Xeoro

pring 2003 saw the coming together of three musical giants...well, wannabe giants at least - in the form of Neo-Funk Rock outfit "Xeoro" (Ze-yu-ro). The band's aim was to create something vastly original - upbeat, yet sensual; aggressive, yet emotive; something you can put your finger on, but can't quite categorise. This all-singing, all-drumming (well, two-singing one-drumming) paradox of genres came together when two long-time jamming partners, Tom Holder (18) and Luke Dabbs (18), recently separated from Cambridge Metal outfit Kage Kharn, decided to embark on a softer, more tonal and melody-based upbeat rock journey. Inviting Singer/Bassist Steve Kyriacou (18) along for the ride, the newly-christened "Xeoro" embarked on a journey of musical exploration and innovation, with songs like ‘high arc’ attracting internet followings as far a field as Bristol. With something of a mixed bag of influences, including the dark, brooding riffery of bands like Tool and the Deftones, to the hard-hitting southern rock stylings of Audioslave and Rage Against the Machine, to the energetic and memorable riffage of bands like the Foo Fighters and The Darkness, Xeoro's sound is something truly original. Luke's guitar technique is bred from a combination of classical and modern rock guitar, combining "plectrumless" playing with drop-D tunings and thick, chunky riffs in the vein of Audioslave guitar legend Tom Morello. Tom's main influence is Eddie Stratton of the recently-separated political metal outfit "One Minute Silence", and brings upbeat funk and swing drumming together with rock and metal styles to create a crowd-pleasing hybrid that's easy to get your head nodding to (and the rest of your body if that's your thing!) Steve is strongly influenced by Flea of the "Red Hot Chili Peppers", introducing some slap bass into his playing while singing in the vein of Audioslave and Soundgarden's Chris Cornell, but retaining a certain vocal individuality.