The founding
members are:
- Mark Wilde (passed in 1987)
- Michael Gross
We were a Philly based band in the 80s, a below-the-radar band. Some
gigs here and there but not a big fan base. We did our own recording
and vinyl releases, rubbing shoulders along the way with Chip
Marccocia (a.k.a "Chip Dish"), Steve Fritz, David Wildman, Lee Paris
and the whole Kennel Club / Revival scene.
The
Experimental Products Web page at Yahoo has the most band info
with a recent "interview."
Minimal-Wave
1.0 features Ex. Prods with a recent interview concerning the
band.
— Michael Gross
Article from The Bob, 1983
Experimental Products
Prototype
Short Circuit
Experimental Products is a new electronic duo. Besides two East Side Club
dates and sporadic airplay on WIFI, their entrance into the Philadelphia
music scene has been rather low-keyed. The release of an entire album,
therefore, comes as a bit of a shock, to say the least.
Michael Gross and Mark Wilde are Experimental Products.
Both get credited with vocals, synthesizers and drum machines. In fact,
they do everything from the cover art to the production. In lesser
bands,
a situation often leading to self indulgence, yet Gross and Wilde manage
a wide berth of easily applied histrionics. Synthesizer bands often feel
compelled to fill in the mix-- the oral equivalent of white space
in print
is practically nonexistent. Sound is injected for it's own sake.
Experimental Products play a lean tune. No cliche synthesizer blumbs
present
thanks.
The music should appeal to listeners of a wide range of music, from
WXPN's
experimental show, Diaspar, all the way to the sound of the 80's WIFI.
A situation, dare I say, not unlike that of Thomas Dolby. For example,
"Clear Image" is a long moody piece suited, like Dolby's "One of our
Submarines is Missing" for experimental radio. While "Modern Living" and
"Street-Walk" could easily fit into any DOR format (radio or club).
Prototype is a remarkable debut. Remarkable not only from the standpoint
of it being a good synthesizer record, but from the fact it's appeal
should
have such a wide range. I also wouldn't hesitate to recommend seeing
Exp. Prod.
live, merely from the fact that their sounds seems rather "attainable"
in terms of it being reproducible on stage.
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