the wow signal

Artist Information

Biography

"Big thumping stadium rock with as much panache as humanly possible... potent riffs that crunch in with as much vigour as recent Queens of the Stone Age records...The Wow Signal have made traditional rock interesting again, and it's about time. All kick and no kitsch. "

Lee Puddefoot, Artrocker Magazine

Overall, a combination of world class drumming, warm pulsing punkish guitars overlaid with bluesy/effect laden modal riffs, ventures into abstract noise and lyrics about alien abductions, one night stands, and hungover musings on mortality, sex, dreams and politics swirled together. The Wow Signal, named after an unexplained alien communication picked up on radio telescopes in the 70’s, comprise US singer / songwriter / guitarist Andrew Mangold, Italian guitarist Paolo Kralj, Ukrainian bassist Dmytriy Afanasyev and Australian drummer Darren Lee.

The Wow Signal were formed by Andrew Mangold, a native of New York who has travelled the world chasing musical opportunities. Encouraged by his artistic family, (his father Robert Mangold is an established abstract painter in the school of 60’s New York minimalism and his brother James Mangold is a Hollywood film director) Andrew travelled to Vienna in the late 90’s and spent five years studying classical music there. But by 2003 he had re-discovered the electric guitar and decided to go down the rock’n’roll path rather than compose for String Quartet or piano.
Andrew immersed himself in Vienna’s rock scene, formed his first band and landed some impressive local support slots before realising that he could only go so far based in Austria. He was then drawn to London, arguably the rock’n’roll capital of the world, early in 2007. Andrew set about seeking fellow highly accomplished musicians who shared the same intense hunger for rock music, eventually forming the Wow Signal in the Autumn of 2007.
The band played relentlessly in the rock clubs and pubs of Camden and Whitechapel with their friends and other rock musicians, like ex-Happy Monday's Kav, or Melody Nelson, and others. They played numerous times at Pete Doherty hangout and performance spot, The Rhythm Factory, in Whitechapel and immersed themselves in the East London scene.
Guitarist Paolo grew up near Venice and studied Violin and piano for ten years as a child before discovering the electric guitar and gravitating to London to pursue his rock’n’roll dream at the beginning of the new Millennium. Born in Donetsk, bassist Dima cut his teeth in a covers band in the Ukraine, playing classic songs by the likes of Radiohead, Muse, Placebo, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin etc., before moving to London early in 2007. Drummer Darren was born in Manchester but emigrated to Australia when he was 13, having already taken up drums aged ten. He became a much sought after session drummer Down Under and worked with some of Australia’s most talented producer / engineers such as Andy Wallace (Ben Folds) and Peter Blyton (Choirboys / Keith Urban) before deciding to relocate back to the UK in 2006.

‘Infinity’s Lobby’, the debut album of these four intensely focussed excellent musicians gelling together to create epic, gut wrenching alternative rock music, was produced by Marc Waterman (Elastica, Ash, Depeche Mode) in London’s Fortress Studios. The title track of the album was released as a single in November and awarded "Artrocker Recommends" status in their January issue by Alice Wagstaffe, who wrote "Infinity's Lobby sounds like a depressing place to be - like sitting in the car-park outside purgatory for an eternity. And yet this little power-punk number is anything but grim. With fantastic, retro vocals that remind me of an unplaceable 70s frontman and excited punchy guitars, it's got real direction and pace, as singer Andrew Mangold shouts "look at me!" before jabbering something inaudible. If this is the lobby, I can't wait to get inside."

"Sometimes, you just get an overwhelming feeling that a band is standing on the verge of very big things, it's exactly this kind of feeling that washes over you when listening to Shoreditch based indie rock newcomers, The Wow Signal. Debut single, INFINITY'S LOBBY is an impressively epic sounding calling card, a swirl of near psychedelic guitar grooves and dark menacing intent, the band sounding equal parts Pink Floyd, Hawkwind, Joy Division and U2."
Mike Bond - UK Music Review

Instrumentation

Andrew Mangold - Vocals, guitars.
Paolo Kralj - Lead Guitar
Darren Lee - Drums
Dima - Bass

Discography

Infinity's Lobby (single)
Infinity's Lobby (LP)
Our single has received airplay on Cambridge and Leeds student radio, 7Radio, Future Radio and others.

Official Website

http://www.myspace.com/thewowsignal7

Audio

• Infinity's Lobby
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• Other Half of Myself
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• Debunked
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• Purr Right
  Listen   Download

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Artrocker Recommends [+ Show ]
  

  "Infinity's Lobby sounds like a depressing place to be - like sitting in the car-park outside purgat..."Infinity's Lobby sounds like a depressing place to be - like sitting in the car-park outside purgatory for an eternity. And yet this little power-punk number is anything but grim. With fantastic, retro vocals that remind me of an unplaceable 70s frontman and excited punchy guitars, it's got real direction and pace, as singer Andrew Mangold shouts "look at me!" before jabbering something inaudible. If this is the lobby, I can't wait to get inside."
  Alice Wagstaffe, Artrocker

• on the verge of big things... [+ Show ]
  

  "Sometimes, you just get an overwhelming feeling that a band is standing on the verge of very big th..."Sometimes, you just get an overwhelming feeling that a band is standing on the verge of very big things, it's exactly this kind of feeling that washes over you when listening to Shoreditch based indie rock newcomers, The Wow Signal. Debut single, INFINITY'S LOBBY is an impressively epic sounding calling card, a swirl of near psychedelic guitar grooves and dark menacing intent, the band sounding equal parts Pink Floyd, Hawkwind, Joy Division and U2."
  
