Anything Box
| Anything Box | |
|---|---|
| Origin |
Paterson, New Jersey Orange County, California |
| Genres | Synthpop, new wave, alternative dance, indie pop |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Labels | Endpop Presswerk.13 Jarrett Records Orangewerks Epic Records |
| Website | Anything Box official website |
| Members |
Claude Strilio Dania Morales Paul Rijnders |
| Past members | Gary Strilio Dave South / Mike Zacek / Barry Bunch |
Anything Box is an electronic/synthpop musical group originally from Paterson, New Jersey and now based in Orange County, California. Formed in 1986, they are best known for their 1989 single "Living in Oblivion". The band is one of the primary bands which carried electronic music's transition from the late 1980s into the 1990s and beyond. With a current lineup consisting of Claude Strilio, Dania Morales and Paul Rijnders, the past members have included Carlos Pacheco, Mike Zacek, Gary Strilio, Dave South and Barry Bunch. The band is noted for its melodic, synth-driven dance beats from its early years as well as its fusion of electronics and guitars which is its current musical focus. The band's songs, lyrics, as well as Claude's vocals have been widely regarded in the electronic music community as some of the finest. The band also receives praise for its album artwork which ranges from oil paintings to electronic paintings which are all works of Claude Strilio. Anything Box, (also known as Abox by its loyal fan-base), has released several albums, EPs and singles and continues to perform their energetic live shows around the world.
The band's name comes from the title of a book of short stories by Zenna Henderson, The Anything Box. In the title story, a young girl imagines the world as she would have it, apparently by staring at an empty space between her hands. Her school teacher discovers that the box is invisible, but real.
Anything Box's most recent release is The Future Past EP (Endpop, June 2007) which features a remake and remixes of their 1990 fan-favorite "Carmen" as well as a Spanish version of the song. This marks the first time Anything Box has released a song in Spanish, which has often been requested by their fans.
Anything Box was started by Claude S. in Paterson, New Jersey playing local clubs, such as The Pipeline in N. Newark and The Loop Lounge in Passaic. This is where Claude met Dania Morales who joined as a group shortly after. Playing numerous shows and producing demo-tapes, they drew the attention of Epic Records. The band moved to Orange County, California where Paul Rijnders joined the group.
Then they began recording their first album, Peace which was released on Epic in 1990. The band toured in support of the album.
Following the success and praise for Peace in the electronic music scene, Claude and Dania headed to Germany to begin recording their second album, Worth with producer Gareth Jones. Paul Rijnders had left the band to pursue personal goals. The album was completed in 1992, but a dispute with Epic and eventual break-up with the label prevented the album's release to the public. It was later distributed by the band to members of its fan-club as the band continued to perform shows despite the non-release of the album. The album shows the softer side of Anything Box, as many of the album's songs are slower, softer, and emotional. In 2000 the album was re-issued and remastered as Worth V2 with 2 unreleased tracks.
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