The People Now

Artist Information

Biography

The People Now is a progressive/alternative, cause-rock oriented band from Seattle, Washington. This band’s blend of well-crafted, intricately constructed songs, thought-provoking lyrics and cause-orientation is what draws their distinction from bands of the same genre.

The band is comprised of Garth Hockersmith – founder/lead guitarist/vocals; Tim Karman – founder/drums; Reid Strange – bassist and Arman Birang – guitarist/vocals.

The People Now is a band of movement and mission; utilizing their musical entity and non-profit organization as a conduit to provide assistance, garner awareness and raise funds by aligning themselves with various charity, non-profit and educational organizations locally and worldwide while bringing their signature brand of rock to the masses.

Their live performance provides a phenomenal multi-media experience for the audience with a well-orchestrated light show, video backdrop and material relevant to the featured cause.

Examples of such projects produced in conjunction with their live shows include; a food and donation drive in December of 2010 for Northwest Harvest, a Seattle-based non-profit that feeds those in need in the community; hosting a weekend-long fundraiser for the American Red Cross for Japan tsunami and earthquake relief at the University District Street Fair in May of 2011; and attending various concert events and festivals throughout the summer of 2011 as liaisons to MusiCares, a non-profit organization which is part of the Grammy Foundation that provides critical assistance to musicians in need, culminating in the production of a large-scale fundraising concert event on MusiCares’ behalf in August 2011.

The People Now has been a featured band on local Seattle rock radio station 99.9 KISW, receiving airplay and accolades in support of their efforts as well as press and show announcements in the Seattle Weekly, City of Seattle Office of Film + Music and the Grammy Foundation website.

In September 2011, after wrapping up their summer campaign, The People Now entered Robert Lang Studios with producer Toby Wright (Metallica, Alice in Chains) at the helm. Their highly anticipated new material is slated for distribution worldwide and will be showcased during a multi-city tour in 2012.


The People Now have been honored to work with:
- The American/Japanese Red Cross
- MusiCares
- Northwest Harvest
- People for Puget Sound
- Ventana/Roche Co. Music for Malawi
- The Tzu Chi Foundation
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
- The University of Washington
- and many others

"Only with You is there We."

*For fans of System of a Down, Rage Against the Machine, Chevelle, Porcupine Tree, A Perfect Circle, and Muse.

Copyright © 2009 The People Now. All rights reserved.

Instrumentation

Garth Hockersmith - Lead Vocals; Lead Guitar
Arman Birang - Guitar & Background Vocals
Tim Karman - Drums
Reid Strange - live synthesizers, Bass & Background Vocals

Discography

EP's: The Prologue (2008), The Epilogue (2009)
The People Now - self titled album: May 1st, 2010 (iTunes, CD Baby, Amazon, Walmart, Last-fm, and many others)

Tracks that have received radio play:
"Demonstrative Romance" 99.9 KISW and 107.7 The End (Seattle, WA) and CWU Radio (Ellensburg, WA), "Have You Forgotten Who Made All of This?" (91.5 Tucson Live and Local, U of A radio) "Captain Sprocket" (103.9 FM The Mokney, 90.3 KEXP FM)

Online Radio:
Banana Peel Radio (B.C.), UnHeard Radio Rock Channel, Blue Crystal Radio (NY), Darksky Records iTunes Podcast, Maximum Threshold Saturday Night Show, ABC's Broadcact Q-Show Radio (Fame Games.com), Northwest Convergence Zone/Best of King5 News Podcast

Streaming audio available online at:
Official TPN website, Facebook.com, Youtube.com, Soundclick.com, iLike.com, Purevolume.com, Lastfm.com, Localbandnetwork.com, Myspace.com, Garagebands.net, Bebo.com, ANRnet.com

Official Website

http://www.thepeoplenow.com

Links

• Facebook
• The People Now Reverb Nation Page
• Twitter
• Last.fm
• The People Now Website
• MySpace
• Youtube

Audio

• Captain Sprocket
  Listen  
• Hong Kong Time Bomb
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Captain Sprocket

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• Redefine Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  http://www.redefinemag.com/comp/index.html THE PEOPLE NOW Despite the fact that The People N...http://www.redefinemag.com/comp/index.html
  
  THE PEOPLE NOW
  
  
  Despite the fact that The People Now are young, they know what they?re doing and who they want to be. Their music is at times pushing and unrelenting, at times introspective and calming, and at times instrumental and experimental. A five-piece band from Seattle, WA, the band hones in on their songwriting and instrumental skills to stay true to themselves when creating passionate and unrestricted rock.
  Visit http://www.thepeoplenow.com to hear what they have to say.
  

• Pagliacci Battle of the Bands Review [+ Show ]
  

  "The fact that the Michael Hutchence-looking lead singer of the People Now immigrated from Romania t..."The fact that the Michael Hutchence-looking lead singer of the People Now immigrated from Romania to Seattle to join the band after reading an online want-ad was astounding..."

