The Willowz

The Willowz were conceived in a bedroom in Anaheim, CA early summer 2002 by Richie James Follin singer/guitarist and bassist/singer Jessica Reynoza, who were both at the time in their late teens. The name of the group came to Jessica in a dream when a willowz tree told her it would bring her musical enlightenment. The first 7-inch was recorded that summer with producer Paul Kostabi in NYC, with Tony Mann on drums (GG Allen, NY Dolls), and released on the infamous Posh Boy records by way of Robbie Fields.

The Willowz then began playing shows anywhere and everywhere around Los Angeles and Orange County, with an ever changing lineup of drummers and guitarists, and caught the eye of Dionysus records, who would release the first record "The Willowz s/t" in early 2004 which was chosen by the OC Weekly as one of the top 10 albums of the year. For "The Willowz s/t", the band set up a studio in a Whittier garage with Paul Kostabi as their producer. "The Willowz s/t" was recorded in a few days by kids who had no idea what they were really doing and the raw sound is proof of it.

Soon after rigorous touring of the greater North America, and Europe the Willowz music was featured in Michel Gondry's "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" while Kirsten Dunst danced on a bed in her under pants. The Soundtrack was nominated for a grammy. Gondry had a dream about the Willowz song "I Wonder" and soon flew them out to NYC and paid to make a video for them. What followed was another single release, this time on XL recordings and more European and North American touring with such bands as the Weirdos, NY Dolls, the Dirtbombs, the Greenhornes, Wolfmother, the Ponys, Tom Vek, Ted Leo, YGM, OK GO, the Gossip, Brian Jonestown Massacre, the Dwarves, Burning Brides, John Cale and many others.

In February 2005 the Willowz re-released their self titled album on Sympathy For the Record Industry and titled the album "Are Coming" (with a four more songs on it). The follow up "Talk in Circles" was released June 2005 (also recorded in a garage by Paul Kostabi, this time as a four piece and with a little more focus on making an album) on the Long Beach, CA label Sympathy for the Record Industry by way of record mogul Long Gone John. "Talk in Circles" received extraordinary reviews, including "46th Best Album of the Year" by Rolling Stone and was also featured in another one of Gondry's films, "The Science of Sleep". The Willowz were nominated by LA Weekly as one of the tope bands of 2005. More singles followed "Talk in Circles" on such labels as Contaminated, Acid Bird, and Sympathy. The second album was followed by a DVD, "See In Squares", released on Sympathy. "See In Squares" contained 27 unique videos, all by different directors, and additional live concert footage at a catholic school summer camp in Oklahoma, several of these videos have gone on to win national and international awards.

For the third album "Chautauqua", to be released on Steve Aoki's Los Angeles label Dim Mak, the Willowz headed to the eastern countryside and set up a studio, this time in a basement, with Paul Kostabi producing again. They recruited Aric Bohn on guitar and Tony Mann back on the drums. "Chautauqua" provides the energy and rawness of the first albums with a thicker rock sound more focused on songwriting. The album is due out March 20th 2007 and the Willowz will be touring in support of it all of '07 this time with Loren Shane Humphrey on the drum kit.

Dim Mak Releases:
DM105: The Willowz "Chautauqua" CD out March 20, 2007

Listen
Evil Son from Chautauqua

Press

Print/Online

Review of Chautaqua.

Check out the review on Willowz "Evil Son" video.

On 2005's Talk in Circles , Willowz proved they could deliver the goods without losing their garage-rocking charm. On Chautauqua , Willowz confirm that adding detailed gestures (piano, organ and heavy guitars, in particular) doesn't dilute the underlying bravado that has made them both an envious buzz band and a compact, scrappy rock machine.

The Willowz have become a well-oiled rock machine since their "Meet Your Demise" days, something they proved ably on 2005's Talk in Circles, where they showed they could deliver more sounds and ideas than the charmingly scrappy garage punk of their early singles.

It's their best album to date, laden with tightly controlled songs coupled with their signature raw, rock 'n' roll sound. I'm not sure how they do it, but they've miraculously made a classic '60s style rock sound modern and original.

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