  Mike Bond - UK Music Review
  http://www.ukmusicreview.com/reviews/the-wow-signal-infinitys

• Toxic Pete - Album Review [+ Show ]
  

  The first thing that hits you as you listen to this excellent album is just how professional it all ...The first thing that hits you as you listen to this excellent album is just how professional it all sounds; 'Infinity's Lobby' by The Wow Signal is as solid and as true as anything currently doing the rounds. Whatever its form, indie, rock, pop, it matters not one jot - what matters most is that 'Infinity's Lobby' by The Wow Signal is great rockin' music for now and the future!
  With a hard core of rockin' riffs that are reinforced and set against a metronomic and totally fused rhythm section, The Wow Signal lay down massively compelling indie rock music that's totally now and right on the money. Somewhat Bowie-esque, impassioned vocals fill the voids and complete the near panoramic picture; The Wow Signal's wonderfully layered sound is infectiously bright and superbly dynamic.
  
  The Wow Signal don't just do up-front, in-yer-face rock'n'stroll though; 'Infinity's Lobby' finds The Wow Signal running the gamut of time signatures and moods to make this a nicely varied and pretty cool album. Hints of retro rock'n'roll combine with soaring fx laden guitars and 'now' aggression to form a sound that could be from almost any musical era but always errs on the side of the 'contemporary'. Strong writing is at the heart of The Wow Signal's work; from that solid base the songs are build with respectful feeling and empathetic power - nothing about 'Infinity's Lobby' could never be said to be 'limp', predictable or trite. The Wow Signal's rock is aptly robust but refreshingly airy - mature and feisty from conception through to execution making this album the 'beast' that it is!
  
  If you thought 'indie' rock had seen better days then I suggest you have a looksee at The Wow Signal and the reality and viability of the form will become obvious to you within a few short minutes - this aint just another same old, same old! 'Infinity's Lobby' shows compositional maturity and instrumental prowess - as it unfold it unleashes its hooks and 'calling cards' - you'll be back, you'll wanna re-visit and re-assess, The Wow Signal breath new life into what can sometimes be a tired old form!
  
  'Infinity's Lobby' by The Wow Signal is an accomplished and worthy album - hard to believe it's a debut release, hard to come to terms with The Wow Signal's relatively 'youthful' nature, their massive presence and their totally rocked-up indie wares. 'Infinity's Lobby' by The Wow Signal is pretty instant and therefore quite obviously commercially viable - give this one a try and rock-out with The Wow Signal - really impressive stuff from what is clearly a fantastic band.

• Splintered Shards of Iggy Pop [+ Show ]
  

  "Splintered shards of Iggy Pop, Ziggy Stardust and The Fall dust The Wow Signal’s reference list, wi..."Splintered shards of Iggy Pop, Ziggy Stardust and The Fall dust The Wow Signal’s reference list, with a righteous rock n roll delivery you can’t go wrong!"
  
  Jeremy Chick – Subba Cultcha
  Review: http://www.subba-cultcha.com/singles.php

• Living Up to Their Name [+ Show ]
  

  "Melding a raucous chunk of rock to a seductive blast of blues, Shoreditch five piece, The Wow Signa..."Melding a raucous chunk of rock to a seductive blast of blues, Shoreditch five piece, The Wow Signal, have managed to create a intoxicating cocktail to tantalise and tease.
  
  Disjointed, jerky guitars crash in, slamming you from pillar to post as the eclectic brilliance of ‘Infinity’s Lobby’ saunters in with an overly confident touch of arrogance that demands undivided attention and what’s more you’ll be only too eager to oblige. Marking its entrance with a screech of guitars that charge headfirst into a crash of drum beats, ‘Infinity’s Lobby’ wastes no time in inflicting a heaving chunk of smouldering rock, bristling with swagger filled vocals, colossal beats and a vintage slice of cool that could have strayed straight out of the ‘70s. Riotous retro rock injected with a healthy fist full of originality, ‘Infinity’s Lobby’ is an exhilaratingly exuberant blast of rock to make you feel truly alive once again.
  
  B side, ‘Purr Right’ finds The Wow Signal increasing the retro vibe even further as Bowie-esque vocals pulsate with an irresistible blues tone that joins forces with a groove heavy dose of guitar driven melodic mastery, niftily throwing in some tasty riffs to guarantee that ‘Purr Right’ will have the dance floor in full rock out mode within a blink of an eye.
  
  Too fresh to be billed as mere classic rock, The Wow Signal skilfully combine the old with the new, tempting all as they take what is sure to be one more giant step up the music ladder."
  -Jodie Woodgate, Room Thirteen.
  
  

Setlist

Our typical set list is for a short set of 25-30 minutes.
Usually 8 songs with a couple interludes/ transitions.
Airstrip One
Lover's Scam
Purr Right
Where the River Starts
Debunked
Other Half Of Myself
Infinity's Lobby
Quiet Afternoon

Basic Requirements

Calendar