PureVolume

BON HARRIS, former co-frontman of cult electronic act Nitzer Ebb, has reemerged with his new band MAVEN who just released their first Digital EP for Cordless Recordings April 4th. Rather than release music in the traditional album or single configuration, Cordless is releasing the new music in "clusters" (a 3 song Digital EP) in order to increase the interaction between the band and their fan base. The first cluster, entitled Mary, features songs Mary, Candidate and Silverbirds. An accompanying video for Candidate will also be available.

MAVEN formed in Los Angeles (where Harris relocated to from Chicago and his native London) in 2001; a result of Harris desire to stretch his songwriting skills and use his voice for the first time. Joining Harris--who also plays keyboards--are bandmates Biff Sanders (Ethyl Meatplow) and Andy Troy (Polar Bear) on drums and guitar respectively. Says Harris: When it became apparent to me that the Ebb was going to implode, I already had some ideas in mind for writing songs. The last Nitzer Ebb album was more of a 50/50 thing, where we both contributed half of the songs, whereas before wed come up with them together. So the seed was sown then.

Harris came up with the new material over a period of several years, in between lengthy studio stints with Marilyn Manson and The Smashing Pumpkins. Some of the MAVEN tracks were recorded in Chicago while Harris was working with Billy Corgan and producer Bjorn Thorsrud (Smashing Pumpkins, Dandy Warhols), while others were written and recorded in Los Angeles and at Thorsruds studio in Salt Lake City, UT.

The resulting material features Harris distinctive electronics and rhythm programming and marks the first time that hes the sole frontman. The result is both explosive and propulsive. Nitzer Ebb fans will recognize MAVENs sound; yet with the additional personnel, there's a greater level of sophistication that will please both the hardcore fans and appeal to the new audience. The main difference (between Ebb and Maven) is Im singing and I wrote the songs, explains Harris. My voice is very different and the sorts of things I sing about are different. Theres certainly a connection to Nitzer Ebb, especially in the electronics, which is what I am best-known for.