Ticker Tape Parade | Half Visconte | ShotStar | FiveSpeed | Before Braille
Sunset Alliance Bands:-----
Back
to top TICKERTAKE PARADE -----
Tickertapeparade
began in the spring of 2002 with a group of songs and a desire to play them,
in front of real live people. Aaron Wendt and Jesse Everhart, began re-demo-ing
(it's a word, believe me) said songs in Aaron's laundry room, with the hopes
of using the demo's to find other like minded individuals who might also
be interested in playing songs in front of real live people. Turns out, Sean
McCall, Topher Bradshaw, and Dan Hargest were the like minded individuals
they were looking for. And on the outside chance that the world needed another
rock and roll outfit, Tickertapeparade was born. These 5 people, pooling
their talents, rehearsed vigorously in Aaron's garage (affectionately refered
to as The Kenneth Room, and immediately adjacent to the laundry room). In
the beginning of 2003, tickertapeparade recorded and released a six song
EP, entitled 'You're Causing A Scene', on Sunset Alliance Records. Solidifying
the fact that Tickertapeparade was indeed an official rock and roll outfit,
now with its first official piece of commerce, TTP went about what all bands
seem to do to one degree or another. That is, take on low paying (although
very important) jobs like delivering pizza, telemarketing, screen printing
t-shirts (ask dan about this, he'll get you a screaming deal), as well as
buy a van, practice a lot, and shmooze promoters in order to play songs to
as many real live people as possible. In the time that has passed since it's
inception, Tickertapeparade has played many songs in front of many real live
people. Thanks, in no small part, to their van 'Floyd' tickertapeparade has
toured both coasts, sharing the stage with such bands as (insert list of
successful / moderately popular bands) as well as a whole host of other bands
you may or may not care about. Simply put, Tickertapeparade has had the good
fortune of being on the receiving end of great opportunities to play their
songs. In front of, you guessed it, real live people. note: Tickertapeparade
features members of Seven Storey Mountain and Pollen. www.tickertapeparade.com
dan@tickertapeparade.com
visit: TickerTape
Parade -----
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Back to top Half Visconte -----
The
problem with Half Visconte is that
each member of the band is completely irreplaceable. If the band could
just try a little harder to be like everybody else, perhaps
they could have just found a new bass player when Ben Taylor moved to Chicago.
Perhaps they could have recruited a new drummer when Dan Sylvester left
town too. Perhaps they could have gotten a
new singer/guitarist when Scott Tennent made is way to New York City. I
mean, come on, the very least they (at this point "they" was just
singer/guitarist Richard Minardi) could have done is conform to the indie
rock norm and just broken up (allow me to cite the fifth amendment of the
indie rock constitution: upon releasing a good album, bands must break up
and become "ex-members" to heighten the coolness and allure of said
album). But there goes Half Visconte, bucking the indie rock cliché and
sticking together in spite of the distance. Spread out across the country,
Half Visconte has still managed to produce their first official full-length
album, Was It Fear, to be released on Sunset Alliance.
The new album is a fluid step forward from their previous
releases (s/t CDEP and split 7"with Death of Marat on This Argonaut
Records, as well as their appearance on Not One Light Red: A Modified
Document, released
jointly by Sunset Alliance and This Argonaut). It is an amalgam of studio
experimentation, strong songwriting, and dynamic, explosive improvisation.
Was It Fear starts with a bang, ends with a whisper, and bristles with
anxiety in between. It¹s an urgent record. A document of nervy intensity.
The sound of Half Visconte is undeniably the unique combination of its
four members. It's some mysterious chemical reaction, apparently not detected
in any single member, as demonstrated by the direction each takes on their
own when not part of Half Visconte. Drummer, Dan Sylvester, is a trained
jazz percussionist and lives in Chicago. He has also been a member of Kind
of
Like Spitting (Polyvinyl) and more recently Nad Navillus (Jagjaguwar),
among other projects. Singer/Guitarist Scott Tennent owned and operated
Phoenix's premier all ages/DIY performance space, Modified, from 1999-2001
before getting married and moving to New York City. He is currently putting
together a solo album full of downer pop songs (one song, "Follow
Through No. 1" appears on Not One Light Red: A Modified Document).
