Dayton, Ohio's Derek Holley grew up during Dayton's rich funk music scene with an interest in rock and electronic music.

"I get bored listening to just one kind of music all the time", Derek says of his eclectic influences. "I wanted a sound that would be a mix of what I liked most about music--something that could be groove based, be catchy, and have energy."

Derek co-founded Dress Code as a duo and "musical experiment" with a style that had rock, funk, dance, and pop influences. Dress Code later released their debut CD, About Time. Music from this release has been featured in various MTV, VH1, and independent film projects.

Dress Code returned as a "virtual band" after the duo break-up, with Derek writing and performing all new material in an electronic/dance style.

Derek has signed a digital digital distribution contract with Chicago-based dance music label, Phuture Trax Records and released the self-titled "Dress Code EP" to online stores worldwide.

Bio

Dayton, Ohio's Derek Holley grew up during Dayton's rich funk music scene. Add that to years playing various local rock bands, along with an interest in electronic and dance music and you have a style for both the rock and club scenes.

"I get bored listening to just one kind of music all the time", Derek says of his eclectic influences. "I wanted a sound that would be a mix of what I liked most about music--something that could be groove based, be catchy, and have energy.

Derek co-founded Dress Code in the early 90s as a duo and "musical experiment" with a style that had rock, funk, dance, and pop influences. Dress Code later released their debut CD, About Time. Music from this release has been featured in various MTV, VH1, and independent film projects.

Now Dress Code has returned as a "virtual band", with Derek writing and performing all new material in a harder style than in the duo version of Dress Code--combining throbbing bass lines, crunchy rock power chords, funky rhythms with hip-hop delivery and banging electronic/dance beats.

Derek has signed a publishing contract with Bug Music to administer songs for the Dress Code Music BMI catalog, and has recently licensed music to the independent thriller film, "Limbo". Derek has also licesned tracks to London, England-based dance label Home City Records for their "Hammer House of Dance" CD compilation and their Good Music Centre online store.

Dress Code has gone from the studio to the stage with high-energy DJ shows in the Dayton area and at the MidPoint Music Festival in Cincinnati, OH.

Why the name Dress Code? Derek explains, "It's not about fashion itself. The name is sort of a play on words, since a dress code is basically a list of rules about style and/or appearance. I want to do the opposite and make music that's based from different backgrounds, but not limited to one particular style."

© 2006 Dress Code