Glass Piñata
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Glass Piñata | |
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Origin | Studio City, California, U.S.A. |
Genre(s) | Hard rock |
Years active | 2003 - Present |
Label(s) | Unsigned |
Associated acts | Coal Chamber Level Lud-Low Earshot |
Website | http://www.myspace.com/glasspinata1 |
Members | |
Theodore Dorward Meegs Rascon Matt Vanderlip Scott Kohler Ivan Dominguez Nicco Villalobos |
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Notable instrument(s) | |
Guitar |
Glass Piñata are a Hard rock Music Band.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
To most people, the idea of starting something over from scratch might seem like a daunting task. But when that something is a rock band – a successful one with a gold record and a loyal following – the idea of starting over from scratch might seem downright unthinkable. To former Coal Chamber guitarist Miguel “Meegs” Rascon, starting over from scratch was not an option – it had to be done. After the band’s Dark Days tour in 2003, Rascon, who co-founded Coal Chamber, knew that the time had come to start over. Towards the end of Coal Chamber it was such a struggle to get along with everyone. Says Rascon, who vowed not to relive that experience with his next musical venture. “I knew that I still had a lot of music left in me. But this time around I wanted to make music with friends, people who are not only great musicians, but people who I trust and respect.” Enter guitarist Matt Vanderlip, who Rascon met while on Coal Chamber’s final tour. “Matt was not only a great guitarist, but a great person. He was someone that I knew right away that I wanted to work with. His guitar style perfectly suited what I wanted to do.” With Vanderlip in the fold, Rascon began writing and recording songs at his home studio in North Hollywood, California. “We wanted to create a sound that no one else had,” says Rascon. “I also wanted it to be sonically bigger and more melodic than what I’d previously done.” The deviation from traditional metal led to Rascon experimenting with drop tunings even darker than those he used with Coal Chamber. “As much as I wanted to make something epic, it was really important to me that the songs were completely organic so that the melodies came naturally.” While writing and recording, Rascon and Vanderlip searched incessantly for like-minded individuals to complete the band. After shuffling though several lineups, and playing with “what seemed like hundreds of musicians,” Rascon and Vanderlip eventually decided on drummer Nicco Villalobos. With a drummer in the equation, the band conducted a nationwide search for a vocalist – a search that yielded a demo from Atlanta-based singer Ted Dorward. “Once we heard him sing, we knew he was the guy we wanted,” Rascon explained. “We gave him a track without any vocals and what he recorded over it was incredible. It was 180 degrees from what everyone else did. We loved it.” Dorward was offered the position and within a week, he packed his bags for North Hollywood. The addition of bassist Ivan Dominguez was the final cog, and with that, the band Glass Piñata was finally complete. The band’s moniker draws its roots from Rascon’s personal experience as a musician. “The name Glass Piñata represents the fragility of the music industry,” explained Rascon. “Musicians can be delicate and sensitive, and sometimes easily broken...not unlike glass. When they’re thrown into a fickle industry that doesn’t mind beating every ounce of creative energy out of them in order to survive, it’s apparent who the piñata is.” The final product of Glass Piñata is a sound that’s sure to please die-hard Coal Chamber fans as well as traditional rock fans and listeners new to the genre. Songs such as “Converge” and “Synchronize Within” illustrate the band’s penchant for combining vengeful guitar riffs with Dorward’s prodigious yet introspective vocals. The opening bassline of “Centerfold Life” quickly materializes into a harrowing dervish of Dorward’s vocal power alternating with Rascon’s ghoulish screams. And despite all the drop-tuned aggression, it’s Glass Piñata’s ability to methodically construct a thunderous sound alongside a haunting melody that carries their attack. Vanderlip’s arresting arpeggios on “Plastic Figurines” resonate over a captivating chorus and Villalobos’ intricate drumming. “Forgotten” and “The Test” disarm the listener with deliberate riffs and cyclopean drums before raging into a sonic fury, while the formidable “Climb Away” features a blistering chorus that bleeds into cacophonic instability. Overall, the Glass Piñata arsenal is sure to win fans over with their heavyweight dichotomy of drop-tuned riffage and ethereal melodies. “I love this music so much,” says Rascon. “I had a great run with Coal Chamber and I’ll always treasure that part of my life. But to me, this is music that’s challenging and still brutally honest. There’s no more make-up, there’s no posturing. It’s not about the image or the clothes. It’s just about making music with a great group of guys and enjoying it.” And for Rascon, that’s all he ever wanted to do. One of the many encounters the Band had endured was that they recorded they're debut Album but decided to leave it in search of a new Label since things weren't working out for them. They are currently staying in the independent music scene since obviously they'll have more control in which they have managed to work with Acts such as Adema & Drowning Pool. Their official website will be up soon.
[edit] Trivia
- April 19th, 2007, was The Band's 1st Live Show. With the right new Members.[1]
- Plastic Figurines is one their songs that was available but currently is not.
- Their name was originally Piñata but changed it in 2006.