Avant Garde: Difference between revisions
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| Former members = [[Rivers Cuomo]]<br>[[Kevin Ridel]]<br>[[Justin Fisher]]<br>[[Bryn Mutch]]<br>[[Eric Ridel]]<br>[[Michael Stanton]] | | Former members = [[Rivers Cuomo]]<br>[[Kevin Ridel]]<br>[[Justin Fisher]]<br>[[Bryn Mutch]]<br>[[Eric Ridel]]<br>[[Michael Stanton]] | ||
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'''Avant Garde''' (later known as '''Zoom''') was a progressive heavy metal band from Connecticut. Featuring technical and heavy guitar solos, a dramatic production sense, and hair metal aesthetics, the band was formed by [[Rivers Cuomo]] and his childhood friends at E.O. Smith and Rockville high schools<ref name="E.O Smith Battle of the Bands">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tfnz6sTFB8 Youtube video] entitled "E.O. Smith Battle of the Bands, May 24, 1988: Avant Garde, "Tongue of Fire"". Description reads: Avant Garde, an original progressive metal band, was comprised of E.O. Smith / Rockville High School students, all between the ages of 16 and 17 years old. From [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0MJ40q-8TJPvqQAJ5m9KAA Rakkit TV] channel.</ref>Drawing inspiration from Judas Priest and [[Kiss]], Avant Garde's lineup consisted of Cuomo on guitar, [[Justin Fisher]] on bass, [[Kevin Ridel]] on lead vocals, his brother [[Eric Ridel]] on guitar, and [[Bryn Mutch]] on drums. The band relocated to Los Angeles from Connecticut in 1988<ref name="David Dalley">[[Hartford Courant article - December 4, 1996#Cuomo's band one of three to evolve from Avant Garde|Hartford Courant article - December 4, 1996]] - written by DAVID DALLEY.</ref>, changed its name to '''Zoom'''<ref>[[Recording_History_-_Page_1#Zoom_.2889-early_90.29|Recording History - Page 1]]. By [[Karl Koch]].</ref>, and dissolved by the spring of [[1990]]<ref>[[Details interview with Rivers Cuomo - February 1997]] by Gavin Edwards</ref>. | '''Avant Garde''' (later known as '''Zoom''') was a progressive heavy metal band from Connecticut. Featuring technical and heavy guitar solos, a dramatic production sense, and hair metal aesthetics, the band was formed by [[Rivers Cuomo]] and his childhood friends at E.O. Smith and Rockville high schools<ref name="E.O Smith Battle of the Bands">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tfnz6sTFB8 Youtube video] entitled "E.O. Smith Battle of the Bands, May 24, 1988: Avant Garde, "Tongue of Fire"". Description reads: Avant Garde, an original progressive metal band, was comprised of E.O. Smith / Rockville High School students, all between the ages of 16 and 17 years old. From [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0MJ40q-8TJPvqQAJ5m9KAA Rakkit TV] channel.</ref>Drawing inspiration from Judas Priest and [[Kiss]], Avant Garde's lineup consisted of Cuomo on guitar, [[Justin Fisher]] on bass, [[Kevin Ridel]] on lead vocals, his brother [[Eric Ridel]] on guitar, and [[Bryn Mutch]] on drums. The band relocated to Los Angeles from Connecticut in 1988<ref name="David Dalley">[[Hartford Courant article - December 4, 1996#Cuomo's band one of three to evolve from Avant Garde|Hartford Courant article - December 4, 1996]] - written by DAVID DALLEY.</ref>, changed its name to '''Zoom'''<ref name="Recording History Zoom">[[Recording_History_-_Page_1#Zoom_.2889-early_90.29|Recording History - Page 1]]. By [[Karl Koch]].</ref>, and dissolved by the spring of [[1990]]<ref name="Details">[[Details interview with Rivers Cuomo - February 1997]] by Gavin Edwards</ref>. | ||
==Biography== | ==Biography== | ||
===Formation=== | ===Formation=== | ||
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Rehearsals typically took place at either Fisher's house, Cuomo's house or "The Band Room." Fisher described the band room as, "A small, burnt-out furniture factory in Vernon. There was absolutely no adult supervision and bands like ours would just go in there and rent our own piece of the floor for three or four hundred dollars a month and build our own walls. We'd practice in there, and kids would just go in there and hang out and listen to other bands. It was really kind of neat and scary at the same time. It was incredibly cold in the winter... We were all in high school. Looking back, I don't know how the hell we came up with the rent."{{citation needed}} | Rehearsals typically took place at either Fisher's house, Cuomo's house or "The Band Room." Fisher described the band room as, "A small, burnt-out furniture factory in Vernon. There was absolutely no adult supervision and bands like ours would just go in there and rent our own piece of the floor for three or four hundred dollars a month and build our own walls. We'd practice in there, and kids would just go in there and hang out and listen to other bands. It was really kind of neat and scary at the same time. It was incredibly cold in the winter... We were all in high school. Looking back, I don't know how the hell we came up with the rent."{{citation needed}} | ||
