By
Adam Pugh
Arizona Daily Wilcat
The Beating wants its listeners to shake their booties.
"We play our music for people who want to shake their asses, and feel good," said Silas Hite, percussionist and interdisciplinary studies junior. "We are not a morose band. We are about having fun."
The band's Web site boasts "hill-billy rock and chick soul, served up fresh." Hite said the name of the band revolves around the typical life lessons most people experience in life. Although it may have a violent name, The Beating's music focuses on the happier side of life
"Our songs reflect what life gives us sometimes," Hite said."It's the bittersweet beating that life gives us all."
The Beating is a six-member band that believes in its music. Utilizing hard-edged lyrics and catchy rhythms, the band takes the negative from life and turns it into a more positive idea through song.
"We wanted to have something that other bands were not doing with their music and instrumentation," Hite said.
Besides the traditional bass, drums and guitar, the group has added a few atypical instruments for a rock band to its makeup. Music junior Katie Avbendroph, who just recently joined the band, plays the violin. Add a sequencer to the mix and you have The Beating in their final form.
"We want to let people know we appreciate music," Hite said. "It comes through in our songs."
Taking a fusion of sounds from different genres of music the band has been able to create a sound all of its own, yet at the same time vaguely familiar.
"We sound like The Pixies meet Mr. Bungle," Hite said
The group, with its current lineup, has only been together for two months. Already releasing a five-song demo, the group plans to shoot a video within a few months.
Hite said he will be filming the video for their single "Sensational" on his digital camera. The Beating will also release the single of the song which will be used as promotion at upcoming shows.
With support from a local radio station KXCI, the band has been able to spread the word about its music. Passing out demos to anyone who will listen has been most effective for the band.
"We hand a bunch of CDs out," Hite said. "They get into a lot of people's hands that way."
Currently getting ready to record its first CD, the band members will finance the album themselves. This summer, the group hopes to amass a wider audience with the release of its new album.
With all of its originality, The Beating has been able to create a place for itself in Tucson.
"It is the excellent songwriting, and musical abilities in the band which lets us have our own sound, and a great band," Hite said.
