One Ring Zero

Artist Description

"One Ring Zero's ethno-pop could have been played in the background of a Balkan-embassy party in the 1930s, but that's not all there is to the band: The songs on its ambitious As Smart As We Are-which features lyrics by literary figures including Paul Auster, Rick Moody and Margaret Atwood-touch on They Might Be Giants whimsy, Residents-style unease, Tom Waits clank and Marianne Faithful melancholy."
-Time Out New York



In the late '90s, Michael Hearst and Joshua Camp became friends while working as accordion and harmonica technicians at the Hohner musical instrument factory in Richmond, Va. One day a small shipment of a prototype instrument called the claviola arrived, which Hearst describes as looking like "a swan run over by a car." Hearst and Camp, instantly intrigued, formed One Ring Zero. Six CDs later, having had music featured in dance concerts, films, and NPR programming; having performed at venues across North America, Europe, and Asia; and having worked with a wide range of literary heavyweights including Margaret Atwood, Paul Auster, and Neil Gaiman, the band celebrates its ten year anniversary!

One Ring Zero is led by Michael Hearst and Joshua Camp. The Brooklyn-based band has released six CDs, including their critically acclaimed album, As Smart As We Are, a book-cum-CD, featuring songs with lyrics contributed by such authors as Jonathan Lethem, Margaret, Atwood, Paul Auster, Dave Eggers, A.M. Homes, Rick Moody, Neil Gaiman, Myla Goldberg and Denis Johnson. One Ring Zero has performed at music venues and cultural institutions including the Whitney Museum of Art, Central Park Summer Stage, Toronto’s Harbourfront Centre, Spring Scream in Taiwan, Era in Tokyo, New Morning in Paris, The Chicago World Music Festival, and the Fundacion Principe de Asturia in Spain. One Ring Zero’s music has been featured in dance concerts, films, television, animations, fashion shows, and NPR programming including This American Life, Fresh Air, and Morning Edition.