Artist description As the townsfolk of Officer May's home of Boston already know, it is rare to find lyrics as frank as Chris Warren's, that allow the listner such a vivid glimpse into an artist's existential dilema: of boredom, frustration, and the monotony of daily life. His message is made exponentially stronger via the energy of Jared Crotau (drums) and Mike Sanders (bass) which propell Chris' guitar and voice from soft lugubrious musings to a truculent frenzy of J. Mascis proportions. Although Officer May create music as honest and refreshing as Bleach era Nirvana, they still cling fast as Cobain did) to the caustic sarcasim of bands like Scratch Acid, Drive Like Jehu, and Big Black.

Music Style indie/(post) punk rock

Musical Influences Sonic Youth, Rolling Stones, Big Black, Velvet Underground, Unwound, Fugazi, Nirvana, Bob Dylan, Shellac, Melvins, Pavement

Similar Artists Shellac, Nirvana, Drive Like Jehu, Big Black

Artist History Chris and Jared have been playing music together since the eighth grade, bonding in high school over such luminaries as The Velvet Underground, The Rolling Stones, and Sonic Youth. Mike and Jared met while working together at the almost exclusively punk-rock staffed Big Burrito, in Allston (Rock City), MA. In 99 the band began taking shape and Officer May self-produced and self-released their debut LP, 'Helping Others Help Themselves,' which caught the ear of Ace Fu owner Eric Speck. With record deal in hand the current line-up recorded Smoking in A Minor with producer Kevin Micka (of the Common Cold) in October 2002.

Group Members Chris Warren- Vox/Guitar Mike Sanders- Bass Jared Crotau- Drums

Press Reviews "If there were any musical justice, these guys would already be huge." - A.P. 5 out of 5 rating "...A holy-hell tantrum that clocks in somewhere between the ugliest parts of Nirvana's In Utero and Shellac's Zeppelinista whallop, OM's new Smoking in A Minor is a collection of scorched-earth anthems choking on our 21st century pollution - cities on fire, cops on every corner - and, in an era when even garage-punk albums are over-produced, it's ripped-to-shreds rawness might make it the most frightening rock and roll album you won't hear on the radio this year." - Carly Carioli BOSTON PHOENIX

Location Boston, MA - USA

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