oso music

where in the world…?

oso — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 17:48:18 +0000

Some of you might have noticed the lack of activity on the oso front. This is not due to a lack of thought, energy, or reason, but rather a momentary shift in the focus of the lives of the members of oso. In June, we released our latest album, Harm Reduction. This release of a new album was followed by the antithesis of the normal mode of progression most bands follow. That is to say, most bands would tour after releasing a new album. oso has done the opposite: we’ve taken a sabbatical, a hiatus, a period of time where each member can pursue personal goals free from the strictures imposed by playing in a full-time musical entity. We had been planning this hiatus for some time now, fueled by various influences: Phil’s desire to return to Istanbul, where he previously discovered that busking there is a viable form of income; Andrew’s desire and need to focus on finishing his PhD; Nick’s desire for love and music, which brought him to Tucson, AZ; and Tim’s desire to explore new mediums of musical expression, leading him to Berlin. Our time apart has worried some that we would not return, which is a real concern for many people. We cannot truthfully say that we know when we will reconvene, though the next logical place all members would be in the same place would be at Andrew’s wedding in June of 2011. Though, as we know, logic hardly plays a role in the moment-to-moment decisions one faces while traveling, or while planning the next move in our lives. It is impossible to know when oso will play as a full band again, though there have been moments of oso street outreach programs – Tim and Phil playing in duo format. Since both en route to various European areas, they’ve met in Edinburgh, and plan to play through the month of October in London. Then, Phil is off to Istanbul, and Tim to Berlin.

To all of our friends, family, and fans, we are thankful for you, and thinking of you. There are so many of you who have opened your hearts and your homes to us, uplifting us with your praise and fueling us with food and drink. We would not be who we are or where we are if it weren’t for the consistent outpouring of support from people across the world. We are so grateful to have had the opportunities to share the joy of music with you, in the hopes of stirring some deep truths from within, of moving hearts and minds in new directions. As long as there are people out there listening, oso will be alive in our hearts and minds. See you again in 2011. [TB]

Spring in the air…

oso — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:55:58 +0000

Greetings friends and fans, family and comrades. It has been awhile since we posted anything, but don’t think that we haven’t been busy! We’ve been engaged in the intense process of writing and recording a new album, which has really been in process since December. We’ve been at Certain Sparks in Lompoc, which has a great space in which to record. It’s been an arduous process – the collaborative writing can be trying at times, but ultimately leads to music we all feel good playing and sharing. Having Randall of Certain Sparks behind the mixing board has been wonderful – not only do the recordings sound great, but Tim is now able to focus primarily on drumming for the album, not engineering and drumming at the same time! We’ve got at least 45 minutes of music recorded, with a few more songs to go. Our official CD release party is June 10 at Soho.

Also, we love hearing from you! We’ve heard so many great stories from fans about where our music has impacted their lives in some meaningful way. One couple listened to us while on their honeymoon! Another friend did extreme rock climbing while listening to Battleground on his iPod! Yet another friend told us of how, while getting some cavities filled, Nick’s violin on Mina Bajor was the only song that actually blocked out the sound of the drill! (which reminds me, why aren’t dentists giving their patients sound-canceling headphones??) We’d love to hear from other folks who have such stories, as they make it fun for us, and we feel more connected to you, our audience and fans!

Keep up the good work, everyone out there. Remember to capture inspiration when you have it, and share yourselves and your gifts freely with each other!

Autumn update

oso — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:03:52 +0000

Greetings friends and fans! We write to you from the easy autumn of Santa Barbara, where we are currently in songwriting/creation mindset. We are planning on releasing a new album in Spring 2010, after which will follow a West Coast/Rockies tour in support. Finally, we will return to Europe in Summer 2010, planning on playing the UK, Ireland, Berlin, and Istanbul, as well as any other places we reach.

It has been a busy time. Many new ideas coming from our collective efforts, now we must refine, shape, arrange, train, hone. Recordings will take place in the winter. We all feel the urge to travel, but that urge is balanced by the reality of finances – it’s a hard year for everyone, even those of us in the shadow the economic umbrella of Santa Barbara’s old money havens.

We are STILL IN SEARCH OF A BOOKING AGENT!

New Website!

oso — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 05:38:42 +0000

Welcome friends to our new website, thebandoso.com. Recently created by Bransin Anderson, this is our official posting area for upcoming shows, writings, movies, and pictures. Of course, we’ll still be bound to the run-of-the-mill myspace, faded Facebook, and we’re ringing on Reverb Nation, and broadcasting on Last.fm. Catch us in santa barbara at venues such as Muddy Waters, the Mercury Lounge, or performing on the street. Watch more videos at YouTube. We’re an active musical force on the move, firing on all cylinders, ready for action.