"I met Aimee and Scott at around 9th grade. Scott and I really connected, we were best friends-we used to talk about getting a band together even then. A few years later I learned Aimee was singing, and we started working together. Mikes energy sort of makes everything dynamic in a good way. Alot of what we do has to do with every instrument relating to the drums, so that bass and guitar are also percussive. I'm interested in the artistic perpective of Clive Barker, Alfred Hitchcock or Rod Serling, or musically, how NIN, David Bowie, the Doors, Black Sabbath, The Cure or Public Enemy understood the medium of the music they worked in, but did their own thing. The Doors were dark/yet had their own vibe, or more currently like Janes Addiction,Skinny Puppy, or Tricky-working within, but stretching their perspective. To be open minded, to get influences from so many different places that the music is unique-the opposite of boring-like the Twilite Zone was for TV-creating an enviornment so that the music is as interesting/meaningful/relevant as possible"

Jeff's Human Bass Project:
• Gallien Kruger 2000 RB
• Boss S670 Multi FX
• Sans amp PSA1
• Lexicon LXP 15 Multi FX
• Ampeq SVT II
• Ampeq 8x10 Cab
• Ampeq 4 10x15
• Ground Control Pedal Board

back to top
scott

in creating electralux hwp utilized any and all objects at their disposal, including Elvis-sparkle guitars, electric fans, and even a moped..."i was bored, just hanging around outside," Scott Ellis says, "and i stuck a ballpoint pen in the wheel spokes. it sounded so good we rolled the moped into the studio and used it on "spain" and "drugstore." explaining the eerie vocal effects on "graverobbers," Echo notes "i sang through the blades of an electric fan into a karaoke mic plugged into a vintage amp."

back to top
mike

Mike 'Catfish' Tempesta

hwp endured the frustrating series of guitarists-that-didn't-quite-work-out (i'd pierce their eyebrows and they'd disappear," echo sighs) until they found bronx-expatriate Mike Tempesta. "i haven't been pierced yet, that's why i'm still here" mike says....throughout electralux, drummer scott ellis, bassist jeff schartoff, and guitarist mike tempesta unleash bulldozer guitars, a bruising rhythmic assault, and eerie sounds reminiscent of the sci/fi monster epics of the 1950's...ranging from moody "electra' to the heavy "powerstrip" electralux presents a volatile blend of opposing cosmic forces. "we'll either go for alot of feeling," says schartoff, "or work on heavier rhythms." "we all have short attention spans," Tempesta adds,"so usually we'll try to go in both directions at once in a single song--it makes things more interesting."

Mike's Tools of Mass Distruction:
• Marshall 100 watt Jubilee Head
• Boss Tremelo Pan Pedal
• Bognar Cabinets
• Lexicon MPX 1
• MXR Phase 90
• MXR Blue Box
• T.C. Electronics
• Swollen Pickle Fuzz
• Gibson Les Paul Custom
• Schecter Tempest
• Vox Wah
• Booster Distortion
• Dean Markley Blue Steel Strings

ross

click on ross for gong

Our extaordinary producer has the recording world paying attention.