Lumivore, ‘Classic Rock from the Future’, formed in Ocean Beach, San Diego in 2009 by drummer Beau Murray and guitarist Dan Drake after the dissolution of their previous band, Born Tonight (2003 to 2008).
In 2014, while Dan was nursing wounds with whisky from a recent ‘headf**k’ breakup, he discovered the Wildhearts and was inspired to start writing lyrics and learning to sing. A short time later, during a fortuitous meeting at (ex-Born Tonight guitarist) Jai Luna’s birthday, Dan met Thomas Gelfer, a Wisconsonite bass wizard with a shared love of Mahavishnu Orchestra and Outkast. Soon thereafter, old connections were reestablished, friendships rekindled, and Jai became the producer of the band’s debut salvo.
After piling on guitar parts in Pro Tools, it became apparent Lumivore would need another guitarist to realize the sound when performing live. With effortless serendipity, the group met Damon Yakoubian, a virtuoso Connecticutioner maestro. Inspired by Vai and Van Halen, his fast and flashbang leads -- always melodic, soulful, and symphonic -- excited the sound to newly-energetic levels.
Selectricity was released in December of 2017. Recorded in three sessions throughout 2015 at Studio West in Rancho Bernardo, San Diego -- and at Jai’s home studio in Ocean Beach -- the band selected its top 12 tracks to demonstrate the total synthesis of their favorite musical aspects: Helmet-like crushing drums, Hendrix-inspired electric-arc guitars, jazz-sourced unorthodox chords, Michael Manring’s grand-piano-in-a-canyon bass, Thin Lizzy’s dual-guitar leads, Tool-like polyrhythmic melodies, Beatle pop vocal harmonies, dark / dirty / dangerous lyrical themes, succinct punk rock song duration, and expansive Pink Floyd dreamscapes -- all with influxes of Incubus and overtones of Oceansize.
Also, returning into the mix is ex-Born Tonight vocalist Jason Edwards. His evocative yet architectural vocals cast the spell for the trippy outro track Noelle and he has since helmed up both Zero Fucks and Woke Us Up (2020).
As their sphere of influence increases and their accomplishments agglomerate, Lumivore’s gravity -- like a black hole -- shall only augment as they continue to consume all the lovely light around them until they eventually grow super massive.