THE FREEMARTINS
Hailing from Portland, Oregon
A slick, sophisticated blend of ROCK and FUNK presented with a modern/pop-savvy twist!¡!
skipp milne: singer
tobe anderson: guitarist
steve valente: drummer
'e' {funk} luvaas: bass
regis brist [+]THE FREEMARTINS
Hailing from Portland, Oregon
A slick, sophisticated blend of ROCK and FUNK presented with a modern/pop-savvy twist!¡!
skipp milne: singer
tobe anderson: guitarist
steve valente: drummer
'e' {funk} luvaas: bass
regis bristol: vocals
The Freemartins' initial genesis occurred in the fall of 1998. Their former incarnation, Tilting at Windmills, had built them up quite a local fan base.
Tilting at Windmills still have not been forgotten by those who seek, in the words of jazz legend Mel Brown, to "Keep live music alive in Portland."
Tilting at Windmills marked the beginnings of the Freemartins' sound. They were a seven-piece outfit with lead and rhythm guitar, bass, keyboards, drums, sax and trumpet.
Their sound has been described, essentially, as polished and yet fiercely powerful funk with hard-edged guitars, whose songs more or less followed the rock-and-roll formula while still managing to experiment with multiple genres at once.
Thus, they managed to cross and blur many lines.
Comparisons were made by many fans on the order of Frankenstein crossbreeds like "The Eagles meet the Bosstones", with a generous dose of Ween and Frank Zappa thrown into the mix. But as always, such comparisons demonstrate that Tobe and Skipp have their finger on the pulse of a sound and a drive which is all their own.
"The Prime Directive is the Groove", reads their credo, which is a backwards-and-forwards philosophy that can be explained... but is much better
experienced.
So in the fall of 1998, every member except Tobe and Skipp bowed out due to "external pressure". It is a long-standing observation from many successful bands that you just have to find people who are willing to consistently
buckle down and do the work. Tobe and Skipp began writing new songs, and auditioning drummers and bass players.
As always, they found the diamonds in the gravel pit...
SKIPP MILNE,
twenty-seven years of age, began studying percussion in many forms at age twelve. From there it was a short hop for his virtuoso instincts to tackle vocals, keyboards, guitars and finally composition, in that order. Skipp demonstrates the work ethic and resulting sense of humor common to tough, talented artists who avoid falling through the cracks:"Just
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