Artist description MICHAEL combines the spiritual energy of early U2,the erratic sincerity of Sunny Day Real Estate, and the structural freedom of Fugazi into an entirely new musical experience.

Music Style rock

Musical Influences U2, The Cure, & Fugazi

Artist History Michael is intense, explosive, sweeping, cathartic, and determined. Michael is melodic, textured, introverted, wistful, and focused. Michael grew up on 80’s pop/rock radio but borrow their d.i.y. attitude from indie & college rock. Michael likes Fugazi, Yo La Tengo, Ride, Built to Spill, Chavez, and Jeff Buckley. Michael is from Athens, GA. Michael is David Fairbairn (Vocals / Guitar), Asa Leffer (Guitar), John Nowicki (Bass / Bk. Vocals), and Bob Sleppy (Drums). Michael is a band. Michael has a new album, The Day After My Confidence. Following the release of Michael’s debut album, You Must Be This Tall, in January 1999, the band felt the need to take a different approach with the recording of their next album. Enlisting the help of Greg Williamson, producer of Sunny Day Real Estate’s How It Feels To Be Something On, the band recorded the first sketches for The Day After My Confidence in Athens, GA at their home studio in October 2000. After a week of recording they realized that they were not getting the sound and “feel” they had hoped for. Emotionally and financially spent, Michael took a break to regroup and plan a new strategy . During their break, they asked long-time friend and guitarist, Asa Leffer to join the group. The addition brought an entirely new energy to the band and a needed spark to live shows. A few months later Michael received a phone call from friend and studio engineer, Paul Hart. Hart, who worked for Sony/ Tree Studios in Nashville, had been a long time fan of the band and had found a way to help. Using holiday weekends and graveyard shifts over the course of a year, Hart managed to record the band in Nashville. Taking the reigns as producer, he helped shape the sound of the recordings into what had been missing from the earlier sessions. The album was then turned over to Andy LeMaster at Chase Park Transduction in Athens for mixing. Best known for his work with Azure Ray, Bright Eyes, and his own project, Now It’s Overhead, LeMaster also recorded and mixed the first Michael album. With the release of The Day After My Confidence, Michael exhibits a maturity and thoughtfulness not heard on previous recordings. Musically, “Confidence” is focused, well-written, and beautifully accented with layers of lush guitar and vocal melodies. The lyrical content of the album addresses the complexities and intricacies of human relationships. With each track, the album skillfully takes the listener through a transformation from discontent to self-examination and revitalization. This album is a wall to be knocked down--- only to be built again. When Michael formed in 1993 they were confident of world domination. They were on a mission. As the years have passed the passion remains intact but the focus has transformed from world domination into simply making good records. Michael has done just that with The Day After My Confidence.

Group Members Michael is David Fairbairn (Vocals / Guitar), Asa Leffer (Guitar), John Nowicki (Bass / Bk. Vocals), and Bob Sleppy (Drums).

Albums (2002) THE DAY AFTER MY CONFIDENCE (1999) YOU MUST BE THIS TALL

Press Reviews (1999)CMJ New Music Report - by Cheryl Botchick---"Athens, GA, band MICHAEL is a modernized, model "power trio" for 1999.At first blush, "YOU MUST BE THIS TALL" sounds like it takes most of its cues from the musical intensity and gut-wrenching vocals of emo-core. Thosecharacteristics are indeed present, but the band's most defining trait is actually its superb musicianship. Each player is a near-virtuoso, harnessing the velocity and the intensity of late-90's punk with accomplished finesseand instumental chops. The group's songs flow with equal expertise, propelledforward by overlapping, sustained notes and chords that glide over time signaturefluctuations. MICHAEL just may very well be emo's answer to Rush!" http://www.onlineathens.com/rockathens/bands/michael.shtml

Location Athens, Georgia - USA

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