The Attic Ends

Genre: Rock
Secondary Genre: Pop Brooklyn, New York USA Contact

A spine-tingling mix of rock’s primal recklessness and the intricacy of brainy indie-pop. The music evokes an expansive darkness, richly layered with appealing melodies and power pop vocals.

Artist Information

Biography

Each member of the indie-pop-rock band The Attic Ends comes from a vastly different musical background. Drummer Bob King has played in everything from festival-friendly jam bands to hard rock groups. Guitarist Pete Hur’s influences span the continuum from Rachmaninoff to Radiohead. Keyboardist Jan Christiansen infuses classical piano melodies with an afro-Carribean sense of rhythm. And then there’s singer Samantha Rex, an early lover of Gospel music who reluctantly became a pop star in Germany. It’s an unconventional mix but what these Brooklyn-based artists have in common is a resolute commitment to making the melodic but rough-hewn stadium rock of The Attic Ends. “This is who we are and this what we do,” Rex explains with a grin, “Making music is as important as breathing.”

Rex was raised in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Obsessed from an early age with soul music, she convinced her parents to let her go to church, not to pray, but to sing gospel. “I didn’t even know what the preachers were talking about,” she remembers, laughing, “I just wanted to be around that energy.” As high school graduation approached, Rex became increasingly determined to pursue a career in music, and decided she’d need to move to New York. “I had always heard of New York as the place where things happen,” she remembers. “I knew I had to get there.”

Once they’d saved enough money, she and her best friend packed up Rex’s teal Ford Tempo and drove cross-country. They nearly lost their resolve after running out of gas outside Chicago, but they finally made it to Manhattan. “As soon as I arrived in New York City, I knew I was home,” she remembers. In a matter of weeks, she was signed to New York Model Management, who quickly recognized her potential not only as a model, but also as a singer. Within a year, Rex was signed to Universal Records Germany. Her voice – a beguiling mix of riot grrrl roar and heartbroken forties lounge vixen - landed her the spot as lead singer with Heaven Sent. For the next three years she lived in Berlin and toured with the band, which opened for Avril Lavigne and landed a couple of singles in the German pop charts.

While Rex was touring Europe, Christiansen and Hur were in upstate New York, attending Cornell University, and playing in a collection of different bands from rock to reggae. “I had recently lived in Senegal studying percussion and found the right fit in a reggae band called The Uplifters,” Christiansen remembers. “That band was how Pete and I met each other. Ever since that project ended we’d been fiending for the next opportunity to collaborate.”

That’s where New York City came in. Disillusioned with the soulless melodrama of pre-fab pop, Rex decided not to make a second record with Heaven Sent and moved back to New York to model and work on her own music. She was spending time in Venice, California collaborating with the likes of the Berman Brothers and Duncan Sheik when she was back in New York for a few days. It was here that she met Christiansen. The two stayed up all night talking about music and she convinced him to come hear her sing at an open mic night a few days later. Not that he needed to be talked into it. Christiansen remembers, “I was totally smitten and I hadn’t even heard her sing yet. As soon as she did it was one of those clouds part type moments.”

Christiansen saw huge potential and took quick action. Within a matter of days, a studio full of musicians was assembled including both King and Hur. “For me it was just, let’s get her some music because it’s a travesty she’s not singing on a larger stage,” he remembers. “Pete agreed and was all in right from the start.” For six months The Attic Ends were writing haunting acoustic ballads as a trio. The signature elements were there: preternaturally appealing melodies juxtaposed with intricate arrangements, moody lyrics, and an overall sense of expansive darkness, but something was missing. The Attic Ends needed to rock. And Rex was convinced she knew just the guy. “I’d seen Bob in other bands and I knew he was going to be my drummer,” she remembers. “So I started stalking him.” As soon as King heard the tracks he was in. “Sam’s got a great voice, and I liked that they were dreamers but not just dreamers,” he recalls. “A couple of pro-active ivy league guys and a professional singer, and this is all they want to do.”

They released Home, their debut album in December of 2010. The Attic Ends have finally arrived at their signature sound: A spine-tingling mix of rock’s primal recklessness and the intricacy of brainy indie-pop, richly layered with appealing melodies and power pop vocals. "Say Yes To Me” is a plaintive plea to an uncooperative lover. “Come Stand By Me” is a carefree pop gem, all British Invasion guitar-and-drums and epic vocals. These songs are anthems, the band knows it, and they are currently enjoying the feeling of playing with a complete sense of who they are and why they do this.

Instrumentation

Samantha Rex - Vocalist
Pete Hur - Guitarist
Jan Christiansen - Keyboardist
Bob King - Drummer

Discography

Home (2010)
The Attic Ends EP (2010)

Links

Audio

Lyrics

Video

720p

Who Are You?

Photo Gallery

Press

  • Last Night, Rocker Stalker Said…: The Attic Ends, Bright Light Social Hour, Lights Resolve, Black Taxi at Bowery Ballroom 1/14/12 [+ Show ]

    Last night,Matt Reich of Lights Resolve asked me post-Bowery Ballroom show, ”So, how was your dream...

  • Black Taxi and Lights Resolve - Bowery Ballroom, New York City, NY (1.14.12) Posted by Matt Arena on 01.16.2012 [+ Show ]

    Launching their highly anticipated second studio release, Black Taxi partnered up with heavy New Yor...

  • IN PICTURES: The Bright Light Social Hour & The Attic Ends Show Review [+ Show ]

    This past Saturday, The Bright Light Social Hour and The Attic Ends opened at the Black Taxi CD Rele...

  • The Attic Ends Kills The Bowery... [+ Show ]

    Model, actress & all-around hot girl Sammantha Rex is also the lead singer for the Brooklyn-based al...

  • Black Taxi / Lights Resolve / The Bright Light Social Hour / The Attic Ends - Bowery Ballroom - January 14th, 2012 [+ Show ]

    The show celebrating Black Taxi's New CD We Don't Know Any Better was off the hook. It featured 4 b...

  • Modern Man - The Attic Ends - Archeology -- Rock'n'Roll Hotel - July 10 2011 [+ Show ]

    The Attic Ends - From Brooklyn comes this interesting four-piece. But of course being from Brooklyn ...

  • Rockstar weekly features The Attic Ends [+ Show ]

    Say Yes... To The Attic Ends http://www.rockstarwe...

  • Featuring: The Attic Ends [+ Show ]

    Stepping into Spike Hill, in Brooklyn, NY I wasn’t sure what to expect. “The Attic Ends” is consider...

  • Still Wondering, Still Wandering: The Attic Ends [+ Show ]

    Still Wondering, Still Wandering: The Attic Ends The Attic Ends has no ceilings the sky is not ...

  • The Attic Ends: Say Yes To Me – Our guilty pleasure of the week, hands down. -- [+ Show ]

    The Attic Ends: Say Yes To Me – Our guilty pleasure of the week, hands down. Samantha Rex fronts bi...

  • Exclusive Interview with Attic Ends based in New York, America. This combo will have you shakin’ as there music moves your body, with there punk, pop and rock music. Click here for the full interview..... [+ Show ]

    Are you a bumblebee, or do you see yourselves as stargazers? Half of us are are stargazers, and ...

Setlist

Be Wise
Who Are You
Ezmerelda
Say Yes To Me
Home
Kiss Me
Come Stand By Me
I Want More
Love
Up To You
Skip's Theme Song
Necessary Changes
Fearless
Follower

Up to 60 minutes of The Attic Ends originals.

Basic Requirements

Calendar

There are no upcoming dates at this time.