MONSTER IN THE MACHINE: Video Interview With SHANNON CRAWFORD Available

October 30, 2007

MONSTER IN THE MACHINE singer/guitarist Shannon Crawford was recently interviewed by BuyTV. Watch the six-minute clip below.

MONSTER IN THE MACHINE's debut album, "Butterfly Pinned", was released August 21 on Emotional Syphon Recordings (ADA Distribution),the independent label owned by KORN guitarist James "Munky" Shaffer. It was was mixed and recorded at the home studio of band mastermind and former CELLOPHANE singer Shannon Crawford (vocals/keyboards/guitars) and at Henson Studios (formerly A&M Studios) in Los Angeles, CA.

Crawford is joined in the band's current lineup by Lats (bass, formerly with MEMENTO),John Chase (guitar) and Jay Curry (drums). Doug Ardito (bass, who performed with Crawford in CELLOPHANE) and Josh Freese (drums) appear on "Butterfly Pinned", but are not part of the touring line-up due to prior commitments with other musical projects.

Crawford has crafted a record that entrances the listener with swirling acoustic melodies and haunting, hypnotic electronics. From the infectiously incendiary chorus of "Under Your Shadow" to the sonic dreamscape of "Helicopter", the music remains memorable. Pristine melodies soar over brooding beats, and tracks like "Savior" convey a message of disenchantment and call for change. Underneath the beauty of the music lies an honest mirror reflecting social ills. Yet, hope for a solution exists. Issues faced include the death of our environment, religion's contradictions and the perilous existence of an artist under the thumb of a corporation. These are some of the darker themes that Crawford delves into on "Butterfly Pinned".

Once Crawford was finished with the recording, he played the demos for longtime friend James "Munky" Shaffer, who he grew up with in Bakersfield, CA. "James has been my biggest cheerleader for years. He'd been on the fence about starting a label, and when I played him my first songs, he said, 'That's it. I'm starting it.'" Shaffer loved the music so much that he lent his guitar talents to the tense album closer "Don't". Imani Coppola also makes a guest appearance playing violin on "Shut the Door".

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