Steve Honoshowsky on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
Steve Honoshowsky is a professional musician raised in Basking Ridge, NJ. He began playing drums at the age of ten, inspired by the likes of Neil Peart, Bill Bruford, and Terry Bozzio. In 2008, Honoshowsky represented the United States at the YMCA Europe Festival in Prague, Czech Republic, giving two solo drum performances on the center stage. Honoshowsky studied briefly under Chris Pennie (Dillinger Escape Plan, Coheed and Cambria) and is currently studying under percussionist Billy Martin (percussionist), Billy Martin (Medeski Martin and Wood). He has performed with Cyro Baptista and Billy Martin's Student Bodies, with Billy's Mystery Riddim Band (featurin
Kato Hidecki
an
, as well as Billy's Fang Percussion Ensemble. He is also featured in Billy's DVD entitled
, which was released on October 8, 2010. Honoshowsky is most commonly known as the founder of No Use For Humans (NUFH), an avant-garde electronica band from New Jersey, and he's also the founder of the drumming collective ''Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick''. Honoshowsky has performed and recorded with many metro New York City/ New Jersey bands, from hip-hop band Universal Rebel to World music, world/avant-garde grou
In Petto
has toured the United States with hardcore band Hungry Housewives, and also performs solo sets under the nam
Soul Amputation
In addition to performing, Honoshowsky teaches private lessons, hosts drum workshops, and is a facilitator The Rhythmic Arts Project
TRAP
program for therapy and to increase coordination and motor skills for physically and mentally disabled people. In addition, Honoshowsky plays bass and a variety of keyboards/electronics/vocals.
Jay Sorce
and bassist Rob Gorman in the band Pigs In Space. Pigs in Space gained a cult following in central New Jersey in the early 1990s until eventual breakup in 1995. He attended St. Thomas Aquinas College, graduating in 2001.
Issue Project Room
in Brooklyn, NY, as part of Billy Martin's Week of Drums and Percussion.
Amir Ziv
Droid, KOT KOT) # Tim Kieper
Cyro Baptista's Beat the Donkey
Banquet of Spirits) # Steve Dans
# Chris Pennie (Dillinger Escape Plan, Coheed and Cambria) # Ben Ross (Mothguts) # Pete Andrews (Big Mechanical Bull) # Benjamin Clapp, Ben Clapp (Skeleton Key (band), Skeleton Key) # Charlie Zeleny (Behold...The Arctopus)
The Loose Roosters
Joe Harvard Band) # G. Calvin Weston (Lounge Lizards, Ornette Coleman, Marc Ribot) # Bob Vaccarelli (Skeleton Key (band), Skeleton Key
Miss TK & The Revenge
Amir Ziv
Droid, KOT KOT) # Chuck Treece
McRad
Mike Wojik
(Bonk, Trio of Madness)
Mike Noordzy
(Mothguts, Intense Men)
Brian DeMelloMontagna & The Mouth To MouthStrange Things Done in the Midnight Sun
Tribal Groove
NUFH was formed in 2003 when Honoshowky and keyboardist Sean Wegeler got together and performed and recorded as a duo, creating music that was structured compositionally and sonically in a way neither had experienced before. This style was dubbed "experimental electronic math rock". "The music was based on a freewheeling style blending imrpov-centric electronics and ethnic motifs with a complex patchwork of oddly linked themes and shifting time signatures." Their debut self-titled EP was recorded in October 2003 and was often compared to the likings of a Frank Zappa or Mike Patton project, while much of the sound gives it the feel of an obscure Science fiction, Sci-Fi or video game soundtrack. "Almost entirely instrumental (only "Robots! (V. Brue)" contains some distorted vocals), the music is based on quickly rotating riffs, each seldom lasting more than a few bars." ''Lesson From A Dying Breed'' was their sophomore release. Its eight studio tracks were recorded in September 2004, followed by 6 tracks recorded live at the Brighton Bar on September 14, 2004 in Long Branch, NJ, during an opening act for the band Captured! By Robots. As read o
jambands.com
''Lesson's'' "...eight studio tracks careen cinematically through bizarre melodic percussion, hip-hop, metal, and other sonic chicanery...No Use For Humans is the virtual definition of what it means to be adventurous, to abandon received wisdom (and musical traditions) and just get loose." An uncovering of Honoshowsky's love for 1970s and 1980s music and soundtracks is exposed with covers of "99 Luftballons" by Nena (band), Nena, "The Imperial March" from ''Star Wars'', and "Obituaries/Candyman" by Danny Elfman and Philip Glass, respectively.
