About Us
About Us
Biography
The O’s began one sunny afternoon in the summer of 2008 in Dallas, Texas when we, Taylor Young and John Pedigo, decided to join forces. Our quick courtship turned into love at first play. Having known one another through each other’s bands (Polyphonic Spree, Young Heart Attack, Hi-fi Drowning, Slick 57, Young James Long, Rose County Fair, Boys Named Sue, P. W. Long, and The BAcksliders) and whiskey (Jack, Johnny, Makers, etc.), the attraction was simple and our mission determined: Write and record songs; no plugs, no electrics, just music.
We find ourselves on the precipice of the future. And in that, the O’s hold on to a dear and sacred past with the sound of an acoustic guitar and banjo. Mix another instrument or two in and you have a mesh of the glory days of the past with a vibration as resounding as it is relevant. While we all seek invention and innovation, sometimes a simple song is what we most want to hear; the music we all listen to a 3AM; the songs we sing around a fire; the tunes we hum while driving. It isn’t the intention for the O’s to look forward, but to live now embracing the ultimate nature of the world’s unwavering and perpetual path towards connecting everyone through song.
The O’s play the singing along, dancing along, drinking along, and playing along type of music. And as O’s go, we have always told ourselves it isn’t about the girls, the money, the hotel rooms, the alchemy, the out of state voter registry, the bar tabs, the chain smoking, the heartaches, the hardships, the expenses, the remembering of the road, the forgetting of what really happened, the consulates in several countries, the conclusion of tours, the beginning of hangovers, the melting of cheese on chili, the secrets to remaining hydrated on the road, the thought that maybe one day we’ll have zappers instead of tour buses, the smell of spring in the Northeast, the dew on the trees in the Northwest, the summer heat in the southwest, the dodging of hurricanes in the Southeast, or even the music.
Its about the song… and the party.
Press and Reviews
Alternative Press Magazine 100 Bands to Know in 2009
“It’s not difficult to fall in love with the richness and authenticity of the perfectly blended vocals of The O’s, aka Taylor Young and John Pedigo. The band’s debut effort, We Are The O’s, truly gets to the heart of human existance...”
AM New York (Click to read entire review)
“‘We Are The O’s’ [is] a striped down country-rock album that is gritty and raw like a Texas sunburn.”
Advocate Magazine (Click to read entire review)
“This Lakewood based duo is a perfect mix of heartache and hope.”
“The album itself has all the heart and soul of the campfire... the melodies are uncoplicated, and the rhythm is continuously infectious.”
The Penguin - New Jersey (Click to read entire review)
“The duo used guitars, banjo, and a single drum and kick pedal to give off a sound that had the flavor of country rock, but was much more alternative sounding than traditional country. Their live set was so strong that you hardly noticed it was just a duo.”
Pegasus News (click to read entire review)
“The O’s feature strong songwriting, vocal harmonies, acoustic strings, and minimal percussion.”
Health Ryder (Click to view entire review)
“Armed with a guitar and their signature kick drum and tambourine, the boys have taken a batch of catchy, introspective, danceable rock songs and stripped them down to their primordial bare, all-American bones.
Dallas Observer Feature Story (Click to read entire review)
“The album’s a brilliant representation of what crowds have been witnessing onstage for the past six months: stark and remote in some places and complex when it’s called for, the 11 songs run the gambit from traditional country/folk to interesting Americana-tinged slacker rock.”
Modern Luxury Magazine (Click to view entire review)
“Imagine, if you will, a singular stereophonic entertainment, a melodious marvel, a lankily potent one-man band incarnated as a two-man band, spreading gospels of broken hearts, empty whisky bottles, train tracks, lost highways, and rawboned emotion. Got that?
Hearya Indie Music Blog (Click to Read Entire Review)
“... two dudes working through crisp tunes with some tasty picking... and play without pretension and generally seem to be having a blast.”
Slacker Country (Click to read entire review)
“Git yer Irish On! They write great songs and play them very nicely... they nailed it!”
Quick Magazine Cover Story (Click to view entire review)
“Bluegrass duo The O’s lives hard, laughs harder...”
Riverfront Times - St. Louis (Click to read entire review)
“No frills, sparsely arranged gems call to mind Rhett Miller and his knack for broken-down, introspective story songs; the raw and witty folk of the Mountain Goats, and the rootsy blend of pop and Americana created by the Counting Crows in it’s heyday.”
Ghost of Blind Lemon Blog (Click to read entire review)
“Easily the best new band of the year, The O’s, with their minimal set-up, have created one of the richest sounds of any bands I’ve heard in a while.”
Quick Magazine Blurb (Click to view entire review)
I haven’t been utterly charmed by a new local act in months. Maybe it was some sort of summer lag, or maybe “breaking up” is the new “starting a band.” But listening to a new duo called the O’s, the dry spell might be coming to an end.”
Bona Fide Darling Blog (Click to view entire review)
“[The songs] are full of pop melody.
The Pitch - Kansas City (Click to view entire review)
“...modern accoustic ramblers The O’s.”
Dallas Observer Press Release (Click to view entire review)
Fresh off the release of their pretty stellar EP, a message in the ol’ inbox this morning let’s us know that Taylor Young and John Pedigo’s The O’s have already earned themselves a record deal.
Lakewood Now (Click to view entire review AND VIDEO)
“Not only are both talented musicians, but they have a knack for writing beautiful and catchy stripped down accoustic masterpieces.”
Songs : Illinois Blog (Click to view entire review)
“The duo joins groups like the Avett Brothers, the Felice Brothers, and Chatham County Line in blurring the line between
Lit Monthly - We Didn’t Start This Band to Suck (Click to view entire review)
“... their vocals are so good... and they offset each other so seemlessly.”
Quick Magazine (Click to view entire review)
A week after I find out about the greatness of new banjo-guitar duo The O’s, and three days after I finish a column blurb about them, I find out [Erv] signed them to Idol Records.
Dallas Observer EP Review (Click to view entire review)
“... With the band playing out so much (and winning over audiences in the process), this small offering just isn’t going to hold O’s fans for long.”
Dallas Observer Show Review (Click to view entire review)
“... And here’s the thing about the O’s: Mixing a single bass drum, accoustic guitar, banjo, and steel guitar, the band pretty much wowed the people.”
Ghost of Blind Lemon
"The O’s... kick off the show at 4:00 pm, I cannot imagine anything but great things from the duo of Taylor Young (THe BAcksliders, The Hundred Inevitables) and John Pedigo (Boys Named Sue, Rose County Fair). Greatness seems to be the only logical conclusion with such a pairing."
New Image
"In the age of bogged down computer garbage, its great to hear a genuine article."
The Dillinger
"The O's are an out-of-control party that still retains a sweet delicate charm... kind of like a dinner party in a dorm room... Good for the guys and EXCELLENT for the girls.
Members
- Taylor Young - Vocals, Guitar, Bass Drum
- John Pedigo - Vocals, Banjo, Tambo, Lowebro
Notes of Interest
-2 Bros
-5 Instruments
-Totally rocking
-Extreme (good) looks
-Available LIVE from now until forever
-Have gym memberships
-Will send your family flowers
-VOTED ONE OF TOP 100 BANDS TO SEE IN 2009 by Alternative Press!
We’re just a couple of guys that like making music for good people