Artist description Drawing influences from 60s to 90s rock, Banter runs the gamut from folk-rock to punk-rock, at times gravitating from laid-back acoustic grooves to a heavily distorted passionate outcry in the blink of an eye. Mind-expanding lyrics.

Music Style rock/grunge/pop

Musical Influences Led Zeppelin, Beatles, Pearl Jam, Rush, Screaming Trees, Trip Shakespeare, Cream, Neil Young

Similar Artists The Who, Screaming Trees, Pearl Jam, Live

Artist History Although currently based in the New York City area, BANTER came out of the late-nineties Boston club scene on a mission to "keep rock real," spending their early career bringing their their rock infusions to such hub Boston clubs as the Middle East, TT the Bear's, the Linwood and other venues that the band has since outlasted. Their early sound, captured on the Side One e.p., showcased the band's energetic performances and their skill at creating songs propelled by catchy hooks and well-timed dynamic surges, fusing rock with musical traditions ranging from folk to punk. The e.p. got the band the good press (most notably in Boston fanzine the Noise as well as Metronome magazine) and the radio coverage they needed to establish themselves as forerunners of the Boston scene, and prompted them to return to the studio to record the single "Springtime in February." "Springtime," a song written about singer Dan Sheehan's old neighborhood in Cambridge, MA, received "song of the month" honors from the Noise which dubbed it "the unoffical theme song of Central Square, de facto capital of the Boston music scene" and landed the band their first television airing of their music on The Mike Adams Sports Hour. Soon BANTER would be expanding their live presence, gigging in Providence and New York City, where the clubs CBGB's and Brownie's gave them a second home. In 2002, after various e.p.'s, singles and compilation cuts, BANTER finally released their long-awaited full-length debut album, Urban Pastures. Before its release, however, the album was already an internet hit with "The Fort," a song about a childhood stomping grounds, charting at #4 on Vitaminic.fr's "Rock Inde" (indie rock) chart, and "Where Have You Gone?" the historical tale of a kidnapped Native American boy becoming one of the few rock songs to ever make mp3.com's Native American top 50. The album showcased a variety of new influences in BANTER's rock infusions, from Boston-style power pop to Arabian drones. Shortly after its release, the band relocated full-time to New York where they are playing a healthy dose of local shows and gearing up to take their sound across the U.S. and beyond. . As Metronome magazine recently put it, "BANTER is a breath of fresh air in an age of formula-dominated rock."

Group Members Dan Sheehan - guitar, lead vocals, bass Patrick Lynch - drums Jeff Gourde -guitar Michael Lynch and Doug MacBride- touring bassists Joe Smith - drums and vocals

Instruments electric guitar, acoustic guitar, drums, bass

Albums Urban Pastures, Side One

Press Reviews THE NOISE, review of "Springtime in February" single Ex-Rogues' Gallery, Banter produces a sound that says "All the squares go home."Though the A-side may well owe something to "Needles and Pins" by theSearchers (and perhaps "Makes No Sense At All" by Husker Du), it's one of thefiner songs to come our way in quite a spell. The surly vocals are belligerent yetstrangely affectionate. This tune should be the theme song of Central Square, defacto capital of the Boston music scene now that The Rat has bitten the dust for good.

Additional Info please visit http://banterband.com for latest band info

Location New York, NY - USA

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