Artist description Modern pop/rock - guitar and melody driven.

Music Style Modern Pop/Rock

Musical Influences Catherine Wheel, Our Lady Peace, Placebo, I Mother Earth, Flaming Lips, Guided by Voices

Similar Artists Catherine Wheel, Our Lady Peace, Placebo, Pearl Jam

Artist History In early 1996, Mike Taylor, Chris Lambe, Aaron Kretzschmar, and Brad Potts formed Checkpoint Charlie. Shortly after forming, the band jumped right into the studio recording their self-titled EP at Buzzwo Studio (Jify Trip, Good) in Tulsa, Oklahoma with local musician Aaron Allen recording and producing the sessions. The EP received mixed comparisons to bands such as Dave Matthews and Pearl Jam:"...Checkpoint Charlie is certainly not self-conscious. The band's sonics take cues from several of modern rock's more self-conscious rockers, but the band strides instead of lumbers." -- Thomas Conner, The Tulsa World, 12/11/97. The band moved forward with exhausting promotion of their EP by playing clubs extensively around the region. The band also played regular acoustic shows at their hometown Tulsa area Barnes and Noble locations promoting the EP, which became the best selling local CD in the store at the time. After receiving steady airplay on Z104.5 The Edge's weekly regional radio show, HomeGroan with Davit Souders, the band promoted the EP through commercial radio ads during drive time and a excellent time slot during Modern Rock Live every week. After about a year and a half of playing live shows, the band once again went into the studio to record their first LP entitled, Off the Record. The record was recorded by Mike Taylor and Brad Potts in their home studio with the assistance of Aaron Allen, of Buzzwo Studio, mastering and mixing. Checkpoint Charlie promoted 'Off the Record' by again playing shows around the regional college circuit, Stillwater (OSU), Norman (OU), and Tahlequah (NSU), Tulsa (TU). At the end of 1999, the band unfortunately disbanded. Shortly after the break up of Checkpoint Charlie, Mike Taylor continued to write songs and rehearse with drummer Mike Friedemann. Taylor decided that good friend and extremely talented singer Milke (Medium Ride) should start writing songs and start recording demos again. The songs led the band to acquire bassist Scott Craig (MilkTruck) and form Standing On Zero. The band immediately started recording their first self-titled EP in the Winter of 2000 with former Murmur guitarist, Tony Romanello, recording and producing the sessions in his home studio. After completion of their self-titled EP, Standing On Zero signed to Engine Shed Records (www.engineshedrecords.com) based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma. The band is currently playing live shows to promote the EP and will be entering Valcour Studios in Tulsa, Oklahoma (Hank Charles) in May, to record their first full length album

Group Members Mike Taylor-guitars/vocals/keyboard; Mike Nicolotti-bass; Michael Friedemann-percussion, Milke-vocals

Instruments Vocals, Guitars, Piano, and Keyboard.

Press Reviews "One of the best rock acts out of Oklahoma right now...period"-Brian Warrenof the OU music review.

Additional Info Check out www.StandingOnZero.com for the latest news and concert dates.

Location Tulsa, Oklahoma - USA

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