ACTIVATOR - THE UNFORTUNATE LOVELY EP (10/2009) CHECK OUT 'SHACKLE' out on AFRO PUNK VOL.2

Activator, consisting of members Shannon Moore, Jared Drace, and Cavassa Nickens is a New York City Hardcore band. They will be giving away their first EP, the Unfortunate Lovely EP, for free on the website of their affiliate label Definitive Jux in October of 2009. The band will also be featured on the compilation, Afro Punk Volume 2, and will join the Saul Williams tour on select dates throughout the east coast.

When Founder Shannon Moore decided to start a band, he hoped it would convey the same raw emotion and integrity as the music he was inspired; Artists ranging from Prince, Isaac Hayes, Funkadelic, James Brown, to artists such as Metallica, Slayer, Bad Brains, The Cro-Mags, etc. Growing up, Shannon had been mentored by legendary guitarist Gary (Dr Know) Miller (Bad Brains) and legendary drummer Mackie Jayson (Cro-Mags) giving him the confidence to write and perform music of his own. In the formation of Acitvator, Moore was looking for was a way to combine the sounds the 80's and early 90's Hardcore with the Heavy Metal of right now.

Moore met virtuosic guitarist Jared Drace, who was into more current bands like In Flames, At The Gates, and Municipal Waste. Hoping to synthesize knowledge of older genres and Jared's knowledge of the new they could make something special and they began writing songs together shortly thereafter in a loft with no bass player and no heat. Eventually they recruited Bassist Cavassa Nickens and drummer Garry Sullivan (Cro-Mags, B 52's, Bernie Worrel, TM Stevens) and ACTIVATOR was born.

For recording they turned to producer and friend Scott Harding (Medeski Martin and Wood, DJ Logic, Wu-tang, Gravediggaz) who recorded what was soon to become The Unfortunate Lovely EP at his studio in Greenpoint.