85 Decibels is the sound level of a noisy urban street, and the sound level at which OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) recommends hearing protection.
85 Decibels is the sound level that the City of Austin uses to enforce its Noise Ordinance.
85 Decibels is also what happens when four wackos get together and decide to make rock n' roll songs about things that amuse them. (Don't get us wrong, we take our music pretty seriously, just not ourselves.)
Several
years ago Dennis Hof and Hunt Wellborn were playing wicked guitar riffs
together, when they were overjoyed to learn that their newest co-worker,
Justin De Witt was a bass-playing freak as well. As everyone knows, rock
bands reach critical mass whenever three people are involved, and so it
was that the primordial ooze of 85 Decibels was formed at that magic moment.
Time passed, and the hot outer layer cooled to a crunchy, chocolate shell.
Dennis met David Wylie, a drummer looking for a challenge, and the band
laid a trail of candy treats to lure Dave into their midst and capture
him.
The resulting sound created when performers with such diverse influences as Dick Dale, The Cure, John Lee Hooker and Chris Duarte combine, could best be described as "toe-tapping wackiness". Several backyard parties were played, and while the crowds were quite entertained and wanted more, the Austin Police Department was never quite as amused.
Thus, the legend was born, a band name found, and 85 Decibels formed to unite against mediocre music and give the good people of Austin something to smile about when they want to rock.
