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| Bio of the Artist |
I have been privileged enough to know the guys in Half-Dead Hamster for some time, and it is very exciting to see how much they have truly grown as musicians over the recent years. Their origins trace back to late 2002 when Josh Bult (bass & vocals), Jered Piepenbrink (drums & vocals), & Brett Pascal (vocals) joined together out of a mutual love for music. A few weeks later Al Hoffman (guitar) tried out for the band, becoming an integral part that completed the lineup for Half-Dead Hamster. I was impressed by their first show at 10K Auto Sales in Manteno. What I enjoyed most, and still do, was their diversity of covers ranging from The Turtles' “Happy Together” to Rancid's “Maxwell Murder”. The crowd could tell that they were not afraid to try different styles, and nothing has changed now that they have forged their signature sound.
In spring of ‘03 Brett left the band, and his position was filled-in by Bill Vlahos. He was a very suitable replacement with great stage presence. When Bill left the band Al took over the role of vocalist. Even though they were left with just three members, each individual talent shines strong. Al is a great guitar player - “A Fire is Burning” demonstrates his talent for creating catchy riffs and memorable solos. When I delivered pizza with him and there was no work to be done, he would always sit out in his car and play his acoustic. Even in a parking lot he put on a great show, simply because he was playing for himself. He loses none of this passion on stage.
I have and will always enjoy watching Jered play the drums. In high school I would jam out with him in his parents’ basement. What I remember most was his skill and ambition (and how loud he sounded in that small room). Back before he was in a band he was thinking about whom he would thank in his album credits. He is a gifted drummer and has advanced his technique over the years. Josh always pushed him to play Led Zeppelin’s “Moby Dick,” until one day Jered learned the song to simply prove he could do it. Everyone works very well together because they push their talents to the limit, never settling for less.
Out of everyone in the band, I have known Josh the longest. He’s the first person I go to whenever I have any obscure question involving music – he’s done his homework. The first time I visited him in middle school I was amazed that he managed to fill a fifty disc CD player with his own albums. I though he had a lot of music then - now he easily owns hundreds of albums, tons of music paraphernalia, and more music equipment than anyone else I know. From the long car trips to school and the many hours of delivering pizza together, we’ve had countless discussions on music. I’ll never forget the time, this being another parking lot performance, when he played Maxwell Murder on his unplugged electric bass. Every minute of practice and dedication is revealed whenever he picks up an instrument.
Together these three fine people form Half Dead Hamster. Over the summer of '05 they rented out Jered’s grandmother’s house and recorded their first album. I visited near the end of their recording sessions and received a firsthand glimpse at many of their songs. I was blown away by the quality of their work, as well as the organization put forth. Josh informed me that “all production, mixing, mastering, engineering, tech work, management, and arranging was done without assistance. I’m very proud of us for this.”
Of all the local concerts I’ve attended, Half-Dead Hamster has always been my favorite. Their originals, choice and execution of covers, presence; everything they do on stage emanates a great vibe. They play music out of adoration for the art form and fans, and you can feel it in every note. The future looks bright for HDH, especially considering Jered’s positive attitude; “The three of us will take advantage of every opportunity that is presented to us. At worst, we will just be three guys doing what we love to do on the side of work.”
Long Time Friend and Fan, Rob Geiger
September 24, 2005 |
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