Mindsight

APRIL 2006 issue: "aroundHEAR" section- pg 58

Mindsight's four-track debut EP hints they are headed in the right direction. Their headnoddingly crunchy guitars and forceful bass grooves melded with emo-laden Incubus-style vocals just might be enough to set them apart from the rest of the heavy rock scene. And their steroid-infused rock cover of '80s pop hit "Send Me An Angel" proves they are willing to take risks - a risk that pays off in this case. (www.mindsightmusic.com)

-Carter Moss (ie Illinois Entertainer Magazine)
- Around Hear: Carter Moss

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Set your sights on this…

Set your sights on this..
They drip with talent; they..re electric; they rock hard..and they..re funny, too. Catching they..re first show at Penny Road Pub last Friday was more than we expected. Not only are the members of Mindsight completely void of the expected ..holier than thou.. attitude, they don..t seem to write checks their music can..t cash. A mix of raw drums, ripping guitar and a voice that runs down your spine. There..s even got a bonus: they ROCK the bongos! We can..t decide what was better .. getting to jam while they blew up the stage, or the interview later in the night.
Sitting down with the members of Mindsight was not at all intimidating or uncomfortable .. there were no formalities. Seven people merely had a conversation .. fun, smooth and upbeat, the discussion was a lot like their music. Despite the fact that they..ve gotten to a point where they can pick and choose where and when to play, they are always ready for a show. No venue too small, no fan too out of the loop. They..ve played for thousands; yet bring the same fire to the stage with an audience of 75.. ..you gotta do your fuckin.. job... Their trade is bringing music to the masses..and they don..t fuck around. It..s because of their dedication to their craft that Mindsight has the following they do. They sought us out to come see a show .. a review was offered and the band jumped at the chance for two new people to rock with them. The epitome of striving rock stars, Mindsight plans their own shows, seeks out promotion and lives the dream 24/7. Well, okay, they all have day jobs..average Joe..s by day and rock star superheroes by night.
Their success in the past three years has been sweet, and while they..ve done it all on their own .. with the help of their fans of coarse .. MySpace has opened a new door for them. ..It..s cool ..cause we can talk with our fans.., something that..s hard to do in a loud bar at 1:00 in the morning. And the fans, who will always get a response to their message and are getting personal friend requests, (no friend generator here, folks), they have all kinds of good stuff to look forward to. Recording their first full-length studio album this year, culminating in a record release show at the Metro January 13th, Mindsight is pulling out all the stops for 2007. They will prove this to you at their New Year..s show at North Beach.
We suggest that you go. If you want a drum line that will steal your heart, guitar that will rattle your bones and a voice that sings directly to your soul..you have to check out Mindsight. They..ll rock your world..and blow your mind.


Thanks Guys!
Rock the Fuck On!!

~We Rock For You!
www.myspace.com/werockforyou


- We Rock for You (Penny Road Pub Performance)

Mindsight was contacted by Les with Zaldor's World and then played various Mindsight tracks and an interview he had with Mindsight, on his podcast...Zaldor's World. - Zaldor's World

Suburban Nitelife has promoted and supported Mindsight for a few years. They have interviewed Mindsight and promoted the latest self-titled Mindsight CD. - Suburban Nitelife

Rave reviews by Music Appraisal on both the 1st EP in 2004 and the 2nd EP in 2005. - Music Appraisal

Played two songs by Mindsight and gave great reviews on his podcast: bareftpodcast.com (available on iTunes) - Barefoot Podcast

9-22-2006 The next band to take command of the stage was another metal rock band with an interesting twist to their music. While Mindsight was setting up for their performance, SouthSide noticed a pair of conga drums, bongos and other array of percussion instruments which seemed quite unusual to have for any metal band; however after hearing the extra percussions along with the drummer, you would be amazed how perfectly all the instruments work to create the band’s metal sound. It’s SouthSide’s opinion the instruments gave that extra kick in sound for Mindsight’s songs …for example during their song, Assassin , you could distinctly heart the thumping beat from the bass as well as the hard hitting rock from the percussionists and guitars. Their next song, dedicated to 2 birthday gals both turning 21, Aaron, the band’s lead vocalist, truly shined during this song – you could absolutely feel the emotion in the lyrics as he belted every note. SouthSide truly enjoyed the performances from the other members in the band while they performed song after song. Still it was that funky extra sound from the congas and bongos that really produced their unique metal music for headbanging rock. In another song, Back Alley Requiem, the beginning had a subtle bass and percussion intro before switching hard into a metal jam with the electric guitars bringing out the harmony. SouthSide’s only complaint of the night – she wanted more! Their set ended too soon and too quickly because she was ready to hear at least one or two encore songs from this exceptional band that performed one hellava show. Their last song for their set included a hot drum and percussion solo during the song’s chorus. SouthSide’s ears were blown away (in a good way) by their rocking bang to end the song and the crowd was thoroughly pleased with their set as well. SouthSide recommends that Fearless fans check out Mindsight during their 13 Oct performance at the Penny Road Pub in Barrington, IL. The other members of Mindsight include: Tony (yes he is THE maestro) on percussions and electrons; Brian on drums; q on bass; and Danni on guitar. You can also check more about them at www.myspace.com/mindsight.
- Fearless Radio

MINDSIGHT MEMBERS

Brian Weathers- Drums
Aaron Graunke- Vocals
Marquette Fricot- Bass
Danni Schaper- Guitar
Tony Biseglie- Percussion


Hard or soft whatever your cup of tea these men have a remedy.


