You Scream I Scream is a collaboration of musicians that don't take themselves too seriously as people. Started by Floyd Kellogg (bass,vox) and Audrey Sterk (drums) playing and writing songs in the sacred basement where lots of great rock bands have started. These underground venues found on the island of Nantucket should be bronzed as if they are baby shoes of rock cause they were... thanks. After some time being island locked, Kellogg ran into a friend from long when theirs two bands used to play shows together on the east coast of North America. Kellogg asked Omer Shemesh (keys) who hails from Isreal, "hey do you want to be in my band?" and he responded, "na, how 'bout you be in My band" and the trio continued on. The band made a some demos and sent the to a small acquaintance named Chris Ballew the lead singer/songwriter for The Presidents of The United States of America who became a fan and wanted to bring the band on tour for their new record "These Are The Good Times People!". After the promoter finding out that their was nothing out there about the band anywhere but a demo that was sent to Chris, the promoter would not allow them to move forward with bringing YSIS on the road with them. However the band did move forward, made a 12 song record called "Bug In a Light" and made a series of music videos by Spookie Daly. The first video that came out to support the record was for the song "Dog" in early October 2009. The video instantly was recognized throughout animal lovers including Cesar Milian "The Dog Whisperer" himself. Now the band is off and running with releases for their other videos for their songs "High Maintenance", "Rokin Out" and "Monsters and Robots" which was writen by Floyd and Bobby Moynihan who is an Saturday Night Live cast member.
Some other things that make the band special is the use of extra members beyond the core of three who are talented people that are a part of the YSIS camp. The band plays with these other performers which adds a wild card to the shows, videos and recordings. Most of the time this person is a female, who might be an actress, singer, musician, juggler or just plain best friend who is then a part of You Scream I Scream for their outings and projects.
Through their clever combination of bass, drums and keys (toy piano, glockenspiel and obscure Japanese electronic instruments that Nick Tardiff hopfully forgot we had) they transport you to a virtual playground for big kids where sing-a-longs make you as popular as prom queen and you can fondly recall your toy robot and very first pet bad ass fish... that's the ice cream part. Before you get to the I Scream part they knock you with the You Scream side of the group for the Yin to the Yang. Sometimes the music is loud and rusty, rumbling out of broken speakers that do not want repair, singing about good beatings they received along the way. Sprinkled on top of that is the effortlessly aroused side of life that taps into the days of being a trouble making kid. You Scream I Scream's dirty bottomed rock band sprinkled with instrumental accouterments will make you feel like a kid playing in the mud on heliium.
Incorporating years of individual playing and touring experience You Scream I Scream continues to carve the path by broadcasting there take on music and life. With an already built in fan base their shows are theatrical as well as having great writing and arrangement of their songs.
The music is all their own. The vocal styling's have been compared to that of Morphine, Soul Coughing and Violent Femmes with a bit of "indie pop" with big sing along melodies. Also what makes the band unique is the use of distorted keyboards and bass as opposed to being guitar driven with a glazing of synths, toy pianos and glockenspiels. The drumming is a minimalistic approach using floor tom driven tunes with big cymbals. Then with other females in the group they provide a smattering of female backups they like to call "bitchy white girl vocals"!