Presence (band)
Presence | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Tallahassee, Florida |
| Genres | Alternative metal, rap rock, nu metal, alternative rock |
| Years active | 1996–2006 |
| Labels | Curb Records |
| Associated acts | ], Dharmata, No Address,],], Crossbreed,] |
| Past members |
|
Presence was an American alternative metal and rap rock band from Tallahassee, Florida, active from 1996 to 2006.[1] Formed by students attending Florida State University, the group built a regional following through early independent releases, grassroots touring, rotation on local commercial rock radio, and an appearance on the television series Farmclub.com.[2]
In 2002, the band signed a multi-album contract with Curb Records.[2] They achieved national rock radio exposure with their major-label debut album, Rise (2003), produced by Paul Ebersold, and its lead single "Tonz of Fun."[3] The band toured nationally across the United States, performing at venues including the Red Rocks Amphitheatre and regional rock festivals such as WXTB's Livestock and WJRR's Earthday Birthday.[4] Following a melodic shift on their self-titled final album in 2006, produced by Michael Lloyd, the band disbanded later that year.[4] Several songs from the band’s catalog were later licensed for film and television soundtracks.[3]
History
Origins and Independent Era (1996–2001)
Presence was formed in 1996 in Tallahassee, Florida, by founding members who met as students attending Florida State University.[1] The core four-piece lineup consisted of vocalist Jay Slim, bassist D.J. Stange, drummer Nick Wells, and guitarist Dan Fulmer.[5] Musically, the band blended alternative metal instrumentation with rhythmic vocal delivery influenced by hip-hop.[1] In contrast to many contemporary nu-metal groups of the late 1990s, the band performed almost exclusively in E standard tuning, a deliberate musical decision to challenge themselves to write heavy material without dropped tunings.[6]
Early iterations of the group began establishing a local following by performing at campus-adjacent venues, including The Sweet Shop, as well as Tallahassee music hubs such as Floyd's Music Store and the Late Night Library.[4] The band's early regional momentum was documented in a profile by Break magazine, the weekly arts and entertainment publication of the Tallahassee Democrat.[7] In 1999, Presence entered Thirsty Hill Studios to record their debut full-length studio album, Divine, produced and engineered by Bobby Selvaggio.[8] The album was independently released in 2000.[1]
In late 2000, Presence secured national television exposure through the USA Network late-night musical series Farmclub.com. Gaining traction on the show's online platform, the band was selected via user voting to appear on the program.[9] Presence traveled to Los Angeles in September 2000 to film a live performance segment, which aired nationally during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in November 2000.[10]
To expand their regional footprint, Presence co-headlined the "Unity Tour" in the spring of 2001, a collaborative package circuit across Florida markets alongside fellow rising regional rock acts, including Miami's Darwin's Waiting Room and Clearwater's Crossbreed (band).[4]
Following the release of Divine, the band began writing and recording new material at Third World Studios with engineer Justin Long, who later became a member of the Atlantic Records alternative rock group No Address.[8] These studio sessions culminated in the release of their second independent album, When the Smoke Clears, on December 11, 2001.[3] The group's regional profile grew when Tallahassee commercial rock radio station X101.5 (WXSR) added tracks from the album into heavy rotation.[4] This localized broadcast push generated initial momentum that attracted music industry scouts.[2] The combination of commercial radio rotation, regional package touring, and live television visibility ultimately culminated in a major label contract.[4]
Major Label Transition and the Curb Records Era (2002–2005)
Following the radio success of When the Smoke Clears on WXSR, Presence began attracting attention from music industry professionals.[2] During this subsequent development phase, the band collaborated in the studio with Tallahassee-based, Grammy Award-nominated producer John Kurzweg, re-recording select material from their independent catalog for label submission.[8] These developmental sessions and regional metrics led to the band securing an industry showcase in early 2002 at the historic CBGB club in New York City.[4]
At the CBGB showcase, executives from Curb Records evaluated the band's live performance. Impressed by the group's stage presence, Curb Records officially signed Presence to a multi-album recording contract later that year, marking a unique stylistic diversification for a label historically known for its country and contemporary Christian music rosters.[4]
In September 2002, Curb sent the band to Ardent Studios in Memphis, Tennessee, to record their major-label debut, Rise.[8] The album was produced and engineered by Paul Ebersold, with mixing handled by Michael Barbiero, mastering by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, and Pro Tools engineering by fellow Grammy Award-winning engineer Skidd Mills.[3][11] Rise was officially released on May 20, 2003.[8] The album's lead single, "Tonz of Fun," achieved national rock radio exposure and entered the Billboard charts, peaking at No. 28 on the Active Rock chart and No. 31 on the Mainstream Rock chart.[12]
Following the album's release, the band embarked on an intensive promotional touring cycle. Throughout June 2003, Presence toured on a national summer club circuit alongside fellow regional and national alternative rock acts, including Atlanta's DoubleDrive and Blountstown-based peers Socialburn.
