This Life Electric was meant to be. Fate has seemingly brought together five musicians from across America with very different backgrounds to meet in Austin, Texas and become one. There are influences, but they don't matter. What matters is that the sound that they create is real and true. Hailed as a "Can't miss band" by Grammy winning producer/engineer Brad Yost, This Life Electric has been described as classic, honest, and soul-filled pop-n-roll by others in the music industry. Currently in the midst of recording their debut CD in downtown Austin, This Life Electric will once again hit the road in early '06 in support of it.

the Van bio

What do a pastry chef, a writer, a Berklee grad, and a pediatric respiratory therapist have in common? Not a damn thing, unless they are in The Van, the best new band coming out of Austin, Texas. Built around the truly timeless lyrics of Jim Felkner (lead vocals/guitar), and Dan Krause (lead guitar), The Van's music employs a combination of harmonic melodies, cutting rhythms and addictive hooks to create a sound both easily accessible and exciting to audiences. Jim and Dan, together with Simon Hernandez (drums/back-up vocals) and Dave Lindeman (bass), have created a unique sound easily classified as "rock n' roll"- though the variety of influences from many genres is apparent. Their songs are, in essence, experiments in compatibility; using styles such as Rock, Soul, Funk, Classical, and Reggae. The result is a music that infuses sounds both past and modern to create a style of familiarity and spontaneous discovery. Faithful to Phil Spector's "Wall of Sound" philosophy, The Van is continually seeking to both shock and delight the senses; with a strong devotion to two person vocal harmonies (all effortlessly reproduced live), cascading choruses and turbulent undertones reminiscent of The Beatles, Weezer, David Bowie and Jeff Buckley to name a few. The overall impression is a music dedicated to both melodic form and the artistic experimentation necessary to reach higher musical ground. Each member of the band brings multiple years of live music experience to the group, creating performances of professionalism, contagious energy and surprise; a combination that enables The Van to capture the enthusiasm of the crowd while leading them to a discovery of the new.