1000 Arms

1000 Arms began in the fall of 2004 with Gabe Molnar initiating a weekly get-together with Andy Eschenbach. Gabe, well known in Cincinnati's electronic and experimental music scenes through his performances as The Seeping Kind and as a member of The Black Fives, brought his guitar to Andy's practice space. There he joined the drummer in continuing the musical collaboration from their previous association as members of Mine Is for Corpses. In between the video
games, movies, and occasional tattoos, regular bits of music eventually surfaced. They continued in this fashion for quite a while, with the bits eventually forming into songs.

Low end became a necessity, and Gabe didn't have far to look. In April of the next year, he recruited Todd Uttley, his partner in "Kinky Mondays", a long-running DJ night. Todd came from the seminal Cincinnati band Black Magic Rhythm, the funk of that band combining with his post-punk and electronic influences to complement well the odd times and alternately heavy and quiet pieces the other two had been creating.

Meanwhile, Gabe recruited longtime friend Nathan Ober for the band's multimedia arm. Nathan has an extensive history in video editing and visual projections for various projects, and his distorted-tape collages mixed with live video feeds broaden the palette of the band's live presentation.

The live debut came on June 6, 2005, where a transfixed audience took in the new yet familiar, complex yet accessible pieces with enthusiasm.

Heavy doses of The Oxes and post-punk legends Television provide some familiar textures, but with the occasional addition of Gabe's unique vocal style, disaffected yet apathetic, the mixture becomes something not often seen in Cincinnati: unique. Todd's early-80s bass playing solidifies the post-punk element, while Andy's drumming comes across as complex and competent enough for prog but with the attitude of punk.

Almost one year after joining the band, however, Todd left to devote his attention to school, leaving 1000 Arms aga