VAST: Biography

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Genres:

Rock Music, Alternative Rock Music, Gothic Rock Music, Industrial Rock Music

Decades Active:

1990's|2000's

VAST is one man and one man only, Jon Crosby. Crosby grew up in Humboldt County, California, and at the age of 13, was profiled as a promising guitarist in Guitar Player Magazine. He was nearly signed to the guitar-based label Shrapnel, but decided to turn it down to hone his songwriting chops. Jon soon left high school to do home study, and set out to form a band to perform some demos he's recorded all by himself, under the name VAST. Although he was able to play shows, the band was a revolving door of members, with Crosby still recording demos by himself all the while.

The music was original, as it encompassed elements of industrial/alternative (Nine Inch Nails) and ambient, with unpredictable samples added. One such demo started to get some heavy airplay on a local station, which led to a fierce major label bidding war. VAST was eventually signed to Elektra, and released the debut Visual Audio Sensory Theater in mid-1998. At the time of its release, auditions for a backing band for a subsequent tour were under way. Two years later, Jon hooked up with producer Blumpy and a band made up of guitarist Justin Cotta, bassist Thomas Froggatt and drummer Steve Clark to create the 2000 release Music For People.

- Greg Prato, All Music Guide