Mike Claxton - Career

Career

The band was formed from ex-members of Toronto bands Plant the Bomb, The Viking Club and The Newfound Interest in Connecticut. The band members were:

• Mike Claxton playing Bass, Synth or Clarinet
• Tomas Del Balso playing Vocals, Guitars or Drums
• Jordan Holmes playing Synths, Guitars
• Matt King playing Vocals, Synths, Drums or Sax
• Moshe Rozenberg playing Drums, Synths or Omnichord

The nature of DD/MM/YYYY's music was explained as

A mess of spastic, specially challenged art rock with jagged, diamondback guitars, '80s video game synthesizers, and drums that roll with all the punches of the discordant dreamy vocals

and self-described as "always changing and always moving"

DD/MM/YYYY eluded many critics ability to label their genre, and to their advantage allowing them to perform with musical groups whose genres range from experimental, hardcore punk, to pop, hip hop and dance. The band's consistent powerful live show proved to be inclusive enough to garner positive international press.

Testament to the bands persistency and ambition was another review from EYE WEEKLY Toronto for their opening set before CRYSTAL CASTLES at Twist Gallery in Toronto April 3, 2010.

the Toronto quintet quickly settle into the gear-swapping groove and once again prove that they have perfected the mathematics of their unique sound by consistently upping the intensity. In case you’re wondering, they didn’t seem tired at all — even after another epic run at SXSW a couple of weeks ago. In fact, their energy is so infectious that there are loads of folks dancing to the angular rhythms and interlocking time signatures; “Infinity Skull Cube” even has the crowd clapping along. And set closer “Bronzage,” played at top speed, leaves many a jaw floorwise.

The band members were also known for creating their own artwork for use by the band on Album Covers, Tee-shirts and Posters. Tomas Del Balso and Matt King are both visual artists within the group and are active with commissions and exhibitions.

Interview with Harbour front Centre: "We interviewed experimental indie rock band DD/MM/YYYY (Date-Month-Year), asking for illustrated answers, and their imaginative responses prove a picture really is worth a thousand words. We don’t know if we liked the drawings or the explanations better, but after we’d seen both, it felt like someone had just stuffed our brains with ideas we wish we’d thought up ourselves. Their band name now also makes complete sense. It’s abstract, unconventional and futuristic, not unlike their thinking."

DD/MM/YYYY have had their live performance recorded by different production companies filming higher-quality videos meant for internet distribution such as The Third Floor Sessions, which take place in Toronto on the third floor of the Ryerson Campus.

On November 12th, 2009, Toronto psych/math/art rockers, DD/MM/YYYY joined us on the third floor to perform for Third Floor Sessions, a multimedia Ryerson University student project encompassing live streams, mp3 packs, and HD video.