The Number Twelve Looks Like You is an American
mathcore band, formed in
Bergen County,
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, United States, in 2002. The band went on a six-year hiatus in 2010. In May 2016, they performed a secret show and then announced their reunion.
History
Formation and Brutal Records years (2002–2004)
In early 2002, Jesse Korman, Chree Conger and Justin Pedrick met through mutual acquaintances and recruited Jamie McIlroy and Alexis Pareja which formed the bass-free outfit And Ever. The band was reportedly formed by "accident" where Pedrick was originally the only vocalist and Korman played drums. Korman then apparently realized he was a "terrible drummer", and as a result, took up being a second vocalist for the band wherein Conger then played drums in his place. After releasing a five-song demo and playing a handful of songs together, the band's style began to change slightly. They then soon changed their name to The Number Twelve Looks Like You, a name taken from the ''
Twilight Zone'' episode "
Number 12 Looks Just Like You
"Number 12 Looks Just Like You" is an episode of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. It is set in a dystopian future in which everyone, upon reaching adulthood, has their body surgically altered into one of a set of p ...
".
In early 2003, with newly added bassist Mike Smagula, the band was heard at a live show by an A&R representative from Brutal Records, who was impressed, and informed the heads of the record label about the band.
After hearing all the songs the band had currently recorded, the label signed the band in March and commissioned them to record two new songs,
which along with the songs they had already recorded, were soon released on the band's first full-length album, ''
Put On Your Rosy Red Glasses''
Eyeball Records: ''An Inch of Gold for an Inch of Time'' and ''Nuclear. Sad. Nuclear.'' (2004–2006)
After extensive touring in promotion of ''
Put On Your Rosy Red Glasses'', the band began to catch the attention of
Eyeball Records
Eyeball Records is an independent record label originally established in NYC out of Apartment 4C on 14th St at Avenue A by Alex Saavedra and Vincent Li. The label later moved to Kearny, New Jersey. Eyeball has released albums by artists such as ...
, and eventually they were signed in October 2004. Soon thereafter the band returned to the studio and began work on recording their first release for Eyeball, ''
An Inch Of Gold For An Inch Of Time
''An Inch of Gold for an Inch of Time'' is the 2005 release by American mathcore band The Number Twelve Looks Like You. It was their first release through Eyeball Records.
Content
This EP contains two re-recorded songs from their 2003 album ''Pu ...
''. The EP, released on January 25, 2005, featured a cover of
The Knack
The Knack was an American rock band based in Los Angeles that rose to fame with its first single, " My Sharona", an international number-one hit in 1979.
History Founding (1977–1978)
Singer Doug Fieger was a native of Oak Park, Michigan, a ...
's hit, "
My Sharona
"My Sharona" () is the debut single by the Knack. The song was written by Berton Averre and Doug Fieger, and it was released in 1979 from their debut album, '' Get the Knack''. It reached number one on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart, ...
", two new songs, and a re-recording of "Don't Get Blood On My Prada Shoes" and "Jesus And Tori", from their first full-length.
After a short promotional tour for ''An Inch of Gold for an Inch of Time'', the band returned to the studio in March, and with producer D. James Goodwin, recorded their follow-up full length ''
Nuclear. Sad. Nuclear.''. Finished in seven days and later released on June 7, the album contained, amongst 10 new tracks, re-recordings of two tracks featured on ''An Inch Of Gold For An Inch Of Time'', "Like A Cat" and "Clarissa Explains Cuntainment".
''Mongrel'', ''Worse Than Alone'' and break-up (2007–2010)
On June 19, 2007, the band released another full-length album, ''
Mongrel
A mongrel, mutt or mixed-breed dog is a dog that does not belong to one officially recognized breed and including those that are the result of intentional breeding. Although the term ''mixed-breed dog'' is sometimes preferred, many mongre ...
'', which featured all new material. The album peaked at No. 19
Billboard Heatseekers and No. 34 on the Top Independent Albums chart. Mongrel spawned only one single which was ''Grandfather''. In 2008, the band released two CDs. One was a live CD/DVD entitled, ''
Here at the End of All Things
''Here At The End Of All Things'' is a CD/DVD by American mathcore band The Number Twelve Looks Like You. It was taped on December 15, 2007 in South Hackensack, New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern r ...
'' and the second release was a limited edition "alien green"
7" titled, ''
The Remixes''.
The Number Twelve Looks Like You released their follow-up to ''
Mongrel
A mongrel, mutt or mixed-breed dog is a dog that does not belong to one officially recognized breed and including those that are the result of intentional breeding. Although the term ''mixed-breed dog'' is sometimes preferred, many mongre ...
'', entitled ''
Worse Than Alone'', on March 10, 2009. ''Worse Than Alone'' leaked in its entirety to various Internet websites and communities on March 6, 2009. ''Worse Than Alone'' also reached the ''
Billboard'' Heatseekers charts, peaking at No. 47.