In March 2005, Alicia Testa joined the band and added a new dynamic with her powerful vocals, keyboards, flute, and the 1980s-esque omnichords. This trio went into the studio in March 2005 and recorded a full-length, self-titled album. A common reaction to the album was an appreciation of the originality of its sound. High Times magazine described it as there being "no way to satisfactorily pigeonhole this music. Compositions will begin with fits of high energy, synthesized drumming, then dissipate and dissolve into a mellow and melodious groove then snap into something else...it is musical experimentation the mainstream frowns upon and its power is in keeping listeners on their toes." Music journalist Jesse Jarnow explained "they prove themselves steeped in the maximalist tradition — though not in a theatrical wanky way, and not in a jamband way, either. The music is almost all synthesized. If there's anything acoustic present, it just sounds like a really good imitation." Also in 2005, Steve began performing as a solo act under the name "Soul Amputation". This project allowed Steve to improvise on a drum kit while incorporating keyboards and other electronics.
Retromedia
serves as the debut release of this direction, and features a mostly solo Steve with a few NUFH alumni sitting in for a song or two. A vast repertoire of synth, percussion, keyboard, reverb, echo, and wave manipulation make the electronic orchestration a strong suit of this album. Following the release of "Retromedia", Steve was quick to enter the studio again, this time recruiting a core group of guests in a strictly collaborative effort. Not only does "Humanoids: A No Use For Humans Collective" contain some very deep electronic music, several tracks have him back behind the acoustic drums.
self-titled debut
under the NJ labe
Nacht Records
DV is known for having a visually stimulating live show as well as a mostly electronic, dance party sound.
Roland SPD-S
* Roland V-Drums, Roland V Drums * Original Korg Wave Drum * Alesis & Yamaha Corporation, Yamaha Electronic Drum Modules (often combined with triggers on found objects) * Alesis Micron * MicroKorg * Boss loop Station * Electro Harmonix Frequency Analyzer * Korg Mono/Poly, Korg Monotron * Zendrum * Digitech Whammy Pedal * Korg Monotribe * Korg Kaossilator * Zendrum Zap * Boss Digital Delay * Mattel Synsonics
Nacht Records
* ''Humanoids: A No Use For Humans Collective'' (2011
Nacht Records
Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick * ''Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick Vol.1'' (2009
Nacht Records
* ''Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick Vol.2'' (2010
Nacht Records
Soul Amputation * ''Soul Amputation'' (2005) Universal Rebel * ''Overdog'' (2007) * ''On The Shoulders of Giants'' (2010) In Petto * ''Live at the Knitting Factory'' (2001) * ''In Petto EP'' (2003) The Hungry Housewives * ''Demo'' (2001) * ''World Domestication'' (2001) * ''Yum Yum Gimme Some'' (2002) The South Jersey Seashore Lifeguard Convention Band * ''Wave Goodbye'' (2005) * ''The South Jersey Seashore Lifeguard Convention Band'' (2006) * ''Lifeboat for Fatty'' (2010) The Community * ''The Project'' (2010) Daylow * ''Hyphen One & Daylow'' (2005) Intense Men * ''100% Intense'' (2010
Nacht Records
Giggle the Ozone * ''Charge'' (2010) * ''Dreamjob'' (2012) Ballroom * ''Enter the Ballroom'' (2012
Nacht Records
* ''Genital Hospital'' (2014
Nacht Records
Sylvana Joyce & The Moment * ''For You, Comrade'' (2012
Nacht Records
Daughter Vision * ''Daughter Vision'' (2013
Nacht Records
* ''Accomplices'' (2014
Nacht Records
* ''Advanced Style (Soundtrack credit)'' - (2014
Independent Release
Billy Martin releases * ''Life on Drums'' (2012
* ''Wandering'' (2014
Steve Honoshowky/No Use For Humans official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Honoshowsky, Steve 1979 births St. Thomas Aquinas College alumni Living people
Kato Hidecki
an
, as well as Billy's Fang Percussion Ensemble. He is also featured in Billy's DVD entitled
