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Beginning late 1998, the primary objective of the Ex Models was to bring an edge of authenticity back to the New York underground rock scene with their uniquely mathematical post-punk. With a membership including brother guitarists Shahin and Shahryar Motia, bassist Mikhail Masiello, and drummer Jake Fiedler, the Ex Models spent two years working together to fuse manic changes in time signatures and highly angular guitar and bass lines with their frantic, deconstructed song structures, which garnered a small following in the New York club circuit. Eventually catching the ear of Ace Fu Records, the band struck a deal to release their debut, Other Mathematics, in the spring of 2001. Recorded and produced completely by the band themselves, Other Mathematics is a rough-cut representation of the abrasive live energy that has made the band one of the new champions of the New York underground. With their self-referential approach to rock & roll ideology, the music of the Ex Models is as much a commentary on the previous chapters of punk rock history as it is a glimpse of the forthcoming trends in the fusion of post-rock and post-punk. Two years after the release of Other Mathematics, the band issued Zoo Psychology, which delivered on their debut's potential.
from Wikipedia:
Ex Models is a no wave-influenced band based in Brooklyn, New York.
Career
The band, based around brothers Shahin and Shahryar Motia, was started while they were in high school. They reunited after college to make their first album, Other Mathematics, released in 2001 on Ace Fu Records. The subject of their lyrics ranges from sex to Jean Baudrillard and his philosophy about simulacra. For example, on "The Birth Of Disneyland", vocalist Shahin Motia sings "See the grown-ups act like children. It's a way of living."
Their second album, Zoo Psychology, was released two years later. It took ideas from the first album, but broke more rules. The songs became more dirty and noisy with peculiar time changes. By this time, bass guitarist Mike Masiello left the band. Zach Lehrhoff replaced him, providing vocals as well.
By 2005 the band had been reduced to the duo of Shahin and Zach and a third album, Chrome Panthers, was released marking a new direction, even more repetitive and minimalist, which the band dubbed "Fundustrial Noise". Contributing on record and, occasionally, live was drummer Kid Millions of Oneida. Eventually the rhythms became more primal and when performing live the band would utilize as many as three drummers.
In 2007, the 'classic' line-up of both Motias, Zach and drummer Jake Fiedler performed in NYC's East River Park.
However the reunion with Fiedler was short lived, with the remaining three commencing to play out as Knyfe Hyts, a more metal-oriented outfit.
Other activities
Ex Models are active in the Brooklyn music scene and are also in side bands. Shahin has played with The First Lady Of Cuntry and the Cunts and Zach in The Seconds, Pterodactyl, and with Marnie Stern. Shahin is currently (2010) a fully fledged member of Oneida.
A documentary for the Ex Models (currently untitled) is in production, no release date known.
