dredg - comprised of dino c. (drums), mark e. (guitar), gavin h. (voice) and drew r. (bass) - vividly paints a cultural picture within the music they create. Their musical abilities, desires, and many influences allow them to cover all ends of the musical spectrum; everything from rock to jazz to ambient drum and bass. it is only fitting that the band members grew up in the bay area, where computers and the sun have their capital while providing a birthplace for the dredg sound and its many dimensions.
dredg has covered a lot of territory since their conception. the band began playing clubs while they were still in high school. they have made a new album each year since 1996 while gaining valuable analog recording experience. playing in the state of California over the years, they have created an extensive fanbase. in addition, dredg was voted one of the top five 'most requested band of the year' with deftones, korn, powerman 5000, and rage against the machine in 1997 by boston's w.e.r.s. radio. they were a featured band on ksjo's lamont and tonelli program, have attracted three clothing sponsors and were voted 'local rock band' of the year by their hometown newspaper. the latest release, leitmotif, was voted 'most impressive release of 1999' by the pimp rock palace music web site (http://theprp.com) who also granted dredg 'band of the month' for february 2000.
"our first two recordings were written to be rhythmically aggressive" dino says. "we did the third one, orph e.p., because we wanted to grow up the right way, from our roots with harmony and melody." and now, with the release of leitmotif, the band offers a tasteful view of the musical forces that make them so unique in a 45-minute recording of continuous music. The band members openly admit that their home in the bay area has become an important factor in the dredg identity. "we have every culture in the world surrounding us everyday plus the technology revolution," says vocalist gavin, an extensive european traveler.
with their new album Leitmotif, dredg seems to bring their eclectic mix of rock and world music to a new level. dredg blends cello, piano, xylophone, and various percussion instruments from around the planet with driving rhythms. Soothing melodies follow the story line concept of the album with songs like "symbol song," "traversing through the artic cold we search for the spirit of yuta" with guest vocalist shannon harris from spike 1000, "penguins in the desert," and "movement II: crosswind minuet."
dredg has taken a precise musical path and maintained a positive outlook. "we are not an angry band," says mark. "our shows are emotionally intense, but it's a benign intensity." the attitude has been a positive force for everyone since growing up in their hometown of los gatos, california. attending different colleges and being seperated for weeks at a time is not a barrier for their musical collaborations. "there was never a question that our band would ever seperate due to geographics," says drew. "this is what we love to do and there is no reason we would ever stop making music together. however, we also believe in the importance of our education."
with this attitude in mind, dredg intends to tour relentlessly, opening more doors for their musical ideas. as they continue to fulfill their goals, momentum continues while passion grows deeper, and their interpretation of the future seems to have no boundaries.
- shoutweb.
