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BIO
Plagued
by the fallout of his own actions, Shakespeare’s
Hamlet cleared his conscience for just a moment,
declaring, “there is nothing either good or bad,
but thinking makes it so.” DEATH IN THE PARK
is determined to prove that being in touch with
your bad side isn’t always such a bad thing.
Driven by personal tales of tragedy and
heartbreak, this pop-punk band, based in
Montgomery, Alabama, has tapped into that yearning
all of us experience; needing to see our bad
decisions turn out for the better. This punk
quartet brings new light to the familiar genre,
unafraid to take the next step, to stretch
themselves musically, even in the face of creative
crisis. The heartfelt lyrics and infectious
melodies set them apart from the gathering
mediocrity of the airwaves. DEATH IN THE PARK
consists of Andy Jackson (vocals & guitar), Ronnie
Gardner (guitar), Jake Sloan (bass), Derrick Karg
(guitar), and Aaron Holmes (drums). Lead by
vocalist Andy Jackson, DITP is capturing
the ear of many an unsuspecting listener, hungry
for an authentic sound, and lures them in for
more.
DEATH IN THE PARK came together shortly after
the 2007 Warped Tour, where Jackson made a musical
connection with crew from the alt-band Paramore,
for whom he was opening. On tour, Jackson met
guitarist Ronnie Gardner, then a sound technician,
and, after the fall of Jackson’s band, Hot Rod
Circuit, he took the opportunity to focus on a new
project. Originally conceived as a solo project,
Jackson felt the surge of creativity in the
moment, and joined with Gardner. Jackson recalled
the name of a song from his favorite band as a
youth, Archers of Loaf, and DEATH IN THE PARK
was born.
DITP
went immediately into Mission Sound studios in
Brooklyn, NY to record their full-length
self-titled album with Oliver Strauss. During the
recording process, the band, now set with Sloan
and Holmes joining Jackson and Gardner, was
presented with a once in a lifetime opportunity:
the chance to record a song with Paramore’s lead
vocalist, Hayley Williams. The resulting song
“Fallen”, their first single, was inspired by
Gardner and written by Jackson, the lyrics of
which Jackson believes are, "some of the best
lyrics I've ever written." On recording with a
singer like Williams, Jackson remarked, “She
knocked her stuff out like a pro.” Jackson soon
met with Tim O’ Heir (Hot Rod Circuit, All
American Rejects, Say Anything) who introduced and
recommended him to John Kaplan (Hollywood Undead,
Nevershoutnever, Maroon 5) who mixed and mastered
their new track. Discussing the production
experience, Jackson said, “I thought it was a
chance to shine. They let us do everything we
wanted to do. John is a really cool guy.” After
the completion of the 10-tracks, DITP
teamed up with Austin indie label, End Sounds,
which will be digitally distributing the album on
August 24 with full physical distribution on
September 14.
Although DEATH IN THE PARK may be difficult
to classify into one genre, their unique sound and
set-up has been compared to a mixture of Queens
Club, Minus the Bear, Phoenix, and Panic at the
Disco. Regarding their music, DEATH IN THE PARK
hopes to create a real “crime scene feel, very
Dexter meets CSI, and kind of gory,
actually.” Drawing from their quite varied list of
inspirations and own experiences, their second
single "Pitifully Exposed," was written from an
outsider’s view of a tumultuous relationship, and
pays homage to awkward relationships,
uncomfortable breakups and the decisions we make
that keep us there.
DEATH IN THE PARK has already left their
prints on the music scene, having already opened
for Paramore, Underoath, Saosin, Alkaline Trio and
Saves The Day. With the upcoming release of their
album, the band is ready to take their spot on the
punk-pop stage, and good or bad, it will be their
own musical decisions that will make them so.
For
more information, visit the band at
www.myspace.com/deathinthepark.
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