Singer/Guitarist Richard Minardi lives in Phoenix and is a steady presence
on the music scene there, playing in not one, not two, but three bands
(at last count): Thee Apologies, Scramjet, Trans-go-jobot, and of course
Dick Sinister & the Sinister Dicks. Ben Taylor has holed himself up
in a closet in Chicago in order to create new directions in electronic
music.
email - halfvisconte@yahoo.com thisargonaut@yahoo.com
reveiws - NEWS TIMES
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Back to top ShotStar-----
Prescott,
Arizona is about 100 miles north of Phoenix and became the unlikely meeting
ground of what would someday be known as Shotstar. It was on the streets
of this small town that Andrew Taillole (Lead Vocals, Guitar) and Tobin
Watkinson (Bass Guitar) would decide to drastically alter their lives in
search of their life long dream...living uncomfortable in a van while driving
the country playing their music. They then recruited Eric Hoskin on guitar
and Daniel Boutin on the drums to finish off the line up and relocated to
Tucson, Arizona where they have played with internationally touring acts
such as Superdrag, The Juliana Theory, Ozma, and Piebald as well as making
a name for themselves playing shows all over country. It is difficult to
describe the type of rock that Shotstar bring to the table. There is an
interesting blend of classic rock, early NYC punk, and even eighties pop
that make the album feel like some sort of retro-modern shot in the arm.
There is plenty of energy and good times swirling around these tracks. Shotstar
may provide the listener a pop pleasure, but they are not guilty of the
pop structure - Interesting nooks and crannies lie throughout their gem
of an album,"What the Hell Is Rock'n'Roll?", which keeps you guessing
as much as it answers the question. Unfortunately, just as things seems
to be looking bright...as with many great bands...Shotstar parted ways indefinitely.
-but don't fret, each member is still after their dream in different directions.
We at sunset alliance are pleased to have done this joint release with
Jon Looby and Downfall Records(www.downfallrec.com)
email - shotstar1@hotmail.com
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Back to top Five Speed -----
The
current line up for Fivespeed (after Chad Kinney relocated to Seven Storey-they
rock!-) has been maliciously rockin since December 1997. The group's years
of experience coupled with a genuine enthusiasm for playing, create a well
polished, yet strikingly raw sound. Fivespeed come together to form a band
that is able to deliver a multifaceted attack and a stunningly powerful live
performance. The band have previously released a s/t EP, and have been featured
on compilations as well as Triplesplit Series I. Their first full length will
surely solidify them as one of the premier indie rock bands in the country.
"This Phoenix based band, Fivespeed has released a six song CD on Sunset Alliance. Upbeat poppy emo-rock, but more rock than emo. Along the lines of Lazycain, or maybe the Revelation post hardcore bunch (Texas Is The Reason, Farside etc.) After many requests for this CD, we finally got it in. I can see this band getting pretty big, be on the lookout for them." -Lumberjack Distribution
"enough dynamics to make The Pixies go home, pack up, and start writing crappy solo albums." -Punk News
[Check out some info on What's Our Dilemma- the song featured on Deep Elm's
Emo Diaries Chapter IV, "An Ocean of Doubt"]
Fivespeed have really made waves of late, and catalyst "Trade In
Your Halo", has to demand much of the credit. These 11 aggressive
tracks weave in an out of reconciliation to provide guilt free musical
tyranny. Since releasing this record, Fivespeed have signed to a deal with
Virgin, joined the ranks of the Warped Tour, and raised the eyebrows of
many. With enough edge to make hardcore lovers submit, and enough art to
allow the indie hierarchy to approve, "Trade In Your Halo" will
make believers out of us all.
visit - FiveSpeedaz
email - fivespeedaz@hotmail.com
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Back to top Before Braille -----
Before
Braille is an independent rock band that calls Mesa, Arizona home. Together
for closing in on four years, the group's energetic, individualistic and
emotive sound has been called "480 area core" or "Mesa Rock".
Before Braille defines their name after their dependence on the music,--the
sound--taking things a song at a time. The band is a truly functional collective,
with everybody contributing ideas, resulting in a a more textured and creative
output. 2001 marked the band's first release...A local compilation supporting
the independent minded venue, Modified Arts, entitled "Not One Light
Red: A Modified Document". It was a joint release between Sunset Alliance
and fellow Phoenix imprint This Argonaut Records. Later that year they were
featured on Deep Elm's compilation series, as well as a Triplesplit release
with friends Fivespeed and Andherson where they contributed 3 new songs.
In the Spring of 2002, their self-titled, five-song promo EP drew critical
raves, prompting CMJ to write, "This foursome delivers a positively
commanding performance that belays its relatively recent appearance on the
radar. Each track on this sampler of songs from the upcoming full-length
is brimming with texture and taste. Released September '02, that very full-length,
the band's first album The Rumor - featuring the first single "Twenty
Four Minus Eighteen" - entered the college radio charts at #1 its first
week out, making for an auspicious out-of-the-box-debut. Their lo-fi attitude
and high-intensity music fully intact. Before Braille greeted 2003 with
continuous touring Feb-July, and will remain playing sporatic dates around
the country throughout the year while working on the next full length. Although
a couple member changes were made, expect the same kind of intensity and
complexity on their upcoming releases...especially if you agree with the
Arizona Republic who named Before Braille as the best band in Arizona for
2003.
visit - Before Braille
email - dave@beforebraille.com
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