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Based On Actual Events Press Kit Contents
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Based On Actual Events Press Release
Becoming Aware Press Reviews
Unfinished Thought Biography
Unfinished Thought FAQ
Based On Actual Events Press Photo
Unfinished Thought Live Press Photo
Unfinished Thought Contact Information
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Official Website : www.unfinishedthought.com
UT Message Board : www.unfinishedthought.com/messageboard.html
UT Street Team : vtp.unfinishedthought.com
Email : [email protected]
Unfinished Thought · Based On Actual Events · Based On Actual Events Press Kit Contents
U n f i n i s h e d
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Based On Actual Events Press Release
April 13th, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Contact: [email protected]
UNFINISHED THOUGHT: Highly anticipated second album released to the public.
Confusion and worry prevail.
Dark rock innovators Unfinished Thought bring you a story...
...of never ending sleep
...of forever deepening concern
...of unavoidable consequence
A story that cleverly shifts back and forth through time revealing the tragic details that have led to the
mysterious disappearance of an unforgettable individual. The Timid is a lonely recluse unsuccessfully
managing his own mental instability and deepening depression. When a series of seemingly random
events bring him face to face with the chance to take his own life or start anew in a memoryless world,
he must decide his final destination before fate chooses for him. Based On Actual Events chronicles the
last days of The Timid's life as he battles unimaginable coincidence, cruel circumstance, accidental
insanity, hopeless insignificance and the frightening vulnerability that is naturally created by the
presence of human thought.
Following up on the unexpected independent success of their 2002 debut album, Becoming Aware, dark
rock perfectionists Unfinished Thought have returned with an album that solidifies the duo's status as
one of independent music's most original and creative forces. Based On Actual Events is a genre
defying collection of songs that spotlights the unparalleled precision and forceful elegance that defines
Unfinished Thought's decidedly unique sound.
Stacey Nelson's magnetic voice demands unconditional emotional attention while at the same time
stealing hope from any thought that once resembled a happy ending. From a soft whisper to a soaring
three part harmony, her vocal talents glide each song to completely perfect dimensions. Unfinished
Thought's unconventional song structure lends itself well to the compelling lyrics that carefully decorate
each track on this dark, schizophrenic album. At times seeming to barely be able to manage their own
perceived randomness and at other times in complete understanding of the premeditated confusion that
created them, the lyrics fall delicately into a soundscape of threatening synthesizers and razor sharp bass
lines. These elements combine with crashing walls of distorted guitars and multiple layers of intricate
rhythm to produce a sound that breathes freshness into the state of modern independent music.
Based On Actual Events is a progressively precise turning point for the unconventional mind that can't
quite come in from the rain. It's thoughtful. It's careful. It calculated, unique. It's about being lonely.
It's about passing time. It's about the reasons you're still thinking through. It's a shade from every angle
and it's all coming true.
Unfinished Thought · Based On Actual Events · Press Release
U n f i n i s h e d
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Becoming Aware Press Reviews (Based On Actual Events Reviews Coming Soon)
"Imagine if William Orbit and Trent Reznor produced the Cure albums of the late 80s. Okay, add in
female vocals (competent vocals, if you want to be picky) and maybe the picture is a little more
complete. There are elements of techno, industrial hardcore, drum 'n' bass and big beat sounds among
many more. Kiser is smart enough to vary the feel of this album. At times the sound is lush and cushy.
At other times it's more sterile than Tangerine Dream. He's happy to use keyboard washes of all sorts:
some warm, some harsh and some almost indescribably beautiful. He refuses to follow the book, and so
the sounds here are fresh and unexpected. Kiser and Nelson have put together an album of uncommon
beauty and power. If you want to know where electronic music is going, this disc might give you a
clue."
-Jon Worley [Aiding & Aibetting]
"This duo has really found a powerful sound. Rock mixed with electronica, touching industrial, and lead
by a strong female vocal. The programming and arrangements are very strong and well done. The album
art is very simple, creative, and dark. I would really like to see what they do live. Unfinished Thought
have found a unique sound and delivered it well on this album. I could hear some of these tracks being
used on film soundtracks. Definitely take a listen to Unfinished Thought - you won't be disappointed."