In late April 2003, immediately preceding the album's release, Presence performed across major Florida terrestrial radio spring festivals. This included performing at WJRR's Earthday Birthday X at the Lee Vista Center in Orlando on April 27, 2003, as well as WXTB 98Rock's annual Livestock 13 festival at Zephyrhills Festival Park, appearing on bills alongside national rock acts including Godsmack, Def Leppard, Stone Sour, Seether, DoubleDrive, and Shinedown.[13] Following these regional festival appearances, the band embarked on national tour dates, including a performance on June 10, 2003, at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, Colorado, as part of the 106.7 KBPI Birthday Bash.[14]
In August 2003, Presence joined a national headlining tour as a main support act for Sevendust, alongside fellow opening act Element Eighty.[15] The multi-state tour ran through late August, taking the band across major regional and national rock venues including theHouse of Blues in New Orleans, the New Daisy Theatre in Memphis, Toad's Place in New Haven, and the Birch Hill Nite Club in New Jersey.[16][17]
Critical Reception and Live Performance Style
Contemporary critical reception for Rise was mixed, with reviewers often contrasting the studio production against the group's animated live execution.[18] In an August 2003 review for The Badger Herald, music critic Alex Larson noted that while the record faced hurdles breaking out of the era's mainstream nu-metal tropes, individual tracks demonstrated musical versatility. Larson highlighted the lead single "Tonz of Fun" for its lighthearted lyricism and slap-bass arrangement, while characterizing the follow-up single "Remember" as a serious, hard-hitting modern-rock tribute to a fallen peer, comparing its sonic weight to Sevendust's "Angel's Son."[18]
Despite mixed critiques of the studio sequencing, the band's live performances garnered strong praise from alternative press outlets. Larson strongly emphasized the group's live performance identity, stating that "those who have seen Presence live know exactly why this band has earned its name."[18] The publication specifically documented the band's visual stage energy, highlighting bassist D.J. Stange performing with his instrument behind his head, guitarist Dan Fulmer's visual signature, and vocalist Jay Slim's ability to engage live audiences.[18]
Stylistic Pivot and Dissolution (2005-2006)
By 2005, the commercial landscape for mainstream alternative rock had shifted away from first-wave nu-metal.[8] To track their second Curb Records studio album, the band relocated to Beverly Hills, California, to collaborate with multi-platinum producer and Dirty Dancing music supervisor Michael Lloyd.[4] The resulting self-titled album, Presence, represented a melodic shift, replacing the aggressive rap-metal elements of their previous work with a heavily layered, post-grunge-influenced alternative rock sound.[4][8]
Curb Records issued the commercial retail CD single "Better Off" on July 25, 2006, to support the record, followed by a promotional radio CD single of an alternative rock cover of Rockwell (musician)'s 1984 hit "Somebody's Watching Me".[3] Despite the stylistic evolution and single push, the album struggled to secure significant market share, and Presence quietly disbanded later that year.[8]
Post-Dissolution and Media Licensing
Following the band's dissolution, the members transitioned into other creative fields. Bassist D.J. Stange joined the post-grunge group12 Stones as their bassist in late 2006, performing on their 2007 studio album Anthem for the Underdog, while vocalist Jay Slim relocated to West Palm Beach and formed the rock outfit Dharmata in 2007.[8]
The band's catalog maintained commercial sync licensing value post-breakup. In 2009, the single "Ride" was licensed by Universal Pictures and featured during the closing credits of the animated film Bionicle: The Legend Reborn. The group's music was also featured that same year on the soundtrack for the independent horror film War Wolves.[8]
Discography
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Divine |
|
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| When the Smoke Clears |
|
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| Rise |
|
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| Presence |
|
|
Singles and promotional releases
| Year | Title | Release details / Format | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | "The Van Down By The River" | Independent CD Single | Divine |
| 2003 | "The Story Begins..." | Promo CD Sampler (Curb Records / Cat #: CURBD-1768) | Rise |
| 2003 | "Mic Check" | Promo EP Sampler (Curb Records / Cat #: CURBD-1751) | |
| 2003 | "Tonz of Fun" | Commercial / Promo CD Single | |
| 2003 | "Remember" | Promo CD Single | |
| 2005 | "Ride" | Promo CD Single (Curb Records / Cat #: CURBD-1934) | Presence |
| 2006 | "Better Off" | Commercial Retail CD Single (Curb Records / Cat #: 373267) | |
| 2006 | "Somebody's Watching Me" | Promo CD Single (Curb Records / Cat #: CURBD 1976 / 510376) |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Presence Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Ladd, Gary (May 20, 2003). "Making their Presence known". Pause & Play. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 "Presence (American Rock Band) Complete Discography". Discogs. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 "Presence Biography". The Gauntlet. 2006.
- ↑ Presence, Rise CD Booklet Liner Notes (Curb Records, 2003)
- ↑ Presence Style Profile. Pause & Play. 2003.
- ↑ "Local Artist Profile: Presence Makes Their Move," Break Magazine (Tallahassee Democrat), c. 2000. Physical print archive.
- ↑ 8.00 8.01 8.02 8.03 8.04 8.05 8.06 8.07 8.08 8.09 "Presence: Wikipedia Sourcing Report." 2026.
- ↑ "Farmclub.com Series Television Performance Archives: Presence Segment" (November 2000)
- ↑ Presence (November 2000). Presence Live on Farmclub.com (Television broadcast). ]. Retrieved May 24, 2026 – via YouTube.
- ↑ "Rise Album Production Credits". AllMusic Guide Database.
- ↑ "Presence Billboard Chart History: Tonz of Fun". RockVF Radio/Chart References.
- ↑ "WXTB and WJRR Radio History: Festival Lineups" (April 2003)
- ↑ Presence performed from 4:15 PM to 4:45 PM on June 10, 2003, as documented by the official venue production itinerary and KBPI Birthday Bash Ticket Stub.
- ↑ "Presence, Sevendust to rock Blue Cats". The Daily Beacon. August 25, 2003. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
- ↑ "Sevendust Announce Opening Acts, Acoustic Tour Dates". ]. July 24, 2003. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
- ↑ Setlist.fm (August 23, 2003). "Sevendust Concert Setlist at Birch Hill Nite Club on August 23, 2003". Setlist.fm. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 Larson, Alex (August 29, 2003). "Lack of 'Presence'". ]. Retrieved May 24, 2026.
Category:Musical groups established in 1996 Category:Musical groups disestablished in 2006 Category:American alternative metal musical groups Category:American rap metal musical groups Category:Musical groups from Florida Category:American nu metal musical groups
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