HEADLINES

Elements Of Style: A new Face in Hip-Hop

September 22, 2019

The multi-racial hip-hop group making waves in Atlanta.

"Elements of Style wants to address post-modern dilemmas in an increasingly dystopian American culture with an incredibly diverse display of musical genres.  We see creativity as stagnate in today's mainstream music culture and believe in inventing new sounds with an important message of truth in an ever-growing, deceptive world." -Gram Wire  


Elements of Style started out as a solo-project begun by Gram Wire, the former lead-guitarist of the Atlanta-based band Suburban Soul.  Wire, growing up in the metro Atlanta area, was a precocious child-musician learning piano during the ages of 7-8 and eventually using that theory to study guitar from the ages of 13-16.  After leaving Suburban Soul in late 2010, Wire began writing an 11-song, full-length album containing multiple genres which would later become Elements of Style's debut album "Waves."  The album was engineered at Virtuo Sound Studios by owner and head engineer Josh Hack and performed with Grammy award winning drummer of the Derek Trucks band Yonrico Scott and Grammy nominated bassist Joseph Patrick Moore.  It was released independently on April 24th, 2012.  After tracking was finished and the album was mastered by legendary engineer Rodney Mills (38 Special, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Rage Against The Machine) Wire decided the project needed to be an electronic-based hip-hop band.  He enlisted numerous musicians that entered and left the band, until finding the very professional lineup of drummer and percussionist David B Goodwin, bassist and multi-instrumentalist Andy Greene Ball (from Wire's Suburban Soul days) and front-man and MC Zach Fortner (A.K.A Zach Fortnight).   

Their many influences include The Roots, Rage Against the Machine, Sublime, Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Beastie Boys, Queens of the Stone Age, Gorillaz, MGMT, Love and Rockets, The Cure, KRS One, 2 Chainz, Childish Gambino and Big K.R.I.T.  Because of this strong musical foundation, EOS possesses a rich, widely varied background, leading to an output of funky, hip-hop songs, making their live performances in the Atlanta area intense, creative, and always high-energy.

At the end of 2017,  EOS released the official music video for their single "Off the Top," from their sophomore effort, ATLtude (pronounced Atlanta-tude).  In 2018, the music video for the title-track was filmed and released.  Like their debut effort, ATLtude was also recorded at Virtuo Sound Studios. A month earlier, EOS recorded a live, studio album and 76 minute documentary at Mark Michaelson's WonderDog Sounds in Marietta, Georgia, set to be released this year November 11th.

During the month of July in 2019, Zach left the group to focus on family, leaving the group searching for a new front man and face of EOS.  Wire enlisted a fresh faced lyricist, singer and producer named Gihon Warner (pronounced Guy-On), who goes by the stage name Mr. Emeritus to bring a fresh, unique and powerful feel to the group.  Having a background in poetry, lyrical spoken word and prime vocal talents, he was an exceptional addition to the already existing group of producers and performers in Elements of Style.


"Gihon and I worked jobs together and became friends over the years and I always had an affinity for his poems and lyrical prowess as an artist."  Wire states.  "When Zach left, I thought to myself, I need a guy...a guy...Gi...hon!  Gihon!  It made total sense.  He's the most talented unknown artist in the suburbs of Atlanta and it was a no-brainer as I thought in the past of how much I wanted to work with him.  I asked him to join, not sure of his response, feeling lost and bummed losing Zach, and he came back with excitement saying he was ready to join and work with us.  I felt an inspiration and energy I had not felt in this group for a while."

"We are witnessing the album dying as an art form. Single-song streaming is how people consume music," states Wire. "It's mainly because of the one-hit-song-then-crap-filler formula the corporate music industry has adopted.  We completely disagree with this.  Like Prince said, "Albums matter," and we think album streaming on sites like Spotify, if the album is actually done well, will be the future.  Adele's "21" or Billie Eilish's " are perfect examples of excellent, modern-day albums that true music fans stream constantly and even purchase.  Learn how to write or get a great writer and make a great album.  You'll be better off."

Though the group was featured in recently released Lifoti's September 2019 issue 09, you can check it from below link's for your country:

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