• SCCC News [+ Show ]
  

  Veronica Buckholts Staff Reporter DOI: 6/3/07 From Polos to Ponytails, head banging to keyboard...Veronica Buckholts
  Staff Reporter
  DOI: 6/3/07
  
  From Polos to Ponytails, head banging to keyboard chords, it’s The People now. Friday, May 18th, the band was scheduled for a 9 pm show at the Merchant but didn’t go on until after 12. After the long delay, The People Now finally got on stage and rocked it all out.
  Sitting around waiting for their time to shine, the band grew tired. Once they got on stage, though, on would have never guessed they had just been weary. In front of the audience, the band members transformed. They got down to business of filling the bar with energy, passion, and alternative rock.
  The Music Matters for the People Now. The guitars literally sang, exploring pitches and chords. The keyboards added some softness to the intense hard rock, and Florin-Gardescu’s vocals sounded amazing. Through sustained notes and screams, his Romanian accent was still faintly audible.
  Karman was a badass on the drums, playing so hard I thought he was headed towards breaking his kit. Strange was rockin’ hard on the bass posed in a permanent lunge position, head swiveling like a top.
  Every member was totally focused on creating sound while expressions filled their faces and bodies. These varied from Florin’s closed eyes and solemn look to the rhythm section’s hard, angry countenance.
  Fashion is not a big thing for The People Now: every member just wore what they wanted. With the exception of Florin-Gardescu, who was wearing some flashy shoes and a sexy open chest shirt, the other members wore their street clothes.
  The People Now are growing in popularity and are beginning to get known. I wouldn’t be surprised if they continue on the path to fame and get big. This band really loves to play, and I predict they will be off to fortune soon.
  Aside from sitting in a mysteriously wet, sticky puddle, my experience at the Merchant that night was great. I could still enjoy it with a wet butt. This reviewer couldn’t help but join in with an air guitar, head bangs, and a huge smile on her face.
  
  - Check out their upcoming performance! June 10th @ The Central Saloon 8:30PM -
  

• The Stranger [+ Show ]
  

  Jeff Kirby Journalist/Writer DOI: 6/7/08 It would seem The People Now are trying to incite...Jeff Kirby
  Journalist/Writer
  DOI: 6/7/08
  
  It would seem The People Now are trying to incite some kind of soft revolution. They make no claim to social action, but instead hope to be the soundtrack to it, their manifesto rooted not in the works of Marx or Engels but in the lyrics to "The Shape of Punk to Come." The found their voice, singer Paul Florin, in Bucharest, Romania, and withing months of swapping demos, he uprooted his life to Seattle to front the Band.
  It seems everything The People Now attempt is epic in scale, from their long, layered songs to their markedly portentous website. It may only be a matter of time before their words ring so true that they must be sacrificed for the good of the status quo.

• ABC Radio's Fame Games [+ Show ]
  

  "... i love the energy here and the vibe and vocals on this! I think we have another great new band ..."... i love the energy here and the vibe and vocals on this! I think we have another great new band here! These guys have potential! Lets hear more, i think you have better to come!" HonestAngel * 3rd Level Peer Reviewer. FameGames.com - Feedback (1 comments) -
  

• Featured Artist - LPM Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  "The Washington crew are rising with a transformed sound and solidified line-up... a choice of inter..."The Washington crew are rising with a transformed sound and solidified line-up... a choice of interesting song titles will have you wondering what will be hidden behind the name, enticing you to press Play... anticipate it to be the soundtrack of the next Musical Revolution."
  
  
  http://www.magazine.lpmvoice.com/Pro-Php/Main.php?MagID=4&MagNo=27

• Past, Present, Future: The People Now [+ Show ]
  

  Artist/Band Name: The People Now Members/Instruments: Kyle Wimbish (vocals/keys) Tim Karman (Dr...Artist/Band Name: The People Now
  
  Members/Instruments:
  Kyle Wimbish (vocals/keys)
  Tim Karman (Drums and all things Beaten)
  Reid Strange (Bass)
  Garth Hockersmith (Helix Guitar 2)
  
  Year Formed: Founded in 2006 by Garth and Tim as a side project, the final addition of Reid Strange has been in February 2010.
  
  1.Past: What is your musical background? What has led you to this point?
  As a group, we come from very diverse backgrounds, and I believe this diversity gives us strength and plasticity in our expression. Kyle grew up with Gospel and R’n’B, while Mike attends the University of Washington for Jazz performance on trumpet. I began on classical guitar, both traditional and Latin styles, while Dereke has played in funk and pop groups for years, most notably a gig with Aretha Franklin and as bassist of the late diva Aaliyah. Tim has turned his musical upbringing inside out from his childhood to a host of progressive musics existing today. Suffice it to say, music has been in our lives in some form or another for as long as most can remember.
  
