Pollock

We strive to be a synthesis of deeply listener friendly and unapologetically artistic. We draw our influences from a large range of artists including (but not nearly limited to): Radiohead, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Explosions In the Sky, Sigur Ros, Damien Rice, and the Mars Volta.

In January of 2008, David Gross, Jesse Trask and Mike Pingley (formerly of Maids of Cadiz) found themselves down one band member when their lead singer moved to Texas. Incidentally, Terry Steffens found himself in need of a band to record some songs he had written in college. While the job of recording an album together was an exhilarating one, the resulting demo CD was a disaster. Where logic said to call it a failed endeavor, the guys decided to press forward as a band, and dubbed themselves Pollock.

After a brief attempt to salvage the pieces of the failed album, the guys decided to scrap the effort and compose a proper LP. The task of creating a professional quality LP was a longer and more arduous undertaking than any of them had anticipated, so as a release of pent up creativity they secluded themselves in the basement of their shared Virginia home for one week in late February 2009 and wrote, recorded, mixed and released a four song EP aptly entitled "The Basement."

Since then, hours and hours of hard work and artistic determination have been poured into finishing and releasing Pollock's first LP "Ghost." It was independently released electronically on 1 October 2009 and the official CD release date was 19 November 2009.

Terry Steffens
vocals, guitars, tambourines, xylophone, organ

As the unborn son of a singer, Terry was clearly moved by music as he would react joyfully in utero as his mother sang in church on Sunday mornings. As an elementary schooler, his grandfather passed along a guitar that his father had used to lead church worship services. He still writes most of his music while playing that guitar. Terry wasn't allowed to listen to the radio as a child and had never been in a band before, so therefore he likes to claim that he is "just making this up as [he] goes along."

Jesse Trask
guitar, vocals, piano, banjo 

Growing up in the suburbs of Northern Virginia, Jesse's first guitar was not his guitar, but rather a gift from his mother to his father that he decided he wanted to master when he saw someone performing an acoustic rendition of “Under the Bridge.” Jesse is currently in his last semester at George Mason University, and because he has such small feet is forced to buy women's socks.

David Gross
bass, Rhodes, toy piano, saxophone

Born on the mean streets of Danbury, CT, David got into music for the candy. Specifically for the candy of a music teacher that rewarded good students with sweet treats. He eventually attended George Mason University until he decided that school just wasn't his thing, and dropped out to play music. David rarely goes to bed before 4 AM and is on a first name basis with the late shift cashier at the local 7-11.

Mike Pingley
drums, percussion

As the only upstanding member of Pollock, Mike spends his days as a corporate goon and his nights as the time-keeper and producer for all of Pollock's creative output. He and Jesse have continually been in bands together since high school when, though neither yet knew how to to play their instruments, Jesse suggested that they form a band. Mike, though environmentally conscious (he drives a Prius), has no problem using as much electricity as necessary to get a perfectly pressed pair of pants.