Pray for the Soul of Betty
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Pray for the Soul of Betty | |
|---|---|
| Origin | New York City |
| Country | USA |
| Years active | 2003—present |
| Genres | Post-Grunge Hard Rock |
| Labels | Baby Julius Productions/Koch Records |
| Website(s) | prayforthesoulofbetty.com |
Pray For The Soul Of Betty is a hard rock band of New York City. The band currently consists of Michael Hamboussi (drums), João Joya (guitar) and Taylor, C.R. (bass). Until 2006, it also included lead vocalist Constantine Maroulis.
Betty is a symbol that may refer to the entire band as a whole, a single member of the band, a deceased loved one, someone who is physically attractive, someone with sex appeal, someone a person loves unconditionally, someone who has a mental illness, someone who is emotionally traumatized, someone with a life-threatening disease, an ex-significant other, or a fan of the band's music. Betty may also refer to porn actress Betty G. of GGG/666 fame.
Contents |
[edit] Biographies
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
[edit] History
Hamboussi and Joya worked as a drummer-guitarist duo in small bands before Hamboussi notified Taylor to form a group. Maroulis was added as the lead vocalist in 2003 after over 150 auditions. When creating songs, Taylor and Maroulis contribute the lyrics, while Hamboussi and Joya contribute the melodies. When asked about the origin of its name, band members answer that they named themselves after the death of their bassist's aunt, though Betty can refer to anyone who is in need of support.
The band toured heavily around the United States and a few other countries (including Japan), simultaneously with a 2003-2004 traveling production of the play Rent, in which Maroulis played Roger Davis.
The band rose to national attention when Maroulis auditioned for, and subsequently made it to the Final 6 of, the popular television show American Idol. His audition clip showed him "quitting" the band (a claim he denies), and also featured the displeasure of one of his fellow bandmates (the rest supported him). Maroulis became one of the last six contestants on the American Idol television show and was never ranked in the bottom three before his elimination. He was asked to leave ahead of the other rocker of the season, Bo Bice, to the chagrin of his many fans.However, since the American Idol run, the band has performed in larger more notable venues on the Sunset Strip.
In the spring of 2005, they inked a distribution deal with Koch Records, who released a re-engineered version of their eponymous debut on May 10, 2005. The tracks were recorded in 2003 and 2004.
In March of 2006, the band announced that Constantine Maroulis would officially be leaving Pray for the Soul of Betty to pursue solo projects.
[edit] Style and culture
Devoted fans of the band are called Bettys. Like the band members, listeners are very diverse and come from various countries around the globe. The band cites many artists and bands as influences: Audioslave, Velvet Revolver, Incubus, Rage Against the Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix and Neil Young. The band has also been compared to Black Sabbath and Nirvana.
[edit] Reviews and public reaction
The band has received mixed reviews throughout the early 21st century. The increased national attention after American Idol had transformed the band from non-notable garage band to public figures. One of the most common is comparing the distinction between Maroulis's soft style as seen on television with the edgier hardcore antics of the band as a whole in their live shows.
[edit] Discography
| Studio albums | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Pray For The Soul Of Betty (album) | Koch Records |
[edit] Quotes
- "A mix of visceral indie-rock songs and souped-up tunes with the feel of old-school Black Sabbath." —The Hartford Courant
- "The long solos are rather intoxicating, and there’s an old-fashioned professionalism to the endeavor." —New Haven Advocate
