| T Y P E 4 : As Is (so far) |
| TYPE 4 was founded in Boston in 1990 by two singer / songwriters, Brian Cantwell and Tom Williams. Initially a rap group that used only samples and drum machines, T4 has evolved over the years into a band that mixes sampling with live instruments, rap with rock & roll. With the two lead vocalists backed (at different times in various arrangements) by guitarist Mike Haas, bassist Ray Bly, drummer Mike O'Leary, percussionist Eric Goodridge, DJ KooKoo & DJ DayLate, and keyboardist / programmer / producer Matt Reyes, T4 is capable of delivering many different sounds and styles, as demonstrated on "Use Once And Destroy", a promotional six-song EP of some of the band's most recent songs. |
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| TYPE 4 has recorded countless songs over the years, and has had several releases on cassette, vinyl and CD. In 1993, Reyes' production house World One (integral to the Boston hip-hop scene since the 80's) financed a cassette maxi-single of their song, "Bubbles In My Bong", and later a cassette EP featuring "Bubbles" and three other cuts. These "Bubbles EP's", as everyone called them, caused a minor sensation. An underground of T4 supporters (The Resistance) started to form, largely without the group's knowledge. It took them completely by surprise a few months later when they discovered that over the summer of 1993, those 50 tapes had multiplied into over 500 through dub after dub, from fan to fan. The tapes were played at hundreds of parties all over the Boston area, often being stolen at the end of the night by overzealous fans. The EP evidently ended up in the hands of some college students with pull, because the songs were played on the radio stations of several local colleges all summer, without the group's knowledge. |
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| In January 1994, World One pressed 300 copies of a vinyl 12''single containing three songs and released it under their own label, "Resistance Recordings". Then in August 1994, six new songs were packaged into an EP named "Another TYPE 4 Resistance" and 500 cassettes were manufactured and released. Over the next two years, the formula of combining sampling and live instruments flourished and produced enough material to be packaged into a full-length album, entitled "Trailmix" and released on compact disc in 1997. The album was the springboard for a flurry of radio station appearances and live performances, earning overwhelmingly positive reactions from fans and critics alike. On April 30 1998, T4 played at Mama Kin with Dysfunkshun, and the resulting live recording saw a limited release on CD just for long-time fans. |
| In the summer of 1998, TYPE 4 hit the road. Buying an old schoolbus, they tore out the seats, put in bunks, strapped their bikes to the back and went on a two-month-long tour, playing at various venues in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, Colorado, Utah, Arizona and California. By then they were being booked by Skunk Records and playing with Filibuster and Slightly Stoopid. They played everywhere from the legendary stage of CBGBs to anonymous chicken-wire bars and hippie drum circles. They watched the sun set over the highway in Ohio and rise over the desert of Moab. They climbed mountains, frightened natives, jammed in the forest, broke up, got back together, gave far too many CDs away for free, and generally had the experience of a lifetime. |
| Upon returning home, T4 put together a new album, "For Sale", which included new studio recordings and remixes of older stuff. "Electric Chicken" was selected as one of WBCN's best songs of 1998. Two other songs, "Touch The Hog" and "24-7-365", appeared in the 2000 holiday feature film "What's Cooking?" But over the next few years, internal politics and external influences took their toll, culminating in the loss of both Brian and Eric. Recovering from these shakeups required the band to take time, scale back, rebuild and re-invent itself, returning to their roots for a more traditional hip-hop sound. TYPE 4 is back, recording new songs here in 2006 and 2007 for an upcoming album named simply - and aptly - "As Is", and hopes are still high for the future. In the meantime, "Use Once And Destroy" is a CD EP featuring six of T4's newest songs, as well as radio edits for promotional use. Look for a lot more from T4 in '08. |
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| T4 has two songs in this film, now available on DVD! |
| Check it out, Sense Boardwear put some T4 on their CD sampler! |