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Toby the Fugitive, young artist band from Clarksville, TN signs a record deal with Chamberlain Records. They will also depart on 4 January 2008 on a nine month U.S./Canadian Tour
For_Immediate_Release:
United States of America (Press Release) November 20, 2007 -- It is no wonder that this young band from Clarksville, TN was snatched up by a musc industry leading record label, Chamberlain Records (Los Angeles, CA; Delray Beach, Florida and West Babylon,NY). It is also understandable that they offered them an extensive touring and recording package that will keep them in the studio and on the road for the next three years and then some!
Ranging in age from 17 to 21, Toby The Fugitive has been a band since they were musical adolescents in middle school. Five friends who found salvation in creative/art driven rock decided that music was the way out of their one horse town of Clarksville, TN where they grew up listening to bands such as Sonic Youth, Refused, Cursive and Minor Threat.
Although the music they compose is definitely unique, their sound is not unlike many other alternative rock bands of this decade. The thing that sets Toby The Fugitive apart is that they aren't afraid to let some distinct melodies slip into their brand of harsh rock. This band is beautifully dissonant and atonal in the range of The Mars Volta, Fugazi, Drive Like Jehu, At The Drive In, Unwound, Glassjaw and Thrice. When they're banging away at full volume, they are formidable and abrasive. But just when you think the band is just another loud blur of screams and chaos, the vocalist jumps in with some nice clean melodies. According to Tomas Costanza, A&R at Chamberlain, "It's kind of like a mixture of post-punk, indie rock and pop, with some obtuse instrumental sections thrown in for good measure."
Toby The Fugitive's early tours earned them a strong word-of-mouth reputation, both for their powerful performances, and for their eagerness to play in unusual venues. They sought out alternatives to traditional rock clubs partly to relieve the boredom of touring, but also hoping to show fans that there are other options to traditional ways of doing things. As Rick Franklin said, "You find the Knights of Columbus Halls, you find the guy who's got a space in the basement of his house and you find the guy who has an open garage or field in the wilderness. Kids will do that stuff because they want to be closer to the music."
The band's early music was most clearly rooted in math rock, but even their early output was marked by unorthodox rhythmic and structural elements, often steeped in irregular stop-start structures, punctuated by cliff-hanging pauses. Generally, Casey Carstsens lyrics and singing are more direct and anthemic while Rick Franklin usually favors a more abstract, oblique approach. Matt Whittenberg has contributed vocals to a few songs as well. Rick Franklin commands a distinct personality of the band as the young kid from Clarksville, TN. He has always impressed everyone with his guitar mastery... even as early as 10 years old. He actually is a "New Age" rendition of the late Rick James with his given name to go along with his natural born makings of a guitar legend... Richard James Franklin, the First. Known to everyone simply as "Rick James." (Yes he has a shirt that says, "I'm Rick James, B&*#@."
Except with Rick it is no joke... and niether is his music! He is in fact the real deal!) Rick lives up to his name and he is quite the character on and off the stage. With the history of being a childhood actor and now the guitar ripping self-created "LSD" trip in perpetual yet random motion "freak," he delivers musically in every dimension. Lloyd Nicely has enjoyed a long reputation of being the hottest most creative lead guitarist to break into the Nashville Underground Music scene with his dominating style of progressive rock. And, the musical equation becomes more complex with the entry of Jon Martin's bass rythyms. Jon could easily carry the role as a lead guitarist with his bass guitar. And then there is Matt Whittenburg, the wildest and most talented drummer to provide the most dangerous part of any chemical (musical) experiment... the fire, the controversy, the unexpected and worst of all, the unpredictable. He drums in every instance like he has sold his soul to the devil and each time he plays is that one occassion which he could "play the devil down" to regain his lost soul. He is simply put, amazing to watch. When Lloyd, Jon, Matt and Rick are playing together no matter the forum, there is the birth of some kind of experience that can only be defined as organized, choreographed "Chaos." The result is like an explosion or eletricution similar to what one would expect from a very young child "Wierd Scientist" in his make-shift labrotory in his parents basement. It is a trip into musical oblivion leaving them and everyone completely physically, mentally, and spiritually exhausted... no one escap - Doc Hollywood
Toby the Fugitive, young artist band from Clarksville, TN signs a record deal with Chamberlain Records. They will also depart on 4 January 2008 on a nine month U.S./Canadian Tour
For_Immediate_Release:
United States of America (Press Release) November 20, 2007 -- It is no wonder that this young band from Clarksville, TN was snatched up by a musc industry leading record label, Chamberlain Records (Los Angeles, CA; Delray Beach, Florida and West Babylon,NY). It is also understandable that they offered them an extensive touring and recording package that will keep them in the studio and on the road for the next three years and then some!
