Biography
Water Bear is an alternative rock band that incorporates pop music sensibilities and an exploratory nature with a disciplined and savvy hard rock sound.
The first major project founding members tom and arius worked on was a 90’s cover band, playing the Smashing Pumpkins, the Gin Blossoms, and Nirvana. They bonded quickly with their nostalgia for 90’s music. Beyond the most notable bands of the 90’s the pair were rabid fans of the Can-rock of the time. The sounds of The Killjoys, The Lowest of the Low, Weeping Tile, Sloan and The Weakerthans can be heard in Water Bear’s brand of Alternative Rock.
Water Bear is dedicated to utilizing and recruiting help from artists in their neighborhood. Venue owners Ron and Judith of Artword Artbar, where the band plays often, live just a few doors down. Last year, with the help of their friend Evelyn Charlotte Joe (who lives a few minutes away), Water Bear recorded their Ep The St. Clair Sessions: Press Play to tape in the beautiful St. Peters Church on Main St. just a block away. Juno award winner Mike Trebilcock (of The Killjoys fame) also lives a block away; he recently engineered and produced Water Bear’s latest single Keep Comin’ Back released in March 2019.
This doesn’t mean that Water Bear’s sound is only relatable to those in their neighborhood. With the help of their friends, Water Bear has made a sound that is universally meaningful, relatable, and familiar, with choices that lift the songs to hold up over time like bizarre bridges that always come home to solid hook-laden choruses.
Water Bear’s lyrics delve into deeply personal but equally universal themes like addiction, grief, and personal autonomy. They approach songwriting in a collective way. The end result is often something neither tom or arius would have expected or created on their own.
The band is most often seen playing live in parks, backyards, and houses, as well as local venues such as Artword Artbar, Shady Grove Café, or the Corktown Pub.