dearling

Excerpt from the Short Epic Bio A project came about when three cherub angels wondered what would happen if you put the mathematical chaos of Justin G. L. with the pensive yet playful tensions of Manolo M. with a dash of "getting around to it." The original idea was Justin going back to bass from guitar, and Manolo figuring out a live electronic setup. These are essentially the roots of their instrument upbringing. It didn't work out due to technical difficulties and confusion on their app...

Excerpt from the Short Epic Bio A project came about when three cherub angels wondered what would happen if you put the mathematical chaos of Justin G. L. with the pensive yet playful tensions of Manolo M. with a dash of "getting around to it." The original idea was Justin going back to bass from guitar, and Manolo figuring out a live electronic setup. These are essentially the roots of their instrument upbringing. It didn't work out due to technical difficulties and confusion on their approach. But here's an aside: at one point Manolo just got done filming a five minute short, which starred Justin playing a priest named Father Darling. One night, at an establishment which specializes in adult beverages, the low esteemed director of the film suggested "I like the idea of working with the phrase 'Ugly Duckling' for a name." The actor who played Father Darling got into his usual bout with non sequitur wordplay, and said something along the lines of "Father Duckling! Father Deerling!" in which Manolo replied, "Hey, Dearling. That could work." It was a name that wasn't just random, but a name of substance. A 5% of substance, which you can get at the Bullfrog Brewery. And thus, began the name of this imaginary project which they will never end up doing. Jump back forward back to where an associated band (chart climbers, Mellow Tiger) couldn't make a date at a venue. One of the members said "Hey, I got a band that could do it, named Dearling." They OK'd the pretend band, and then the member wrote some pretend songs to fill time, including smash hit tune (which is more or less an observation of one's relationship with the imaginary lines drawn in society) "Trading Cards," which aired in underground music channel, MTV Atlantis. At the last minute one of the Dearling members couldn't make it, and the remaining member went at it alone, bringing along a guitar, Casio, vintage synthesizer, and various effects. Nobody in the venue seemed to like it. That's when he realized he had something special, which helped him stop crying into his blanket. Dearling went back to business of not getting around to it, until someone approached a member about playing a Halloween show. Sure we could do it, he said, don't worry. There was only a week or so to the show, and the band didn't know what they were going to play song-wise and instrument-wise. "Hey," Justin said, "I would like to learn how to play drums." And Manolo replied, "Ok. And seeing how my memory, coordination, and stage presence are so bad, I could sing and play two synthesizers at the same time!" They high fived over the phone and got to work, concocting songs with the same approach they used to come up with their name. Influences included Blonde Redhead, Morphine, Tricky, Brainiac, Devo, Shellac, Ween, The Paper Chase, Big Black, Nine Inch Nails, Portishead, The Cure, Connect Four, and Frank Zappa. They played the Halloween show blindfolded. And then they died in a car accident, which wasn't that tragic, because one was terminally ill, and the other just put an ad in the paper looking for an assistant to work with his suicide (part time, paid on commission, opportunity to grow, needs to think on their feet, experienced in Power Point, benefits after 30 attempts, eoe). But then the two rose up from the ashes (the car exploded when it drove into a crematorium) as a majestic Phoenix, who got enough plastic surgery to look like a musical duo. Unfortunately their car, which was a firebird, didn't get reborn. The drummer is loud. The singer is timid. They are the perfect pear shape.