F44:876

F44:876 began originally as a loose idea between two friends in the morning hours in an all-night IHOP in New Jersey. Started originally as a ?what if' scenario about starting a band, it soon became the focus for a continuing conversation between the two for weeks at Denny's, diners, and anywhere else that was open at 3AM were the two could sit, smoke, and not get kicked out. The curious ?what if' question, turned into a ?who would', finally materializing into a ?why not?' which started the ball rolling.

As the momentum turned to fruition, the two started asking around for phone numbers, and began to put the band together.

Over the next three years, the band went through several line-up changes, a sort of revolving door of instruments and friends, until there began to be a distinct chemistry between the members. The band toured under various names and incarnations through several states, until solidifying its foundation of J. Hock, S. Rheam, M. Faulkner, N. Simon, and C. Johnson. With its backbone now in tact, the members each put forth pieces of a philosophical postulate, one bathed in both cool existentialism and numerical theory, to bring about the mathematical name F44:876. The name demands a sort of respect, one that necessitates conversations and theories about its intent and meaning, leaving the name as confusing as it is unmistakable.

With a short tour and several shows under their belt, the local underground was quick to dub them ?New Jersey's best kept secret.? Since then, the band's following has become solid, drawing fans from a large genre of tastes and styles.

In September of 2001, the band began work on its first release at Trax East Recording Studio in South River, New Jersey. With Eric Kvortek behind the mixing board, the band recorded a collection of songs drawing from their numerous transitions and stages of their career. These songs came together as a unique amalgamation of Radiohead-like ambiance, the industrialism of Nine Inch Nails, and the patience of Mogwai to form the five song EP. The album entitled New York, Illinois is named for the current locations of two of the members ex-fianc?'s. The songs, though differing in feel and sound, are bound together by a unique coherence of both anger and beauty that runs throughout. The long-playing EP, mastered by Alan Douches (Her Space Holiday, God Forbid), ranges in both power and emotion. The EP has the impact of a bullet hitting its mark, yet at the same time brings images as soft as virgin snow. Their first release is an unmistakable blend of harmonized sung/screamed ?vocals?, animated hollow body guitar riffs, and subtle yet profound electronic movements, built over a darkly textured drum section which helps weave the textures into a tight unit. The sound is peerless and undeniable?the sound of a band coming into its own.