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Seether
Seether played a style of heavy metal mostly associated with the post-grunge era of alternative music, complete with self-obsessed lyrics and a sound that mixed crunchy distortion with brooding texture. Hailing from South Africa, the group was discovered by Wind Up Records and instantly pushed to the moon by the label. They landed a spot on the popular Ozzfest tour and managed to release an EP while biding their time for the unveiling of their full-length debut in the summer of 2002.
Such is the standpoint of Shaun Morgan, singer-guitarist-songwriter of the South African band Seether. His immediate, cerebral writing saturates the band's U.S. debut, Disclaimer, producing a compelling illustration of the communal powers of rock and roll; loud in a very literal and very abstract sense. "I don't care if no one knows what I look like," he says. "That's not the point. The point is to know I've touched people."
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Artist Biography - Seether
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After forming in 1999, Seether (originally Saron Gas, a name they plucked from the back of a sound effects CD not knowing its sinister connotation) quickly gained notoriety in their home country's anemic rock market. The band's South African release, Fragile, became one of the best selling titles of the year, and Seether emerged as a top live draw. This was no small feat in a land where rock bands play second banana to indigenous music and pop. Still, Seether's monumental mongrel rock couldn't help but stand out, and Morgan's words built a bottomless bond between the band and its fans.
Everyone from disenfranchised teens to incarcerated individuals has felt his influence, but the foremost example is the impact first single "Fine Again" had on a family whose daughter overdosed. The song a stark, mid-tempo deliberation on life after a bleak period inspired the recuperating girl to right her life. The family bonded with the band and reacted emotionally upon learning Seether was headed stateside. "They were actually crying. That was the most surreal experience. They're all standing around and saying, 'We don't know if we should be happy for you or angry at you' and that's pretty cool. It's good to know we've had such a positive influence on someone."
Morgan's motivation and inspiration stems from a lack of acceptance. His parents divorced early on. His Afrikaans mother's devout Christian family held him in disregard because he was part English on his father's side. His paternal family shunned him for being into rock music and dressing the part. The hostile environs culminated in a defining moment, as Morgan sat with a gun in one hand and a guitar in the other, facing a choice. "It was suicide or the guitar. I picked the guitar and got rid of the urge to take myself out." He continued sneaking out to rehearse with any band that would have him. "This was all I ever wanted to do," he says simply.
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For more information , enjoy the official homepage of Seether
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