The Red Masque
"Hell is full of musical amateurs. Music is the brandy of the damned." - George Bernard Shaw
The Red Masque is an original avant rock band from the Philadelphia area. Part art, part alchemy, the group's experimental songwriting style is both angular and eerie, accented by freeform space rock improvisations, intricate acoustics, dark atmospherics and chunky riffs. Unconventional and eccentric in musical form, the sophisticatedly sinister The Red Masque fuses together such disparate musical references as horror movie soundtracks, rock-in-opposition, progressive rock, experimental, zeuhl, heavy rock, gothic, psychedelia, space rock, and kraut rock.
"From Pennsylvania hails a quartet without limitations to their purposes and without shame regarding norms and dogma within new rock." - Tarkus Magazine
"In the Nu-progressive rock underground, few bands are as respected and feared as Philadelphia's The Red Masque. Without irony or kitsch, the whirlwind that is Masque ... stalks the darkness of Hammer Horror ambience and cursedly complex musicianship (think Gong meets Bauhaus) with only feedbacking noise, sound-collage clustering and the howl of vocalist Lynnette Shelley to light its way." - Philadelphia City Paper
Founded in February 2001 by bassist/keyboardist Brandon Ross and vocalist Lynnette Shelley, the Red Masque went through several lineup changes over the years, but its intent and integrity has always remained the same. The band's goal was, and is, to create original music that pushes the envelope of the listener's expectations. With such influences as Magma, King Crimson, Hawkwind, Gong, Pink Floyd, Bauhaus, Art Bears, and Van Der Graaf Generator, The Red Masque's compositions are as intense as they are unique.
One of the group's first concerts was at the Prelude to the North East Art Rock Festival (NEARFest) in 2001. Other notable shows include the 2005 Rogue Independent Music Festival in Atlanta, the 2001 World Con Science Fiction Convention, the New Jersey proghouse series, Orion Studios in Baltimore; the Philadelphia Landing Pad Space Rock Festival; and The Gate to Moonbase Alpha concert series at the Rotunda in Philadelphia. The Red Masque also organized and performed in the 2002 and 2003 Philadelphia Underground Music and Culture Festival. The Red Masque have also opened up for notable performers and musicians such as Chris Cutler (Henry Cow, Art Bears), The Muffins, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum, and Present. They have also performed on stage with such well-regarded drummers and percussionists as David Kerman (5UUs, Present, Thinking Plague) and Paul Sears (The Muffins, Thee Maximalists).
Steadily growing an audience within the underground progressive and psychedelic music communities for their uncompromising and intense style of music, The Red Masque have released to date one EP ("Death of the Red Masque" in 2001), and three albums ("Victoria and the Haruspex" in 2002, "Feathers for Flesh" in 2004, and "Fossil Eyes" in 2008), as well as one single (2003). "Feathers for Flesh" was released through the Big Balloon Music label out of Washington state and garnered critical reviews in the press, including Wire Magazine, Harmonie Magazine, Progresiste Magazine, iO Pages, Colussus Magazine, Tarkus Magazine, Progression Magazine, Expose Magazine, the Philadelphia City Paper, Metro Philadelphia, and various online newsletters, blogs, and review sites. Interviews in various progressive music media also followed, including Progression Magazine and Expose Magazine.
The band is currently signed with RER USA and released their highly anticipated third album, "Fossil Eyes" in August 2008 and the live album "Stars Fall On Me" in 2009.
To subscribe to the band's email list and learn about upcoming events, or for further information, please email the band at theredmasque@theredmasque.com.
The Red Masque is:
:: Brandon Lord Ross | bass guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboards, moog, echo theremin
:: Lynnette Shelley | vocals, lyrics, percussion
:: Nicholas Giannetti | guitar
:: Brian (Vonorn) Van Korn | drums, keyboards, theremin, guitar & sundries
Former Members:
:: Andrew Kowal | electric & acoustic guitar, 12-string, violin (2005-08)
:: Kiarash Emami | electric & acoustic guitars and mandolin (2002-05)
:: Nathan-Andrew Dewin | electric concert harp, keys, percussion (2001-02)
:: Steven Blumbeg | electric & acoustic guitars (2001-02)
:: Kevin Kelly | drums & percussion (2001-02)
:: Marcia Bachochin-Fabirkiewicz | keyboards (2002)
Please contact the band or visit the band's myspace page.
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