Of a Revolution

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O.A.R. (Of a Revolution)
An O.A.R. promotional photograph
An O.A.R. promotional photograph
Background information
Origin Rockville, Maryland, USA
Genre(s) Rock
Roots rock
Jam band
Years active 1996 – present
Label(s) Lava
Everfine
Website http://www.ofarevolution.com/
Members
Marc Roberge
Chris Culos
Richard On
Benj Gershman
Jerry DePizzo

O.A.R. is an American rock band consisting of Marc Roberge (lead vocals & guitar), Chris Culos (drums), Richard On (lead guitar), Benj Gershman (bass), and Jerry DePizzo (saxophone and guitar). Due to massive online distribution over campus networks, the band has become a college hit, with many songs relating to the bandmembers' personal lives at The Ohio State University.

Contents

[edit] Background

O.A.R. was founded in 1996, by Marc Roberge and Chris Culos, who then, while attending the summer session of Alexander Muss High School in Israel, recruited Richard On and Benj Gershman. The four of them graduated from Thomas Sprigg Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland, then moved to Columbus, Ohio to attend The Ohio State University. While at Ohio State, they met Jerry DePizzo, from Liberty, Ohio. Without any formal marketing or advertising plans, news of their songs such as That Was a Crazy Game of Poker, City on Down and Night Shift spread by word of mouth alone. The band played as many shows as they could despite the price, extending from the fraternities and sororities of Ohio State through any audiences that cared to take them on. This exposure paid off. Their third album Risen debuted at #11 on the Billboard top internet sales chart. The following year in 2002, their fourth album Any Time Now debuted at #156 on the Billboard Top 200 list. On October 5, 2006, a press release declared that O.A.R. had officially sold in excess of 1.2 million albums over their career.[1] The band attributes much of its popularity to the taping and subsequent trading and downloading of their live shows.

The band performs the theme song for the ABC show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. During a two-hour special that aired on December 11, 2005, they provided a streetside concert, including a live performance of "So Much" the Extreme Makeover Home Edition theme, in front of the newly redesigned Los Angeles Free Clinic.

On January 14, 2006 OAR reached a new peak of popularity by drawing roughly 25,000 fans and selling out New York City's famed Madison Square Garden, which earned them a review in the NY Times. O.A.R. continues to grow in popularity. Their music videos "Love and Memories" and "Lay Down" have been featured on VH1 and MTV respectively, and they played three nights at the Gorge with the Dave Matthews Band. After having "Love And Memories" as their first "real" radio hit, "Heard The World" was named in September 2006 as their second single off "Stories Of A Stranger". "Heard The World" has been top 10 on many Maryland/D.C. radio stations as "Love And Memories" still gets consistent air play.

O.A.R. performed at the 2006 MLB All Star Game in Pittsburgh during All Star Sunday, singing one of their top hits, Love and Memories. They also performed at a rally to benefit Darfur in Central Park on September 17, 2006.

O.A.R. in 2006 also received their first "official" award. O.A.R. (Of A Revolution) received a "Woodie" from MTV. Their video "Lay Down" won the Woodie for streaming video. O.A.R.'s acceptance speech can be seen on the MTV website.

After many rumors and much speculation, O.A.R. made a return trip to the famed Madison Square Garden (MSG) on Saturday January 27, 2007, being supported by Gomez and Matt Nathanson. This show closed out their 2007 Winter tour which started in Ohio only a few weeks earlier. The concert is viewable at MSN for free. (Video of concert)

In a message to their fans, Jerry DePizzo, the band's saxophone player, announced that they are currently working on a new record and should be ready early 2008 and they are really excited about it. Marc Roberge also stated on 27 December 2006 that they have over 20 new songs written and in the works.

It has been announced that the January 27th concert at Madison Square Garden will be released as a DVD/Double Live CD. The expected release date is May 22 2007

[edit] Members

[edit] Discography

[edit] Studio albums

Year Title Chart Positions Label
US
200		 Top
Independent
1997 The Wanderer - - Oarfin
1999 Souls Aflame - - Oarfin
2001 Risen - 44 Everfine
2003 In Between Now and Then 54 - Lava
2005 Stories of a Stranger 40 - Lava

[edit] Live albums

Year Title Chart Positions RIAA
Certification		 Label
US
200		 Top
Independent		 Heatseekers
2002 Any Time Now 156 11 4 Gold (2006) Everfine
2004 34th & 8th 80 6 - - Everfine
2007 O.A.R. Live @ MSG - - - - -

# - December 2003 promotion
$ - livebonnaroo.com "digital download"

[edit] Featured

[Compilation Name (Year, Song Title)]

  • Bonnaroo 2003 (2003, "Risen")
  • Rock For Relief (2006, "James")
  • MLB 06: The Show (2006, "Of A Revolution")
  • Mixclusives: Volume 6 (2006, "Love & Memories")
  • The Target Red Room VOLUME:5 (2006, "One Shot (Live)")

[edit] Singles

Year Title Chart Positions Album
Pop
100		 Modern
Rock		 Adult
Top 40		 Adult
Tracks		 Adult
Recurrents
2003 "Hey Girl" - - 26 - - In Between Now & Then
2005 "Love and Memories" 98 30 18 17 2 Stories of a Stranger
2006 "Heard The World" - - - - - Stories of a Stranger
2006 "Lay Down" - - - - - Stories of a Stranger

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Press Release (2006). "O.A.R. Makes History With Over 1 Million Sold" marketwire.com (accessed October 6, 2006)

[edit] External links

[edit] Official

[edit] Other

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