The Oatmeal Conspiracy? What does the name mean? That is the question asked most often. A quick and to the point answer would be....nothing. The real answer lies in the story of how the band originated. It all started when Brett Connor (drums) was kind enough to fill in at a gig for the now defunct Raleigh band Flav-O-Rich. Mitchell Morton (sax) and Chad Johnson (keys) were members of Flav-O-Rich and Brett was one of Mitch's longtime friends and former band mates.
As most bands can attest, sometimes groups reach their creative peak, and it was at that time when Brett was asked to fill-in some more. As Flav-O-Rich would scatter into the night after rehearsals, Brett, Mitch, and Chad would hang back and continue to jam. It was an incredible release for the 3 of them to play and experiment for hours without the creative limits and boundaries of a formal “band” setting. It became apparent that they were forming a unique bond that has grown stronger to this day.
Some of these sessions from 2004 were recorded and circulated amongst friends and family. Positive feedback only cemented the desire to declare themselves a band that Christmas. With a DIY aesthetic, the trio started weekly rehearsals and threw enough songs together to be performing monthly shows by February 2005. At that time, loop pedals and EFX pedals were purchased to expand the sound of the trio. There was a heavy emphasis on experimental sounds, samples, and instrumental non-sequiters that formed the makeup of the early material.
Countless gigs and several years passed quickly. By 2007, the Oatmeal Conspiracy had played many places in the Triangle area such as The Pour House Music Hall, Ruckus Pizza, The Flipside and outdoor festivals such as Crawfest. The group thought it was time to release a CD to encapsulate their sound. Friends & Family(2008) was the end result. Recorded and engineered solely by the band, it introduced The Oatmeal Conspiracy’s sound to new ears in a market dominated by DJs, cover bands, and karaoke bars. "Stephen" was the highlight of the album and was featured in the Indie/Rock playlist in June of 2008.
By 2009, the band had progressed from 3 guys noodling on their instruments in bars & clubs, to accomplished songwriters with a set of quirky pop songs and high energy hook-based instrumentals. ”Stephen” became quite the pleasant surprise. Overseas purchases of "Stephen" from iTunes outnumbered domestic sales of the album. Not content to stop there, the group quickly emerged with a follow-up project. “Part of the Package” (2009), a 6-song EP, expanded the sound of the trio. This completely self-produced, recorded, and engineered effort emphasized tighter arrangements and a more polished sound. The strength of this release helped bring about the next turning point in the development of the group, once again pushing them beyond the safe boundaries of their comfort zone.
Up until 2009, the band’s live sound had to compensate for the lack of a “low end” presence with computer software gimmickry lovingly dubbed the "band in the box". Pre- recorded bass lines dictated what the trio could and could not do during performances. Restless as ever, the trio reached out and found the final ingredient. Chad's hometown friend and college roommate Matt Levine (bass) entered the picture in the summer of 2009. Matt cut his teeth on the road the previous decade with crowd favorite bands. Since joining the band, Matt’s solid playing and songwriting contributions have continued to raise the bar.
But what does The Oatmeal Conspiracy mean? Again, it’s an absurdist name meant for a double take upon hearing it for the first time. The Oatmeal Conspiracy started as friends of similar musical wants and the love of originality. It was so infectious, that more friends entered the fold. And now it is what it is today: four guys making their own rules, making the music they want to make, and being true to the free spirit inside each of them. That is all revealed once you hear the music. Dancing is optional, toe tapping is not. Heck, it may even give you a reason to believe in music again. And if history can predict anything, the best is yet to come!
great set at crawfest! really enjoyed your sound.... "BumbleBee" is a great tune great lyrics... come check out our site... but then again: "Maybe you will, but probably you wont" ;-)
Had a great time at Crawfest tonight guys. It's a tradition I look forward to continuing. Good food, good times, good set. Hit us up, we should play a show together sometime. Cheers.
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