MATH (band)
Encyclopedia
MATH is an American
Improv
/experimental
band formed in Woodstock, New York
in the mid 90s
. The band's shifting personnel has included members of various other bands, most notably Billy Riker
and Joey Eppard
of 3
and Dave Bodie of Time of Orchids
and Kayo Dot
.
, Joey Eppard
and Eddie Cercone got together to jam in Gram's Basement. Early on they used the name "The Ed Hot Billy Eppards" but eventually settled on MATH. The first rehearsal was recorded live to cassette via boombox and was all improvisation with no preconceived ideas whatsoever.
Over the next few rehearsals some songs were worked out whenever they found a moment to stop jamming. Their first show was at Graduation Party in uptown Kingston
on the lawn in the backyard, a beautiful summer day. The local ice cream man, "Mr. Ding-a-ling," even stopped by. They performed all of the structured songs with the exception of one improv piece added in.
Throughout 1996-97 MATH performed at various outdoor summer parties and even a meditational gathering. For these shows it was half improv, half songs and eventually becoming almost exclusively improv. The band took a break for the next few years occasionally getting together and jamming.
In early 2000 shortly after Riker
joined 3
, MATH got together for a magical reunion in the studio and recorded material that was done live and all improv, this time incorporating Eppard
's vocal skills and additional backing vocals from the band. This was followed up one month later in May 2000 with an all improv live show in Woodstock
which was also recorded.
In June 2007 MATH reformed with new members Dave Bodie (of Time of Orchids
) on drums, Michael Schirmer on Keyboards and Max Oleson (of PEACEBOMB) on Vocals. They got together at Darkworld Studio in Kingston, NY on June 10 and 11 and recorded several hours of raw improvisational material. 14 of those jams have become InsertYourNameHere. A week and a half later they performed a mostly improvisational live show at The Colony Cafe in Woodstock, where they unveiled InsertYourNameHere.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Improv
Musical improvisation
Musical improvisation is the creative activity of immediate musical composition, which combines performance with communication of emotions and instrumental technique as well as spontaneous response to other musicians...
/experimental
Experimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
band formed in Woodstock, New York
Woodstock, New York
Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 5,884 at the 2010 census, down from 6,241 at the 2000 census.The Town of Woodstock is in the northern part of the county...
in the mid 90s
1990s in music
For music from a year in the 1990s, go to 90 | 91 | 92 | 93 | 94 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 98 | 99This article includes trends in popular music in the 1990s....
. The band's shifting personnel has included members of various other bands, most notably Billy Riker
Billy Riker
Billy Riker is the lead guitar player, for the experimental/progressive rock band, 3.In addition to his work with 3, Riker is also involved in a local Improv Rock Band known as MATH. Riker is often characterized on stage by his flowing "Jedi" like trench robe, his use of a personal fan to blow air...
and Joey Eppard
Joey Eppard
Joey Eppard is a music writer, recording artist, and the lead vocalist and guitarist for the experimental/progressive rock band, 3. He is also the brother of Josh Eppard, the former drummer for both 3 and Coheed and Cambria....
of 3
3 (band)
3, also known as Three, is an American hybrid band formed in Woodstock, New York in the early 90s.-History:...
and Dave Bodie of Time of Orchids
Time Of Orchids
Time of Orchids was a NYC-based avant rock band founded in 1999.Two of the band's albums feature renowned female vocalists. Kate Pierson performs on "Much Too Much Fun" while Julee Cruise of Twin Peaks fame sings on "Sarcast While"....
and Kayo Dot
Kayo Dot
Kayo Dot is an American avant-rock/experimental music group that was formed in 2003 by Toby Driver. They released their debut album Choirs of the Eye on John Zorn's Tzadik Records label that year. Tzadik's descriptive label on that album reads: "Kayo Dot powerfully integrates elements of modern...
.
