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Formed in 1994 in Dallas, TX, The Reach began as an alternative rock trio playing throughout the Southwest, and drawing comparisons to R.E.M. and The Cure among others. The highlight of this period was the recording of their debut album, Closer, with veteran Dallas, TX producer Keith Rust. The album’s lush yet intense blend of guitars and drums paired with Miller’s unique yet familiar vocal style garnered the band a devoted regional following and substantial airplay. Unfortunately, the band was forced to quit playing live when Miller moved to Atlanta in 1998.

However,the Reach’s music continued making waves despite the breakup. The advent of the internet and mp3’s exposed The Reach’s music to boundless new markets, and an entire new audience outside of Texas got a chance to experience the wares of this oft-overlooked band. Since 2000, The Reach has had thou- sands of downloads on dozens of different music websites, with songs like “Alright” and “Goodbye” crack- ing Top 10 lists at both mp3.com and Broadjam.com. Encouraged by the popularity of their music on the Internet, guitarist/vocalist Craig Miller and drummer Tommy Watts reconvened in 2003 to record their critically acclaimed album: LIFT. This stunning collection of both old and new material The Reach back on the musical map nationally, receiving critical acclaim across the country. Amplifier Magazinehailed Miller as “a top rate vocalist” while Music Connection Magazinegave LIFT7out of 10 stars praising the band’s “prodigious musicianship,” and calling LIFT “a solid, provocative piece of work.”

Next up for The Reach? A third incarnation consisting of Craig Miller, Tommy Watts, and believe it or not, the entire internet community. As Miller and Watts write and record material for a new album, it will be posted via weekly blog and podcast entries, with musical and lyrical suggestions invited from the general public. “We want to experiment with turning the process of making an album into a more interactive experience,” says Miller. “Most bands wait until years after a record comes out to release all the little demos and outtakes that led up to the final product. We’re going to post all that stuff immediately as it happens, and invite people to not only watch a record being made, but actually participate in the whole process.”

As for live shows, Miller plans to begin solo acoustic shows during Spring 2006 in New York, while a return to the stage for Miller and Watts is in the works for the winter. Fans can listen in to the whole thing by subscribing to The Reach podcast via apple iTunes, or by visiting The Reach blog/webforum at www.thereachnyc.com.