THE LEAVERS ARE:
James Cowart, guitar;
Jon Beck, drums;
Owen Hunt, bass, vocals;
Mike Walliser, guitar.
Previous members: Jeremy Beck (eat of any tree, drums); Eric Dawson (Collect THIS, drums); Brent Self (drums).
Influences
late 60's and early 70's rock, old blues, and good punk. A lot of modern stuff too. Check out our friends.
the Leavers draw upon a multitude of influences ranging from early blues to early punk with modernist flourishes. Contrasting urgency with sincerity, passion with frustration, The Leavers deliver a dynamic soundscape both discordant and over - driven, while balanced with melodic texture. The band's approach to song-writing is one of exploration, taking the listener on a journey that spans a wide array of territory often including the unexpected. Owen Hunt, frontman for The Leavers would describe the band as "remedial math rock with blues power." The other members have no choice but to
agree................................................From Flagpole Magazine(originally published February 14, 2007): Local blues-rock band The Leavers just finished wrapping up its recordings for Collect THIS, a compilation album which will be the first release from The Ivywood Collective, a local group of like-minded musicians and artists. Recently the band added Mike Walliser on guitar, rounding out the current line-up of James Cowart (guitar), Jeremy Beck (drums) and Owen Hunt (bass, vocals). Formed in 2002, The Leavers were intent on making music that was confrontational yet engaging. The band adopted its name from Daniel Quinn's idealistic 1992 book Ishmael, taking the categorization of a group of people who, rather than cultivate and overwork the Earth, use only what is necessary and leave the rest alone.
The Leavers' sound relies on heavy blues rock and bass-driven melodies and utilizing weird distortion and reverb in an old-school style like that of Cream, Pink Floyd, and King Crimson. Singer Owen Hunt's lyrics can be introspective, but more often than not they appear abstract and taunting. Hunt's vocals are expressed in a spoken-word manner, rather than sung in any normal sense of the word. Musically, the band's creativity flows onstage, favoring long and extended jams over short songs, and often shifting gears frantically in the middle of song.
The intensity and zest in a Leavers show can often wear out a crowd as well as the band. The Leavers run the gamut of styles from Gestapo march-themed "Fractal Song" to slow power ballad "Little Biddy People." Recently, the group was recorded for the Athens Music Foundation podcast, and copies of Collect THIS - which also features Rockinwood - are now available.
-Charley Lee
Dudes... awesome show the other night. Thank you for doing it. MUST happen again. Jon, you are much better than your brother... miles better... If i were Jeremy I would pack up and move out of the country... wait... now we know why. Martin (Just kidding Jeremy, we all know you had to leave for tax reasons. )
I'm glad to see the Athens music scene is so incestuous. Keep it in the family I say. I'm looking forward to seeing Jon play. Break him in gently, and use plenty of lube.
Hello fellas long time no see. I hate I have missed you guys lately. Have a kick ass show tonight! As soon as GOD quits dicking me over in life I will be back shooting the same old shit. Peace.
hey congrats on getting to play the 500 song gig at Smiths. They were making a big deal about that today on the radio. Seems cool. Rock Wild Thing the only way the Leavers know how HARD TO THE FUCKIN' BONE!!!! OYB
