The world of rock music devotes itself to a certain quasi-preconscious and mostly unconscious fickleness that has yet to be proven actually functional to the vast continuum of music. In rock’s reiterations and reinventions searching for a new azimuth, from the uncommon new music outside the standard formulas – Obscured By Clouds (OBC) and Psycheclectic Records offer hope for the future of creative original music. People could view the world of music as a setting sun and a dwindling source of access and potential. OBC unassumingly reaches out to connect with their listeners in a highly personal way as approachable, functional and as a resource for their audience. Their music stands out as a source of abundance beyond the untoward, to ward the continuum of the possibilities for music, music lovers, and the future of music. This is a band who would not particularly want to throw a television off a balcony or end up dead from an overdose of pride in a hotel room. They don’t have enough capacity for vanity required to hold anyone back, especially all the people they are trying to free from the limitations by ingathering their audience to move forward.

How willing is music today to stand outside the formula of comfort and chaos? For the most part it’s difficult to find music that’s both inspiring and original today, but there is great music waiting to be discovered. In conceiving the band, guitarist and song writer, founder, William describes their approach as a group.

“The reason I started Obscured By Clouds was to share the concept of a band together, not to espouse the William Weikart experience. It was the camaraderie of a band we had in mind with a grander view of what a band could create together. I wanted to have the strength of a focused group, not the indulgence of an individual.” When listening to their music, one realizes this inclusive approach of OBC’s music today does sound welcome and promising for change. The OBC sound is interwoven and has a real group feel. Let’s go back to the genesis to see the source of this obscure self-imposed exile.

William continues, “Pink Floyd…was really responsible for my love of music. And I don’t throw that band name down loosely. I mean I delved deeply into their music, as I did with so many more bands in an exhaustive passionate inculcation. Standing alone, Pink Floyd was everything that made music amazing. I would say…if I were lying on a beach with crashing waves in a half conscious state, there would be no better music floating across the sand than Relics, More, The Madcap Laughs, or even early Tangerine Dream.” The separate parts of a band never truly surpass the whole. It is within this gestalt from where this passion is also summoned for Obscured By Clouds. The listeners’ inclusion in the band’s performance, psychedelic effects, and light-show is essential for the connection they produce. We would offer the same potential connection exists for the audiences of Obscured By Clouds in the days ahead.

“One of the most synchronistic moments in the history of Obscured By Clouds happened when I received an e-mail from Tube Records.” William discovered there was someone who wanted to connect. Apparently, Tube Records was releasing some of David Gilmour’s and Andy Jackson’s works.

“You can’t imagine how excited I was when I determined it was David Gilmour and long time Floyd engineer, Andy Jackson who were the source of the outreach. It was a moment of reflection that was a threshold experience for me.” They traded email back and forth. Andy was acting on behalf of Tube Records, who wanted a copy of the bands first demo “Bleed”, as well as other new material. “We sent it off, along with some of our other stuff too. It was great to hear that they really liked our work. William talked on the phone with Andy Jackson about music and various Floyd conceptual sound effects. “We hope to have an opportunity to work with Dave and Andy in the future, maybe even on the old house boat studio on the Thames. …The kingdoms’ heaviest boat on the river -- relative to its vast musical intent.”

“I still miss the concept album and the extended attention span it encompassed,” says William. In the midst of all of this connection, conversation and inspiration came the ideas for a new sound—new music with a killer identity of its own from the album “Psyheclectic.” It blossomed out of the hard work and dedication of some impressive artists, instrumentalists, and producers. Namely, this is the line-up of Obscured by Clouds. Phil Baker (bassist) has toured with everyone from jazz legends Eddie Harris, Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson to the very popular Portland indie act, Pink Martini (Heinz) and even Diana Ross. Having appeared on hundreds of jazz, rock, pop and blues albums, Baker is one of the West Coast's premiere bass players.

Thee Slayer Hippy (drummer), co-produced and co-recorded the first two Elliot Smith’s Heatmiser albums for Frontier Records. TSH has played with Mark Lanegan (Screaming Trees/Queens of the Stone Age), played with Ben Shepherd of Soundgarden. Lastly for ten years THS wrote, produced, and recorded with Poison Idea touring the world.

Kevin Cozad (piano/synthesizer) has performed live with John Taylor (Power Station, Duran Duran) for James Angell’s first album. He has produced, recorded and played with groups (Neros Rome/AutoBahn) all over the northwest.

In summing up, Nick Moon (Mixing Engineer: Obscured By Clouds, Ani DiFranco, amongst others) seems to eloquently encapsulate it the best. “This CD has some wild vibrations going on. You can hear a lot of influences, but everything has been taken out further…to the 9th degree.” Nick’s enthusiasm is almost infectious. “Musically it is so tonally rich and competent. It was such a great project to work on, because there were so many dynamics to it. This makes Psycheclectic that much more enjoyable to listen to…you know how much work was put into the writing, recording and the mixing. And the coolest thing about this new record is that it is such a great amalgamation of members, sounds and recording techniques. It includes people from all different walks of life and different genres of music.” The recording was done in various studios, starting in a basement on a Digi 001 and ending on “a sick API board.” In the making of this album, the band has been through so many different places in their lives, and gone through a span of time.”

Joe Lambert (Mastering Engineer/Black Label Society/Ted Nugent/V2/Nonesuch Records, etc.) also described the album as meaningfully original, “I enjoyed mixing this album. And I have never heard anything like it before, I mean that in a very enthusiastic way.”

Obscured By Clouds are in it for the long haul. The album is far and away unique to the standard rock formula, and being weird is a compliment in OBC’s book. So fear not the strangeness and willingness to accept un-acceptance. With not only the drive, ambition, ethic, and the sound, they do have the talent to back it up. And isn’t original, unique, and creative new music what the future is all about?