slingshotVenus

Originally formed by Patrick McEvoy (Guitar), Richard Doporto (Bass) and Ed Quaman (drums) in the mid-1990's, and based in the San Francisco Bay Area, SlingshotVenus performed with various vocalists for several years. Shortly after permanent vocalist Tobias Hawkins joined in 1998, Ed left and Toby replaced him on drums in the studio for recording of their first EP "Perplexed". Toby had first gained notice as the singer for former Primus drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander's band Laundry on their debut album "Blacktongue", and also as the first drummer for pop band Counting Crows.

Toby had first gained notice as the singer for former Primus drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander's band Laundry on their debut album "Blacktongue", and also as the first drummer for pop band Counting Crows. With SlinshotVenus, Hawkins and writing partners McEvoy and Doporto sought to find a style that was somewhere in-between the pop of the Crows and the experimentation of Laundry, but with a heavy/progressive flair of their own.

Drummer Chris Brague joined the band in 2002, though most of the drum tracks on "Perplexed" and the subsequent LP "Heaven's Kiss is Black" were performed by Toby. One notable exception was the song "Lawnchair", which features an amazing drum track by Tim Alexander, rejoining his Laundry band-mate for a new track.

SSV broke up in late 2003 when guitarist McEvoy left to pursue a career in comics art, while Hawkins went on to front successful Bay Area band The Girlfriend Experience.