Artist description Xin is a techno-industrial band based in Springfield, Mo.

Music Style techno-industrial-metal

Musical Influences NIN, Vast, Black Sabbath, Ozzy, Placebo, Stabbing Westward, Prince, Gravity Kills, Type O negative, Filter, Monster Magnet, Marilyn Manson, Orgy, David Bowie, Reeves Gabriel, Soundgarden, Prick, Rammstein, Rob Zombie, RHCP, Babylon Zoo, Metallica, Aerosmith, The Black Crowes, The Offspring, Stevie R. Vaughn, Jimmi Hendrix, Primus, The Doors, Led Zeppelin, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Johnny Lang, Robert Johnson, Ac/Dc, Frank Zappa, Lenny Kravitz, Queensryce, Cream, Eric Clapton, to name a few.

Similar Artists Type O Negative, Nin, Stabbing Westward, Gravity Kills, Vast, Orgy

Artist History Forged in the ashes of one band, the Phoenix known as Xin was born out of one persons inability to cope with the frustrations of giving up creative freedom when working in a collaboration. Jack F. Epic had been writing and playing in a band called Zen Carnival. His aggravation over someone not being able to play certain parts or wanting to change other parts because of the "we want a signature sound" syndrome, almost drove him away from music. Jack had been writing in a solo project for a while."It is hard to change a song when you have a sound in your mind and you really have something to say," says Jack. He also included, " and I do not understand this 'signature sound' thing. I think that if you are into different things whether it be music, literature, art, or film ... that all of it comes through in what you do yourself. You are really a melting pot of imagery. True, you can hear or see some influences, but over all it fades into something that makes up your being. And that is where 'signature' comes from. Not the person who says, (in a mocking voice) 'lets play some old school Korn and keep it real.'"In the middle of working on his first solo effort, Industrial Zoo; Jack tried once again to collaborate with another artist. "I am not going to name name's..." he started," but a friend of mine I was working with at the time had moved into town and left a well established band in another city. He was a great guitar player as well. He liked some of the idea's that I threw around, and he was really into some of the other lyrics that I had done. So he wanted to form a band down here (Springfield, MO) and wanted he and I to do most of the writing. So I thought that this was great idea and it was what I was wanting... A real team effort."It did not turn out that way,"I remember at one point he was just jamming in his own world on his guitar, totally ignoring me and a bass player friend he had invited. I was standing at the keyboard with a guitar hung around my neck just in case. He was dead to the world at that point. He would just look up every now and then and say, 'play this'. I don't write that way. At one point I was so lost and he was so wrapped up in his own jamming that I just started playing the Sesame Street theme on the keyboard over and over ... the funny thing is that he did not even notice. And what was even funnier is his girlfriend in the other room noticed and asked me later what I was thinking?"So near the middle of the writing session for Industrial Zoo, Jack decided that he was going to keep the writing on this project solo and not tell anyone about it. After not telling anyone for half of the writing he decided to ask Kathy Johnson (lead guitar player for Zen Carnival and close friend) to read and listen to what he had been doing. Jack noted, "We are very close and I wanted her opinion. She was very supportive and wanted me to continue working on the project and not compromise anything. Even a drum riff if I did not feel that it was not conveying something I needed to say."So Jack finished working on Industrial Zoo . He played and recorded all the parts himself. Under the credits for all the tracks he decided at first to put aliasesland plays on his own name. But after that idea he realized playing live by himself would be difficult and not very entertaining for people to view. He decided that as much as he hated the idea he would have to form a band and work with others."But this time I was in control. Only people I wanted to work with. I am more worried about the friendship and relationship aspect of the band then the individual members playing ability." Kathy Johnson was taken into the ranks early on. "I think she was always in the band," states Jack, " and she is very important in writing because she knows when something sounds wrong and she is honest about it."Andrew Hartfield and Elizabeth Borchers where the next to be taken into the ranks. "Andrew and Elizabeth are part of my friendship work ethic... Andrew however has wonderful insight and spectrum of musical taste. As well as vast knowledge on music theory. Which in it self is wonderful to have? More important however is that we can play video games all night and go out and have a beer later ... and I think we play off each others interest. If I may be so bold =). And as of Elizabeth? Well, she is young and we can whip her into what we want. =) She knows we love her." So with only four members how do they perform bass and additional guitar and drum parts? Jack had this to say, "Well even with Elizabeth playing drums I use a drum machine set up with some digital bass, if the song calls for it. I just like the sound of it as well as some of the things written on the drums are not possible by one person. I also switch off between guitar, bass, and synthesizer when I have to. We also swap additional members on and off. So feel free to apply =)."So how did the name "Xin" come to pass? Jack explains, "Well when we decided that this was going to be a band, I began to work on the concept of what I wanted to achieve. And I came across things that are important and influence me ... music, art, literature, and religion (to keep the list small and simple). 'Xin' fit into all of those categories. Some think it was just a take off on Zen Carnival but I had to do in part with the choosing of that name as well (my taste show through). Another thing is that is Korean (Pronounced "Shin") for night fall. And it is also short. So it has all these elements to it and most importanly it does not label our style. I love that in a commercial world that wants a label on everything. I just hope we do not get stuck in the Enya and Yanni section."

Group Members Jack F. Epic-Vox, Guitars, Bass, Synthesizers, Drums, Programming-Kathy Johnson-Backing Vox, Guitars, Bass-Andrew "Ash" Hartfield-Synthisizers-Elizabeth Borchers-Drums-

Instruments Guitars, bass, synth, drums, drum machines, and what ever else we can find laying around.

Albums Evolution of the Machine, Industrial Zoo, Beyond Religion, Silver Sunlight, October Street's

Location Springfield, Mo - USA

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