Kevin Ridel, looking back, believes the band "sucked" | Kevin Ridel, looking back, believes the band "sucked"<ref name="Catlin">[[Hartford Courant article - December 4, 1996#Weezer's worry|Hartford Courant article - December 4, 1996]] by ROGER CATLIN</ref>}}, striving more for technical prowess and focusing less on songwriting craft. | ||
===Recording=== | ===Recording=== | ||
{{Rivers Cuomo quote|I was always a bit of an oddity [in high school]. When I was in ninth grade, we were picked on and ostracized. By 11th grade, we were tolerated. And by 12th grade, people gave us a certain amount of respect. But we were never rock stars, just the weird guys who did music."|<ref | {{Rivers Cuomo quote|I was always a bit of an oddity [in high school]. When I was in ninth grade, we were picked on and ostracized. By 11th grade, we were tolerated. And by 12th grade, people gave us a certain amount of respect. But we were never rock stars, just the weird guys who did music."|<ref name="Catlin" />}} | ||
[[Image:Avant Garde shirt.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Avant Garde merch from the late 1980s.]] | [[Image:Avant Garde shirt.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Avant Garde merch from the late 1980s.]] | ||
During Cuomo and Fisher's junior year, Avant Garde released a demo tape consisting of "[[Tongue of Fire]]", "[[I Must Be Dreaming]]" and "[[Black Rose]]." The tape was called "[[The Blue Demo]]", the name evolved from the light blue label stickers on the cassette tapes. | During Cuomo and Fisher's junior year, Avant Garde released a demo tape consisting of "[[Tongue of Fire]]", "[[I Must Be Dreaming]]" and "[[Black Rose]]." The tape was called "[[The Blue Demo]]", the name evolved from the light blue label stickers on the cassette tapes. | ||
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===Move to Los Angeles, renaming, disbanding=== | ===Move to Los Angeles, renaming, disbanding=== | ||
While in LA, the band had an extremely difficult time making it. They settled into a shared apartment on Cherokee Avenue, a space they would later be evicted from, according to Cuomo<ref>[[Riverpedia_archive_-_09/04/2020#Lisa|Riverpedia entry from September 2020]]</ref>. Cuomo would later reference Cherokee in the lyrics to "[[Troublemaker]]." The band could only procure stage time via 'Pay for Play' shows, which made it difficult to make rent and perform and record. In 1989{{citation needed}}, the band decided they would have to redo their image and change their name, considering both "Prong" and "Power Chicken" before settling on "Zoom."{{citation needed}} | While in LA, the band had an extremely difficult time making it. They settled into a shared apartment on Cherokee Avenue, a space they would later be evicted from, according to Cuomo<ref>[[Riverpedia_archive_-_09/04/2020#Lisa|Riverpedia entry from September 2020]]</ref>. Cuomo would later reference Cherokee in the lyrics to "[[Troublemaker]]." The band could only procure stage time via 'Pay for Play' shows, which made it difficult to make rent and perform and record. In 1989{{citation needed}}, the band decided they would have to redo their image and change their name, considering both "Prong" and "Power Chicken" before settling on "Zoom."{{citation needed}} | ||
The band was broken up by the spring of 1990, according to Koch<ref name="Recording History Zoom" />. According to [[Details interview with Rivers Cuomo - February 1997|a 1997 interview]], two of the band members decided to return home to Connecticut after playing "a few shows."<ref name="Details" /> | |||
[[Image:Zoom promo 2.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Another Zoom promo]] | [[Image:Zoom promo 2.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Another Zoom promo]] | ||