Amphoteric (band)
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Amphoteric is a progressive rock band from Monterey, California. The band is comprised of vocalist/guitarist Hart Hancock, bassist Bryan Blair, and drummer Craig Brown.
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[edit] History
[edit] 1996-1999
Amphoteric was formed in 1996 by singer/guitarist Tim Thompson and guitarist Andrew Nielsen. Soon joining them were bassist Nick West and drummer Dan Ellis. Within a few months, the band was signed to Noseman Records in the US.
In February of 1998, the band began work on their first album, Desolation. Future Amphoteric singer Hart Hancock was an engineer during the sessions. The album was released in America on September 15, 1998. The album was not a commercial hit.
Following the Desolation tour, bassist Nick West departed the band. Guitarist Andrew Nielsen switched to bass guitar, and the band became a trio. During this time, Amphoteric began work on their next album, When Time Folds and Dimensions Meet. This would mark the beginning of the band's experimentation with progressive rock. The album was released on April 12, 1999, and featured many songs co-written by engineer Hancock. Songs on the album averaged over 8 minutes. In contrast to their previous album, Desolation, the album was well received. This album was the last on the Noseman Records label.
[edit] 2000-2003
Drummer Dan Ellis departed Amphoteric in 2000, and was replaced by former Blue Tones drummer [Craig Brown]. Hart Hancock, former engineer and collaborator, was also made a full band member, handling guitar and backing vocals.
Early 2001 saw Amphoteric back in the studio recording their third album, pH7. The title is reflective of the neutral state of water and the nature of amphoteric substances in chemistry.
pH7 featured mostly the compositions of Nielsen and Thompson, and was released on June 26, 2001. The album concentrated more on hard-rock that progressive music, although hints of it remained. The band did not tour in support of the record. After its release, Nielsen announced he was leaving Amphoteric to concentrate on his other project, MC Lars.
Singer Tim Thompson switched to bass, and work began on their next album. Prior to the conclusion of recording the album, Thompson announced he would be leaving the band. Guitarist Hancock became the lead singer.
Rivers of Understanding was released on December 31, 2002. The album saw a permanent move back to progressive rock. The band was embroiled in controversy regarding two of the album's songs. 'Anti-American' and 'Just Another,' both dealt with gun violence and child abuse.
[edit] 2003-present
Bassist Bryan Blair joined Amphoteric in February 2003 and the band embarked on tour in support of Rivers of Understanding.
The end of 2003 saw the band recording their next studio effort, The Origin of Consciousness. The band began to experiment with atmospheric elements and female vocals. Released on June 15, 2004, The Origin of Consciousness became the band's most successful album.
In early 2005, Amphoteric released their first live album, a double disc set entitled, The Last Broadcast. The album features a two hour performance from their 2004-2005 world tour. It was recorded in Monterey, California and released on February 1, 2005.
[edit] Live performances
The band toured as an opening act during their Desolation tour, and later co-headlined in support of the When Time Folds and Dimensions Meet album.
With the release of Rivers of Understanding, the band's tours have predominantly been so-called, 'Evening with...' tours, in which the band plays at least three hours with an intermission and no opening act. The show that was recorded for The Last Broadcast was nearly four hours in length. More recently, on July 23, 2005, the band played their longest concert ever, clocking in at more than four hours, fifteen minutes.
For most of the band's existence, Amphoteric has toured as a three piece band. With the release of The Origin of Consciousness and subsequent tour, the band has added a keyboardist as a fourth touring member.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Studio releases
- Desolation (1998)
- When Time Folds and Dimensions Meet (1999)
- pH7 (2001)
- Rivers of Understanding (2002)
- The Origin of Consciousness (2004)
- Insignificance (2006) (In progress)
[edit] Live releases
- The Last Broadcast [2CD] (2005)
[edit] Singles
- "Silhouette" (1998)
- "Brother" (2001)
- "Carmel" (2001)
- "Green Machine" (2002)
- "Train" (2003)
- "Breaking the Silence" (2004)
[edit] Band members
[edit] Current members
- Hart Hancock - Vocals, guitar, keyboards (2000-present)
- Bryan Blair - Bass (2003-present)
- Craig Brown - Drums (2000-present)
[edit] Former members
- Tim Thompson – Vocals, guitar, bass (1996-2002)
- Andrew Nielsen – Guitar, bass, vocals (1996-2001)
- Nick West – Bass (1996-1999)
- Dan Ellis – Drums (1996-2000)