-Erik Beyer [OnlineRock.com]
"Emerging from a backdrop of mood-defining music is the voice of a siren, attempting to lure listeners
into the treacherous depths of mental instability. Thought-provoking lyrics and emotional industrial
music join a piano and guitars in a creative journey through troubled psyches. This gifted though likely
disturbed duo combine some unlikely elements to create a lulling schizophrenic experience. Stacey
Nelson's voice is pure as a virgin as it explores the darker parts of human nature to the groove of
haunting melodies. Not for the clinically depressed."
-Sarah Byrne [Recoil Magazine]
"I'd like to introduce you to Stacey Nelson and Joe Kiser of Unfinished Thought. This talented duo have
a beautiful 12 song release to offer fans of dark wave, ethereal, and world music. As there is much to
cover between the musical background and the vocals, distinct and yet intermixed, I'll address both sides
of this release by discussing my favorite piece "Mokienko". This track in particular is brilliantly backed
with acoustic guitars, a quiet bass and caroling layers of bell ringing. Completely hypnotic, perfectly
timed, and beautifully produced. The guitar in this track carries a beautiful distorted harmony with
Stacey's angelic voice. This song is characteristic of most of what I heard on the album: A strange blend
of Portishead and Dead Can Dance. Joe has a true gift for making the endlessly hypnotic truly
interesting. Stacey, on the other hand, has a voice that could sing down the moon. Sometimes biting,
sometimes a glorious symphony of almost operatic quality. I was entranced by how well she handles
multi-part harmonies. I would love to hear her singing sometime with nothing more than a single guitar
or piano backing her. The way she can blend her voice into and out of the music behind it is truly a gift.
Fans of Delerium, Portishead, and Dead Can Dance, to name just a few, should absolutely pick up this
album."
-Poseidon [Gothic Beauty Magazine]
Unfinished Thought · Based On Actual Events · Previous Album Reviews
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Unfinished Thought Biography
Following up on the unexpected independent success of their 2002 debut album, Becoming Aware, dark
rock innovators Unfinished Thought have returned with an album that solidifies the duo's status as one
of independent music's most original and creative forces. Their brand new release, Based On Actual
Events, is a genre defying collection of songs that spotlights the unparalleled precision and forceful
elegance that defines Unfinished Thought's decidedly unique sound. "Uniqueness has been a blessing
and a curse for us" explains producer/multi-instrumentalist Joe Kiser. "Every band wants to say that
they sound like nothing you've ever heard before. Obviously comparisons can be drawn between any
two given sounds, but our music tends to drift freely between multiple genres. I think we have more of
the 'nothing you've ever heard before' element than most bands that have surfaced in the past several
years."
Combining the more abrasive elements of dark wave, industrial, electonica, metal and goth with the
more melodic components of etherealism, ambient, dark rock, and even pop music, Unfinished Thought
have crafted a sound all their own. "Our audience tends to find their way to us through the darker
channels like goth and industrial, but quickly realize that we have a lot more going on than most bands
in those genres" continues Kiser.
The duo that would eventually become Unfinished Thought began their creative partnership in 2001
when Joe Kiser, a Midwestern college student studying music production met Stacey Nelson, a young
singer/songwriter with an extensive choir background. Joe had been producing instrumental tracks
while auditioning female vocalists for several months prior to meeting Stacey. He explains, "I wanted to
find a girl that could sing gorgeous multi-part harmonies over some really heavy material. I can't sing or
write vocal parts however, so I needed the girl to be able to not only provide perfect pitch, but also do
the actual writing of the melodies and harmonies. Lots of girls that I auditioned could sing, but not one
had the amazing writing capabilities that Stacey had. She could write a melody within seconds and her
voice was absolutely beautiful; so fragile and haunting." The two began writing immediately, drawing
off of each others' diverse musical influences such as Jeff Buckley, Depeche Mode, David Bowie, Pink
Floyd, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Nine Inch Nails to produce their signature sound.