, which was released on October 8, 2010. Honoshowsky is most commonly known as the founder of No Use For Humans (NUFH), an avant-garde electronica band from New Jersey, and he's also the founder of the drumming collective ''Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick''. Honoshowsky has performed and recorded with many metro New York City/ New Jersey bands, from hip-hop band Universal Rebel to World music, world/avant-garde grou
In Petto
has toured the United States with hardcore band Hungry Housewives, and also performs solo sets under the nam
Soul Amputation
In addition to performing, Honoshowsky teaches private lessons, hosts drum workshops, and is a facilitator The Rhythmic Arts Project
TRAP
program for therapy and to increase coordination and motor skills for physically and mentally disabled people. In addition, Honoshowsky plays bass and a variety of keyboards/electronics/vocals.
Background
Steve was born on February 7, 1979, in Morristown, NJ. Growing up, he had aspirations to play the electric guitar, but was dissuaded by his parents who informed him he could not play guitar in the high school concert band, which like his older brothers he intended on joining. Drums were the next best thing in his mind, so he picked up the sticks and began practicing his rudiment every day while listening to bands like Rush (band), Rush, Yes (band), Yes, and Frank Zappa. Beginning in middle school, Steve performed with guitarisJay Sorce
and bassist Rob Gorman in the band Pigs In Space. Pigs in Space gained a cult following in central New Jersey in the early 1990s until eventual breakup in 1995. He attended St. Thomas Aquinas College, graduating in 2001.
Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick
In 2008, Honoshowsky founded the drumming collective ''Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick''. ''Speak Softly'' has opened doors to what can be created in the medium of "percussion only music". Each guest drummer was asked to record a drum piece. They were given no parameters as to what to play. Upon receiving each recording, Honoshowsky would listen to them just once and then record a duet piece over top of it. The idea was to keep it sounding as "in the moment" as possible. On Valentine's Day 2008, Honoshowsky and Amir Ziv performed their drum duets at thIssue Project Room
in Brooklyn, NY, as part of Billy Martin's Week of Drums and Percussion.
Volume 1
Amir Ziv
Droid, KOT KOT) # Tim Kieper
Cyro Baptista's Beat the Donkey
Banquet of Spirits) # Steve Dans
# Chris Pennie (Dillinger Escape Plan, Coheed and Cambria) # Ben Ross (Mothguts) # Pete Andrews (Big Mechanical Bull) # Benjamin Clapp, Ben Clapp (Skeleton Key (band), Skeleton Key) # Charlie Zeleny (Behold...The Arctopus)
Volume 2
# Ches Smith (Marc Ribot, Secret Chiefs 3) # Brian Wolinski (117The Loose Roosters
Joe Harvard Band) # G. Calvin Weston (Lounge Lizards, Ornette Coleman, Marc Ribot) # Bob Vaccarelli (Skeleton Key (band), Skeleton Key
Miss TK & The Revenge
Amir Ziv
Droid, KOT KOT) # Chuck Treece
McRad
Mike Wojik
(Bonk, Trio of Madness)
Mike Noordzy
(Mothguts, Intense Men)
Brian DeMello
Tribal Groove
No Use For Humans
2003–2005
NUFH was formed in 2003 when Honoshowky and keyboardist Sean Wegeler got together and performed and recorded as a duo, creating music that was structured compositionally and sonically in a way neither had experienced before. This style was dubbed "experimental electronic math rock". "The music was based on a freewheeling style blending imrpov-centric electronics and ethnic motifs with a complex patchwork of oddly linked themes and shifting time signatures." Their debut self-titled EP was recorded in October 2003 and was often compared to the likings of a Frank Zappa or Mike Patton project, while much of the sound gives it the feel of an obscure Science fiction, Sci-Fi or video game soundtrack. "Almost entirely instrumental (only "Robots! (V. Brue)" contains some distorted vocals), the music is based on quickly rotating riffs, each seldom lasting more than a few bars." ''Lesson From A Dying Breed'' was their sophomore release. Its eight studio tracks were recorded in September 2004, followed by 6 tracks recorded live at the Brighton Bar on September 14, 2004 in Long Branch, NJ, during an opening act for the band Captured! By Robots. As read ojambands.com
