"It took three or four weeks to get everyone together." - Dan Dreifort
"I got all the people together in one day." - Tony Xenos
When you put five different personalities together, you're bound to get
several interpretations on one subject, and the Cactus Pears are no
exception. Hailing from Athens, OH, the original incarnation of the Cactus
Pears formed at Ohio University in 1993, including Xenos on guitar and
vocals and, for a brief period, Dreifort on bass. After a cassette and CD
release, the band called it quits in 1995.
Fast-forward to fall 1998, when a few phone calls were made to various
Athens music scene veterans, and the Cactus Pears were reborn. Since then,
the band has played numerous shows to enthusiastic audiences, who have
taken to the Pears' mix of various rock styles, or as Dan Dreifort puts it,
"ethereal punk, powerfolk, post-alternative neo-artrock." Whatever you
call it, the band decided to share their idiosyncrasies with the public by
releasing the self-produced EP Snacks for Slacks in May 1999.
The disc features a mix of quirky, uptempo pop songs spiced with cello and
ringing guitars, and slower songs that spotlight the band's three-part
harmonies. Both the band and audiences are happy with the results.
"Having a CD does draw you closer together. It forces you to focus," says
Alex Treece, the Pears' bassist. It has also whetted the band's appetite
for recording and performing; regular sessions at Chillicothe, OH's
Recording Workshop are in the works, as are shows in major eastern U.S.
cities. Whether it's due to ambition or ignorance, the Cactus Pears
welcome the hard work that lies ahead. Or as Tony Xenos puts it,
"Everybody's working hard in this band to make it happen. . .I don't see it
stopping anytime soon."
To contact the Cactus Pears, phone (740) 592-2436 or e-mail
CHECK IT OUT!
Here are a couple of their MP3's
NOTE:All images and music on this page are the soul property of "Cactus Pears"
