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Somewhat of an enigma, even to himself, Ezra Ravencroft has been creating and recording music for the past 13 years. Starting off as all hopelessly devoted rockstars do, Ezra started playing guitar at 13; hacking out Van Morrison and Beatles covers with his father at home in Lancaster, PA.
By 15, Ezra started his first band Western Agency with his two best friends Jacob Flory and Mike Langseth. Combining the basic 3 piece garage band with a psychedelic twist the boys set to work tearing up any preconcieved idea of what music should be about and created 2 full length albums "Clonopin" and "Droppin' In".
With the addition of Ezra's brother Jeremy Ruoss performing spoken word and other friends playing a variety of percussion, tabla, trumpets, spoons, harmonicas, synths and whatever else they could get their hands on Western Agency did a one off show as Thee Ultra Violet Villagers on Februrary 22, 1994; much to the chagrin and mindaltering confusion of the Lancaster straight-edge scene.
In the summer of 1995 Ezra left home and moved to Brooklyn, then upstate New York; where he expanded his appreciation of "Electronic" and "Ethnic" musics eating up whatever records and seeing whatever shows he could afford.
After a while, the novelty of Nyc wore off and he returned to Lancaster, Pa to pursue art school @ PSA&D, and go completely out his mind. Under the name "Death Station Magick", Ezra recorded one full length album in 1997 "Worship the Mind Crawlers Statick" featuring a hodge podge of cut and paste samples and synth loops.
Finally sick of working 2 jobs and relocating back to his hometown, Ezra moved to Philadelphia and locked himself in his room for months at a time with a nitrous tank and a roland jx-305 synth, and
worshipping its user manual. Using it he created his first soundtrack for a short film entitled "The Raft" which he also starred in, and played multiple roles as a pill-popping rasta werewolf, a spanish conquistador, and a transexual trailer-trash housewife named Taffy
In the spring of 1999, Ezra relocated to Asheville, NC and started recording religiously with his brother again, creating archives and archives of electronic weirdness. this synth/sampler duo still occasionally plays shows and records under the name 11:11.
then, after a short time back in Brooklyn, Ezra picked up and moved to Sedona, Arizona at the tail end of 2000. IT WAS HERE THAT HE WAS TO REVOLUTIONIZE AND REDISCOVER HIS ROLE AS AN INFORMATION ARTIST AND SLUT DRUMMER.
in February of 2001, Ezra met Kendall and Carrieann VESICA PISCIS who invited him to what was then called INDEPENDENT NOISE PARTY. here he also met DUGRNET. 20+ people in a living room with electronics out the wazoo Ezra finally realized he was 'home'. collaborating with VESICA PISCIS and DUGRNET on countless Noise Parties, eventually led to an actual band under that same name. I.N.P. put on several amazing live shows in flagstaff, AZ; with then collaborator OCHLO who has since relocated to Seattle.
then, in februrary 2003 Ezra initiated solo~electronic project PORTABLE DARKNESS. pushing whatever boundaries he could; technically, creatively, psycho-spiritually... PORTABLE DARKNESS began recording and releasing CD after CD and still continues to do so.
in September of 2003, Ezra and DugRnet formed THE RASP with Jeremy R. of 11:11 and Derek Wade Johnson on Bass. following the non~formula of I.N.P.; THE RASP was based on total improvisation. But with the addition of bass and electronic drums, it had an almost rehearsed sound. by the following summer THE RASP had 2 full length albums "MEDIA PA" and "PLUS AND MINUS". unfortunately for all, Derek passed on the first day of summer 2004 and THE RASP has been dubbed a remix project only. THE DEREK WADE JOHNSON PROJECT is now in the works for EQing bass line and creating short loops of these available for all to download and remix via WWW.THERASP.COM.
februrary 2004 Ezra teams up with fellow co~conspirators and forms THE ESOTERIC SISTERHOOD OF THE WHITE RAVEN, under the skilled leadership and artistic direction of the brilliant PEDRO DIA! combining turntablism with Rock attitude and Industrial intent, the SISTERHOOD created a theatrical set of songs recorded onto 4-track; but soon became a back-burner project when members Ash Rickli, James Carpenter, and the Rev. Bryan Jr. turned to their current project THE YOUNG PRINCES OF DARKNESS.
following several outdoor live shows throughout spring and summer 2004 PORTABLE DARKNESS releases ALL RIGHTS REVERSED.
september 2004 Ezra joins THE KILL as UNIVERSALIA JANE'S drummer, along with Rev. Bryan Jr., Matt Robinson & Rafe Sweet. playing 2 Club 111 appearances as well as UNIVERSALIA JANE'S cd release party for "Oracles at Delphi". July 2004 Ezra discovers his calling as drummer/co-founder of 2 HOURS OF BLISS; along with Tatiana VanCamp on violin and viola, Michael Pettit on bass, Laurel Cutland on keys, Michael Ingiosi on guitars, and Kelvin Mockingbird on flutes. 2 Hours of Bliss will start recording it's first full-length album Dec. 1st, 2004.
meanwhile, Ezra continues working on studio material for PORTABLE DARKNESS; and looks forward to remixing THE RASP and performing/recording with all of the aformentioned...
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