''Lesson's'' "...eight studio tracks careen cinematically through bizarre melodic percussion, hip-hop, metal, and other sonic chicanery...No Use For Humans is the virtual definition of what it means to be adventurous, to abandon received wisdom (and musical traditions) and just get loose." An uncovering of Honoshowsky's love for 1970s and 1980s music and soundtracks is exposed with covers of "99 Luftballons" by Nena (band), Nena, "The Imperial March" from ''Star Wars'', and "Obituaries/Candyman" by Danny Elfman and Philip Glass, respectively.
March 2005–September 2006
In March 2005, Alicia Testa joined the band and added a new dynamic with her powerful vocals, keyboards, flute, and the 1980s-esque omnichords. This trio went into the studio in March 2005 and recorded a full-length, self-titled album. A common reaction to the album was an appreciation of the originality of its sound. High Times magazine described it as there being "no way to satisfactorily pigeonhole this music. Compositions will begin with fits of high energy, synthesized drumming, then dissipate and dissolve into a mellow and melodious groove then snap into something else...it is musical experimentation the mainstream frowns upon and its power is in keeping listeners on their toes." Music journalist Jesse Jarnow explained "they prove themselves steeped in the maximalist tradition — though not in a theatrical wanky way, and not in a jamband way, either. The music is almost all synthesized. If there's anything acoustic present, it just sounds like a really good imitation." Also in 2005, Steve began performing as a solo act under the name "Soul Amputation". This project allowed Steve to improvise on a drum kit while incorporating keyboards and other electronics.
2007–2010
This lineup of No Use For Humans includes Honoshowky, Mike Biskup on electric guitar, and Willy Carmona on trumpet, keyboards, and percussion. Biskup and Honoshowsky have history performing together, going back to the 1990s when they both performed in the NYC-based world/avant-garde band, In Petto. In June 2008, this lineup, including Sean Wegeler on keyboards, entered the studio and recorded the album ''An Index of Fecal-Oral Transmission''. "The tracks of ''An Index of Fecal-Oral Transmission'' blend jazz-fusion and world-beat flourishes with soundtrack-style/ambient textures." According to the album's cover, "Since time existed, this planet's unseen organisms had wiped out billions of humans before they could earn their immunity to them. Bacteria is ever changing; ever evolving...This music was inspired by the little creatures humans infect each other with when they are affected by one another".Solo NUFH
2011 found Steve shifting gears, moving from an evenly balanced acoustic and electronic mix to an almost all electronic presentation. "Live aRetromedia
serves as the debut release of this direction, and features a mostly solo Steve with a few NUFH alumni sitting in for a song or two. A vast repertoire of synth, percussion, keyboard, reverb, echo, and wave manipulation make the electronic orchestration a strong suit of this album. Following the release of "Retromedia", Steve was quick to enter the studio again, this time recruiting a core group of guests in a strictly collaborative effort. Not only does "Humanoids: A No Use For Humans Collective" contain some very deep electronic music, several tracks have him back behind the acoustic drums.
Daughter Vision
Formed in the winter of 2013, Steve and fellow NJ musician Brian Powell have teamed up to form the electro-pop power duo "Daughter Vision". Formed in late 2012, they released theiself-titled debut
under the NJ labe
Nacht Records
DV is known for having a visually stimulating live show as well as a mostly electronic, dance party sound.
