Rise Of The Frog Machine

The Thneeds, like all great bands, were formed because somebody lost a bet. We're pretty sure it was 1997. Sometime after OJ went to court, but before Harry went to Hogwarts. Our collective memories are somewhat hazy about the topic--not because of anything untoward, but simply because it was a long time ago. We do remember committing to a couple of four-hour gigs very early on--before we actually had a band, and certainly before we had any songs. That kind of set the tone. John Kohler, Jim Vogt, Brent Howell, and Bill Schnabel were all there in the early days, and remain with us today. The four of us, along with Kat Gustafson--the greatest rock cellist in Interior Alaska history--spent the next few years writing songs, playing out, and generally seeking our fortunes on the Fairbanks live music scene. The period culminated in 1999 with the release of 900 Planets, our first studio-produced Thneeds CD. The year 2000 brought with it the Thneed Diaspora, a period in which several band members took the unconventional step of moving away and 'getting real jobs.' Thus, this was a period of relative quiet for the band, as it's members were not aware that the band still existed. In 2004, perhaps 2005, after said band members had an opportunity to discover what the concept of 'real jobs' actually entailed, the Thneeds found themselves back in action. Joined by Steve Moore, legendary Fairbanks songwriter and six-string savant, the Thneeds set out, once again, to rule the world of rock. Since then, we've played together a few times a year--whenever the mood strikes. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Usually in Fairbanks. Brent is in Anchorage, so he plays with us when he can. Kat is still officially in the band, but I don't think she is aware of that. Somebody please tell her. We're not really sure when or how Willis Fireball came to be in the band; he just sort of apparated into our midst like some sort of magical artist guy from central casting. Unfortunately, he tends to disapparate just as readily. Still, we're better for it when he's around. In any event, we've written a lot of songs over the years, many of them available on our various live releases or side-project albums, but there are more songs to come. Many more. Rise of the Frog Machine, our 2013 release, captures the essence of whatever it is we stand for. We are teachers, engineers, social workers, small business owners, janitors, car salesmen--we are rock and rollers. We are you. And the music is yours. Loyal to no particular genre, we write whatever we want, and play it with gusto. We write about our own crushed dreams, then sing it with a smile. Somehow that makes everything OK. We love these songs, and invite you to love them too. They are, after all, about all of us.