Crossover (band)

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Crossover
Origin New York, New York
Genres Darkbeat
Years active 2001–present
Labels
Desire
Punch Records
International DeeJay Gigolo Records
Members Mark Ingram
Vanessa Tosti

Crossover is an American Darkbeat duo from New York City. Their first full-length album, Fantasmo, was released in 2001.

Biography

Vanessa Tosti (aka Lady Verona Woode, aka Vee, aka Ratgirl) and Mark Ingram (aka Desmond Young Blackmore 1st, aka Dez, aka Zed, aka Ratboy, now Canrith Knox) met in NYC and worked at Smylonylon, selling dead-stock vintage clothing. They listened to the Smylonylon mix tapes over the store's sound system and watched customer reaction. In an interview by Lorraine Carpenter, Mark Ingram said, "That was a research period for us because we were listening to this music over a big sound system eight hours a day. We’re really interested in making people dance and all that music had beats and heavy bass-lines, and, if it had a nasty keyboard over the top, it made us happy." [1]

After writing a story called "Fantasmo," the duo experimented with four-track recordings and decided that music was what they wanted to do. In the same interview with Carpenter, Ingram said, "We felt we were dealing with future music so we developed a concept, an idea that interested us." The concept involves the adventures of characters "Desmond" and "Verona."

To accompany the music, Crossover makes books called Pirate Communiqués and distributes them at their shows.

Mark Ingram and Vanessa Tosti also known as Vee & Dez formed CROSSOVER in New York City and released their first album "Fantasmo" pioneering dark underground electro folk tales in 2001.

In 2005 they released their second album "Cryptic and Dire Sallow Faced Hoods Blast off into Oblivion" again ahead of the pack with their own unique style of "cozmik" music. The two lived in Berlin for a spell and did European tours for both albums including shows in major cities in the US and Canada.

The mystery surrounding the band has gained them a cult like following and also won them features in rags such as The Face, ID, NME, D-Side, Blow Up, Jockey Slut, Sleaze Nation, and Nylon, among others.

Along the way they have put out limited and hand numbered unreleased music and art on their own DIY non-label Cellar Door. Under this banner one can obtain "Anti-Cvlt" propaganda and regalia including hand screened shirts, patches and badges. Also the Pirate Communiques, which are hand printed & bound fanzines that the band uses to disseminate their ideas and artwork.

CROSSOVER have shot, directed, and edited their own videos as well as creating the artwork layouts for their albums.

The following is a statement ("C/O TRANZ") made by C. Knox on behalf of CROSSOVER 11/14 via the band's official page:

Hails! Some of you may or may not know that CROSSOVER was founded in New York City in 1998. Two years were spent developing the concept, writing and recording demos, then releasing our first album in 2001. Our music was geared towards the no lights, smoke machine, warehouse parties of that era. There was a crack down on these types of gatherings and dancing in general then. In 2002 we re-released that album on double LP and CD with a German label. We toured off and on for a year and a half in Europe and a handful of major cities in the US. We released a Maxi 12” in 2003, then in 2005 we released a second full-length album on the same label and moved to Berlin to tour again sporadically for nearly two years. After that, we took a break from live performances. We are nomadic by nature and have taken to isolation which we feel gives best to our art. We also believe that it is the artist’s sole responsibility and duty to project and protect ones image and vision. At one point we decided that only we would take photographs of us. That we would write our own bios, book our own shows, do all of the business. We make our videos and merchandise. Do remixes and make mix-tapes. The artistic presentation is something that is very important to us. We have done the majority of the graphics, layouts, and photography, though we have selected artists to work with over the years. Since the beginning we have hand made and self released our wares alongside label releases of our music and artwork. We silk screen T-shirts, patches and back patches, make badges, pins, hand make jewelry, hand print and bind our CROSSOVER – Pirate Communiqués. These zines help better tell our story and share our ideology and aim. We are almost finished with the second volume. We try to make it known that we are much more than just a band. This is our life. We live and breathe this. It is a 24-7 operation. Magic is in every breathing moment of our day to day. Art, music, and nature. In 2009 we released our third album on an Italian label and then in 2012 our fourth on a French one. The fifth being a remix record of that album. We have worked within our means and struggle has always been an integral part of this mission. With all the hurdles, we have had more than enough to work with even when we had nothing. Our motivation is innovation with intention to perplex. Ever changing, growing, and evolving. We strive to get to the other side musically and our ultimate goal has yet to be accomplished. Since the start we have made dark esoteric occult electronic music. “Drum machines and synthesizers are the chariots of our folktales” to take a quote from our first interview in 2001. And “More chicks, more synths!” 2014 has birthed our new label imprint Vulture and the self released 6th album Funeral Flowers (All is fair in Love and War) Twisted Forest / Naked Forest. We make music, art, zines, jewelry, and clothing. All of which can be found at our online stores; Bizarre Church and The Rat-Shop. We have moved to a desolate location on the North East coast of the US and have begun rehearsing a live set to return to the stage. We will be doing select shows in unique forums though this does not exclude your basement. We will continue to exercise our “Reactionist” theory and stay true to our sound, ethics, and aesthetic. Cult, underground, do it yourself, pariah mythos.

Sound

In an interview on the Crossover (Anti-cvlt) MySpace web page, they said, "I suppose we identify best with outsider art and music from any era. Stuff that is normally frowned upon. Also artists who combine otherworldly themes, nature, as well as melancholy, sarcasm and humor. It has to be scary and intriguing, sad and precious. Paul Laffoley, William Klein, Jean "Moebius" Giraud, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Hieronymus Bosch, Peter Bruegel, Theodor Kittelsen... Christian Brown, Pushead." [2]

Discography

Studio albums

Singles and EPs

Other albums

External links

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