ABSENCE OF CONCERN

The Jackson, MS rock/alternative five-some are currently recording their first full-length album with producer Skidd Mills (Saliva, Sister Hazel, 12 Stones Saving Abel) at 747 Studios in Memphis, TN. Mills became interested and signed the band to a production deal after following their regional success and strong underground following from the bands independent release, “Open Letters to A Closed Mind.” The album debuted the number 2 rock album in their hometown in Jackson, MS in the summer of 2006, right under Hinder's “Extreme Behavior”. Best Buy Corporation also chose the band as one of the top unsigned bands in the country in 2007.
The band formed in early 2004 after John Dray Lee, founder/guitarist, met drummer Adam Box at a battle of the bands final in Starkville, MS. Later that month Derek Blush, guitarist, formally of New York punk/goth act, Uranium 228, joined the band following his move back to Mississippi. Lead vocalist Michael Martin auditioned, and joined the band a few months later. With the lineup set, Blush, Martin, Lee, and Box started jamming in a small practice space in Pelahatchie, MS. “It’s been an amazing adventure filled with many ups and downs”, said Lee. “But we are all best friends. All of us come from total opposite ends of the spectrum as far as musical influences... from Seal to Bob Marley to Bon Jovi… but we all respect each other as song writers, and trust that whatever each of us brings to the table is worth trying to mold into a great song. Cedric Douglas, well known in the MS jazz/gospel/blues circuit, joined the band to play bass in the summer of 07, and brings quite a unique perspective to AOC's ever evolving sound.
Soon they were opening for such acts as Seether, Shindedown, Saving Abel Hurt, Crossfade, 12 Stones, and Evans Blue, to name a few. Regional rock radio also embraced their sound from Rock 93.9 in Jackson-MS, all the way to west TX with airplay at KEYJ also reacting, the local Best Buy couldn't keep copies of the bands CD on shelves due to listeners buying it out.
The band signed with New York's Break-thru Artist Management in 2005.
President Sandy Thomas says, “It's a challenging time in our industry, piracy, new technologies infringing on sales, but at the same time, consumers, music buyers at Film, TV, Madison Ave.., the demand is still out there for music, and I believe the physical need to buy a CD is also still a dynamic in the commercial marketplace, along with downloading retail platforms. It's about a CD of great songs, not just 1 or 2 singles, but a complete perspective. It takes time to build something compelling, but bands and artists can get to that place. It's about hard work, building a total perspective, and positioning to the right company. AOC has spent a lot of time, and effort at this, growing month to month. The band is now in with producer Skidd Mills, and from his words....”best tracks the band has ever had." We're looking forward to reaching the next level with this band."
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