Oceansize

Oceansize is a five-piece art rock group formed in Manchester, England, in 1998. The band consists of Mike Vennart (vocals, guitar), Steve Durose (guitar, backing vocals), Richard "Gambler" Ingram (guitar, keyboards), Mark Heron (drums) and Steve Hodson (bass). To date, the band have released three studio albums in addition to a number of minor EPs and singles. The band can be categorized variously as progressive rock (a classification the band rejects^{[citation needed]}), indie rock, heavy metal and space rock, among other genres.

The band are named after the Jane's Addiction song "Ocean Size". According to guitarist Gambler, the band's "old bass player [Jon Ellis] came up with the name. I think, at the time, he was thinking what we would sound like. Jane’s Nothing's Shocking album, which has the track "Ocean Size" on it, was definitely a big influence."^[1]

Other information

Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (January 2009)

On 4 December 2005, the band issued a press release, stating that bassist Jon Ellis was leaving the band, but would still contribute musically. On 28 January 2006, frontman Mike Vennart, issued a short post on an Oceansize messageboard announcing Ellis' replacement, Steve Hodson - a member of the Oceansize side-project Kong and also drummer in 'Capulet'.

Oceansize performing live at the LVC in Leiden, Netherlands.

"Meredith" from the album Everyone Into Position was featured on the popular television drama The O.C., and "Music For A Nurse" became the soundtrack to an Orange advertising campaign entitled Fish during summer 2006. "Music For A Nurse" was also featured in the motion picture The Invisible (2007)

The band, in getting a new record deal, sought to find one that would better support the band in terms of promotion and financial backing for international (e.g. U.S.) touring.^{[citation needed]} Mike Vennart implied in a recent interview that the record deal was contingent on the band writing two tracks "on order" for the company. These mp3s were released on the band's Myspace page around Christmas 2006 as a band-described gift to the fans. The two songs were "Red Rag to a Bear" and "Siberian Bullshit". In the posting of these mp3s, Vennart described these tracks as "warts an' all," and suggested that they would not show up on the new album.

Their third album, Frames, was released on 1 October 2007 on Superball Music (home of ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Pure Reason Revolution and The Amber Light).

According to the band's official website, the band are "writing a new album which we are very excited about. Fifteen songs all under four minutes".^[2] On 5 August 2008, Vennart posted on the official messageboard "we're hoping to get it out for next summer, in the meantime there's still talk of a US tour, but finding a suitable support tour is proving virtually impossible" and talked about new songs.^[3]

The band will release a live box set in July 2009, entitled Feed to Feed.^[4] The release will be limited to 5000 copies.^[5]

Side projects and collaborations

The band's side project Kong, consisting of Steven Hodson and Mark Heron, recorded their debut album “Snake Magnet” in the summer of 2007 at The Works Recording Studio in Bredbury (where Everyone Into Position was recorded). Kong have now signed with Los Angeles based label White Drugs, home of The Bronx, and will release “Snake Magnet” in 2009. Two singles precede this on Brew Records

Oceansize also share a camaraderie with fellow Mancunian band Amplifier, with the bands referring to each other as “brothers-in-amps”^[6]. Mike Vennart and Steve Durose supplied backing vocals on two of the tracks on Amplifier's self-titled debut album, while Amplifier's front-man Sel Balamir is credited in Oceansize's song “Sizeofanocean”.

During the recording of Everyone Into Position in 2005 at The Works Recording Studio, Vennart ran into Snoop Dogg, and recorded guitar parts for the rapper's demos.^{[citation needed]}

Discography

Albums

• Effloresce (2003)
• Everyone into Position (2005) #192 UK
• Frames (2007)

Box Sets

• Feed to Feed (2009)^[7]

Singles and EPs

• "Amputee" EP (1999) (CD Only)
• "Saturday Morning Breakfast Show" (1999) (7" Vinyl Only)
• "A Very Still Movement" EP (2001) (CD Only)
• "Relapse" EP (2002) (CD/10" Vinyl)
• "One Day All This Could Be Yours" (2003) (CD/10" Vinyl)
• "Catalyst" (2003) (Download Single)
• "Remember Where You Are" (2003) (CD/7" Vinyl)
• "Catalyst" (2003) (CD/7" Vinyl)
• "Music for Nurses" EP (2004) (CD/10" Vinyl)
• "Heaven Alive" (2005) (CD/7" Vinyl)
• "New Pin" (2006) (CD/7" Vinyl)
• "Walking in the Air" (Cover version) (2007) (Free Christmas Single, Web Only)

Members

• Mike Vennart - guitar, lead vocals
• Steve Durose - guitar, backing vocals
• Richard "Gambler" Ingram - guitar, keyboards
• Steven Hodson - bass, keyboards (2006-present)
• Mark Heron - drums

Former members

• Jon Ellis - bass, keyboards (1998-2005)

Interviews

Radio

• Radio Interview. Dec 2006 - 3SYN 90.7FM Melbourne, Australia

External links

• Official Site
• Oceansize at MySpace
• Kong at MySpace
• 5/5 review of 'Frames' on Rocklouder music website

Notes