Quick DWL History
D>W>L> was conceived at a time of creative cross roads with the intention of playing with as many players and varieties as possible. Having started out in metal, progressive, and indie rock, I was learning of world music, noise, free jazz and improvisation at the age of 23 in September of 2006 when setting up a giant friendly jam for the radio and Zac Nelson's solo project at this time called Faulouah. (Without knowing it, I had embarked on a path of music making that had been laid down decades ago and my new improviser friends were already doing this without the self-consciousness.) So, to start with I recruited a gang of people to help start the project, but only two stuck through awkward phase 1: Zecki Bengry and Anthony Thomas Schatz. By December 2006 we were Death Worth Living. By January '07, Shane Ronet came in to orbit with tenor sax, and in April Pete Bryant on tenor, causing Shane to be our percussionist and drummer. But unlike 20 of the 22 members, these guys stuck the whole way through various formations until July when Zecki moved back to Sacramento, which became an excuse to start an all Sacramento band. So I stayed in Sac for two weeks and this is how "regional collaborations" came to be. Upon return, things were less than stable and musically inspiring. On Thanksgiving Eve, a fellow who became number 23 on the DWL roster joined and became the glue of this band: Jean-Paul Jenkins. After that, the band became a frozen line up and instrumentation: Me (piano/modular synth), Shane (percussion and toys), JP (synth bass, loops), Pete (tenor sax), and Tony (prepared electric guitar). I didn't want to add another player until is was absolutely necessary, and after 7 months of this line up, JP took a break from all his bands and I was left in search of 24. I pulled in Dana Valatka, Ryan Stuewe, and Jerry Soga. These musicians were great, but things fell apart. The magic was missing. We missed JP. After a frustrating performance under the moniker "Pink Floyd", I decided to hold off, book a tour, and see who would jump back on the wagon. As of October 19, 2008, over two years from the start of the band and 26 players, we are resuming with a split tour with Shane Ronet in southern California and Jean Paul Jenkins in northern California, and regional guests.

-Sean

DWL on Music Releases
Like most young bands today, we released various recordings in home made packaging and CD-R pressing. Today, in consideration of the iPod and laptop, we are releasing all music on the internet as MP3's for free. We will bring a few CD-R versions for tour. We are awaiting an offer for a vinyl release in box set format. The newest release will be a "double disc set" entitled "EATv", featuring studio sessions of the Quintet: myself, JP, Shane, Tony, and Pete. Due available by Nov 12th.

BIO's for the Upcoming Tour (So Cal)
Shane Ronet has paid his dues over several lifetimes and several names all wrapped in to one; without expecting a return on these dues, he remains in obscurity, almost encouraging it. A young adult in San Francisco from 1965-1970, he explored "all of that" and enjoyed friendships with many artists in that time. In the 70's he quit "all of that" and became a family man. In Omaha in the 80's and 90's, nobody but Shane carried the avante-garde torch: a member of the famous Magic Theater, various improvisation projects including one with 13 year old Conor Oberst , and he was also a successful painter. In Los Angeles in the 90's until 2002, Shane took on stand up comedy taking on the monikers Pixie Storm and Papa Sweat. After an affair with a Scandinavian hash smuggler, he moved to Portland to become for the first time, "a musician". In Portland, 2002-2008, Shane has worked himself through the improvisation scene, helping to start projects such as Cexfucx, Portland Bicycle Ensemble, DWL, and the legendary but brief 411 performance venue. At the age of 60, Shane is going to LA to make it all over again hopefully to return in Portland as the weather clears those gray skies.

(No Cal)
Jean Paul Jenkins has been said to put together 600 shows in 10 years. Cexfucx, Portland Bicycle Ensemble, Foster/Jenkins/Eubanks trio -- ad hoc with countless improvisers, a fuse in the improvised music festival circuit, Jenkins has payed his dues dozens of times over from free jazz to minimalist electronics. Sharing/caring/opening/listening/we have hands not tentacles/no earlids/high frequencies are so 2001/tea/cheap rent/time to stare/comfortable shoes/tape releases/daily porch show Functionally he resides in the space between what and huh?

both so cal and no cal because he is the driver of dwl
Sean Ongley is a chameleon. He is too young to know what he is doing. 26 years old, as of two weeks ago, he has pretended to be stable for years. Writing indie rock songs alone in the vain of Pavement, he moved from Canoga Park, CA, to Portland, OR in 2003. There he met his fate and would turn his back on indie rock. In 2004, he joined progressive metal band, Danava. It was his first band and he didn't know how to behave so was gladly squeezed out. They became famous, Sean became jealous, he got over it, and We love each other anyway. He cycled through various rock bands until 2006 when he wanted to start the anti-band, called Death Worth Living (DWL). It was at this time that he moved on to a farm where Shane Ronet resides and became fixed on improvised music and noise. Currently he focuses on ad hoc and solo performance, with a twist of composition, and street performance with Rainbow and the Kittens. He is a radio show host for local experimental performance on KBOO 90.7 fm. A festival organizer (No.Fest:Nu.Music.Arts). He is an editor. A writer. A composer (sax quartet piece to debut in December). A farmer. Sometimes a model. Sometimes a business man. Sometimes a mechanic. Always changing. Searching ground in this abysmally creative universe.


Thanks for Reading
Sean Ongley

Here is some stuff people have said of us:

from Portland Mercury
I AM THE ARM, DEATH WORTH LIVING, PULSE EMITTER

(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) Hooray for eclectic bills! Pulse Emitter is a one-man paint-peeling noise scather from right here. Actually all these folks are local except for some of the many guests that Death Worth Living have enlisted to make their ten-piece "big band" idea into a special one-time event. Amongst these players are a drummer from Sacramento that will be shared by headliners I Am the Arm tonight. The Arm recently got a lot of press for their short-lived collaboration with drummer/whirlwind/freakout Lauren K. Newman. LKN's work is explosive, but truly I Am the Arm have deserved attention on their own merit for their melting pot of rock styles that recall other indescribables like the Minutemen and Nomeansno. Check out their no bullshit fusion at the equally no bullshit Rotture. NATHAN CARSON

from Portland Mercury
DEATH WORTH LIVING, FLY! FLY! FLY! FLY! FLY!, ELFIN ELEPHANT

(Rotture, 315 SE 3rd) Philosophy is how the great questions of our existence get pondered—yet most philosophy majors deliver pizza to pay the bills. Either that or they start a band, and use instrumentation and experimentation to further the mental track laps that keep them up at night. Death Worth Living is just such a philosophical band, based on the assertion that "If life and death are a continued process, then going toward death is the process of living" (according to their MySpace page). Sound uplifting? Philosophy rarely is. The music, however, isn't the kind of vibration that makes you want to slit your wrists. It's an out-there concoction of tones and moods, saxophones and electric clarinets, led by Sean Ongley ..s. Ongley is a constant, but DWL takes pride in a rotating lineup of musicians. Just what will you get from this show? You'll have to show up to find out. MD