Less than two years after the inception of this heavily Brit-influenced rock outfit, the boys of PASSENGER are witnessing the successes that only a few indie bands get to enjoy in such a short timespan. From the Sony Pictures selection of their music for Dawson's Creek to the chance to open and tour with major national touring acts such as The French Kicks and the Trashcan Sinatras, the ride from 2003 to present day is upwards for the foursome who are anticipating even more success.
Initially the brainchild of bassist/pianist Sanjay Jain and guitarist Gautam Chhada in 2003, the band was finally formed after vocalist Chris Linnane agreed to break away from his traditional mold as a solo artist to give the "band idea" a try. Shortly thereafter, drummer Jimmy Hiatt was recruited to complete the foursome, all of whom continue to be with the band today.
The rest, as they say, is history.
It's hard to categorize the brand of music that PASSENGER puts out. Sometimes soft and sometimes aggressive, the core of the band sits in the combined influences that initially brought them together. Yet, never will you find them sway away from the soaring and highly emotional vocal styles evident in every track this band will write. Among the influences PASSENGER cite are bands that range from Ride to the Stone Roses and Travis.
The release and support of Late Tonight (2003) less than three months after the formation of the band brought about the intitial fruits of a good, self-produced EP. The band not only landed soundtrack opportunities through aggressive licensing requests; these efforts culminated in the selection of PASSENGER music on the Virgin branded MP3 players released worldwide in mid-2004. Continued press through 2004 saw an envious touring schedule with venues such as Arlene's Grocery, the Paradise Rock Club in Boston, Mercury Lounge, Tiswas, and Piano's. The band was also featured on a radio showcase for KEXP, peforming live on-air from the Museum of Sound and Television in New York. With over 25 shows under their belts that year, the band headed back into the studio to record their sophomore EP Better Days, released in mid 2004.
The band continues to work harder than ever. This year will be a busy one for the foursome. With requests for performances nationwide, a nationwide show schedule is in the works. They are also not wasting any time building a bigger arsenal of music that will continue to elevate this band in the minds of music listeners everywhere.