During the band's tour with
Protest the Hero,
Misery Signals
Misery Signals is an American-Canadian metalcore band formed in Wisconsin in 2002.
History Formation (2002–2003)
Misery Signals was formed after the disbanding of several bands, including 7 Angels 7 Plagues, Hamartia, and Compromise. Having p ...
and
Scale the Summit, the band announced that Justin Pedrick had left the band due to his long-time struggle with depression and anxiety. On a blog on the band's MySpace page, they talked about Pedrick's departure from the band.
In early 2010, the band confirmed rumors that they had broken up. The reason the band split was due to internal issues with each member. The group played their final show on January 29, 2010.
The band claimed, on their Twitter page, that if they reached 10,000 followers they "...will play a show or two", they had also asked fans on their Facebook page the question "so what cities love the 12 the most?" along with a rumour stating that they were expected to reform on December 12, 2012 (12/12/12) to coincide with their band name.
On August 2, 2013, The Number Twelve Looks Like You released the first episode of their upcoming video series, called ''24/7.12'', onto YouTube. In the first episode of the video series, the band spoke of their formation.
Reunion and ''Wild Gods'' (2016–present)
On May 18, 2016, the band posted an image on their Facebook account which appeared to be a gig flyer, displaying an updated band logo, a short set list of songs from their back-catalogue, and further text on the side stating the date May 19, 2016, and the location of Kingston, New York. Fans raised speculation that this would be a secret show where the band would announce their return.
As speculated, on May 19, 2016, the band played their first show together since January 2010, and frontman Jesse Korman confirmed the following day that the band were back with "News to follow. Maybe." The line-up at the band's return show saw both Korman and guitarist Alexis Pareja performing, completed by Michael Kadnar on drums and DJ Scully on bass.
The band supported
The Dillinger Escape Plan
The Dillinger Escape Plan was an American metalcore band. The band was formed in 1997 in Morris Plains, New Jersey by guitarist Ben Weinman, bassist Adam Doll, vocalist Dimitri Minakakis, and drummer Chris Pennie. The band's use of odd time si ...
on their Limerent Death tour in 2016. Following extensive touring by the band, they announced in fall 2017 an anniversary tour celebrating the 12-year anniversary of ''
Nuclear. Sad. Nuclear.''
In February 2019, the band confirmed that they had finished recording their fifth record and first album in a decade. The album titled, ''Wild Gods'', was released on September 20, 2019.
Musical style and influences
The Number Twelve Looks Like You's music has been described as
mathcore and
screamo
Screamo (also referred to as skramz) is an aggressive subgenre of emo that emerged in the early 1990s and emphasizes "willfully experimental dissonance and dynamics".Jason Heller, "Feast of Reason". ''Denver Westword'', June 20, 2002Access date: ...
.
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
describes them as a "particularly dark and dystopian form of screamo" that incorporates elements of "Japanese-style
noise rock
Noise rock (sometimes called noise punk) is a noise-oriented style of experimental rock that spun off from punk rock in the 1980s. Drawing on movements such as minimalism, industrial music, and New York hardcore, artists indulge in extre ...
à la the
Boredoms and the show-offy tempo,
time signature
The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note va ...
, and dynamic shifts of
Frank Zappa."
The band tried to expand their sound with every album and Pareja attributes that as a crucial factor in their reunion.
Regarding their eclectic style, he said:
Founding member Alexis Pareja, a classically trained guitarist, has cited
jazz fusion players
John McLaughlin John or Jon McLaughlin may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* John McLaughlin (musician) (born 1942), English jazz fusion guitarist, member of Mahavishnu Orchestra
* Jon McLaughlin (musician) (born 1982), American singer-songwriter
* John McLaug ...
and
Robert Fripp
Robert Fripp (born 16 May 1946) is a British musician, songwriter, record producer, and author, best known as the guitarist, founder and longest-lasting member of the progressive rock band King Crimson. He has worked extensively as a session ...
as some of his primary inspirations.
[ Jesse Korman was trained by ]vocal coach
A vocal coach, also known as a voice coach (though this term often applies to those working with speech and communication rather than singing), is a music teacher, usually a piano accompanist, who helps singers prepare for a performance, often a ...
Melissa Cross and credits screamo bands such as Love Lost But Not Forgotten, pop singer Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
, death metal bands, and System of a Down
System of a Down (also known as SoaD or simply System) is an Armenian-American heavy metal band formed in Glendale, California, in 1994. Since 1997, the band has consisted of Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboards); Daron Malakian (guitar, voc ...
as shaping his style. For his part, former co-vocalist Justin Pedrick stated that Tom Waits
Thomas Alan Waits (born December 7, 1949) is an American musician, composer, songwriter, and actor. His lyrics often focus on the underbelly of society and are delivered in his trademark deep, gravelly voice. He worked primarily in jazz during ...