  Perhaps what has “drawn” us to this point is the more appropriate question, as this music we are privileged to create now is a force in itself as much as we are behind it. There is, of course, the notion that each of us, as individuals, strives for crafting excellent music; that which compels others to listen while simultaneously inspiring us inventors. On the other side of that coin is also the desire to make music that is both a challenge and a relief for listeners looking for both the depth in musicality combined with the accessibility that makes music universally enjoyable. The music is in us: all of us, and that has guided us all to where we are, now.
  
  2.Present: Where are you at now in your career? What are you currently working on?
  Currently, The People Now is just beginning to take seed and grow. While in “production phase” for a few years, the level of seriousness has increased with the addition of both Kyle (2008) and Dereke (2009), motivating us to believe in each other and the music. We are in the process of finishing our debut album; a collection of 12 tracks, 1 bonus track, band art, and combined “Gratis” web page for fans who purchase the album – having access to some exclusive wallpapers, photos, behind the scenes footage of studio work and others, etc. We are hoping to finish by early Summer, and will continue to book shows in the Seattle area, especially festivals, to keep our momentum building.
  
  3.Future: What’s coming up for you? Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
  The future of TPN looks exciting and challenging for us. On the horizon, we have several shows/festivals in the area, but the scope of TPN is much broader than our local horizon. For many, the density of cities, particularly the US, gives rise to many many bands that can both live and die within that city, never venturing into the “Out There,” out there. While there is certainly nothing ignoble about this endeavor, we are looking to use our music as a platform: one that gives solid footing for ourselves and, most importantly, others to reach higher ground. Ours is a message of community awareness, positive change through personal evolution, and intellectual compassion, and that potential includes (and goes beyond) our city/state/country/political/cultural boarders. As said, there is music in us all, and we hope to tap into as many as we can, from all over the world.
  
  We expect to tour the US next year a bit more thoroughly than our short West Coast tour in 2007 (not with Kyle/Dereke), and in the future have our music (and ourselves!) visit other continents. In addition to physical relocation, we are working on a complete online interface through our website(s), to make our music, message, and information network available to the rest of the globe via the ole’ Information Superhighway. With the internet, there is so much potential for cross-communication, and that’s what TPN is all about. Rawk.
  
  4.Where can people find more of your music?
  People can find our music online at:
  www.thepeoplenow.com
  www.myspace.com/thepeoplenow
  www.sonicbids.com/thepeoplenow
  www.purevolume.com/thepeoplenow
  
  And a host of other NMC sites such as:
  Bebo, Soundclick, iLike, Garageband, Musiciansonly, Facebook, Twitter, Ourstage, etc. (Google it!)
  
  In addition to online radio streams/podcasts at:
  iTunes, Unheard Radio, Maximum Threshold, Banana Peel Radio (Vancouver BC), Blue Crystal Radio (NY), ABC Radio’s Fame Games, Youtube
  (Google it!)
  
  And also at any of our shows in CD, mp3 (Flash Drives), and Live formats.
  
  5.Anything you’d like to plug?
  The only direction is Forward. There is a quickening in our times, these times; the sentiments of many towards the point of the few. It is a refraction of lights, brought about across a spectrum spanning a generation, and focused through a prism of courage and unbelievable awareness. Think about it: so many different arenas sharing ideas, communicating with vastly dissimilar realms of understanding, speaking different languages and expressions that, until now, spanned gaps only dreams had the capacity to bridge. There is greater understanding Now than ever. There is a larger willingness to understand Now than ever. The People Now are focused on joining forces with such like-minded others ready for something new. We look to where we WANT to go, not to where we are going. We are ever in support of those chimerical bombasticisms, poetically charged lightning bolts, freedom fighting hipsters, swingers, dancers, hob-knobers, lovers, tight-rope walkers, trail-blazing rangers, bushmen, hardcore’s-men and musical catalysts that push and vie for a chance “to shine:” an infinitive for which there is no opposite verb. We are ready to be a part of this wave; looping and swirling, leading and following, performing and listening, covering and fronting in the helix that is our mortal coils merging and tangenting with others and beyond. With every ounce of white-knuckled emphasis, it is our dedication and hope that we both impact and make an impact upon the lives of others to the enjoyment of all, with the obligatory, if not altogether MANDATORY, “Fuckin’ A.”

Setlist

Our set list(s) are organic, and adapt according to the vibe of the play-list or atmosphere. It is our challenge to play TO the audience an in-discordant set to ultimately create an unforgettable "experience," as opposed to a line up of bands.

The People Now blend theatre with their performance, utilizing large projector screens with animations, clips, and hybrid footage to coincide with the music's atmosphere and set progression. Guest Singers, duets with other bands, world instruments (djembe, sitar, erhu, keys, apache shakers, etc.), and costume are all incorporated.

TPN also often dedicates their performance to a particular person, organization, movement, or idea that is making a difference in our world, Now. Information is provided if the audience chooses to avail themselves further, but never preached.

Sets range from 30 min - 2 hour, depending upon time, with an engaging set throughout: rarely stoppage unless it is intended for silence, lights out, or dialogue/sound clips.

Basic Requirements

Calendar