Half Massive

In between teaching high school history classes and sleep, Parry Doogan finds time to create music under the moniker of Half Massive. Ignited by a combination of boredom and a need for self expression Parry started writing the songs that would come to be Half Massive. Dealing with such subjects as debt, relationships, crappy cars, punching your boss in the face, politics and other day to day occurrences, Parry figured he would just shoot from the hip and have fun with Half Massive music. With nothing more than a handful of mics, a few bootlegged audio recording programs, a beat up old guitar and a fairly antiquated computer Half Massive was born.

Half Massive’s musical style can be described as intelligent, intense and emotionally raw acoustic rock. Drawing on the bleeding emotion of Weezer’s Pinkerton, the beat poet styling of Mike Doughty and Soul Coughing, the three chord rock of Tom Petty, and the bouncing synthesizers of 80s pop, Half Massive has found a style that is truly unique. “I guess you can describe my music as something that Jack Johnson might make if he was pissed off, broke and listened to too much Weezer as a kid.”

Half Massive’s live show sets them apart from the crowd. Delivering a sweaty, passionate and fast pasted live show is where Half Massive is truly at home. With Parry Doogan’s emotive vocals and guitar playing, Henry Rivera’s heart pounding drums and Daniel Sanchez’s innovative Bass and guitar playing (done at the same time a la Local H’s Scott Lucas), and Joe Paladino’s flawless synthesizer work Half Massive puts on a show that none will soon forget. Half Massive also puts on an awe inspiring acoustic show, that features a scaled down (and at times solo) version of the full band Half Massive experience.

Half Massive’s first full length release Time to Figure Things Out (2004) deals with subject matter ranging from up beat and exuberant to painfully representative of the low points of modern life. On this album Half Massive has decided to forgo the usual use of blaring amps and electric guitars, instead deciding to pick up an acoustic guitar and just record songs the way they were written to better capture the feeling behind the songs.
The songs on Time to Figure Things Out simply follow the day in day out experiences of most working class, twenty-somethings just trying to get by. Inspired by stacks of credit card bills, a beat up old car, walking into work to punch his boss in the face and the fantasies of true love Half Massive takes simple subjects and puts a unique spin on them creating a completely distinctive musical experience.

Find Half Massive’s full length CD Time to Figure Things Out (2004) on Four Cylinder Recordings at cdbaby.com and at finer independent record stores everywhere.

Look for a new full band recording from Half Massive in the summer of 2005.