BEAR IS DRIVING

Bear is Driving biography
BEAR IS DRIVING describes itself as "manic prog" and I have seen it described as "instrumental brutal prog. Like many a prog fairy-tale, the beginnings harken back to the late 90s when a group of college kids started playing together, and this lead to many campus gigs. Chris and his roommate from college, Jason, formed RACK 'n PINION which they describe as "mathy/spacey guitar-on-guitar intercourse."

In '99, Eric and Dan formed LTD, which is described as an "experimental/industrial/noise outfit." In the meantime, Chris was guest playing drums in the very good progressive punk-rock band, INFIDEL CASTRO.

Come 2000, with the addition of Erik on bass, RACK 'n PINION became MAGNIFICENT TEAM (Chris played drums and Jason was on guitar) and they played a sort of heavy math rock.

In 2001, RACK 'n PINION and LTD merges to form OLDE CLUB -- Chris and Jason on guitar, Erik played bass, and they brought in Corey (no Hart) on drums.

In 2002, Jason left OLDE CLUB andthe remaining members became BEAR IS DRIVING which was a shift in direction towards, as the band describes it, "manic prog-rock."

{Note: biographical information gleaned from the more informative band's blog at http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=3523279&blogID=68382417}


I'm wont to describe the very eclectically influenced music of BEAR IS DRIVING as part math rock, part metal, part avant, part spacey ambient, with an adventurous heavy prog sound, but "manic instrumental prog-rock" presents a more compelling description -- particularly because of them "crazy" contrasts such as shifts from warm melodic music to rather brutal dissonance. If you don't mind mood-swings, then this band might fit your temperament.

--Logan