Ranging in age from 17 to 21, Toby The Fugitive has been a band since they were musical adolescents in middle school. Five friends who found salvation in creative/art driven rock decided that music was the way out of their one horse town of Clarksville, TN where they grew up listening to bands such as Sonic Youth, Refused, Cursive and Minor Threat.
Although the music they compose is definitely unique, their sound is not unlike many other alternative rock bands of this decade. The thing that sets Toby The Fugitive apart is that they aren't afraid to let some distinct melodies slip into their brand of harsh rock. This band is beautifully dissonant and atonal in the range of The Mars Volta, Fugazi, Drive Like Jehu, At The Drive In, Unwound, Glassjaw and Thrice. When they're banging away at full volume, they are formidable and abrasive. But just when you think the band is just another loud blur of screams and chaos, the vocalist jumps in with some nice clean melodies. According to Tomas Costanza, A&R at Chamberlain, "It's kind of like a mixture of post-punk, indie rock and pop, with some obtuse instrumental sections thrown in for good measure."
Toby The Fugitive's early tours earned them a strong word-of-mouth reputation, both for their powerful performances, and for their eagerness to play in unusual venues. They sought out alternatives to traditional rock clubs partly to relieve the boredom of touring, but also hoping to show fans that there are other options to traditional ways of doing things. As Rick Franklin said, "You find the Knights of Columbus Halls, you find the guy who's got a space in the basement of his house and you find the guy who has an open garage or field in the wilderness. Kids will do that stuff because they want to be closer to the music."
The band's early music was most clearly rooted in math rock, but even their early output was marked by unorthodox rhythmic and structural elements, often steeped in irregular stop-start structures, punctuated by cliff-hanging pauses. Generally, Casey Carstsens lyrics and singing are more direct and anthemic while Rick Franklin usually favors a more abstract, oblique approach. Matt Whittenberg has contributed vocals to a few songs as well. Rick Franklin commands a distinct personality of the band as the young kid from Clarksville, TN. He has always impressed everyone with his guitar mastery... even as early as 10 years old. He actually is a "New Age" rendition of the late Rick James with his given name to go along with his natural born makings of a guitar legend... Richard James Franklin, the First. Known to everyone simply as "Rick James." (Yes he has a shirt that says, "I'm Rick James, B&*#@."
