'Peacing Life Together'

In his legendary, generation defining anthem “Give Peace A Chance,” John Lennon sang of the many “isms” that so narrowly define humanity's general way of thinking. But why limit ourselves to one “ism” when life is so abstract and the world's in such crying need of more universal understanding? Maybe the problem is not just the direction in which we narrow our ways of thinking, but that fact that we choose to narrow our thinking at all.

That's just one of the powerful philosophical questions explored by the New York based band ism on their stunning STM Records debut Monkey Underneath, a collection that, perhaps more than any other album of the modern rock generation, artfully blends intellectual yet relatable lyrical concepts with a brilliant weaving of melodic rock, electronica, trip-hop and industrial elements.

For a band that formed only a few years ago and which began performing as a unit regularly a year and a half ago, the buzz has been incredible—and well deserved. Last June, ism (whose East Coast based members include lead singer/songwriter Andre Mistier, guitarist/vocalist Gerard Toriello, bassist/guitarist Leigh Battle and drummer Michael Higgins ) performed for 5000 screaming fans at Kotzia Square at the European Music Day Festival in Athens, Greece .

Interviewed by Russell A. Trunk

If you would like to win an AUTOGRAPHED copy of ism's new CD, and you think you know all there is to know about the band, just answer this easy question: Recorded in New York, Monkey Underneath was produced by Mike Rogers with collaborating work from Mistier. Mistier is a Yale grad, but what did he major in?!

Send me your answers and if you're correct you'll be in the running to win one of these great AUTOGRAPHED CDs! Just send us an e:mail here before December 1st with your answer and the subject title 'CONTEST: ISM SIGNED CDs' to: exclusivemagazine@flash.net