My Denton Music spotlight: Enemies

by Josh Hogan of My Denton Music

DENTON — Keeping this section about very young and emerging artists for another week, we turn our attention to Enemies, the Denton-based and always over-the-top rock group who will be releasing their debut EP in the next month or so. I have had somewhat of an eye on this band as they bring their shock and awe stage strategy to clubs all over town while making quite a name for themselves as a terrific live band. But now that they are making legitimate efforts in the studio, this band is getting even more exciting.

Here is a sample of their press release sent to me a few days ago to give you an idea of the amount of energy is behind this group: "Denton-based psychedelic rock band enemies released its first studio single, 'Instinct to Hide,' this week, completing it in one day at Buzz Studios in Fort Worth. It's been a long-time coming but well-worth the wait. The beat is catchy in the very best way, but the attitude is straight up rock ‘n' roll. Witnesses to the band's raucous live performances might not expect the signature enemies sound to carry over into a more controlled environment such as a studio, but they will be reassured upon hearing this recording. Even on a leash, enemies does not lose its bite.

"The single is currently only available on Web sites such as MySpace and Reverb Nation, but hard copies will soon be available. enemies plans to fellow the British model by steadily releasing a series of singles, creating a continuous flow of new material, until enough is ready for a full-length album. The 'Instinct to Hide' single will include fan-favorite 'County Line Road' as the b-side. Recording for the b-side will begin in November, with December as the target date for a formal release.

"Enemies has played all around the Denton/DFW area, as well as road shows in a variety of locales. Venues that Enemies has despoiled include but are not limited to: Hailey's, Rubber Gloves, Dan's Silver Leaf, Mable Peabody's, J&J's, Cool Beans, TJ's/Boiler Room, Banter, The Hydrant, Andy's, The Garage, Art Six, Club Dada, The Lounge on Elm Street, etc..."

That list is sure to grow even larger after the release of their debut EP, and I for one will be excited to see where this thing goes. It is perhaps the most important step for any band, and sometimes the hardest: making the transition from great stage performers to great recording artists. There have been some outstanding live bands that for one reason or another just do not translate to records, and then there have been great live performers who make the shift to the studio look all too easy.

It will be interesting to see what category these guys fall in to. I hope for nothing but the best for them and am confident that this release will only do great things for them. Only time will tell how far they can eventually go.