A Brief
History of 300 Pounds:
300 Pounds is an extraordinary funk-punk
band based in Santa Cruz, California.
The gripping stage presence of this
three piece band creates an environment
that everyone can enjoy. Over the
last few years 300 Pounds has worked
to refine their sound and presentation
to maximize the audio and visual
experience of the audience.
Describing the genre-bending sound
of 300 Pounds is a difficult task.
With influences spanning the heaviest
of metal, to the most effervescent
pop, their music swims in a sea
with an ever-changing temperament.
In any given show, you'll find the
fire of punk, the soul of 70's funk,
and lyrical musings on joy, sorrow,
loss, and hope. While the band is
persistently challenged to provide
a genre into which they fit, it's
a burden that they happily bear.
Nate Lieby (lead vocals, guitar)
is a life-long musician who started
in rock playing drums, singing and
writing songs. After years of being
a drummer and lead singer in the
band Sneaky Creekans, Nate broke
off and began playing guitar and
writing songs for 300 Pounds. He
brings the energy of his drumming
experience to his guitar playing:
a frenetic, cleaving attack.
Pecos (bass, backing vocals) grew
up elbow-deep in music, helping
his father run a music store and
dabbling in guitar and drums for
most of his early life. With the
formation of 300 Pounds he took
up bass and began pitching in on
vocals. Pecos brings a powerful
excitement to the stage with his
presence, joining Nate in their
over-the-top exuberance and between-song
banter. His bass style is heavily
influenced by his love of reggae,
hip hop, the slap-pop styles of
the legendary funk masters.
Jon Moriconi (drums) has a long
line of experience playing guitar,
piano, and a bit of just about everything
else. Jon was also in Sneaky Creekans
with Nate as a guitar player and
main songwriter. He joined 300 Pounds
as the drummer and contributes his
powerful talent to the musical zeitgeist
of the band. His drumming is constantly
evolving and growing with the band,
turning Jon from a light-handed
jazz enthusiast into a full-blown
rock slugger.
The band's discography provides
an excellent history of the band.
In 2003 Nate released 300 Pounds
first album. The album was an introspective,
meandering journey through the mind
of 300 Pound's songwriter. Their
second full-length album, Metamorphosis,
was released in 2005, and marked
the dissolution of 300 Pounds as
a solo project. While they were
happy with the release, it was definitely
a transitional piece for them, learning
just what it meant to be an actual
band, and trying to figure out where
they were going with their sound.
After almost two years of playing
and constantly tweaking their live
sound, 300 Pounds went in to record
again in late 2006. They recorded
a raw, live, EP that showcased the
fire of their energetic stage performances.
The outcome was the Emmeryville
Project. 300 Pounds had finally
found a defining sound and style
to call their own. The Emmeryville
Project caught the attention of
DC-Jam Records and the band was
signed in December of 2008. By February
2009, they'd finished their latest
album: "Trail of Numbered Days",
to be released world-wide in July.
300 Pounds has played countless
shows in many venues in the greater
bay area (Santa Cruz, Oakland, San
Francisco, Berkeley, etc) and southern
California. They are joining the
DC-Jams Skate Rock tour in April
of 2009 to revisit so-cal, and to
branch out into Arizona and Nevada. |