Sound of Contact is a British-based progressive rock band currently consisting of Matt Dorsey (guitars, bass) and Dave Kerzner (keyboards, guitars), with Simon Collins (lead vocals, drums, percussion) and Kelly Nordstrom (guitars, bass) previously being members. Formed in 2009, the band released their debut album in May 2013.Sound of Contact official biography. Sound of Contact. Retrieved 24 June 2013.Sound of Contact Release Debut Concept Album 'Dimensionaut' & Reveal Live Video. Stereoboard. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
History Co-founding members of the band, Simon Collins and Dave Kerzner, met in New York at rehearsals for Genesis in 2006. While Genesis was on its Turn It On Again tour during 2007, Collins and Kerzner, along with Kelly Nordstrom, recorded a cover of the 1981 Genesis song, "Keep It Dark," as a tribute to Collins' father, Phil Collins.Simon Collins, Keep It Dark credits. Discogs. Retrieved 29 April 2013.The Brooks Bulletin. Brown, Rob. "Canadian Simon Collins releases first US album" . n.d. Retrieved 22 July 2013. The younger Collins then developed his 2008 solo album, U-Catastrophe, in association with Kerzner and Nordstrom, who contributed to the album as songwriters and performers.Simon Collins, U-Catastrophe credits. Allmusic. Retrieved 29 April 2013. Collins met Matt Dorsey through their record label while forming a touring band for his U-Catastrophe tour.Sound of Contact - Interview. Entertainment Focus. Retrieved 19 May 2014. Nordstrom had worked with Collins for several years as a guitarist, bassist and songwriter, contributing to his 2005 album, Time For Truth as well as U-Catastrophe.
In 2009, Collins approached Kerzner about forming a band.Announcing Sound of Contact | Sound of Contact. Sound of Contact. Retrieved 1 June 2013. After enlisting help from Nordstrom and Dorsey, work began on their first project as a band in Miami, Florida, with the end result being their first album, Dimensionaut. After the album's release, Nordstrom made the decision to leave the band due to family commitments.Dave Kerzner and Kelly Nordstrom Back In Sound Of Contact. Prog Magazine. Retrieved 22 April 2015. Following several months of touring and promotion, Kerzner announced his departure from the band in January 2014 in order to concentrate on his company Sonic Reality and pursue his own music projects.INSIDE OUT MUSIC - Sound of Contact: announce departure of keyboard player Dave Kerzner. Inside Out Music. Retrieved 19 May 2014. Kerzner and Nordstrom rejoined the band in April 2015 and began working with Collins and Dorsey in Oxfordshire on the group's second album, but on 20 January 2018, Collins and Nordstrom both announced their departure from the group. At present it is unknown whether the band will continue, although Dorsey and Kerzner have formed a new band In Continuum, with which they recorded and released the material originally meant for the second Sound of Contact album.
Musical style Collins' musical influences were from his father, Phil Collins, and his band Genesis, as well as the electronica, punk, grunge, and new wave genres. From 2007 to 2010, Dorsey was a member of the punk rock band Dead Mechanical, as well as a member of Collins' solo touring band.Matt Dorsey discography. Discogs. Retrieved 1 May 2013.Dead Mechanical discography. Discogs. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
Collins described Sound of Contact as a crossover progressive rock band, taking a modern approach to the genre, while also maintaining a pop sound that was present in progressive rock of the 1970s.
Album Between 2010 and 2012, the group developed and recorded their first and only studio album, Dimensionaut, with assistance from sound engineers Nick Davis and Chris Holmes. The band recorded in trios at Vancouver, British Columbia's Greenhouse Studios, then moved work on the album to England as well as Kerzner's Sonic Reality studios in Miami. After the group publicly announced the band's identity as "Sound of Contact" in December 2012, an online video teaser for Dimensionaut was released. Sound of Contact signed its first recording contract with Inside Out Music in March 2013.Sound of Contact sign worldwide deal with InsideOut Music; debut album coming 20 May 2013. Inside Out Music. Retrieved 29 April 2013. Dimensionaut was released worldwide in late May 2013, with "Not Coming Down" released as the band's first singleINSIDE OUT MUSIC - Sound of Contact - Not Coming Down (Digital single). Inside Out Music. Retrieved 29 April 2013. and "Pale Blue Dot," its second single released in March 2014.iTunes - Music - Pale Blue Dot - Single by Sound of Contact. iTunes. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
Concerts and touring Tour dates and concerts were scheduled for the band after they signed a recording contract with Inside Out Music. In conjunction with the bands MarillionSound of Contact LIVE in Montreal 24 March Opening for Marillion. Sound of Contact. Retrieved 29 April 2013. and Spock's Beard,InsideOut Music 20th Anniversary Presents Spock's Beard on tour with support from Beardfish and Sound of Contact. Inside Out Music. Retrieved 29 April 2013. Sound of Contact performed in their concert debut on 24 March 2013 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The band then traveled to Europe for a short tour with Spock's Beard and Beardfish in May 2013 beginning in Sheffield, England and ending in Hamburg, Germany. During the summer of 2013, Sound of Contact traveled back to Germany to perform at the "Night of the Prog" festival in Lorelei.New Festival Dates and New Touring Line Up for Sound of Contact | Sound of Contact. Sound of Contact. Retrieved 21 July 2013. A 2014 Dimensionaut tour was announced in March 2014, beginning a month later in Los Angeles, California and ending on 12 May 2014 in Copenhagen, Denmark.Sound of Contact Live In New York! Sound of Contact. Sound of Contact. Retrieved 15 March 2014.Tour Sound of Contact. Sound of Contact. Retrieved 16 May 2014.
In April 2014, the band performed on both the Moody Blues Cruise and Cruise to the Edge, and also made its television debut in the same month on the KDFW morning program "Good Day Dallas".DIMENSIONAUT TV TOUR! Sound of Contact. Sound of Contact. Retrieved 18 April 2014.SOC on Good Day Dallas. Sound of Contact. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
Awards Sound of Contact received the "Limelight" award for Best New Group at the second-annual Progressive Music Awards held in September 2013.Ian Anderson, Steve Hackett, Marillion, Family Among Progressive Music Award Winners. VVN Music. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
Personnel
Current members Matt Dorsey - bass, guitars, backing vocals (2009–present) Dave Kerzner - keyboards, guitars, backing vocals (2009-2014, 2015–present)
Former members Simon Collins - lead vocals, drums, percussion (2009–2018) Kelly Nordstrom - guitars, bass (2009-2013, 2015–2018)
Touring musicians Jonathan Schang - drums (2013) Ronen Gordon - drums (2013–present) Bill Jenkins - keyboardsLive Band Announcement! Sound of Contact. Sound of Contact. Retrieved 28 January 2014. (2013–present) Randy McStine - guitars (2013–present) John Wesley - guitars(2013)
Discography
Studio albums Dimensionaut (2013)
Singles "Not Coming Down" (2013) "Pale Blue Dot" (2014)
References
External links