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The Fray
Discography
How to Save a Life
(2005)
The Reason Ep
(2003)
The Movement Ep (2002)
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Isacc Slade – vocals, piano
Joe
King –
vocals,
guitar
Dave Welsh – guitar
Ben Wysocki – drums
For fans of: Coldplay,
Starsailor,
Sleeping at Last,
Lifehouse,
Monarch
Label: Epic
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Biography
Who are they
and why all the fuss?
First, their music. Tight arrangements, haunting
melodies, evocative lyrics. Their sound is extremely
polished by any standards, and even more noteworthy
given its source: a band with limited local and no
national exposure.
They are five young musicians who grew up in Denver,
sang in church and school choirs, and played in rock
band projects as teenagers.
Heading The Fray are Joe King and Isaac Slade, who went
to the same high school and performed in the same choir,
but played in "competing" bands. Not until they ran into
each other at a music store several years after
graduation did they talk about jamming together. That
led to an exchange of songwriting ideas and eventually
the beginnings of a band. With Isaac on piano, and Joe
on guitar, they share lead vocal and songwriting duties.
Their current goal is to create at least one new song
every two weeks.
Over a period of about a year the band progressed from a
basement project to adding its current bass player, Dan
Battenhouse, and then Ben Wysocki on drums and Dave
Welsh on second guitar.
In the meantime, a buzz has been building about them at
a pace unlike anything Colorado has seen before. Word of
mouth has gotten people to check them out and once they
do, the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. As
Westword's music editor Dave Herrera wrote when he first
heard their music, "Moments like that remind me why I've
spent my life searching for the sounds and people that
move me."
Local DJs have invited them into their studios,
reporters are asking to do feature stories, promoters
are booking them into major Colorado venues like
Boulder's Fox Theater, producers are offering free
studio time, and label execs in New York. LA, and
Nashville have expressed interest.
THE FRAY FACT SHEET
How the band got its name: The Fray means the frontlines
of a war. It's where soldiers get killed. (Inspired by
numerous band fights.)
Why is the website thefray.net? Because thefray.com was
taken.
Music genre: alternative-emotive-indie-rock
Where was Reason recorded? Drums and piano recorded at
FTM Studios. All the rest was at LoDo Recording Studio
(formerly known as 5280 Music Group, now just Ed
Edward's Studios). The project took two weeks to record
and other month for mixing and revisions.
Accolades:
Selected as the Best New Band in Denver (2004) by
Denver's Westword Voted Best Rock Band by Westword
readers (2004)
THE FRAY BAND MEMBERS
Isaac Slade, 23, piano, vocals
Day job: Producer of Noise Floor, a television show
which spotlights local music culture. Factoid: Spent
several years as a child living in Guatemala while his
parents served as missionaries. Music background: Sang
with a church choir from age 9 to 18. Went to a
recording camp at 12. Started a band with Jesse Orrico,
whose sister Stacie recently signed with Virgin Records.
On songwriting: "The majority of our new stuff are true
collaborations, with Joe and me bringing equally to the
table. And some of the other guys are starting to
contribute to the structure and chord changes and even
some of the lyrics."
Joe King, 24, guitar, vocals
Day job: Self employed--a mix of wholesale distribution,
online travel agency, and real estate investments.
Company name: KingCorp. Website: www.kingcommerce.net
Factoid: Played soccer until 18. Traveled to Ecuador, El
Salvador, Mexico, Israel, Scotland, and England. Music
background: Starting playing guitar in eighth grade. On
songwriting: "I usually begin the musical aspect of the
song. Rarely, do I have lyrics first. I will write the
music, discover a melody that catches me and mold some
words into it. The melody will give me the direction of
what the song should be about."
Dan Battenhouse, 26, bass, backup vocals, acoustic
guitar (no longer in the band,
still looking for a replacement)
Day job: Drives a cab, investigates cab-related
accidents, and owns an online travel store. Factoid: In
addition to playing a bass and a guitar, he can also
play the didgeridoo, an Aboriginal Australian
instrument. Musical background: Started playing guitar
and bass at age 12. Was a music major in college for
three years before switching to business. Brings his
music theory knowledge to the band's creative mix. On
songwriting: "Different tunes have more influences from
various members than others, but in the end, what makes
this band is the diversity and contribution of each and
every member together as a unit. Sometimes we fight
and/or debate/discuss for hours, even days over one
measure or musical phrase. In fact, what defines us as
The Fray is the fact that every note is well thought out
and well fought out."
Ben Wysocki, 19, drums/percussion
Day job: Video production/camera operator/student.
Factoid: "I cut my own hair and sometimes wonder what it
would be like to make a living cutting other people's
hair. I don't think I'd fit the part." Musical
background: Beating on things forever. First official
drum lesson in sixth grade. Has been in bands ever
since. "I'm the youngest in The Fray, but I know I've
done things and been places the others guys haven't. I
also provide the car with the most cargo space, and
cookies and cake at practice via my girlfriend's cooking
abilities."
Dave Welsh, 20, guitar
Day job: Part-time videographer. Factoid: Part outdoor
enthusiast, part introverted artist. "Fun, for me, is
both catapulting myself down a hill on my mountain bike
and sitting, holed up in my room, creating music or my
next short story. I haven't yet figured how to do both
at the same time, though. Someday..." Musical
background: Grew up in a musical home. "My dad was
instrumental in the musical successes of Up With People
for over twenty five years." Settled on the guitar at
age 12 after trying out piano and saxophone. "I've loved
everything from a capella madrigals to strumming so hard
my fingers bleed-and I have the white Telecaster to
prove it."
taken from
freshtracksmusic
The Fray
(Homepage)
Interview
Christianity Today
Articles
Denver Post
Westword
Westword
Mp3 (Downloads)
Purevolume
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