Equipment
Drums
* Pork Pie Percussion, Pork Pie snare drum * Drum Workshop, DW Soprano snare * DW 6 piece Collector's Series * Tama Drums, Tama 5 piece Stagestar (depending on the gig) * occasional original Tama OctobonsCymbals
* 18" Zildjian Custom K Ride * 16" Zildjian Trash China * Hi-Hats= 14" Ziljian Field (top), 14" Ziljian Schimitar (bottom), 10" Zildjian Splash (top) 10" Sabian Neil Peart Paragon Splash (bottom) * FX CYMBALS (various, interchangeable) * Zildjian Trash Spiral * Several 8" Stagg & LP cup chimes/icebells * Zildjian Zilbells * Sabian Cymbals, Sabian Will Calhoun Alien Disc * various firebells and found objectsOther percussion
* Several hand made cowbells and gongs * Zildjian gongs * Latin Percussion, LP Talking Drum * LP Udu * kalimba * bamboo, blocks, chains, caxixis, pandeiros, animal calls etc.Electronics
* Boss Corporation, Boss Dr. Sample Samplers * Roland Corporation, Roland HandsonicRoland SPD-S
* Roland V-Drums, Roland V Drums * Original Korg Wave Drum * Alesis & Yamaha Corporation, Yamaha Electronic Drum Modules (often combined with triggers on found objects) * Alesis Micron * MicroKorg * Boss loop Station * Electro Harmonix Frequency Analyzer * Korg Mono/Poly, Korg Monotron * Zendrum * Digitech Whammy Pedal * Korg Monotribe * Korg Kaossilator * Zendrum Zap * Boss Digital Delay * Mattel Synsonics
Bass
* Washburn Guitars, Washburn Bass * Fender Precision Bass, Fender P BassDiscography
No Use For Humans * ''Just Another Solo Project'' (2003) * ''No Use For Humans – Demo'' (2003) * ''Lesson From A Dying Breed'' (2004) * ''No Use For Humans DVD'' (2004) * ''No Use For Humans'' (2005) * ''An Index of Fecal-Oral Transmission'' (2006) * ''Live at Retromedia'' (2011Nacht Records
* ''Humanoids: A No Use For Humans Collective'' (2011
Nacht Records
Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick * ''Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick Vol.1'' (2009
Nacht Records
* ''Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick Vol.2'' (2010
Nacht Records
Soul Amputation * ''Soul Amputation'' (2005) Universal Rebel * ''Overdog'' (2007) * ''On The Shoulders of Giants'' (2010) In Petto * ''Live at the Knitting Factory'' (2001) * ''In Petto EP'' (2003) The Hungry Housewives * ''Demo'' (2001) * ''World Domestication'' (2001) * ''Yum Yum Gimme Some'' (2002) The South Jersey Seashore Lifeguard Convention Band * ''Wave Goodbye'' (2005) * ''The South Jersey Seashore Lifeguard Convention Band'' (2006) * ''Lifeboat for Fatty'' (2010) The Community * ''The Project'' (2010) Daylow * ''Hyphen One & Daylow'' (2005) Intense Men * ''100% Intense'' (2010
Nacht Records
Giggle the Ozone * ''Charge'' (2010) * ''Dreamjob'' (2012) Ballroom * ''Enter the Ballroom'' (2012
Nacht Records
* ''Genital Hospital'' (2014
Nacht Records
Sylvana Joyce & The Moment * ''For You, Comrade'' (2012
Nacht Records
Daughter Vision * ''Daughter Vision'' (2013
Nacht Records
* ''Accomplices'' (2014
Nacht Records
* ''Advanced Style (Soundtrack credit)'' - (2014
Independent Release
Billy Martin releases * ''Life on Drums'' (2012
* ''Wandering'' (2014
References
External links
Steve Honoshowky/No Use For Humans official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Honoshowsky, Steve 1979 births St. Thomas Aquinas College alumni Living people