The Cut Off is a band with 4 guys from Fort Worth, Texas that spent many years honing their musical ears as music fans. From countless hours of watching, breathing and listening to music the cut off members gained the abilities and confidence to begin creating music of their own. Critics have classified the cut*off sound as "fascinatingly languid conglomeration of '60s garage/psychedlia and '90s grunge leftovers". This has led the cut*off to receive comparisons with bands such as: Pixies, Nirvana, Velvet Underground, The Animals, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Mudhoney. The Cut Off have continued to mature from their 2003 self-released full length "polarity". They were hand selected to appear on "Hey-A Pixies Tribute Album" and the latest release, The Rorschach E.P. (2006), is getting attention from music critics.

The cut*off have been nominated as "Best New Artist" and "Best Rock Artist" by the Fort Worth Weekly. The Rorschach E.P. was #3 in the top 10 albums of 2006 in the Dallas Observer Read some of what media and promoters have been saying about The Rorschach E.P.: "...The right way to do "60s-ish jamboree-style rock is a la the cut*off's new Rorschach e.p...All five songs are exemplary..." "Can't hold'em down: The dudes in the cut*off have matured into a marquee indie-rock outfit." "With its loosey-goosey arrangement and lazy guitar strumming that sounds like it's coming from an old Rickenbacker, "Adults We Know" conjures up the dank, dark East Village basement clubs where '60s-era psychedelics like the Velvet Underground performed in sunglasses. With its locomotive rhythm, squalling guitars and bullet mic action, "Hold Me Down" is a trip to the Austin honkytonks where tattooed Gen-X rednecks began incorporating grunge into their a-pickin' and a-spittin'."

Kyle

background: I was born in North Richland Hills, Texas in June of 1981. I have always live in the DFW Metroplex except for the short stints at Texas A&M and UNT and I really identify with Texas and the pace of life here. I discovered a fondness of music at an early age and remember listening to classic rock with my dad when we’d ride in his truck at the ranch. Some times he’d let me drive around on the back roads of the beautiful scenic country we Texans are fortunate to still have. I began to play guitar around the age of 10, and never really understood how much of an important part of my life it was until I lost the ability to play after a suicide attempt my freshman year of college.

the start : I bounced around bands here and there until I hooked back up with some high school friends my junior/senior year at UNT and thus was born the cut*off.

influences: I am fond of all types of music but my influences draw from the music of those like Hank Williams (Sr. and Jr.), Frank Black, Neil Young, Merle Haggard, Lou Reed, Pavement, etc. But I try to be enough of an individual to bring something honest and new into the world for my own enjoyment as well as all of yours.

Eyes- Hazel
Hair- Brown
Favorite Song- Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show
Favorite Nebula- The Crab Nebula
Favorite Instrument- The Theremin
Best Sandwich Ever- ham and provolone

Jayson

background: I was born and raised in North Richland Hills, Texas. My dad and mom constantly listened to the golden oldies of the 50’s and 60’s any chance they could get. Many memories of our family summer vacations consist of listening to the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Elvis (My Dad’s Favs) and many other great oldies tunes while cruising the country in our mini van. So as a youngster I was exposed to large quantities of great tunes. In 1994 The Toadies brought me into the local music scene and also their music encouraged my older brother (Jefrey “socks” Hamilton) to learn to play guitar. The DFW area really had and still has a lot of great bands to offer. After seeing my brother learning to play the guitar I became intrigued and tried to teach my self to play. Off to college I went, to become a horned frog of Texas Christian University. Every guy at college seemed to know how to play at least one song on the guitar (majority of the time some sappy love song) but I didn’t want to be a tool that used a love song on the guitar to get the chicks to melt like butter in my hands. So, I kept working on the guitar to learn more.

the start : The end of my sophomore year at TCU some of my friends from high school formed a band (Pure Cinema) and asked me to come watch them. So I did, I never missed a Pure Cinema show. By the middle of my junior year the guys of Pure Cinema called me and told me they were looking to change their sound and wanted me to come to practice the new songs they had written. Thus the birth of what is now know as the cut*off. My brother (Socks) and I came as a package deal for the cut*off. My brother has many jobs in the band from graphic design, to help with structure of songs, to manger, to web master and I still use his electric guitar. If you look at the cut*off as a team, I would be the free agent that was picked up and has helped take the team to the playoffs.

