Previous bands: Ravine, Ravine In The Flat Field, Ritual Device, Sperm Bank Junkies, Head Of Woman, House Of Commons, Hedge, Bleeders For Treats, Demon Attack, etc.
MOTP NEWS: Members Of The Press has released their long awaited full length record entitled "Modern Day Rome". Will Scharf (Keelhaul, Craw, Unsane, Meatjack) joined MOTP for the recording of the "Modern Day Rome" record. Members Of The Press still continues to perform with live drummer Nick Kuhl, from Lincoln, NE, as well as a drum machine on occasion.
Dual bass rock group Members Of The Press is a band that defies stereotype. Part hard rock, part punk rock, part experimental noise - Members Of The Press cannot be pigeonholed into any one genre. But dont be fooled by their many influences. Even with their independent roots and occasional industrial feel, Members Of The Press creates music that is both catchy and memorable.
Members Of The Press hails from Omaha, Nebraska. The brainchild of brothers Randy and Barry Cotton, Members Of The Press originally began while Randy was playing bass in the band Ravine. Randy (ex-Ritual Device, ex-Ravine) always wanted to explore the idea of using more dissonant chords to create secondary rhythms within music. Who better to help with the task than his own brother? Barry (ex-House Of Commons, ex-Head Of Woman) recently described their conundrum, "Members Of the Press formed originally as a side project back in 97. Randy and I talked about putting a band together, but how do we do that when we both play bass? Well, the answer was in the question. We both play bass."
After hooking up with their great friend and drummer Chris Siebken (currently with Filter Kings, and session drummer with Michael Lee Firkins), and kicking around a handful of growling and harmonic ideals, MOTP released their first E.P. in late 1998. Appropriately titled "A Pound of Round Wound", the recording project included six tracks of dark, intense dual bass exploration. It quickly became apparent that Members Of The Press had a unique energy, giving the band a singular identity of dual bass and drum attack. MOTP went on to release two singles, as well as various recordings on prominent Midwest compilations.
Randy cites his Midwest upbringing as responsible for Members Of The Presss unique style. "Growing up in Omaha, in the center of the United States, we were fortunate to be exposed to many different musical influences. It also gave our band projects an easy avenue for touring to both coasts of the U.S." Along the way, the Cotton brothers found major inspiration within the band rosters of Chicagos Touch & Go label, and Minneapolis Amphetamine Reptile records. Despite many American influences, Members Of The Press also gives great claim to inspiration from music overseas. Regarding such bands as Killing Joke, Bauhaus, the Birthday Party, PJ Harvey, the Cure, Portishead, and even Bjork.
Before abandoning their "more serious band projects" to focus solely on Members Of The Press, Randy and Barry's individual bands gigged, recorded, and toured consistently, sharing the stage with such acts as the Jesus Lizard, Prong, Stanford Prison Experiment, Acid Bath, Dwarves, the Offspring, Rancid, Lunachicks, Firewater, Zeni Geva, Don Caballero, Girl Against Boys, Unsane, Cutthroats 9, Cows, and Keelhaul to name a few.
Check this site often for show/tour/recording updates.
-Candy Gainsborough
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