HIJK

MySpace (listen to "Smells Like Cigarettes," "Alibi")
Official site

Hometown: Oakland
Next local show: 1/19, The Uptown
Upcoming release: The Pen and the Letter, early 2007

...And the award for longest time spent recording and producing a debut album goes to... HIJK (formerly Hijack the Disco)! A formidable 16 months after stepping into the studio, this Oakland group completed all the audio work and is now preparing to self-release the record in a few months. But let's back up. (more >>)

HIJK is Mike Mahoney, Dave Tsui, and Trevor Wencl. Shortly after coming together in 2003, the three musicians decided to attack this band differently than any they'd ever played in. In the past, impatience begat half-assed records begat failure, or at least disappointment, and they'd had enough of it. Thus a plan hatched to try harder than they ever had before, to do everything to the peak of their ability, to go all-in.

In early 2005 they enlisted the help of producer and musical mentor Enrique Gonzalez Muller (Les Claypool, MC Hammer, Dave Matthews Band). Shortly thereafter they locked themselves in the studio, emerging six weeks later with 13 new songs to add to their existing eight. Mike, who had been working long hours for no pay at legendary Sausolito studio The Plant, earned the band 35 days of credit (normally billed at $1,600 a day). There they labored for months, frequently taking a backseat to paying customers while working around their day jobs.

So here we are today. The record's done. And it sounds awesome. Old songs have been reworked to a higher standard, while new songs are wholly impressive. The Pen and the Letter is made up of dark, yet poppy indie rock. It's melodic and catchy, but full of sudden twists and turns that make the listening experience somewhat addictive -- like reading a good mystery novel.

As for the recent name change, well, let's hear it straight from the group: "Due to the growing popularity of Panic! At the Disco and confusion about the similarities between the two names, the time has come to begin the next chapter. After much discussion, HIJK (spelled out when spoken) seemed the obvious choice. Not only does it visually recall our past as 'Hijack,' but it's simple: the alphabet is a foundation for language, language is the foundation for lyrics, and everyone knows how to sing 'aych-eye-jay-kay.'"

THIS AIN'T NO DISCO:
-Hijack the Disco formed four years ago in Oakland, and the upcoming release really will be their very first full-length. It'll also be their first recording under the name HIJK -- unless, of course, you count the five-song teaser EP that'll be given away for free to fans at shows who've signed up for the mailing list.
-In 2004, HTD released a five-song EP called Working is Easy. Two years before that, an earlier East Coast iteration of the group put out another five-song EP, this one self-titled. Both were released on the homemade label Restless Press. Some of these older songs will make it to the new record.
-The group also did a split 7" with Electric Badness, released in 2005 on Grayscale Records.