Look Afraid | |
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Origin | Oxford, United States |
Genres | Rock, punk rock |
Labels | N/A |
Associated acts | Foxy Shazam |
Website | [1] |
Members | Alex Nauth Mat Franklin Cole Walsh-Davis Sam Duff Lex Vegas |
Past members | Mike Ulanski |
Look Afraid is an Ohio-based rock band formed in 2007. They won the international competition called Famecast in December 2007.
Look Afraid was formed by Alex Nauth and Mat Franklin, previously of Sofapunch (a ska band with mild Ohio exposure). Alex "Lex Vegas" Mosie was called in to play drums, as he had filled in with Franklin and Nauth for previous projects and was a close personal friend of the two. Vegas was on a trip to West Virginia when Franklin called him saying "How would you like today to be the first day of the rest of your life?" which Vegas agreed was a good idea. Mike Ulanski who was playing in a local gutter punk band called The Proles became the original lead guitarist. When auditioning bass players, Ulanski suggested that Sam Duff, who was playing bass in The Proles, audition and he soon became a permanent member of Look Afraid. When Mike's time restraints with the Proles became too much for the band, the five of them agreed that Mike would step down and Cole Walsh-Davis, formerly of the Culling Song, was asked to join the group.
The now finalized lineup entered the studio with producer Brian Whitten to record their debut EP, Zombie Dance Party, in June 2007. The EP, along with nonstop playing, garnered Look Afraid a number of dedicated fans, who the band took to calling "Fraidy Cats", who would help the band tremendously as they won an international talent competition hosted by Famecast in December 2007. The band took home $10,000 and much press attention after beating hundreds of bands from around the world. Aaron Burgess of Spin Magazine was at their performance in Austin, Texas and called them "A Badass Rock Band" (can be seen in print beneath the live performance video). Look Afraid also collaborated with legendary poster artist Jeff Gaither, who has designed images for the Misfits, Van Halen and Guns N' Roses, on two poster designs for a series of Halloween shows, one of which was featured on the cover of Miami University's Amusement Magazine.
The band rode this surge of attention back into the studio in January 2008, again with Whitten at the helm, to produce the Rock N' Roll Glory Hole EP. A much darker and more rock oriented disc than their first, the EP showed a maturity in the more seasoned band, and their live shows continued to garner attention. The band recorded their third Whitten-produced EP, entitled Drive, which included the track "Hell City," the official theme song of the Hell City tattoo convention, which was held in Columbus, Ohio on May 29–31, 2009. The song will also be featured on the official DVD of the festival which was released in Fall 2009.