Music
Press
so... this week has provided me with all kinds of free time to listen to music and reconnect with old friends. anyway, one of my previous students (from my days of student teaching) sent me an email about his band and upcoming shows they are performing. you are all well aware of my passion for music, my desire to spread the word about up and coming bands, and my unflinching support for those that deserve recognition. with that said, i am more than happy to introduce you to the sounds of Underwater Bear! as i write this bulletin, i am simultaneously listening to their tracks and i have to say, they kick ass! i am finding it a bit difficult to pin down and label their sound (not that it is necessary to "label" things)... but i would like to at least take a stab and describing it for you and piquing your interest... and if i am completely off-base with my description... i welcome them to correct me and define it for themselves. the bands myspace page classifies them as rock/other/experimental... and although i see those things... there is so much more to it than that. there is this intermingling of melodic ambient sound that quickly travels into something progressive, raw and intense. the essence of punk permeates through, but is laced with something metal and/or old school rock as well. at times, in certain songs, the scremo punk sections wander into this place that breaks into tiny pieces of bluesy rock. as i write this, i am realizing just how complex and multi-faceted their music really is!
okay... if you don't want to take my word for it... listen to it yourself! - Karen Sexton
Discography
We have a single e.p. - Underwater Bear E.P.
It is a 5 song c.d. that is currently up on myspace at myspace.com/underwaterbear
Photos
Bio
In mid 2007...
Nick Scydick, decided it was time to move on and get serious. He wanted to write music with mathematical composition that included melodies beautiful enough to put you to bed, as well as ones crazy enough to tear your damn face off. He was a metal guitarist that wanted to write jazz and latin music. Though this was but a single word beneath a chorus of voices at that time, and it was not until the utter end of Addien till he chose to take action. He needed to find a guitar player that could understand the things he wanted to do, one who would throw aside 4/4 and 3/4 meter as common place, and really step outside of the box...
Around the same time...
Joe Hunot, a former bass player who decided the guitar was his forte, had made a very similar decision. The only differences including... He was a guitarist who desired to write dance music, with rock and ambient elements. He was a man dedicated to music, who wanted his life to revolve soley around this... He searched for people who could match his dedication, he needed members that could discard fascination in any other activity. Complete servitude to the composition of the most incredible things ever heard by man, this is what he wished for, this is what he got...
Nick Scydick and Joe Hunot, two talented guitar players with a strong musical understanding as well as a strong instrumental proficiency, eventually realized the potential of their fusion. The two musicians wrote day and night, they took every chance they could find to jam . This was their new life. Towards the end of August, they had finally completed their first song known as the Water Song. Along with a large amount of broken pieces of music that were to later become their compositions. It was time to complete this band, and get the show on the road...
Eric Welker, a man enthralled deeply by the beauty of song. Without a real understanding of how to do what he was hearing. Joe and Nick saw the passion in this man's, hair... and chose to take him in under their wing. They explained irregular meter to him, and taught him how to play some mean bass, and in a matter of a month and a half, he was one of the best bass players you could ever know. Though, thanks to the rapid cramming of this information, he was very likely to forget what he had just been taught, but he got better with that as time went along. The band was yet to be filled...
Still a three piece they began a search for a vocalist. The search was long and angering... no one matched the standards they were looking for, and of course they were difficult to meet. Finally Nick realized that the singer of his deceased band was always a dedicated member. They immeadietly called him up for an audition...
David Bersebach, did so well at the audition, that he was immeadietly taken in as a member. He could hit some crazy high notes, as well as the punch in the stomach lows. He had great pitch accuracy, and had no trouble staying in key! This was an extremely exciting time for the band. With David's flare for originality and creativity... it was not long until the bands name came about. With the mixing and matching of hundreds of suggestions, finally they felt they had something good. From that day on, Underwater Bear stuck...
Almost complete, Underwater Bear needed one last member, a drummer...
Mike Mancuso! A friend of a friend, whose skills and talent were well known by many. With technical skill, and the ability to still be original and creative. He had past experience from marching band and such, and very quickly adapted to the math portion of the band... Mike really made the band feel whole, as if no other person could have filled the spot as well as he.
The band was complete around the new year of 2008!
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