Except with Rick it is no joke... and niether is his music! He is in fact the real deal!) Rick lives up to his name and he is quite the character on and off the stage. With the history of being a childhood actor and now the guitar ripping self-created "LSD" trip in perpetual yet random motion "freak," he delivers musically in every dimension. Lloyd Nicely has enjoyed a long reputation of being the hottest most creative lead guitarist to break into the Nashville Underground Music scene with his dominating style of progressive rock. And, the musical equation becomes more complex with the entry of Jon Martin's bass rythyms. Jon could easily carry the role as a lead guitarist with his bass guitar. And then there is Matt Whittenburg, the wildest and most talented drummer to provide the most dangerous part of any chemical (musical) experiment... the fire, the controversy, the unexpected and worst of all, the unpredictable. He drums in every instance like he has sold his soul to the devil and each time he plays is that one occassion which he could "play the devil down" to regain his lost soul. He is simply put, amazing to watch. When Lloyd, Jon, Matt and Rick are playing together no matter the forum, there is the birth of some kind of experience that can only be defined as organized, choreographed "Chaos." The result is like an explosion or eletricution similar to what one would expect from a very young child "Wierd Scientist" in his make-shift labrotory in his parents basement. It is a trip into musical oblivion leaving them and everyone completely physically, mentally, and spiritually exhausted... no one escap - Doc Hollywood
Discography
1st CD "Mental Image" (03/28/2002)
2nd CD "Paradise" (09/24/2002)
3rd CD "Us vs All the Others (04/03/2003)
4th CD "UVATO" (09/15/2003)
5th CD "Mixed Signals" (08/14/2004)
6th CD "Mistaken Identity" (06/23/2005)
7th CD "The Velvet Arsonist" (01/08/2008) EP on Chamberlain Records
8th CD "Proxima Distort" (Due out in Apr 2008) on Chamberlain Records
Regional hits and crowd favorites are Lab Rat, Vampire Kiss, Repititious, O2, Mixed Signals, Lane Proxima, Don't Let Me Down, Octopus, and and Crows Nest.
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Bio
About Toby the Fugitive
Ranging in age from 17 to 21, Toby The Fugitive has been a band since they were musical adolescents in middle school. Four friends who found salvation in creative/art driven rock decided that music was the way out of their one horse town of Clarksville, TN where they grew up listening to bands such as Sonic Youth, Refused, Cursive and Minor Threat.
Although the music they compose is definitely unique, their sound is not unlike many other alternative rock bands of this decade. The thing that sets Toby The Fugitive apart is that they aren't afraid to let some distinct melodies slip into their brand of harsh rock. This band is beautifully dissonant and atonal in the range of The Mars Volta, Fugazi, Drive Like Jehu, At The Drive In, Unwound, Glassjaw and Thrice. When they're banging away at full volume, they are formidable and abrasive. But just when you think the band is just another loud blur of screams and chaos, the vocalist jumps in with some nice clean melodies. "It's kind of like a mixture of post-punk, indie rock and pop, with some obtuse instrumental sections thrown in for good measure."
Toby The Fugitive's early tours earned them a strong word-of-mouth reputation, both for their powerful performances, and for their eagerness to play in unusual venues. They sought out alternatives to traditional rock clubs partly to relieve the boredom of touring, but also hoping to show fans that there are other options to traditional ways of doing things. As Rick Franklin said, "You find the Knights of Columbus Halls, you find the guy who's got a space in the basement of his house and you find the guy who has an open garage. Kids will do that stuff because they want to be closer to the music."
The band's early music was most clearly rooted in math rock, but even their early output was marked by unorthodox rhythmic and structural elements, often steeped in irregular stop-start structures, punctuated by cliff-hanging pauses. Generally, Casey Carstsens lyrics and singing are more direct and anthemic while Rick Franklin usually favors a more abstract, oblique approach. Matt Whittenberg has contributed vocals to a few songs as well. Lyrics and vocals often feature strong emotional intensity. This style has led many critics to call their music post-hardcore, as it is seen as both a progression of and a reaction to the hardcore/indie movement.
For the upcoming CD due out on January 8th, Toby The Fugitive fully integrated elements of punk rock, hardcore, soul and noise with an inventively syncopated rhythm section. Notable is Franklins inventive, interlocking guitar playing, which often defies the traditional notion of "lead" and "rhythm" guitars. They often feature unusual and dissonant chords and progressions filtered through a sometimes emotional hardcore lens. Their guitar work has sometimes earned comparisons to Unwound, Glassjaw, Chavez, and Fugazi. At last, a band that's not afraid to make music they actually love and embrace.
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