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All too often, if you blink, you’ll miss a shooting star. Such is the case with Long Distance Runner. The band formed in the fall of 2002, when guitarist Mike Archebeault and drummer Greg Hasenhuettl decided to found a band in the Chicago punk tradition while also borrowing influences from the likes of Fugazi, At The Drive In, Seaweed, Hot Water Music, Drive Like Jehu, and a host of others. Two quickly became four as they brought guitarist Steve Raparelli and bassist Mark Oster on board. The chemistry was apparent immediately, but wasn’t complete until they started auditioning singers and came across a young lady with a big voice named Emily Schambra. There was no need for a second tryout, Long Distance Runner was born. In the years that followed, Long Distance Runner delighted their growing, dedicated fan base with their progressive approach towards melding their mathy and melodic textures. In addition to their stated influences, the band carried the common thread of being avid music fans, allowing a collective century of listening to seep into their sound. Fronted by Schambra’s unrivaled voice, gifted and trained, the band developed a sound that was at once heavy, yet intensely melodic, unlike anything ever heard before. Their lively stage show carried them up the well-defined hierarchy of Chicago clubs, entertaining audiences throughout the city and outlying areas. In April of 2005, the highly anticipated Competition of Martyrs, what would be the band’s only release, finally hit shelves. A dynamic nine song selection from the band’s first two years finds Schambra chronicling her coming of age with heartbreak and drug abuse, heavy with metaphor and imagery. Behind her, the Gibson guitars play intertwined melodies, at once attracting the ear and drawing it closer to Schambra’s hook laden intensity. All is underscored by the rhythm section’s complex structure and varying meter. Unfortunately, with the album just getting on the ground, a weary Long Distance Runner broke up two short months later, shocking their burgeoning following. But the former members continue to make great music. Emily, Mark and Steve continue to play together in Wind or Ghost. Emily is also quickly coming to the nation’s attention with the pedigreed Holy Roman Empire (along with former members of The Hope Conspiracy, Shai Hulud, Rise Against, and many more). Steve has picked the bass back up and joined the instrumental powerhouse All Limbs Intact. Mike continues to create beats for his long running hip-hop collaboration Warpaint. For the ages, they leave behind Competition of Martyrs, a moving collection from their all-too-brief time together. Check out the artist's website: http://www.myspace.com/longdistancerunner Track List: 1. Burn 2. Prelude 3. Anger Management 4. Emergency 5. Mirror Image Of 6. Untitled 7. Still Shot Romance 8. Asphyxiation 9. Exit Suggested CDs:Other Genres:
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