gogogo airheart

GGGAH is no longer. thanks to everyone who shared the good and bad times with us, especially those who let us sleep on your floors! For more poignant ruminations, read the blog above entitled "Our Epitaph"



If your are wondering what we are up to as individuals, here's the current breakdown:

Bassist Ashish Vyas is currently living in Washington DC and playing with Theivery Corporation as well as Rob Garza's solo project, and probably a few other things as well.

Vocalist/guitarist Mike Vermillion is playing with a band in Long Beach called the Deadly Finns.

Guitarist Ben White puts on a very popular club night in Los Angeles called "Part time Punks" and is also playing bass in the Soft Boiled Eggies

Drummer "Cap'n" Andy Robillard is playing with San Diego based UV Tigers, as well as his own Jazz quartet called The Andy Robillard Quartet, and also with a very authentic Johnny Cash cover band called Cash'd Out.



Bio: (Written by Joshua Gabriel in 2004)



San Diego, CA’s GoGoGo Airheart began writing in 1996 at the hands of core members Mike Vermillion and Ashish Vyas. After two years of relentless basement rehearsals and a string of homemade cassettes, GGGAH were picked up by local indie label, Vinyl Communication. Augmented by drummer Andy Robillard and violinist Teri Hoefer, the group recorded their self-titled debut LP in 1997. Combining virulent dub inflected rhythms, spasms of skittish, wirey guitar and Vermillion's signature breathless vocals, "GoGoGo Airheart" stands as a distinct blueprint of post-punk’s progressive ideals and Dub Reggae’s elastic studio wizardry (due largely to experimental producer/ collaborator, Spacewurm).



Following shortly thereafter, 1998’s superb "Love My Life, Hate My Friends" LP emerged to meet the group’s increasing word of mouth popularity. "Love My Life" finds GGGAH in darker spirits, a hybrid of late-seventies post-punk (The Pop Group and Public Image Ltd. in particular) and homegrown American art-rock (Pere Ubu, Rocket From The Tombs) are channeled through Vyas’ mutated funk bass lines, Hoefer’s twisted yet sublime saw-like violin and Vermillion’s intensely oblique and personal lyrics. 1999 caught GGGAH at a crucial point; both with Touch & Go subsidiary Overcoat releasing the highly regarded "The Things We Need" EP to significant critical acclaim and boasting the introduction of guitarist Ben White and temporary drummer Jimmy Lavalle (Tristeza/Album Leaf) in wake of the departure of Hoefer and Robillard. Presenting a subtle nod to the early-70ís Glam rockers Roxy Music and the skewed art-pop of Brian Eno, "The Things We Need" stands as an eclectic portend of future recordings.



Soon thereafter the group turned the tables with another unique release, this time for West Coast indie, Sympathy For The Record Industry, a split album with Los Cincos’ side project The Syncopation. The Krautrock influenced jam, "The Beauty of Appetite" and the prickly pop of "Teri and Julie" marked GGGAH as cultural auteurs, bearing their varied influences with virtually every new release.



With consistently favorable national press, rabid college airplay and daringly original material GGGAH were picked up by the estimable So-Cal indie, GSL. The third LP, also self-titled, showcases a striking version of The Pop Group’s "Trap" and further provides the group’s trademark hyperactive mettle. A more streamlined affair, "GGGAH" comes across as the band’s punk record, though acutely subversive and deeply textured. Vyas contributes vocal duties for "The Prince" and "Glad To See You", while White’s ominous organ bolsters Vermillion’s haunting Peter Laughner-esque guitar lines with drummer Jay Hough suitably complimenting the trio.



After a superlative 45 single, the dance-punk homage "Real Live Kill/Ripe From The Vine", GGGAH unleashed their most revered LP to date. 2002’s "Exit The UXA" combines the diverse territories of disco, post-punk and the art-rock glam classicism of The Stooges in a stunning display of slippery funk bass lines, jagged guitar cuts, scathing vocals and polyrhythmic drumming. The completion of a successful European tour saw the departure of White and Hough pairing the group down once again to core members Vermillion and Vyas, and the return of Robillard on percussion.



Fall of 2004 saw the return of guitarist Benjamin White and the writing/recording of latest album "Rats! Sing! Sing!", released late 2005 on GSL once again.

The 4-piece line-up toured North America in Novemeber of that year and are now prepared for extensive touring in 2006, which will take them throught the states, to Europe and Austrailia/New Zealand.