One Ring Zero

One Ring Zero is a modern music group that melds many genres and sounds to create a unique type of music and is based in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. Centered around Joshua Camp and Michael Hearst the band uses a unique blend of intriguing instruments.

Instruments

Michael plays the theremin and Joshua plays the accordion. They both play the claviola and prove to be extremely versatile musicians, often switching instruments for each song. Other instruments include a toy piano, a melodica, a metallophone, jones-O-phone, cajón and a series of everyday sounds looped and altered to create textures and rhythms. Using all these instruments (or noises) together One Ring Zero creates a sound that defies genre. There is an undeniable klezmer influence throughout their music but also a modern rock or indie influence also. The band has been denoted "Lit Rock" by the media but they seem to defy any singular name. Both Joshua and Michael sing, Michael bass and Joshua tenor. They normally play with a six piece band now, including of a trumpet, drum kit, and bass guitar.

Appearances

One Ring Zero's song, "International Astronomical Union" was featured in an NPR story in mid-August 2007.[1]

ABC News Now in November 2006.

CBC Television with Margaret Atwood in 2006.

A&E's "Breakfast with The Arts" in 2006.

"Fresh Air" with Terry Gross on NPR in July 2004. [2]

News 12 Connecticut in 1999.

As Smart As We Are

On their critically-acclaimed album "As Smart As We Are," published authors and writers wrote lyrics on request, which Joshua and Michael then set to music. Some writers wrote basic chord progressions or requested a certain genre for their song to fall under but for the most part Joshua and Michael wrote their own music for the lyrics.

Contributing authors included:

• Jonathan Ames
• Margaret Atwood
• Paul Auster
• Michael Chabon
• Clay McLeod Chapman
• Dave Eggers
• Amy Fusselman
• Neil Gaiman
• Myla Goldberg
• Ben Greenman
• Daniel Handler
• A.M. Homes
• Denis Johnson
• Lawrence Krauser
• Jonathan Lethem
• Rick Moody
• Aaron Naparstek
• Darin Strauss

This provides a large variation in each song's theme, feel, and over all sound. Some lyrics are more poetic, while others tell stories.

Recently a documentary called "As Smart As They Are: The Author Project" was made about the duo. Directed by Joe Pacheco it shows the evolution of the new album "As Smart As We Are".

Discography

Albums

• One Ring Zero “Tranz Party” (1999) (Planetary Records)
• One Ring Zero “Alice” (2001) (Urban Geek Records)
• One Ring Zero “Interludes and Out-takes from The Pumpkin Pie Show” (2001) (Urban Geek Records)
• One Ring Zero “Memorandum” (2002) (Urban Geek Records)
• One Ring Zero “As Smart As We Are” (2004) (Soft Skull Press)
• One Ring Zero and Rick Moody (2004) (Isota Records)
• One Ring Zero “New York Spleen” French Edition (2005) (Naïve Records)
• Sophie Auster (2005) (Actes Sud / Naïve Records)
• One Ring Zero “As Smart As We Are” Deluxe Edition with DVD (2006) (Barbes Records)
• One Ring Zero “Wake Them Up” (2006) (Barbes Records)
• One Ring Zero “Wake Them Up” Japanese Edition (2007) (MoorWorks)

EPs

• One Ring Zero “The Sirens of Red Hot” (2004) (Isota Records)
• One Ring Zero and Rick Moody (2004) (Isota Records)

Video

• One Ring Zero “Addendum” (2005) (Urban Geek Records)

External links

• One Ring Zero Band Homepage
• One Ring Zero myspace page