The recording of Becoming Aware, the duo's first album, would consume Joe and Stacey's lives for the
next year and a half. The writing process remained basically unchanged throughout the recording of the
album with Joe writing and recording the instrumentation and Stacey flawlessly bringing her signature
vocal style into the mix. Both contributed lyrics, but always retained a common theme, conceptually
focusing the album on issues such as mental illness, obsession, and addiction. Musically, the songs were
becoming more and more diverse. Joe explains, “We struggled in the beginning to find our own sound.
Halfway through the first album we had caught on to our own style though. We just recorded what felt
natural. I think that’s the definition of a musical style. You take all of your musical influences; songs
that make you cry, songs that give you chills, and just remember all of that when you sit down to write.
Whatever comes out is your own personal interpretation of what music should sound like. We can go
from a hard, driving song to a soft piano ballad and still retain a sense of style. There’s always an
undercurrent of darkness in our songs, whether it’s lyrically or musically.”
Unfinished Thought · Based On Actual Events · Biography · p. 1 / 2
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Released in 2002, Becoming Aware drew immediate critical acclaim and soon drove thousands to the
band's website. Driven by delicate vocal harmonies and compulsive electric guitar playing, the album
introduced audiences to Unfinished Thought's signature layered atmosphere of sound. It was a very
schizophrenic album with arrangements ranging from full on industrial to orchestrated dark rock.
Vocalist Stacey Nelson describes the initial reaction from critics and fans, "We were unprepared for the
reaction we received when the first record came out. We were completely unknown and had the
unadmirable task of promoting a very unconventional album. We didn't even know who our audience
would turn out to be. Luckily, we had a little help along the way." Help came in the form of 2003's
break through sensation Evanescence (Wind Up Records). Evanescence received a copy of Unfinished
Thought's first CD and began playing it in between sets on their world tour. Stacey continues, "Things
just exploded when Evanescence began playing tracks from Becoming Aware. Suddenly our website
was bombarded with people that had been to Evanescence shows and had heard our music. We caught
on to the idea of marketing ourselves with comparisons to bands like Evanescence, Kidneythieves,
Lacuna Coil, Switchblade Symphony, and Garbage." The promotional efforts paid off as fans and
critics alike began to rally behind the duo. Overwhelmingly positive album reviews and extremely
supportive fans pushed Unfinished Thought further into the forefront of the public eye as sales of
Becoming Aware continued to double month after month. By mid 2003 a cult following was thriving on
the duo's website and fans were clamoring for the group to begin playing live shows.
Joe explains, "We were very much unprepared for live shows. Unfinished Thought began as a studio
collaboration and we never had any intention of playing live. All of the sudden we realized that we had
a legitimate chance at making a good name for ourselves and we knew the next step would be to go out
and recruit live band members." Recruiting took the better part of 2003 as Joe and Stacey auditioned
musician after musician. In between auditions the duo also found time to do a myriad of radio
appearances, newspaper interviews, and film their first video. As 2003 came to an end, Unfinished
Thought found themselves as the unlikely stars of an independent music success story.
Production on the duo's second CD was also in full swing during 2003. Joe explains, "When we saw the
reaction to the first CD, we immediately began work on the second. We moved into a more secluded
studio and got right to work without interruption. Writing for the second album was far more intense
than the first and we were able to complete the recording in half the time as a result of our newfound
direction."
Released in April of 2004, Based On Actual Events shows an acoustic maturity and unexpected
evolution for Unfinished Thought. With concise, intelligent song arrangements and a concept album
feel, the new release from Unfinished Thought highlights the strengths of the previous album while
introducing the depths to which this duo is unafraid to explore. A brand new DVD was also released in
April 2004 containing a unique and stirring video for the new song "Umbrella".
