Music
Press
"... so much musical diversity. There is something for every rock fan - funky bass breakdowns, superb vocals, stunning guitar licks, tight drum fills." - None
Things can be tough for a new band. One minute you’re playing at a local nightclub, basking in stage lights and the applause of hundreds of people. And the next? Well, if you’re the local post-grunge band Artificial Red, you’re freezing your coolie off on a makeshift outdoor stage in front of 16 people on a college campus. But – thanks to your dissonant riffing, synchronistic marriage of guitar and bass and tricky rhythmic roots – you’re able to do it with style.
Rain-slicked outdoor sets aside, Artificial Red – vocalist Jordan Collier, drummer Reece Bada, guitarist Mark McLendon and bassist Desmond Gulley – are doing all right for a band just out of high school. With a few high-profile gigs under their belt, the band is slowly but surely delivering its lean, muscular post-grunge hybrid to the masses. And loving every minute of it.
“I really didn’t think the band would take off this fast,� Bada says. “One day we were talking about starting a band; the next, we’re playing Piere’s. At first, it just seemed like something to do. But now we’re all seriously pursuing it.�
The Piere’s gig was a big step for the boys, both as a band and as devoted music fans. With a sound deeply indebted to the grunge bands of the ’90s, the band also pulls from influences as far-ranging as Coldplay and James Brown. And many of its biggest influences have played the Piere’s stage, Collier says.
“So playing at Piere’s, for me, was a magical experience,� he says. “I was content just to stand on the stage and do a sound check.�
Gulley agrees. “To stand on the same stage where all of these bands have played was huge for us,� he says. “They let us use the green room, which was cool. I sat on the same couch as Godsmack.�
Currently, Artificial Red is competing in a local battle of the bands, working toward the prize – a gig at this year’s Fort Wayne Newspapers Three Rivers Festival. And the quartet is also recording a four-song demo, a lean, muscular collection: part noise-rock steeped in blues, part melodic and howling textural musicianship. The demo is less an album and more of an advertisement for the band’s live gigs, Collier says.
“It’s a pretty diverse rock sound,� Collier says. “Blues, funk; it all underlies the basic rock sound.
“Live, we try to put as much energy into it as we can. Sometimes that’s hard, especially when you’re playing for about 16 people. But it’s all about energy. We don’t like to play the same set twice.�
http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080418/ENT0201/804180367 - Journal Gazette
Discography
Artificial Red EP - released in 2007, song "Smash" and "Dolphin Posse" from the EP had independent radio play in northeast Indiana and southeast Michigan.
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Bio
Entertaining original rock bands are rare these days, but Artificial Red is steadily emerging as one of the Midwest's most promising original hard rock acts. After releasing their self-titled EP in 2007, the band has attracted attention from local radio stations and excited fans. The band has also gained a lot of exposure after playing the area's largest nightclubs and regional festivals, which has allowed them to share the stage with a number of nationally recognized acts including Sevendust and Georgia Satellites.
The band's sound has been described as possessing qualities reminiscent of 70s and 90s hard rock, but with the addition of new sounds and textures. Stage presence is also an important factor of a good live show, and Artificial Red strives to make every live experience memorable.
In May of 2008, the band released a new EP with the singles "Your Fire", "Egos", and "Devil May Fall." The new record shines a light on the diversity of the band as well as their dynamic songwriting ability.
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