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Los
Angeles, California’s THE HANKS are living proof that raw talent,
ambition and honesty can still prevail in an ailing music industry.
What else would explain a blossoming career that has found over 600
shows on six national and nine regional tours, more than 10,000
copies sold of a debut album with no major distribution, and enough
of a national fan base to directly finance a sophomore album?
By aligning their unwavering dedication to the do-it-yourself work
ethic with a signature sound, singer/guitarist Josh Grondin, bassist
Bryan Harris, drummer Shane Mayo, and keyboardist/horn player Philip
Katz have helped to define the landscape of today’s indie-rock music
scene. The backbone of their work? Stylistically eclectic
songs—suggesting a range of influences from Paul Simon to Jimmy Eat
World—that hook audiences with intimate mood, grooving meter, and
soaring melody.
Founded by Grondin and Harris in 1999, The Hanks (named from an
off-the-cuff Tom Hanks reference) began while the pair attended a
rural Oregon boarding school. Northern California native Harris and
the East Coast-raised Grondin combined to begin the project in their
dorm rooms, eventually recording the early songs for their first EP,
Opener. The released prompted the fledgling group to take every gig
they could, playing everything from a regional marathon to a
Valentine’s dance.
Grondin and Harris continued to develop their style and sound,
following-up the first EP with a proper recording that eventually
became the band’s second release, Moving On. This second EP saw the
band continue to expand their reach throughout the region, while
performing with a revolving door of musicians and band members.
In the fall of 2000, Harris and Grondin decided to head south to
California where they would attend classes at a Los Angeles music
school. Once in LA, the pair joined forces with Shane Mayo and
Philip Katz, completing the band’s line-up and re-energizing their
musical mission.
The addition of Mayo and Katz also introduced a number of dynamic
elements to THE HANKS’ mix---a new sense of tight-locking grooves
with rhythmic pulse, along with layers of keyboard flourish and
filling harmonies. To top it all off, Katz subtly highlighted the
sonic base with tastefully placed keys and horns, taking the band’s
eccentric blend to new heights.
With a finely tuned line-up and a refined set of songs, THE HANKS
began tracking their debut full-length in 2003 with producers John
Edney and Geoff Turney. The eleven tracks became Your New
Attraction, which saw its release in March of 2005 and delivered the
foursome’s melody-driven indie-rock flavor with dynamic and honest
lyrical content.
The album set the band into full-time action, working countless
hours on grassroots promotion, self-booking regional then national
tours, and introducing listeners of all kinds to their new sound. In
every new city, the guys hit local record shops and malls to meet
potential fans before each night’s gig, selling CDs out of their
backpacks. Their dedication and hard work found them zig-zagging
through the nation, while a fanbase assembled from coast to coast.
“I think the personal interaction really helped [Your New
Attraction] spread, and will be great for this next record as well,”
says Shane Mayo. “I think that was our biggest success. We make a
friend every time we meet someone and the percentage of people
actually checking you out or buying your record is way more than if
you just gave them a flier. I get the biggest sense of
accomplishment when we come back to a place and the same fans have
come back and they introduce us to the friends they brought to the
show,” he continues.
THE HANKS’ captivating songs also propelled the band onto the
national stage, landing them a coveted spot on 2004’s Voodoo Music
Experience alongside headliners The Killers, Green Day, and the
Pixies. As the band continued to tour, they also picked up
performances at CMJ, South By Southwest, and the Van’s Warped Tour
along the way. Their songs have also been tapped for placements in
multiple MTV shows including Laguna Beach, The Hills, and Parental
Control. Upon the band’s return to LA, they found their headlining
shows selling-out.
With a set of dedicated faithfuls in tow, THE HANKS began work on
their sophomore full-length, Distance with producer Lior Goldenberg
(Sheryl Crow, Rancid, Juliana Hatfield). By letting the demand
create the supply---fans have been pre-ordering the album via
Myspace.com to fund the final production of the album---the band
promises to again deliver their signature craft with a sophisticated
polish.
“I’m excited that we’ve had these songs for awhile and we finally
get to put them down on a record,” says Philip Katz. “I think
there’s definitely a higher level of musicianship and maturity with
more focused musical ideas. I think people will react well to the
songs. And we have a bigger fan base now to spread the word.”
Distance not only displays the band’s musical growth, but more
deeply explores Grondin’s lyrical intimacy atop a range of dynamics.
With subtle brooding and personal reflection, the songs’ melodies
float atop a compelling build of harmonies and rhythms to create
sonic peaks and valleys throughout as the songs build from start to
finish.
On March 6, THE HANKS musical finesse and undying work ethic will
meet when Distance sees its official release. Kicking-off with a
three-month support tour beginning in Los Angeles, the band will set
back out through the nation, delivering their promise and continuing
their mission, which finds them now poised to slam the forefront of
music scenes everywhere. |
Coming soon! |
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