Mellowdrone - Biography
By Marcus Kagler
Mellowdrone is the brainchild of Jonathan Bates, a Venezuelan born, Miami bred, and Berkley School of Music educated singer, guitarist, and programmer. After dropping out of the Boston music school with only a year left to go, Bates relocated to Los Angeles to focus on writing his own effects laden indie rock compositions. Initially without a band, Bates began to perform solo with only an electric guitar while looping himself to create multiple parts live on stage. Bates self released his debut EP, …Boredom Never Sounded So Sweet, in 1999 under the moniker Mellowdrone. Two years later saw another self released EP, Glassblower (2001). By 2003, Bates had a garnered a die hard following in the Los Angeles area and was playing out with drummer Scott Ellis as a two piece. Mellowdrone soon signed to the ArtistDirect label and released their most successful EP to date, A Demonstration of Intellectual Property (2003-ArtistDirect) that same year. Bates knack for infectiously melodic electronica mixed with post-alternative rock was a hit with critics and soon caught the ear of former Smiths’s guitarist Johnny Marr, who brought Mellowdrone on board as a supporting act for his Boomslang tour of 2003.
The following year, Mellowdrone released their fourth EP, Go Get ‘Em Tiger (2004-Artist Direct) only this release was recorded as a full quartet rounded out by Greg Griffith on bass and Tony DeMatteo on guitars. The group subsequently toured the United States and began sporadically working on a full length debut. In the next two years the band went through various line up changes and the bankruptcy of their label ArtistDirect. Mellowdrone bounced back by signing to the Red Ink label who released their debut full length, Box in 2006 to warm critical reviews. Lead single, “Oh My” became a college radio staple that spring and Mellowdrone embarked on a national tour of the U.S. with new bassist Cami Gutierrez and drummer Brian Borg. The band has remained relatively quiet since. However, recently Bates announced work had begun on a sophomore album.
