The Purple Church

The American Great Plains are a source of mystery to many. Tucked away from the densely populated coastal corridors, and, often, far from similar neighboring communities, the cities of the plains have constructed their own unique and individual cultures out of necessity. The solitude and disconnect of their environs lends to a long history of strange customs and beliefs, the proper breeding ground for occult practices. One may expect the 'heartland,' a place like Oklahoma City, to be overran with traditional churches, which it is, but the seedy, arcane underbelly is often underlooked. This is precisely where The Purple Church derives its influence and power.

Conceived in late 2009 by singer/guitarist Robby Harris and drummer Lucas Dunn, The Purple Church was intended as an outlet for brooding artistic sensibilities. Enlisting brothers Austin Tackett on bass and guitarist/sonic architect Aaron Tackett was the crucial maneuver for forming a sound that all the members have been vying for over their collective creative careers, but not able to actualize until now. The quartet quickly went to work writing and recording a slew of songs to be self-released as the 'Hayseed' cassette single, and the 'Woodsporn' ep (produced by Chris Harris at Hook Echo Sound).

The group also garnered attention as a dynamic live act, and an Oklahoma college radio staple. The Purple Church easily commands the attention of any room they play in, with controlled bursts of guitar noise, quiet and hallucinatory segments, and a tight rhythm section. Their influences seem at once obvious and obscured, invoking the icey psychedelia of early Pink Floyd, My Bloody Valentine's maximalist texturing, and the Midwest American terror-scape of Big Black and Die Kreuzen.

The Purple Church have recently released a new three song ep recorded with Dusty Nelson. They continue to haunt their private space in central Oklahoma City where they write challenging new songs, modify guitar fx pedals, and study the occult.