With two albums on record and a steadily growing fan base to support them, Unfinished Thought now
turn their focus to the live stage. Rehearsals have begun for shows slated to begin in Fall 2004. As the
buzz surrounding this duo continues to grow daily, Unfinished Thought are proud to look back on their
past successes and look forward to propelling themselves further into the forefront of modern
independent music.
Unfinished Thought · Based On Actual Events · Biography · p. 2 / 2
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Unfinished Thought FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions v1.3.1
Changes and/or updates from the previous FAQ release are marked by a "*". The following are
questions that Unfinished Thought commonly receives from newcomers to their music.
If you have a question that isn't answered in this FAQ, you will probably find an answer in one these
documents:
:: Unfinished Thought Biography
:: Based On Actual Events Press Release
If you have any additions for the FAQ, please e-mail [email protected].
Q: Exactly how many people are IN Unfinished Thought?
A: Unfinished Thought is a duo. Everything you hear on the recordings is performed by Joe Kiser and
Stacey Nelson. Unfinished Thought LIVE (on stage, in concert, on tour, etc...) consists of six members.
The additional members are: Erin Millikin - Bass, Vocals; Cory Fisher - Guitar; Nate Nelson Keyboards; Craig St. Grey - Drums.
Q: When and where did Unfinished Thought form? (Where is the band from?)
A: Unfinished Thought was formed in February 2001 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Joe and Stacey are
from Kalamazoo, Michigan.
Q: When and where can I see Unfinished Thought live?
A: Unfinished Thought was originally formed as a studio project only. The success of their first CD,
Becoming Aware, brought with it unexpectedly high pressures to perform live. Joe and Stacey have
since recruited live musicians to help them translate the Unfinished Thought albums to a live setting.
Currently the live band is rehearsing and plans to start playing shows in Fall/Winter 2004. Performance
dates and locations will be announced as they are booked on the Unfinished Thought website.
Q: What musical genre would Unfinished Thought's music be placed in?
A: That is a question that has plagued the band from the beginning. Anytime an original sounding artist
appears it is necessary for some to draw correlations to other, more established artists. Unfinished
Thought's music has been compared in the press to Evanescence, Garbage, Poe, Tori Amos, Nine Inch
Nails, Depeche Mode, The Kidneythieves, Lacuna Coil, The Gathering, Switchblade Symphony and
others. Writers have placed UT's music in genres such as Industrial Rock, Goth, Alternative, Electronic,
Dark Rock, Ethereal Rock, etc. At the end of the day, it's all just rock and roll.
Unfinished Thought · Based On Actual Events · FAQ v.1.3.1 · p. 1 / 4
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*Q: What does UT stand for?
*A: Unfinished Thought. Don't feel bad - you have to learn sometime.
Q: How can I contact Unfinished Thought?
A: General questions can be directed to [email protected]. Other useful
Unfinished Thought email addresses:
Press Related Inquiries (including interview requests): [email protected]
UT Merchandise: [email protected]
Street Team Questions/Information: [email protected]
Booking: [email protected]
You can also interact with the band via the Unfinished Thought Message Board where band members
regularly post messages alongside fans.
Q: Can I buy Unfinished Thought CDs at retail stores? (Best Buy, Tower, Circuit City, The Mall, etc...)
A: No you cannot. Unfinished Thought is distributed independently and does not stock these stores. To
avoid confusion, you can buy CDs and other merchandise directly from the UT website. CDs are also
available through Amazon.com.
Q: I'm not from the United States. Will you still ship CDs and other merchandise to me?
A: You are in good company. More than 30% of Unfinished Thought's fan base resides outside of the
United States. The UT Store ships worldwide.
Q: Why haven't I heard Unfinished Thought on my local radio station or seen them on MTV?
A: Once again, Unfinished Thought is an independent machine. While UT has received significant
national radio airplay, most of the band's promotional efforts have been focused on the internet and
away from radio. To help UT receive more frequent radio airplay in your area, please visit the UT street
team website to learn how you can help Unfinished Thought get more exposure.
vtp.unfinishedthought.com
Q: How old are the band members?
A: Joe was born on April 5th, 1979. Stacey was born on May 18th, 1981. The math is left in your
hands.