"musically changed islife." In addition to rock music, the band has been deeply influenced by jazz
Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...
, citing artists such as Mark Guiliana
Mark Guiliana (born September 2, 1980) is a Grammy-nominated American drummer, composer and leader of the band Beat Music. He is known for his playing with Avishai Cohen, Brad Mehldau, David Bowie, Meshell Ndegeocello, Gretchen Parlato, Jason ...
, Tigran Hamasyan
Tigran Hamasyan ( hy, Տիգրան Համասյան; born July 17, 1987) is an Armenian jazz pianist and composer. He plays mostly original compositions, which are strongly influenced by the Armenian folk tradition, often using its scales and mod ...
, Miles Davis
Miles Dewey Davis III (May 26, 1926September 28, 1991) was an American trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Davis adopted a variety of musi ...
, Avishai Cohen and John Coltrane
John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music.
Born and raise ...
. The band consider their five biggest musical influences to be Mahavishnu Orchestra
The Mahavishnu Orchestra were a jazz fusion band formed in New York City in 1971, led by English guitarist John McLaughlin. The group underwent several line-up changes throughout its history across its two periods of activity, from 1971 to 1976 ...
, Gorguts
Gorguts is a Canadian death metal band from Sherbrooke, Quebec, formed in 1989. The band has been through many personnel changes since its inception; its only constant member has been guitarist and vocalist Luc Lemay, who remains the primary cr ...
, Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra
Thee Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra was a Canadian post-rock band that formed in 1999, originating from Montreal, Quebec. Variations of the name used on the band's releases include A Silver Mt. Zion, The Silver Mt. Zion Memorial Orchestra & ...
, Pantera, and This Day Forward.[
]
Members
;Current
* Jesse "Jase" Korman – lead vocals (2002–2010, 2016–present)
* Alexis Pareja – guitars, keyboards, backing vocals (2002–2010, 2016–present)
* DJ Scully – bass guitar, backing vocals (2016–present)
* Michael Kadnar – drums (2016–present)
;Past
* Christopher "Chree" Conger — drums (2002–2006)
* Mike "Smoogs" Smagula — bass guitar (2002–2006)
* Jamie McIlroy — guitar (2002–2008)
* Justin Pedrick — co-lead vocals (2002–2009)
* Jon Karel — drums (2006–2010)
* Chris Russell — bass guitar (2006–2010)
;Timeline
Discography
;Full-lengths
* '' Put on Your Rosy Red Glasses'' (2003)
* '' Nuclear. Sad. Nuclear.'' (2005)
* ''Mongrel
A mongrel, mutt or mixed-breed dog is a dog that does not belong to one officially recognized breed and including those that are the result of intentional breeding. Although the term ''mixed-breed dog'' is sometimes preferred, many mongre ...
'' (2007)
* '' Worse Than Alone'' (2009)
* ''Wild Gods
''Wild Gods'' is the fifth studio album by The Number Twelve Looks Like You
The Number Twelve Looks Like You is an American mathcore band, formed in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States, in 2002. The band went on a six-year hiatus in 2 ...
'' (2019)
;EPs
* ''An Inch of Gold for an Inch of Time
''An Inch of Gold for an Inch of Time'' is the 2005 release by American mathcore band The Number Twelve Looks Like You. It was their first release through Eyeball Records.
Content
This EP contains two re-recorded songs from their 2003 album ''Pu ...
'' (2005)
* '' The Number Twelve Looks Like You'' (2007; limited Hot Topic
Hot Topic, Inc. (stylized as HOT TOPIC) is an American retail chain specializing in counterculture-related clothing and accessories, as well as licensed music. The stores are aimed towards an audience interested in rock music and video gaming ...
exclusive)
* '' The Remixes'' (2008; limited Hot Topic
Hot Topic, Inc. (stylized as HOT TOPIC) is an American retail chain specializing in counterculture-related clothing and accessories, as well as licensed music. The stores are aimed towards an audience interested in rock music and video gaming ...
exclusive)
;Live albums
*''Here at the End of All Things
''Here At The End Of All Things'' is a CD/DVD by American mathcore band The Number Twelve Looks Like You. It was taped on December 15, 2007 in South Hackensack, New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern r ...
'' (2008)
Videography
References
External links
Discography The Number Twelve Looks Like You on thenumber12.ning.com
archived in the Wayback Machine
The Wayback Machine is a digital archive of the World Wide Web founded by the Internet Archive, a nonprofit based in San Francisco, California. Created in 1996 and launched to the public in 2001, it allows the user to go "back in time" and see ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Number Twelve Looks Like You
Heavy metal musical groups from New Jersey
American mathcore musical groups
Musical groups established in 2002
Musical groups disestablished in 2010
2002 establishments in New Jersey
2010 disestablishments in New Jersey
Musical groups reestablished in 2016