O.A.R.

小簡介
O.A.R（全名OF A Revolution）這支常在美國各大音樂新聞頭條和Billboard榜單上出現的樂隊最開始是一支來自俄亥俄州立大學的學生組合。一開始，他們的兩張錄音小樣被人在大學里兜售，其原始搖滾風格以及其帶有雷鬼節(jié)奏的歡快歌謠慢慢的在人們的口頭談論中散布開來。其官方網站的訪問量開始達到每日數以千計。O.A.R的第三張CD: Risen， 由John Alagía制作，于2000夏季在新澤西洲Hoboken舉行的Water Music錄制，在樂隊位于紐約Dumbo Studios的獨立廠牌Everfine Records旗下發(fā)行。
by Robert Hicks
O.A.R. (aka Of a Revolution) converted from a local Ohio State University rock band to Billboard chartbuster and headliner at major venues across America. First, the bands two demo recordings were hawked at universities. Then, word-of-mouth news spread about the bands roots rock and reggae-inflected upbeat songs. Before long, the band got thousands of hits daily on its website at www.ofarevolution.com. O.A.R.s third CD, Risen, was produced by John Alagía (Dave Matthews Band, Ben Folds Five) and recorded in summer 2000 at Water Music in Hoboken, NJ, and at Dumbo Studios in New York City for the groups independent label, Everfine Records.
Formed in 1996 in Rockville, MD, O.A.R. coalesced around lead singer/rhythm guitarist Marc Roberge, lead guitarist Richard On, saxophonist Jerry DePizzo, bassist Benj Gershman, and drummer Chris Culos. Roberge had known Culos since childhood in Rockville, MD, where he also became friends and played in local bands with On and Gershman. DePizzo, who hails from Youngstown, OH, met the others at Ohio State. O.A.R. first recorded The Wanderer independently as a demo in 1997. Many of the songs on O.A.R.s debut disc were written while Roberge and Culos were living in Israel.
Two years later, the switch from student band to headliner started with the arrival of their popular song That Was a Crazy Game of Poker. (Many lyrics for the bands songs came from Roberges interest in literature, particularly Stephen Kings novel The Stand.) The group went back into the recording studio for a second demo, which was released independently as Souls Aflame in 1999. With the success of 2001s Risen, Roberge began writing songs for a new CD late that year. To appease their dedicated fan base, they released the live Any Time Now in the spring of 2002. O.A.R. signed with Lava/Atlantic for 2003s In Between Now and Then, and more touring followed. This led to the release of 34th & 8th, their second live offering. The band returned to recording again with 2005s Stories of a Stranger, which contained a pair of Top 20 Hot AC hits in Love and Memories and Heard the World. The Live from Madison Square Garden CD/DVD appeared in 2007.