Under the Influence of Giants

Under the Influence of Giants (sometimes abbreviated UTIOG) is a musical group from Los Angeles, California. The band is often compared to the Scissor Sisters. They released their major label debut album in August 2006, which was a number one hit on the Top Heatseekers chart. Among their influences are the Beatles, The Who, Led Zeppelin,[1] the Bee Gees, Prince, WHAM!, and Todd Rundgren. They have performed on Last Call with Carson Daly and Jimmy Kimmel Live.

Former members

• Aaron Bruno: vocals/lyrics
• Drew Stewart: Guitar
• Jamin Wilcox: drums, Keyboard
• David Amezcua: Bass
• Erin Kathleen Logan: Keyboard
• Josh Moreau: Bass

History

Aaron Bruno and Drew Stewart formed a band called Home Town Hero and signed to the now defunct Maverick Records from 2002-2004. In 2004, after several member changes and label woes, the band went on hiatus. Around this time, Aaron and Drew reconnected with childhood friend and former Audiovent drummer Jamin Wilcox and began to play music together. All three had experienced turmoil with major record labels and wanted to create music on their own terms. The music from these sessions would later be recorded and released free over the internet under the album title Bitch City. While the band was still called HomeTown Hero at this point, they felt the evolution of the music did not fit the name so they dropped the name. Since HomeTown Hero was still contractually obligated to Maverick, the label held the legal rights to HomeTown Hero's music. The members of the band quit the label, forced to leave their music behind. However, they are currently in legal talks to acquire rights to the music and possibly release some or all of it in the future.

The band continued under the name "Under the Influence of Giants", a name meant to reflect of their continuous struggle to operate free of authority. They recruited keyboardist Katie Logan and bassist David Amezuca and began to play shows in the Los Angeles area in mid-2005, selling out venues like the Roxy and Key Club several times. In the spring of 2006, Katie Logan, after a short West Coast tour, decided to amicably leave the band and created the duo Katie and Katie with a friend.

In the winter of 2005 they signed with Island Records. They released their debut in summer of 2006 on Island Records.

They have headlined a club tour in the US and UK. They have also gone on tour in the UK and Europe with The Sounds, as well as opening for them on select dates in the United States.

They are currently taking a break and members of the band are starting their solo projects.

Discography

As Home Town Hero

• Home Town Hero LP (2002)
• Bitch City LP (2004)

As Under the Influence of Giants

• Heaven Is Full EP (2006)
• Under the Influence of Giants LP (2006) U.S. #134^[1]

Singles

• "Mama's Room" (2006)
• "In the Clouds" (2006)

Trivia

• The song "Robbers" from the Bitch City LP is featured in MVP Baseball 2004 by EA Sports.
• The song "Hi Lo" from the Bitch City LP was featured in the Season 1 Episode 2, Credit Where Credit's Due, of Veronica Mars.
• A few songs from the Under the Influence of Giants album were played at a Halloween party scene in an episode (The Middle-Earth Paradigm) of The Big Bang Theory
• The song "Mama's Room" was covered by a cappella group After Dark (Washington University in St. Louis). The group's cover was runner-up for "Best Mixed Collegiate Arrangement" and was the winner of "Best Mixed Collegiate Song" by the Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards.

References

External links

• Under the Influence of Giants at Allmusic
• UTIOG Myspace