"This music is beautiful. It reflects the state of the age, recognizing the saddness and epic proportions of these times while simultaneously revealing the light, beauty, and hope that are eternal."

~George Tronsrue, spiritualist

The Fire and Reason was birthed by two music aficionados, unhappy with the current state of musical affairs who sought to create their own unique sound and vision.

Bella Saona and Steven Narvaez both left other music projects and careers behind to focus their attention full time on what would become The Fire and Reason (TFaR) in Januray of 2005.

Bella the former model, and performing arts school graduate, and Steve the ex- rocktronic-metal frontman mashed up their ideals to come up with something that excited them and was sadly missing from music.

Steve brought the beats, and angular riffs, spliced with Bella's evocative vocals and macabre lyrics the template for TFaR was set. The now pre-requisite Myspace page was launched and the feedback was instantaneous. People loved it. All over the world, and they wanted more.

Armed with only 5 songs the duo ventured into the live arena and realized their vision was not yet complete.

Those first few songs (Death Parade, Her Evil, Teeth, and Japanese.Love.Kill) although composed as a two piece screamed for a full manifestation live! The two find various combinations of live Drummers and Bassists and begin to assault the NYC music Scene.

It is now August 2005, the band is in place and the industry begins to notice. First, the one month old live band is selected to play CMJ Music Marathon's 25th Anniversary, then comes a feature in URB Magazine, residencies at both Scenic and Death Disco in New York's Lower East Side.

Following such high profile gigs the band is asked to play almost every venue that's worthwhile in NYC. Meanwhile the demand for a CD is deafening, 18,000 plus Myspace fans must satiate their need for this electro/rock/goth/punk hybrid, that at times has been described as PJ Harvey in a three-way with Primal Scream and Trent Reznor.

The band record and releases their first EP as a full band in the Summer of 2006. Reworking some of their original tracks and adding some new favorites, the CD receives rave reviews and write ups in magazines such as, Synthesis Magazine, The Big Take Over Magazine, Royal Flush Magazine, and even High Times.

A successful UK tour brings the "Fire" to the HUB Festival in Liverpool, and the Legendary Dublin Castle in London and all the way back home to Crash Mansion, where they are featured on Indigo TV. The Fire and Reason is now set to begin the next chapter in their saga.

With the addition of Drum Machines and Keyboards live, and new "live" Drummer Joe Salvati and “live” Bassist Lee Greenman, The Fire and Reason is once again looking to bring their sounds overseas. This time eyeing the land of the rising sun!

Now with over forty years in the business along with his renowned "Hi-Fidelity" sound system, recording studio and record label known as "King Tubbis Records" he still keeps the adrenaline going; participating in sound clashes, while still focusing on taking reggae to a higher level.

Mr. Blotto was born in Chicago as an off-night vehicle for musicians who loved each others playing but were in different bands at the time. The only rule was that they would only play what they loved. That philosophy continues today and has led Mr. Blotto into unique musical situations.

Mr. Blotto takes the Jam band asthetic into areas unfamiliar to the standard Jam Scene. They have been known to cover entire albums by Led Zepplin and the Who as well as perform entire shows of Country and Reggae. Artists as diverse as the Grateful Dead, the Flaming Lips, Willie Nelson and The Velvet Underground have seen their material interpreted by Mr. Blotto in the 2000+ shows the band has performed in the last 15 years, yet covers only pepper the bands hefty catalog of original material stemming from five studio albums and other unreleased crowd favorites.

"Barlow Shanghai", the 5th and newest CD sees the band in collaboration with John Perry Barlow (lyricist to the Grateful Dead). This CD was released in 2006 and is available from the Official website www.mrblotto.com or by clicking the link to our Online Shop below.

Jack Straw was born in the winter of 2000 as the result of a meeting between guitarist Jon Gram and keyboardist Barry Brown, brought together by a music-loving mutual friend who saw some possibilities. Jon added to the mix bassist Ben Wilson. With Jon and Barry leading the way, Jack Straw brings forth a richly diverse array of music, mixing together songs by the likes of Phish, the Grateful Dead, Eric Clapton, the Allman Brothers, Jerry Garcia's bluegrass band Old and in the Way, and Jon's original music.