A calm came over the crowd and the stage moments before anyone would appear. One of those moments where you are expecting and are curious, but left waiting, waiting. The men who appeared presented themselves as conquerors. They would soon lay the audience at their feet, but with defiance everyone cheered and chanted again and again, they refused to adhere or sit still.
Dressed in black and white suits and ties Mindsight let loose their souls on stage covering everyone in a layer of musical genius. Hard or soft whatever your cup of tea these men have a remedy.

Both acoustic and electric styles were represented here. Whatever feeling of oppression hindering you, these guys will be your salvation.


INTERVIEW

WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE BAND

We look now and we see ourselves finding success in the not too distant future. Or at least thats what we intend! "Come on new record… sell yourself damn it!" We'll see, the new disc should be done and out by March 07. It's looking like it's in your hands people!


MUSICAL CONTENT

Mostly real stories and events in Aaron's or another member's life. Some fictional content, as well as ongoing issues in the world and our thoughts and opinions on those issues.


CRAZIEST ON-STAGE INCIDENT

Tony jumping in the air on a very intense transition and coming down to BREAK HIS LEG on stage! Tone finished the show too! Or when Danni stage diving and twisting his knee out, in the process blowing his amp out and couldn't finish the show.


BEST SONG TO PERFORM

For the crowd: "Fight"- they love it! We love them!
For us: We love to play them all. Just recently though we did a cover of Motley Crue's, "Kickstart My Heart," for New Years Eve! That was kick-ass!

On the DL these guys are playing with Stone Sour and Lacuna Coil March 27 at the Congress Theatre check them out.
- Joshua Card-Wassup

Mindsight Doing Everything Right!

By: Lars Van Heineken
Illiana Music Contributor
4-10-07

The Chicago based band seems to be doing everything right in 2007. Besides doing their own shows in 2007, previously the band has shared the stage with national acts such as: Staind, Stone Sour, Shadows Fall, P.O.D., The Phunk Junkeez, Ill Nino, Lacuna Coil, Soulfly, Dark New Day, Powerman 5000, Three Days Grace, Smile Empty Soul, and Soil, just to name a few.

The band also plays all around the country at high profile venues such as: The Viper Room and The Roxy Theatre in West Hollywood, CA; House of Blues at Mandalay Bay and The Beach in Las Vegas, NV; Exit/In in Nashville, TN; The Rave in Milwaukee, WI, along with the Metro, House of Blues, Double Door, Pearl Room and the Congress Theatre in Chicago, IL. And the band has also obtained sponsorship from Sam Ash and Jagermeister.

The band consists of Aaron Graunke (Vocals), Anthony Bisceglie (Percussion), Brian Weathers (Drums), Danni Schaper (Guitar), and Q (Bass). There are so many elements of sound to this band, it's somewhat difficult to describe so I will quote a previous band press release. "Encompassing elements of pop and Latin influence, Mindsight perpetuates the evolution of human emotion by drafting lyrics fueled by life's experiences and supplementing those lyrics with intense guitar riffs, commanding percussion and flawless, fierce vocals. The band's compelling stage presence and innate aptitude to effectively engage an audience, coupled with its staggering versatility, evidences Mindsight's unwavering desire to continuously exceed the audience's expectations"...

And I do feel that's an accurate portrayal after listening to such tracks as "Effigy", "Lost in Time", "Back Alley Requiem", and "Absolution". Graunke has a clear and powerful voice at times reminds me of Brandon Boyd, or possibly Doug Robb. Not a bad comparison to have put to you, since their respected bands have probably sold 20 million records in the past 10 years. Q and Weathers are a very tight rhythm section that plays well together. Throw in the riffs of Schaper, and the percussion of Bisceglie, especially on a track like "Back Alley Requiem". It's not out of the question to see this band take it to the next level..."

It's also refreshing to see a band of this caliber promoting the hell out of it's work. You either have one band out promoting themselves, but can't really back it up when they hit the stage. Or you have a real talented band that seems to cool to promote and think you will just show up. This band has the talent, they are great promoters, and they write and play great music. They keep it up I imagine some label will show interest.

FYI - they are in the running for The Vans Warped Tour battle of the bands. Go to www.battleofthebands.com/mindsight and vote for them. Recently opening the sold out Jagermeister H.O.B. show with Stone Sour, Lacuna Coil, and Shadows Fall - Mindsight seems to have their mind right on what the want. They've tasted playing the big stage and want to make it their home.

http://illianamusic.com/id2.html

- Lars Van Heineken: Illiana Music Contributor

Interview/Track plays for Chicago-based Internet radio station: Fearless Radio. - Fearless Internet Radio