For brothers Ryan & Hays Holladay, the craft of songwriting has always been closely linked with that of recording. From their earliest days of musical collaboration in elementary school, they employed computers and tape machines to not only document their songs but to begin sculpting their sound. A sound that could be called a distant relative to pop music. A sound that would later become the musical foundation for The Epochs (pronounced ee-poks).
The two continued to write and record together after moving to New York City. By 2000 they had amassed a sizable collection of recorded material, some of which was included on a self released CD titled 'Ten Billion Light Years of Solitude'.
In Spring 2004, The Epochs, having expanded to include bassist Kevin Smith and drummer Kotchy, began translating the recordings into songs that could be played live. After performing multiple residencies at such New York venues as the Knitting Factory and Nublu, the band decided to relocate to Seattle. For over a year, they called an abandoned 3-story building in downtown their home, out of which they developed their live show and adjusted to recording as a four-piece. Local radio station KEXP began playing the demos they slid under their door which helped The Epochs develop a following and attention from local press.
Since returning to Brooklyn in September of 2006, the band has finished producing their self-titled debut. It is a big, varried sounding record. Ranging from the bombastic electronics on 'Opposite Sides', to the seething orchestration and manipulated guitar of 'Mouths to Feed', to the playful ryhthms of 'Giving Tree', it never stops in one place musically long enough for it to be pigeonholed into a category. And it is this restlessness that gives the group its unique sound. However, a consistent thread can be found amongst the genre exploration. The shared vocals of Hays & Ryan, their lyrics and layered harmonies help give this sonically eclectic work its continuity. The record was mixed by Hays Holladay in the Spring of 2007 and is scheduled for release later this year.
www.theepochs.com
www.myspace.com/theepochs
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