Unfinished Thought · Based On Actual Events · FAQ v.1.3.1 · p. 2 / 4
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Q: Are Joe and Stacey "together"?
A: If by "together" you mean romantically involved, then yes. They are getting married in October
2004.
Q: What is Unfinished Thought's policy on downloading music and trading it with others?
A: Several full length MP3 songs are available for download on the Unfinished Thought website.
These are intended to give listeners a sample of Unfinished Thought's unique sound - the idea being the
listener will then buy the entire album for themselves. Other songs are available in Preview Length (PL)
only - just a taste of the song to further interest the listener. If you like the MP3s, please buy the album.
Feel free to share any MP3 on the Unfinished Thought site with your friends. This is one of the best
methods Unfinished Thought has to promote their music. Visit www.unfinishedthought.com to
download songs.
Q: What is Shiverstar Records?
A: Shiverstar Records is an independent record label co-owned by Joe Kiser and Stacey Nelson. It was
started in February 2002 for the production, distribution, and promotion of Unfinished Thought music
and merchandise. Currently there are no other bands signed to Shiverstar Records, but Joe and Stacey
are always on the lookout for new talent.
*Q: I am a member of the press (print magazine, webzine, radio, television, etc). How can I get an
Unfinished Thought press kit?
*A: You can find an electronic .PDF press kit on the Unfinished Thought website. If you prefer to have
a press kit mailed to you, fill out the "Mailed Press Kit Request Form" on the UT website and one will
be sent to you as soon as possible.
*Q: I represent a major or independent record label. Is Unfinished Thought currently looking for a
record deal?
*A: Signing to a record label other than Shiverstar Records is not a major goal for Unfinished Thought.
They have found that promoting and selling UT's music via Shiverstar Records has been very
successful. Many smaller independent record labels have discussed signing Unfinished Thought, but to
this point none have been more appealing than Shiverstar Records. This is not to say that signing to a
record label other than Shiverstar Records is out of the question. If you would like to speak with a
representative for Unfinished Thought, please email [email protected]. To request
a press kit, fill out the "Mailed Press Kit Request Form" on the UT website or download Unfinished
Thought's Electronic Press Kit (PDF Format).
Unfinished Thought · Based On Actual Events · FAQ v.1.3.1 · p. 3 / 4
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*Q: Is it true that Unfinished Thought was on tour with Evanescence?
*A: No. The confusion arose with some UT fans when Ben and Amy from Evanescence were given
Unfinished Thought's debut album. They played UT's music to the crowd between their own sets during
the Evanescence world tour. This garnered unprecedented exposure for Unfinished Thought, but Joe
and Stacey were never on stage.
Q: Where can I find the lyrics to Unfinished Thought songs?
A: Lyrics that aren't found in the CD artwork can be found at www.unfinishedthought.com.
Q: Where can I get Unfinished Thought Guitar/Bass/Piano tablature or sheet music?
A: Unfinished Thought has not officially released any sheet music or tablature. There are various tabs
floating around the internet, but the accuracy of these transcriptions is questionable at best.
*Q: Does Unfinished Thought perform any cover songs?
*A: Yes. Currently Unfinished Thought rehearses "Zombie" by the Cranberries and "Fading Like A
Flower" by Roxette. Several other songs are scheduled to be covered live including songs by Depeche
Mode, Jeff Buckley, Pink Floyd, Tears For Fears and others.
*Q: Are there any Unfinished Thought demo or unreleased songs available?
*A: There are in fact a great many demos and a growing collection of unreleased material that has not
yet surfaced. There is an original version of "Lack Of Days" that can be found on the UT website.
Q: What's with the "November 18th, 2007", "Salem Cemetery", "Omega", or any other whispered,
backward, "secret", or "hidden" messages found in Unfinished Thought's music, lyrics, and/or artwork?
A: Unfinished Thought does not comment on these questions.
Unfinished Thought · Based On Actual Events · FAQ v.1.3.1 · p. 4 / 4