Profile of the Inactivists, a Really Odd Rock Band

Musicians regularly write to Scot Livingston offering their skills on obscure world music instruments such as the Arabic Oud and the Armenian Duduk. "A lot of these guys write to us and I have to look up the instruments they play on Wikipedia," he said, referring to the user-generated Internet encyclopedia that could also inform users about ukeleles and Theremins. Livingston, however, already knows all about the latter instruments. For more than five years, he has been playing ukelele alongside a Theremin master in his Arvada band, the Inactivists.

Since forming in 2003, the band has played regular gigs throughout the metro area and released two albums, with a third on the way. They play quirky songs that fall somewhere in the no-man's land between Jazz and Rock, with the odd artistry of Frank Zappa and the left-field humor of They Might Be Giants. The instruments set the Inactivists apart from typical guitar-bass-drums Rock combos. For one thing, the band shrunk the guitar. Livingston mainly rocks an electric ukelele.

"You're a ukelele metal god," said Inactivist Victoria Lundy of the instrument rarely heard or taken seriously outside the Hawaiian islands. "People would like the ukelele better if more people played like that." Livingston modestly claims the guitar effects pedals are doing most of the work. "You add enough distortion, anything will sound like that," he said.

Lundy plays Theremin, an electric instrument that responds to motion with variations in pitch and volume. Though it has a versatile range and a unique sound, it is rarely used outside of science fiction movie sound effects. Livingston, Lundy and bassist Matt Sumner are the founding core of the band, with a rotating cast of drummers and other musicians. The band has cycled through several underskilled or overbooked drummers since original drummer Chris Budin left the Inactivists and other part-time bands to be in Denver band Oakhurst full-time.

Kelly Prestridge is the band's newest rhythm man, having played his first concert in late February. The band is also looking for at least one more member to play a non-traditional rock instrument alongside Lundy's Theremin. "We're looking for a rotating cast of psychos," Lundy said.

Livingston regularly post Internet classifieds seeking musicians who play "anything other than guitar, bass and drums. The ads attract unusual instruments and odd people, he said, as do Inactivists shows. "We don't have a lot of fans, but the ones we have are psychotic and love us," Lundy said.

The band spent ten days recording the new album (a rush in professional music terms, but eight days longer than the production period for either of the first two discs) with a rapper, vibraphones, layered horns and an elaborate string section for a 46-second song called "The Urine."

"It's a minute long and it's just stupid, which makes it perfect for cellos," Lundy said. With production long complete on Dreaded Concept Album, the band is already working the next disc, which could include Oud or Duduk if the auditions go well.

For more information, visit www.myspace.com/theinactivists