History
MATH was born in 1996 when Billy RikerBilly Riker
Billy Riker is the lead guitar player, for the experimental/progressive rock band, 3.In addition to his work with 3, Riker is also involved in a local Improv Rock Band known as MATH. Riker is often characterized on stage by his flowing "Jedi" like trench robe, his use of a personal fan to blow air...
, Joey Eppard
Joey Eppard
Joey Eppard is a music writer, recording artist, and the lead vocalist and guitarist for the experimental/progressive rock band, 3. He is also the brother of Josh Eppard, the former drummer for both 3 and Coheed and Cambria....
and Eddie Cercone got together to jam in Gram's Basement. Early on they used the name "The Ed Hot Billy Eppards" but eventually settled on MATH. The first rehearsal was recorded live to cassette via boombox and was all improvisation with no preconceived ideas whatsoever.
Over the next few rehearsals some songs were worked out whenever they found a moment to stop jamming. Their first show was at Graduation Party in uptown Kingston
Kingston, New York
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
on the lawn in the backyard, a beautiful summer day. The local ice cream man, "Mr. Ding-a-ling," even stopped by. They performed all of the structured songs with the exception of one improv piece added in.
Throughout 1996-97 MATH performed at various outdoor summer parties and even a meditational gathering. For these shows it was half improv, half songs and eventually becoming almost exclusively improv. The band took a break for the next few years occasionally getting together and jamming.
In early 2000 shortly after Riker
Billy Riker
Billy Riker is the lead guitar player, for the experimental/progressive rock band, 3.In addition to his work with 3, Riker is also involved in a local Improv Rock Band known as MATH. Riker is often characterized on stage by his flowing "Jedi" like trench robe, his use of a personal fan to blow air...
joined 3
3 (band)
3, also known as Three, is an American hybrid band formed in Woodstock, New York in the early 90s.-History:...
, MATH got together for a magical reunion in the studio and recorded material that was done live and all improv, this time incorporating Eppard
Joey Eppard
Joey Eppard is a music writer, recording artist, and the lead vocalist and guitarist for the experimental/progressive rock band, 3. He is also the brother of Josh Eppard, the former drummer for both 3 and Coheed and Cambria....
's vocal skills and additional backing vocals from the band. This was followed up one month later in May 2000 with an all improv live show in Woodstock
Woodstock, New York
Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 5,884 at the 2010 census, down from 6,241 at the 2000 census.The Town of Woodstock is in the northern part of the county...
which was also recorded.
In June 2007 MATH reformed with new members Dave Bodie (of Time of Orchids
Time Of Orchids
Time of Orchids was a NYC-based avant rock band founded in 1999.Two of the band's albums feature renowned female vocalists. Kate Pierson performs on "Much Too Much Fun" while Julee Cruise of Twin Peaks fame sings on "Sarcast While"....
) on drums, Michael Schirmer on Keyboards and Max Oleson (of PEACEBOMB) on Vocals. They got together at Darkworld Studio in Kingston, NY on June 10 and 11 and recorded several hours of raw improvisational material. 14 of those jams have become InsertYourNameHere. A week and a half later they performed a mostly improvisational live show at The Colony Cafe in Woodstock, where they unveiled InsertYourNameHere.
Studio Albums
- InsertYourNameHere is a 2007 improvised album, recorded on June 10 and 11, 2007 at Darkworld Studio in Kingston, NYKingston, New YorkKingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
, represents the first occasion Billy RikerBilly RikerBilly Riker is the lead guitar player, for the experimental/progressive rock band, 3.In addition to his work with 3, Riker is also involved in a local Improv Rock Band known as MATH. Riker is often characterized on stage by his flowing "Jedi" like trench robe, his use of a personal fan to blow air...
, Joey EppardJoey EppardJoey Eppard is a music writer, recording artist, and the lead vocalist and guitarist for the experimental/progressive rock band, 3. He is also the brother of Josh Eppard, the former drummer for both 3 and Coheed and Cambria....
, Max Oleson, Michael Schirmer and Dave Bodie performed together as MATH. The album was self-produced and is out of print.