burma, mission uk, conflict uk, chaos uk, chameleons uk, charlatans uk, uk decay, uk subs, subhumans uk, english beat, english dogs, snoop doggy dog, doggy style, style council, the stylistics, divine styler, joy division, christian death, dead boys, dead kennedys, dead beats, dead c, gg allin, gigi discorock, circle, circle jerks, descendents, battalion of saints, the saints, angry samoans, drive like jehu, meshuggah, masada, charles wright, betty wright, betty davis, miles davis, mac davis, sammy davis, john davidson, john denver, john cale, john coltrane, john barry, john lennon, elton john, dr. john, professor longhair, alton ellis, al hirt, albert ayler, albert king, king diamond, neil diamond, diq diamond, herbie hancock, herbie mann, man, man man, mandrill, night soil man, manu dibango, manu chao, mulatu astatqe, rare essence, rare earth, earth wind & fire, hawkwind, raincoats, rainbow, rain parade, mad parade, nomads, nofx, nomeansno, yes, yeah yeah yeahs, !!!, gap band, plastic ono band, average white band, white flag, barry white, chuck berry, chuck jackson, milt jackson, michael jackson, joe jackson, joe castro, joe meek, big star, edwin starr, ringo starr, jackie starr, gang starr, gang of four, kool & the gang, james gang, gang gang dance, sex gang children, sex pistols, jackie mittoo, jackie wilson, jackie mclean, mudhoney, muddy waters, hvy drt, heavy vegetable, metallica, anvil, iron maiden, iron butterfly, led zeppelin, steely dan, iron cross, christopher cross, krystof komeda, christian death, christ on parade, elvis christ, elvis presley, elvis costello, lalo schifrin, ennio morricone, piero piccioni, piero umiliani, public enemy, de la soul, soul asylum, soulside, soul junk, junkyard, yardbirds, eagles, code of honor, honor role, a tribe called quest, kraftwerk, brian eno, brian jones, brian auger, brian wilson, brian ferry, pink fairies, pink floyd, flux of pink indians, the mohawks, unwound, deep wound, deep purple, velvet underground, blue cheer, big black, black flag, black sabbath, black francis, black market baby, the black page, black dice, blackbyrds, james black, james brown, chuck brown & the soul searchers, marion brown, clifford brown, foxy brown, bobby brown, al green, grant green, urbie green, gang green, green river, green on red, red kross, red rockers, red flag, freddie redd, otis redding, blonde redhead, headhunters, hammerhead, motorhead, talking heads, brainiac, bad brains, badfinger, bad religion, bad attitude, bad company, danny gatton, danny ganz, danzig, suburban lawns, urban verbs, verbal abuse, verbal assault, nuclear assault, social distortion, social unrest, social spit, eddie kendricks, eddie grant, allen toussaint, au pairs, negative approach, united states of america, america, alabama, kansas, boston, asia, japan, mars, mercury rev, la dusseldorf, hanoi rocks, china white, china joshop, the lollipop shoppe, heatwave, booker t, bar-kays, stiff little fingers, aminiature, adolescents, neil young, sonic youth, ciccone youth, morricone youth, reagan youth, wasted youth, youth brigade (dc), minor threat, die kreuzen, fugazi, jerry goldsmith, jerry butler, jerry reed, jerry lee lewis, jerry's kids, government issue, sly and the family stone, the rolling stones, stone roses, guns n roses, rose tattoo, tatu, lords of the new church, new york dolls, new order, beach boys, beastie boys, boys next door, fun boy three, big boys, the slickee boys, soft boys, boys ][ men, minutemen, meat men, meat puppets, captain beefheart, captain sensible, captain & tennille, pere ubu, husker du, doobie brothers, palace brothers, blood brothers, brothers johnson, nirvana, utopia, optiganally yours, guitorganally yours, hall & oates, northeast groovers, trouble, trouble funk, the roots, root boy slim & the sex change band, roxy music, music machine, soft machine, fire engines, firehose, flaming lips and gumby stalin!
