The first time any one seemed to care that Edgar Graham existed was in the summer of 1998, when he impressed himself upon the members of Modest Mouse while backstage at a Denver show. Streaming with blood from the window he had recently broken his way through, Graham stormed up to the band and then jabbing his thumb at the emptiness behind his left shoulder as if to indicate someone else, or the lack thereof, he introduced himself as Ugly Casanova. He displayed a gentle, if not slightly unnerving, mental instability that endeared them to him and caused them to adopt him in a way only possible of a band with a long tour ahead of them. - (Read more)

Born in Seattle in 1998 at the tender age of intent, Unwed Sailor is helmed by Oklahoma-born songwriter Johnathon Ford. The basis for the instrumental project came into being while Ford was still writing with Seattle luminaries Roadside Monument. Pulling toward a bass guitar-oriented sound, the songs he had begun to craft did not fully feel right for Roadside Monument, thus the unbeknownst predestined forming of Unwed Sailor. Not aiming for Unwed Sailor to fall into the regular confines of a typical band, Ford's ever-evolving cast and crew has been tirelessly composed over the years of good friends and company. Throughout the past decade, Unwed Sailor has shared the stage with the likes of Pedro the Lion, Mary Timony, The Danielson Famile, Sufjan Stevens, Early Day Miners, Minus the Bear, The Advantage, The Starlight Mints, and Mates of State (just to name a few). The band has since been relocated and based out of cities across the United States, including Chicago, Seattle, Washington D.C., Jackson MS, Little Rock, AR, and most recently Lawrence, KS. With over 14 US tours and four in Europe, the band has traveled almost as much as it has evolved. From their 1998 debut EP release, Firecracker (featuring Dave Bazan from Pedro the Lion, and Casey Wescott from The Vogue & Seldom) to their 2001 full length release The Faithful Anchor (engineered by Dan Burton of Early Day Miners), the band strived to create side door studies into the pictures behind sound, while opening multiple avenues in the creation of reflective, legitimate, sometimes-instrumental music. In 2002, these studies also produced two short film soundtracks for independent film maker Chris Bennett - Stateless (a musical collaboration with Early Day Miners), and For Jonathan, a multi-genre compilation featuring artists as varied as The Album Leaf and Mikael Jorgensen to Jessica Bailiff and Her Space Holiday. - (Read more)

Velvet Chain's music combines modern grooves and textures with elegant melodies and hard rock power. They're a trip-hop band mixed with a rock band, a pop band, and a funk band. One thing for sure -- they absolutely don't sound like any other band.If you had to compare, you might say they're like a cross betweed Portishead and the Pretenders. Or like Moby mixed-up with the Doors and early Roxy Music. They are an intensely creative and unique pop band that manages to make music that's both eclectic and accessible at the same time.The Velvet Chain sound is easily identifiable, yet the band's overall style is multi-dimensional. They'll be all smooth, dark and melodic - graceful and delicate - then the next thing you know, you're into a really heavy groove, and you don't know how you got there. You never know what's coming next with this band. This "smooth unpredictibility" is fundamental to their style. It creates a tension in the music that's both mesmerizing and alluring. Yet, no matter how much variety and stylistic diversity they throw at you, you can always tell it's them. Velvet Chain is fronted by award-winning vocalist, Erika Amato, and headed by composer-producer-bassist Jeff Stacy. The band's magic lies in the perfect match between Jeff Stacy's musical style and Erika Amato's voice and vibe. This combination is the essence of Velvet Chain's instantly recognizable, liquid-explosive sound. Velvet Chain's most valuable asset is lead singer Erika Amato. Erika has a confident and commanding stage presence, with a silky, hauntingly pure voice. She releases her vocal power with exquisite style and ease, singing with remarkable technical skill and versatility -- yet, her stage presence remains down-to-earth and gracious. Erika is a class-act, starkly beautiful, intelligent, sincere, and always in command of the room. She's an elegant rocker with a smokey-vixen kind of sex appeal that she owns like her voice. - (Read more)