Top 10 side one Track ones
1. Taxman- The Beatles (Revolver)
2. Debaser- Pixies (Doolittle)
3. Vicious- Lou Reed (Transformer)
4. Seven Nation Army- The White Stripes (Elephant)
5. Needle in the Hay- Elliott Smith (Elliott Smith)
6. Dramamine- Modest Mouse (This Is A Long Drive For Someone With Nothing To Think About)
7. That’s how strong my love is- Otis Redding (The Great Otis Redding Sings Soul Ballads)
8. Blister in the Sun- Violent Femmes (Violent Femmes)
9. I’m trying to break your heart- Wilco (Yankee Hotel Foxtrot)
10. Nonphenomenal Lineage- Grandaddy (Under the Western Freeway)

Some of my favorite bands: The Beatles, Elliott Smith, Pixies, Toadies, and Pavement
My Favorite Planet: Captain Planet. (He’s a hero, gonna take pollution down to zero)
Favorite Food: Garlic Salt

Chad

background: I look at the cut off as a team. We each have our own position and due our part. This is my story. I was born in Fort Worth and grew up in North Richland Hills, Tx. I came from a musical background (Dad played in a band until I was 7 and my grandfather played a number of instruments), however I had trouble finding time to learn an instrument. At Richland High, I played football and ran track. On occasion, I would fiddle with the guitar, but I never quite grasped it. In the fall of ’99 I began attending the University of North Texas (Go Mean Green) and joined the lacrosse team.

the start : My sophomore year, I moved into an apartment with Kyle Barnhill and he got me working more on my guitar skills (when he wasn’t trying to fight someone). Once it became apparent that we were starting a band, I decided to try my luck at the bass. Something about 4 strings seemed strange, so I had Kyle break one. By my junior year (’01-’02) I was a star player for the cut off. I now play the 3-string bass full-time for team cut off. I think we have a pretty good team and I’m having a lot of fun.

trivia:These day’s I spend my time playing band and hanging out with the Squid. I’m the only member of the band to get into a fist fight with the club owner after one of our shows. I’m probably the best-looking player in the cut off and I hate ham sandwiches. When I grow up, I want to be Jefrey “Socks” Hamilton.

My top five bands: Built to Spill, Presidents of the USA, Pixies, Goldfinger, the Dillon-Young Band and Depeche Mode (I know that’s 6)
My Favorite foods: Disco Stew and Keystone Light
My favorite planet: USA all the way!
My favorite band with a one-armed drummer: probably Def Leppard

Jake

background: my life began on february 10, 1981 on a chilly winter morn'. i grew up all over north texas living in such towns as bedford, plano, carrolton, coppell, and settling in north richland hills at the ripe age of 8. music partly ran in my family with my grandmother getting a call to be dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. also my dad pretends he can sing but really just hums a lot. but drums?........never. that's what my family told me every time i asked for a drum kit. no! they would say, you will put your eye out. well i showed them. my obsession for drumming started early at age 9 when i met a good friend who had a drum kit. he let me play every time i was over, and from the first day i could always just keep a rhythm. as time ticked by and with more visits to my friends house i slowly got better and better (also with a little help from mr. air drumming). at the age of 19 an unfortunate event occurred;......one of my grandmothers past away. but with her passing she left me $1000.00 to with as i wish. i bought a drum kit.

the start: at this point i had some friends living in denton going to the university of north texas (where i go now......go mean green!) named camaro barnhill and slug sones. we had been tossing around the idea of starting a band, and with my newly acquired drum kit that was now possible. a speed bump occurred, known as pure cinema, on our way to becoming a respectable local band known as the cut off. we are now at present day. the cut off is a team, and i am the star quarterback throwing beats around like 50 yard touchdown passes.

my top 5 bands: The Pixies, Modest Mouse, Nirvana, The Beatles, Built to Spill, The Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters, and Jane's Addiction
favorite food: the skin off of grapes
my favorite color: clear
my planet of preference: the great Ursa Major (our galaxy is so beautiful, wouldn't you say?).

thanks to the fans and ac slater for inspiring me to play the drums. big up yourself.