Three - Entrevista

- Three (meaning of the name, short bio, discography, highlights, …):

3 is a concept. We live in a 3 dimensional physical space, on the 3rd planet from the sun, experiencing time as past, present and future, in a form that consists of mind, body and soul. 3 is the apex of the triangle, the transcendence of our dualistic “good versus evil” view of life. 3 is evolution. 1(thesis) + 2 (antithesis) = 3 (synthesis).

3 is a band apart: Dark yet uplifting, spiritual without any connection to religion - theirs is a sound that transcends the genre conformity of modern pop culture. Rapid-fire acoustic guitar infused with dynamic percussion, animated drumming and thunderous bass culminate in a listening experience that is at once accessible and unique. Polyrhythms pulse within a symphony of driving guitars and melodic vocal acrobatics. 3 offers musicality without pretension.

3’s DISCOGRAPHY:

“Paint By Number” (2000) is a very melodic and diverse collection of songs. The producer chose to focus more on our pop sensibilities than our progressive ones but the music is still intricate and powerful. This record features the original line up of “3.” Chris Bittner on bass, who went on to co-produce all of Coheed’s records to date, and Josh Eppard who went on to be Coheed’s drummer. This record can be purchased online at http://www.planetnoiserecords.com/

“Half Life” (2002) was an attempt to capture the live energy of the band and add some studio polish. Most of it was recorded live in Kingston, NY. There are several other live tracks from radio and television performances as well. There is a good chunk of improvisation and this was also the funkiest era of the band. I had been touring with George Clinton a lot and it had a big impact on my writing. This record can be purchased online at http://www.planetnoiserecords.com/

“Summer Camp Nightmare” (2003) Our second official studio release, this record put the focus back on our deeper songs. It was a return to our Pink Floyd influences and also an evolutionary leap for the band as we really began to cultivate our own sound out of the myriad of diverse influences. This record has a very vintage sound as we used all old tube gear and removed all computers from the studio because we didn’t like the vibe. This record can be purchased online at http://www.planetnoiserecords.com/

“Wake Pig” (2005) By 2004 I had finally put together my dream line up including key members of the very band who’d influenced 3 in the early days, Peacebomb. The project had come full circle, making a matured return to our progressive roots. With the new team in place we took matters into our own hands, setting up a studio and recording our self produced Metal Blade Records debut. This is the record we’d always wanted to make. This record can be purchased online at http://www.metalblade.com/

“The End Is Begun” (2007) After touring Wake Pig for the last couple years we were good and ready to come home and create a new masterpiece. We had over 30 song ideas to choose from and eventually paired it down to 13. This time around our compositions are a bit less orthodox, there are also more progressive elements. TEIB has a bigger and more classic sound to it. It was mixed by Toby Wright, where as I mixed Wake Pig. This album has the feel of 2 different sides as well. The first half is very different from the last. This plays into the duality that we wanted to portray on this album. This is some of our best work to date. This record can be purchased online at http://www.metalblade.com/

“The End Is Begun” (rehearsing / writing process, recording process, label, …):
In general we were very inspired during the writing process. I think all the touring, all the places we’ve seen and people we’ve met serve to inspire us. I think the biggest challenge was working with a deadline. This one came down to the last minute. As usual they had to drag me out of the studio kicking and screaming. We recorded most of our record at Jerry Marotta’s studio right in our home town of Woodstock, NY. Because of limited resources, (time and money), I had to work on vocals at home while the band was finishing up other tracks at Jerry’s. When I had a large amount of work completed, I would return to the studio to back up all I had done. Well, there was a point where we had about a 2 week hiatus from Jerry’s, so I had built up quite a bit of work that needed to be backed up and transfered in to the main session. When I plugged in the hard drive to do so everything had disappeared. All the vocals I’d recorded, about 5 songs worth in total were missing. We were very close to the deadline so I was pretty much losing my mind. We ended up using a special file recovery program which recovered over 5,000 unnamed audio files from the drive. I spent the next 24 hours sorting through these files to find the vocals I had lost. Fortunately I found them all.

Lyrics (influences, subjects, ideas, messages, …):
Conceptually, much the album deals with the archetypal struggle, that final epic battle that looms upon the human horizon. The twist is that this battle takes place within us. All outer manifestations of it can be traced back to this inner struggle. . “Still I know you must continue, trying to win the war waged within you.” (from “Battle Cry”) Other songs, such as “Live Entertainment” touch on the irony of reality tv’s growing popularity amidst a population of people who avoid being conscious of their own realities. This record is a hybrid of melancholy and hope rising up out of the ashes of our self-destruction / deception. Perhaps the most meaningful song for me is “The Last Day” which reveals a positive spiritual outcome for all our human suffering. “Its the last day of the world, all the stars fired up to unfurl. Gonna meet you in the space within. You and I, we’ll race the light and win.”

Album frontcover / artwork (who, why, meaning, …):
Our cover was designed by Damn Engine. We gave him some ideas and he took it and made it brilliant. He was listening to rough cuts of the record when he designed it, so it just feels right with the music. The cover is made up of two very different elements. A dark foreboding landscape, ravaged by some great war and a young girl holding 3 blue balloons looking out across the scene. I think they both represent important aspects of who we are as a band. Some of the darkest, most aggressive and technical musical moments on this record are balanced with soft and often sweetly simple vocal melodies. This is part of our duality, our paradox. That is what excites me as an artist, dark and light combining to create something new. The girl represents hope; she is the future, the next step in our evolution. Through her we can experience the end as a new beginning. The balloons are souls; she clips their strings and releases them from their earthly bonds.

Live tour to promote the new record:
We’ll be touring with Porcupine Tree and Dream Theater at different times throughout the next year. Its Rock ‘n’ Roll so anything can happen!

Musical (and other) influences:
Musical: the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Primus, Pink Floyd, The Police, Genesis, King Crimson, Rush, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Ojos de Brujo, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Radiohead, Stevie Wonder, Ani Difranco, Joni Mitchell, Elvis Costello, Elliot Smith, Imogen Heap, and many, many more...
Other: Rudolph Steiner, David Icke, Zechariah Sitchin, The Master Cleanser, Spacekateers, herbal remedies, Thoth, The Flower of Life and many, many more...

Final Message:
Thanks to you and to your readers! Be well, - Joey Eppard / 3
http://www.theband3.com/
www.myspace.com/3
www.myspace.com/joeyeppard
http://www.metalblade.com/
http://www.planetnoiserecords.com/