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
I have been busy on tour with Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band and haven't had a chance to tell you about my new record! It's called "Bad Little Kitty" and it came out back in July. There are a few tracks to sample on my MySpace but you can also check it out on iTunes or on my own website, www. TaylorHollingsworth. com. Thank you for continuing to be a friend and I hope you like the new collection of songs.
