There is no better way to get people’s attention in the state of the current underground rock and roll scene than to kick-start your career with a Do-It-Yourself attitude. Adopting this approach will give a band solid ground to stand on and allow for many more open doors along the way. The latest band to decide to leave chance behind and take fate into their own hands is the undeniably catchy Artist Vs Poet, hailing from Dallas, Texas.
In the fall of 2007, vocalist and front-man Tarcy Thomason decided that he could not deny his need to play music. After two years in a local band called Enter The Collector, and several months of trying his hand at tour managing, Tarcy was ready to sit down, focus, and start making the music he had always wanted to make. He posted a MySpace bulletin announcing his desire to start an acoustic project and the first to reply was AVP guitarist/vocalist Craig Calloway. “Our bands had played shows together in the past,” remembers Tarcy. “We started writing songs and quickly realized that we needed to make the project full-band.” Tarcy and Craig made a call to former Enter The Collector drummer Joe Westbrook and soon the creativity began to flow. Finishing out the lineup with guitarist/vocalist Joe Kirkland and bassist Jason Dean, AVP was ready to introduce their music to the world.
Less than one year after forming, the band caught the attention of the southern California based record label Fearless Records (Plain White T’s, Mayday Parade, The Maine). A rapidly growing fan base, combined with a dynamic, irresistible catalogue of songs, was more than enough to convince Fearless to add Artist Vs Poet to an already solid roster of bands. “We could not have asked for a better family,” says Tarcy. “Everyone is amazing at Fearless.” The label may not know what they have gotten themselves into just yet: the band loves to pull pranks and are always finding new games to play.
AVP released their debut, self-titled EP in November of 2008. The album was recorded with producer Mike Green (Paramore, The Higher, Danger Radio) and their songs have been featured in MTV’s the Real World and Parental Control. They were also proclaimed by Alternative Press as “one of the 100 Bands You Need to Know in 2009.” But the release of their debut EP was just the start of a whirlwind of activity.
The band traveled across the country supporting their release in the Fall of 2008. They were a part of the Atticus Walk The Plank Tour with A Change of Pace and The Classic Crime. They also toured with My American Heart, The Graduate and Danger Radio. AVP has no plans to slow down their busy schedule. They have already hit the road in 2009 with Ultraviolet Sound, Valencia, and Houston Calls. The band will also tour this spring with Sing It Loud and The Morning Light.
Do-It-Yourself: grab a copy of the AVP debut EP. It will be on your favorite playlist soon after your first listen, and their catchy beats and infectious melodies will be embedded in your head non-stop for days. A lesson has been learned: never underestimate the power of a MySpace bulletin.
