One Ring Zero

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One Ring Zero
Image:One Ring Zero
One Ring Zero (Michael Hearst and Joshua Camp)
Photo by Chris Smith/Photography.
Background information
Origin Richmond, Virginia, Brooklyn, United States
Genre(s) Indie rock
World
Baroque pop[1]
Art rock
Years active 1998–present
Label(s) Urban Geek Record, Planetary Records, Barbes Records
Website oneringzero.com
Members
Michael Hearst
Joshua Camp
Timothy Quigley
Ian Riggs
Ben Holmes


One Ring Zero is a modern music group that melds many genres and sounds to create a unique type of music and is based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Centered around Joshua Camp and Michael Hearst the band uses a unique blend of intriguing instruments.

Contents

[edit] Instruments

Michael plays the theremin and Joshua plays the accordion. They both play the claviola and prove to be extremely versatile musicians, often switching instruments for each song. Other instruments include a toy piano, a melodica, a metallophone, jones-O-phone, cajón and a series of everyday sounds looped and altered to create textures and rhythms. Using all these instruments (or noises) together One Ring Zero creates a sound that defies genre. There is an undeniable klezmer influence throughout their music but also a modern rock or indie influence also. The band has been denoted "Lit Rock" by the media but they seem to defy any singular name. Both Joshua and Michael sing, Michael bass and Joshua tenor. They normally play with a six piece band now, including of a trumpet, drum kit, and bass guitar.

[edit] Appearances

One Ring Zero on NPR's "Fresh Air" (2004).[1]

One Ring Zero on A&E Television's "Breakfast with the Arts" (2007).

One Ring Zero's on NPR's "Morning Edition" (2007).[2]

[edit] As Smart As We Are

On their critically-acclaimed album "As Smart As We Are," published authors and writers wrote lyrics on request, which Joshua and Michael then set to music. Some writers wrote basic chord progressions or requested a certain genre for their song to fall under but for the most part Joshua and Michael wrote their own music for the lyrics.

Contributing authors included:

This provides a large variation in each song's theme, feel, and over all sound. Some lyrics are more poetic, while others tell stories.

Recently a documentary called "As Smart As They Are: The Author Project" was made about the duo. Directed by Joe Pacheco it shows the evolution of the new album "As Smart As We Are".

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

  • One Ring Zero “Tranz Party” (1999) (Planetary Records)
  • One Ring Zero “Alice” (2001) (Urban Geek Records)
  • One Ring Zero “Interludes and Out-takes from The Pumpkin Pie Show” (2001) (Urban Geek Records)
  • One Ring Zero “Memorandum” (2002) (Urban Geek Records)
  • One Ring Zero “As Smart As We Are” (2004) (Soft Skull Press)
  • One Ring Zero and Rick Moody (2004) (Isota Records)
  • One Ring Zero “New York Spleen” French Edition (2005) (Naïve Records)
  • Sophie Auster (2005) (Actes Sud / Naïve Records)
  • One Ring Zero “As Smart As We Are” Deluxe Edition with DVD (2006) (Barbes Records)
  • One Ring Zero “Wake Them Up” (2006) (Barbes Records)
  • One Ring Zero “Wake Them Up” Japanese Edition (2007) (MoorWorks)

[edit] EPs

  • One Ring Zero “The Sirens of Red Hot” (2004) (Isota Records)
  • One Ring Zero and Rick Moody (2004) (Isota Records)

[edit] Video

  • One Ring Zero “Addendum” (2005) (Urban Geek Records)
  • As the subject of “As Smart As They Are - The Author Project” (2007)

[edit] External links


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