Sounds Like
"the noise an armadillo would make if it was really happy" - Sean Koepenick (Earcandy)
PRETENDO, an NYC trio of ex-/present members of Enon, Skeleton Key, Mono Puff, Creedle, Rugburns and Morricone Youth, resembles a compilation of its counterparts.
Here's what they said about the debut:
"Pretendo's greatest achievement is their ability to land the perfect vocal line." - Bishop (Hybrid Music)
Guitarist/singer Devon E. Levins and bassist/singer John Castro managed somehow to emerge from their time in the decidedly weird DaoSon For with their pop smarts intact, and thank heaven for that. Now playing as a trio with drummer Stephen Calhoon, Levins and Castro deal in sharp, tight guitar pop that jerks at times like Gang of Four and shudders at times like Mission of Burma, but always keeps its feet on the ground and its hooks in your head. Notice, for example, how the Andy Gill-style slash-and-kill guitar part at the beginning of "Samurai Sessions" gives way to a shout-along chorus before then giving way to Roger Miller-style tone clusters. Notice also how "Cherry Tomatoes" manages somehow to sound like both the early Cure and middle-period Wall of Voodoo. And how the bassline to "Scorpion" sounds like it was lifted directly from Joy Division, while the drum part sounds like it was lifted directly from a James Brown album. Yeah! Then there's the very last track, which is not listed on the program, but offers five minutes of pure (if twisted) pop pleasure. Country Club is a small label, but this album is well worth whatever effort it may take to find it. - Rick Anderson (All Music)
Devon e. Levins and John Castro were boyhood friends in Las Vegas.
Their friendship, initially based on a mutual affection for carnation instant breakfast drink and KISS merchandise, would eventually take them to San Diego where they would learn the kinds of things you can only learn in a rock band...things like drink tickets are really important to some people and it’s never worth fighting with your friends over a smelly t-shirt. They learned that canned ostrich isn’t half bad if you just put a little wasabi paste on it. And they shared secrets. In fact, Devon was the only person in the world who knew precisely why it is that John is so deeply disturbed by green tomatoes- until one late night/early morning that is. Devon and John were enjoying an evening of programming paid for by the Psychic Friends Network. There was a caller, who had always sensed that something very wrong involving an iguana, a turntable and a naive showgirl had occurred one night backstage at a Tony Bennett show. That caller was Stephen Calhoon, a drummer from NYC, and Devon and John knew immediately that they had to meet him. Fatefully, John’s Aunt Eunice in Vegas knew Dionne Warwick’s pet ferret’s stylist and was able to arrange a meeting. The Gang of Three soon huddled together in a Queens basement and began making a neighbor rankling noise...
Three shows later they conspired with sonic wizard Wharton Tiers to record, mix, and master their self-titled CD in three days at his Fun City Studios...The result is an album that sounds like the band at it's live shows stripped down and yet full of angst and humor at the same time.
PRETENDO's second album simply entitled "][" was engineered in 2007 by the legendary Martin Bisi with artwork and lyrics contributed by genius subversive artist Ron English. ][ was released on March 4, 2008 with distribution by
Red eye.
download your pretendo ringtone and annoy the hell out of friends and strangers alike!
Notre nouveau clip, entièrement fait à la main... PIG MONSTER.
Déjanté, hors normes, expérimental, décalé, théâtral, déglingué.
Our new music video, entirely handstitched .... PIG MONSTER.
Crazy, non-standard, out of norme, unusual, experimental, out of phase, theatrical, delirious.
Pig Monster
BONNE ANNÉE, GROSSES BISES et VIVE le ROCK...
I found your 'pretendo II' Album in a thrift store in Seattle. I didn't know who you were but I decided what the hell. I must say I am glad I got it. You guys kick ass.
Next Wednesday, October 29th 8pm @ The Charleston in Brooklyn 8pm... Pretendo (ex-Enon/MorriconeYouth/Creedle/theRugburns/SkeletonKey) w/ Person Parcel!
Online Now!
