Mighty Man

Focusing on environmental issues and the preservation of native wildlife, Mat Bond has worked as a ranger for the Tasmanian Reptile Rescue service for the past 5 years relocating Tiger snakes, Copperheads and other reptiles. But, his true passion lies in Argus, a 4-piece experimental rock band, formed in Tasmania during 2005. Their organic, raw flavor emanates from it's' members colorful archive of musical tastes and their lifelong love of music. Lead singer / songwriter / guitarist Mat Bond, (a Tasmanian expatriate born in Lae-Morobe Province) was exposed to local Papua New Guinean cultural music from birth. "I made my first electric bass guitar at age 7 and was given a dulcimer at age 8," recalled Bond. "I was also lucky enough to receive classical guitar lessons before my family moved to Tasmania when I was 15. There I began classical vocal training before starting to sing with a number of local Hobart groups." After years being a part of the local Tasmanian music and film scene, in 2004 Mat was asked to perform in Miami at the "Hot Wet Miami Beach show" based upon the strength a film soundtrack demo that he submitted. Unfortunately, living on the other side of the world with sparce funding ended this opportunity quickly. Instead, the promoters of the show proclaimed Mat "Artist of the Month" (August 2004) on the event's web site. He then felt driven to form a band called Argus with Peter Milic and was subsequently asked to perform at the Blue Tiers Festival (Tasmania) in the fall of 2005. Originally from Adelaide, Peter Milic (bass) has played different instruments in various incarnations around Australia and Europe for the past 20 years. His influences include Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, David Burn, Devo, Radio Birdman, and MC5. Trent Spice (drummer) had been keeping time in a rural burg called Huonville, until he caught Argus' ear and they enlisted his rhythmic talents. Trent's favorites include Pavement, Sonic Youth, and Pink Floyd. Keyboardist Campbell Murphy has resided in many different Australian outfits over the years, including supporting "Daryl Braithwaite" and "Spy vs. Spy" on their national tours. One evening, he got on stage with Argus at a club and he's been with them ever since. Campbell's influences include The Doors, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin. This diverse coalition of musicians round out the band, enabling Argus to deliver energetic, melody-based songs and passionate rock ballads in a way that Mat was unable to achieve on his own. Early in 2006, Argus scored a Licensing and Publishing promotional deal through Australian Music Marketing abroad for 3 songs and a 1/4 page spread in the 25th issue of their magazine, which featured artists "Cuba Gooding," "Don Johnson," and "Elvis Costello." The periodical showcased Argus at Midem-France and Popkomm-Germany. On Garageband.com, from the months of September through October 2006, one of the first recorded demo songs by Argus was voted by fans as "Best Male Vocals," "?Best Guitars," "?Best Drums," "?Best Melody," and "?Track of the Day (Sept 20, 2006) in the Experimental Rock category. ??Argus have also been asked to perform at numerous charity events, including the Tasmanian Wilderness Society, Tasmanian Raptor Refuge, and the Blue Tiers Festival. "As a ranger, the environment is always on my mind and it does influences Argus' music and songwriting," said Bond. ??In October 2007, Argus was signed to Warrior Records for a worldwide distribution deal via Universal Music Group Distribution. In September 2008, Argus also paired with agency Ice Management in Australia and their recently completed debut album, "Mighty Man," is slated for release in Australia during 2009. For further information on Argus, visit them on the web at: www.MySpace.com/weareargus.