The Poor (MO)
the musical saga of the poor begins not as the poor, but the canvas grean, in the summer of 1999. It was then that jason otero, nathanael mehrens, and tony otero came together to form an ensemble. the purpose of which being to experiment with their newfound passion for music and expression. the three were young and inexperienced, but knew that this is what they loved, and decided to mutually chase this dream wherever it would lead. that same summer, they met nathan kaminsky, who possessed musical skills that would both compliment and stretch the others. in the spring of 2003, the fifth and final member, greg ballew, was added to devote his skills on the bass guitar. we have lost nathanael, and he is pursuing a solo career. Also, tony decided to pursue a different carrer, and has been replaced by greg, formerly on bass. each member lays claim to a diverse grouping of influences, musical and otherwise. it is true that life imitates art, and conversely that art imitates life. it is this cycle that the poor wishes to understand and attempt to leave their mark upon. the poor has had its fair share of experiences. by now, they are convinced that staying power is a sure sign of something good. the remaining three have stuck together grasping to a passion that refuses to quit. this passion is tied to the very essence of their respective personalities. all of which strengthen the other, and push the others to a higher level. coming from small town beginnings, the poor has been working for years developing and maturing their sound. the work they invest begins to pay off, and a noticeable change takes place. the common factor, however, has always been to improve, or even, perfect the sound. the obvious diversity in their music spawned from a devotion to a wide range of musical styles and genres. the fundamental element of the band is not to tap into a single gimmick, or to showcase any one members talent. the root of it all lies in the song. the focus which is put on writing, arranging, and recording each song creates a unique atmosphere and emotion behind the music. each member is active in their respective pursuit to comprehend what is good about music, and how they can personally make something good. the poor sings vibrantly about life and love, hope and fear, life and what makes us human. this message has been attractive enough to those willing to listen. their hometown, arguably being inhospitable due to a clash of culture, has not held them down. slowly but surely, the poor has been developing a devout following of people who relate to them and their mind-set. the heart continues to beat, the dialogue has just begun, and the best is yet to come...
Have you performed live in front of an audience? Any special memories?
Yes, we're looking for venues in the Southwest, MO area.
Your musical influences
Ben Folds, Belle and Sebastian, Radiohead, Bob Dylan, Interpol, Deathcab for Cutie, Woody Guthrie, Waterdeep, Sixpence None the Richer, Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Beatles, Kings of Convenience, Sun Kil Moon, Miles Davis, The Doors, Simon & Garfunkel, Bill Mallonee/VOL, Wilco, Pedro the Lion, Coldplay, Over the Rhine, U2, Elliott Smith, The Shins, Muse, Ryan Adams, Sixteen Horsepower, Elbow, Iona, Yo La Tengo, Autolux, The Killers, Iron & Wine, Gorrillaz, Flaming Lips, Phil Keaggy, David Bowie, White Stripes, Bruce Cockburn, Aaron Sprinkle, Dakota Motor Company, Daniel Amos, Ed Harcourt, Jose Gonzalez/Junip, Fire Theft, Modest Mouse, Stevie Nicks, Doves, Karl Orff, Gustav Holst, Igor Stravinsky, Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky, Don McLean, Larry Norman, Sigur Ros, The Thrills, The Gloria Record, Plankeye, Beta Band, The Steve Taylor Newsboys, Fleming & John, Clinic, Jars of Clay, Smashing Pumpkins, Billy Joel, Christine Glass, Keane, ELO, The People, Nick Cave, Chasing Furies, Pink Floyd, Veda Hille, Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles, Fairport Convention, Talking Heads, Led Zeppelin, Bjork, PFR, Victoria Williams, The Normals, Moonbabies, Damien Rice, The Monkees, The Books, They Might Be Giants, Appleseed Cast, Nirvana, The Who, Mitch Miller, Allen Vizzutti, Alanis Moristte, Low, Arcade Fire, Court & Spark, Johnny Cash, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Grandaddy, The Postal Service, Godspeed! You Black Emporer, The Ramones, Etc, Etc, Etc....
What equipment do you use?
Umm...guitars? keyboards, drums, amps. the usual.
