howardambBIO:history

howardAmb began in April of 2000 when James Hamblin purchased a brand new KORG TriTon pro-X with the proceeds from painting a public mural on the rear of the historic Hollywood Pantages theatre (at hollywood & vine).

the Name originally "Howard Amb" was given to the KORG keyboard. This odd practice of naming instruments to personalize them had been introduced to James in 1990 by Columbia, Missouri art band "east ash" when they introduced him to "ellie" a Roland Juno they used.

James Hamblin was born & raised in Springfield, Mo spending most of his college years between Lawrence, Kansas, Springfield, & Columbia, Missouri. In 1994, in love with Julee Lorton, James moved to Los Angeles & recorded with Julee under the name "AVA" until 1999.

In 2000, James began recordings with his KORG TriTon (named Howard Amb) live to a audio CD burner (new technology at the time) using Vocoder & sampling he discovered a new sound. James began releasing his works as "Howard Amb" on hand made CDRs.

In 2002, James offered free downLoading of music & videos he had made onLine from the 'howardamb.com' website. James spent spare time promoting the site with many stickers & posters posted around the LA area with help of the graffitti artist 20mg/Visual Narcotics.

OnLine & CD offerings from this period included "13 blades" (2000), "FutureMusiQue" (2001), "FemBots" (2001), "inside UFO 54-40" (2001), "evolutionZ/ with Billy Smith" (2002), "between Air Suppy & the Art of Noise" (2003) "HeartBeeps: an Aural reconception (DVD)" (2003), "the people of the Lie" (2004)

Stefan Scott Nelson was born & raised around Boston.....

"With his first paper head drum set at the age of 10, Stefan Scott began his journey into the musical world. Discovering multi-track recording through his brother's 4-track, the Boston basement soon became a haven, rummaging through vintage keyboards and sifting through old guitars left behind by his brother's band mates. Stefan was soon unlocking the secrets of the one-man record...songwriting, arrangement, and production."

Stefan Lived in Springfield, Mo .... in 1994
Stefan Moved to Los Angeles in 2000....

James & Stefan meet in Los Angeles & became fast friends

For Fun in 2002 James & Stefan began trading some samples & trying to write some music together with limited results.

In 2004 Stefan was creating sound design & adding his songs to the film soundtrack for "the Collapsing Wall" a film by G.B. Young. Stefan also added some music from James & Julee's "AVA" project as well as some noises, samples & songs James recorded specifically for the movie soundtrack.

Later in 2004, When offered a venue to perform live to a screening of the Howard Amb DVD "HeartBeeps: an Aural reconception" an act was thrown together with Stefan on the KORG TriTon & James on Guitar feedback. An angry audience quickly left with fingers in their ears.

James & Stefan were delighted.

A few weeks later a band spliting up lead to Stefan having a rehearsal studio in downtown LA to use for a month rent free. James had been laid off work, & the duo decided to begin a new live music project. Stefan would play live drums, synths, samples & FXs. James would play guitar, synths, FX, & continue with the Vocoder / Vocal FXs. James & Stefan would both play the KORG TriTon (through midi remotes) so this keyboard being the connection the name "Howard Amb" was converted to "howardAmb".

In 2005 & 2006 howardAmb began writing songs & played venues in LA.

In 2006 producer KRAMER came into contact with howardAmb on the social networking site MySpace. James had written KRAMER starting in 1986 sending various music demos to KRAMER's "SHIMMY DISC" record label. KRAMER ridiculed & encouraged James' work in letters & on the telephone. In 1993 KRAMER got involved in producing James' Missouri band "godinaUFO" & although recordings never took place they had stayed in contact through the years.

In June of 2006 KRAMER produced the first howardAmb CD "PolyPhasic" recorded at engineer Katy J's "bowl noodle soup studios", in desert hot springs, CA with the help of Stefan's brother Joe Nelson of the North Haven/VinalHaven band "the Toughcats".

In March 2007 howardAmb created an audio/video improv conceptual artwork MEGAINTEGRADROME.

Recording took place at the INTEGRATRON, a tuned wooden dome in Landers, CA . Long musical cacophony bounced around inside the dome. Recorded to a single stereo microphone the complete CD was made using a $200 digital 4 track. The recordings were overdubbed & then synced to a middle section of the David Cronenberg's film "VIDEODROME" with the final sound mixed & mastered by KRAMER.

Recording of the CD in the dome was accompanied by dancing & hula hooping by GRASSHOPPER's hula/dance group. The event was documented on video & edited together by G.B. Young. The Making of the CD Video "MEGAintegraDROME:sessions" then posted on google video for free downLoad.

In August of 2007 howardAmb overhauled their sound.

While doing an interview on Mike Watt's "WATT FROM PEDRO" podcast, James & Stefan were complaining about getting canned from a recent gig at the San Pedro coffee shop "SACRED GROUNDS" (a very small venue). MIKE WATT, knowing this venue & having played there himself many times, had given advice to "play the room...if you are in a stadium then crank it up but if you are in a coffee shop then crank it down...it's a vaudeville thing..play the room".

This advice was taken to heart by howardAmb.

Stefan began singing, changed the drum kit set up (adding more electric drums, deleting cymbals) James began using the Q-Chord (deleting the guitar) & both using syths. Harmonies became lead instruments. Live sound low enough to talk over & no earplugs needed. Live shows featured James uncomfortably crying onstage.

In December 2007 howardAmb began recording the "electricaLanguage" CD with engineer Aaron Mason at Bell Sound studios in Los Angeles. Joe Nelson (again) assisting in the studio. Produced by KRAMER the new CD is due out in march 2008.

Updated 3 / 2008.