"These guys are a freak of nature, they are sensational."
-
ROCKEYEZ.COM7k's infectious, unusual alternative rock runs the gamut from mid-90s
alternative balladry to full-blown arena-sized assaults.** Influenced
by artists ranging from
311, the Police and
Nirvana to
The Cure, Radiohead and the writings of
J.D. Salinger,
Orange County-based 7k is more than the sum of its songs, musical chops
and powerful performances.* 7k is a band on a mission: to inspire their
audience to live their unlived lives.
These
Orange Countyboys have rocked audiences from San Francisco to Austin to San Diego
with adrenalized performances of their catchy, substantial rock songs.
The increasing level of rock on their
first two quirkier, poppier EPs [produced by
Dean Dinning of Toad the Wet Sprocket] led to the 2005 release of their debut full-length album,
Through the Windshield, which garnered regional airplay on several programs including Nick Harcourt's coveted “
Morning Becomes Eclectic.” While
Windshield established 7k as an Orange County force to be reckoned with, it was their 2006 follow up EP & live DVD
Knick Knacks and Apparel that earned 7k nation-wide airplay, a flurry of regional & national press, and a showcase at the prestigious
South by Southwest music festival. Now starting work on their next release, the band have re-emerged as a power trio, are regulars at
House of Blues Anaheim and continue to do small regional tours as part of their plan for world domination.
* * * * * * *After a five-year run with Catharsis, founding front man
Jeff Garvinknew it was time to reinvent his pop-influenced rock band. Though the
band grew its roots in the O.C. - the same music scene that gave birth
to alternative greats like
The Offspring and
No Doubt - it was in nearby Los Angeles that the budding rock group found their secret weapon in lead guitarist
David Neil Black. Shortly after Black’s inaugural show, the band entered the studio and recorded their first release,
The Glovebox EP, with producer
Dean Dinning [Bassist for
Toad the Wet Sprocket] and emerged from the studio as a brand new entity called
7k.
Powered by Black's ferocious lead guitar, founding bass player Carlos
Rivera's melodic low-end, and Garvin's powerful vocals and dynamic
stage presence, 7k quickly ground their own niche in the LA Music
scene.
After a slough of local shows, a live network TV appearance, and some
regional radio airplay, the boys locked themselves in their Anaheim
studio to write and self-produce their debut full-length album,
through the windshield. In early 2005, with the record near completion, O.C. rock drummer
Corey Manskejoined the 7k roster. His intense performance style, tasteful grooves
and crisp power proved to be the missing link in 7k’s chain.
A West Coast regional tour followed, as did more airplay, press, and
reviews. The album became a local favorite and many of the songs are
still a part of 7k’s regular set. As 7k continued to play in support of
windshield,
the band’s sound began to morph – Garvin’s pophookery was still ever
present, as was Black’s unyielding rock riffage and Rivera’s funky
low-end – but Manske’s rock/pop/prog cocktail acted as a catalyst,
causing a musical reaction that brought out the true flavor of 7k. The
boys hungered to produce another EP, something that represented their
new sound. So, less than a year after the release of
through the windshield, 7k again locked themselves in their Anaheim studio to record
Knick Knacks and Apparel. Knick Knacks became a seething, celebratory scream of angst,
inspiration, and confusion for 7k’s audience. “Make it Up” opened the
disc as an alternative anthem for unheard artists, calling them to
create with glorious disregard for the consequences. “Stark Raving
Calm,” the band’s heaviest offering to date, was received as a scathing
primal roar of disappointment and frustration. “Remember Me” followed
in the footsteps of “Bombsong” as an arena-worthy rock ballad.
After its release,
Knick Knacks and Apparel was reviewed and written up in over 2 dozen print and new media publications, including the
OC Register, a publication that has played a vital role in the growth of every big O.C. Band from
No Doubt to
Saosin.
7k began developing a unique, hardcore fan base that is still growing.
Age doesn’t seem to matter when it comes to 7k fans – hardcore 7kers
range from Junior High & High School students to working
professionals, as a visit to their MySpace page will quickly reveal.
After Rivera’s departure to pursue other musical opportunities, the
band has been reborn as a power trio, with David Neil Black stepping up
as the solo guitarist and frontman Garvin putting down the rhythm
guitar and joining the rhythm section as 7k’s new bass player. 7k’s
passionate call to action, delivered by the unique power trio in the
form of tight, explosive songs, seems to appeal to rebels in all walks
of life – those who identify with loss, loneliness, confusion, and a
deep sense of wanting something more out of life than is readable on
the surface.
*Albert Vega,
Music Connection Magazine**Robert Kinsler,
O.C. Register