Progressive/Post-Punk Rock from Boston, MA
Saturn Effect started as a final project for recording school by Joshua Smith, who had written some alterna-folk tunes and wanted to record one of them for a grade. He pulled in bassist D Fitzgerald and recorded FALL OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. The session went remarkably well, and the two decided to work further on writing/recording tunes. They took on a former band-mate of Smith's, J Faneros, on drums and worked more, recording an early demo of OF FREE WILL SWIMMER. Later on, Faneros left to pursue a career in electronic music, and the band went through a variety of musicians.
Finally Smith hooked up with Chris Wilson through a mutual friend. Wilson had a great many similar musical interests, but his training in orchestration helped bring the fledgling group to a whole new level. Drummer Mike Surette, a childhood friend of Smith's, signed on shortly thereafter, but not before Fitzgerald left to pursue a career in the video-gaming inudstry.
The hunt was on for a new bass player, all while recording demos of LETTERS and WATCHING MOVIES ALONE. Tom Gunn answered the call and the band chose (after much trial/tribulation) the name "Saturn Effect." Later on, they were joined by keyboardist Brian Nickerson and went to work on recording a submission for local Music legend Will Brierly's (of The Rollerholsters) second edition of his SIDE OF THE ROAD SNOWRUNNER Compilation series. The fledgling band solidified under the recording of THIS ROAD (available on SIDE OF THE ROAD SNOWRUNNER PRESENTS VOLUME II) and touring the northern MA/southern NH area to promote it.
Almost immeadiately thereafter, the band started work on ACOUSTIC REMEMBRANCE, a 6-song acoustic EP. The EP was released in July of 2003, but not before Nickerson left the group to focus on other pursuits. The band continued on as a quartet until January 2004 when Tom Gunn parted ways to focus on school and Mike Surrete left due to developing medical problems.
Currently, Saturn Effect consists of Joshua Smith and Chris Wilson on vox and guitars, and newcomer Matt Jones on Bass.
We do... pretty much wherever we can (mostly around the Boston area and on north towards Lowell and NH). Gigging is amazing, but we wish the atmosphere in the Boston area was more musician-friendly.
We take alot of our musical influence from early-ninties alternative music and Post-Punk, as well as late seventies art-rock. Bands that are probably most influential to us include:
Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead, Dreamtheater, Rush, Our Lady Peace, The Juliana Theory, Jeff Buckley, U2, Weezer and others.
SMITH: Line6 Spider Twin, Fender Blues Jr, Ibanez S-Series, Alvarez 6-string, Alvarez 12-String, variety of Boss Stomp-boxes. Roland EP-9 digital piano
WILSON: Marshall 1960 Lead Cabinent and Head, Effects by Digitech. Ibanez 6-String and 7-String guitars. Seagull 6-String Acoustic Guitar. Roland Xp-30 keyboard
JONES: Fender bass guitars, Amplifiers from Yamaha and Ampeg.
WEBSITE: www.saturneffectmusic.com
