Heliopause converged in the summer of 2004, when guitarists Graham Duncan, Kevin Matz and Brian Pinke came together in Champaign, Illinois. They started by jamming and improvising with three electric guitars. They thought now and again of adding drums and bass, but over the next year the jams took on a life of their own. Their varied musical backgrounds and tastes brought together a strong sense of rhythm with some far-out guitar experiments, and heliopause was born. Since two members of the band are audio engineers in their spare time, heliopause takes a hands-on role in capturing the magic of the members' improvisation on disc.

v.I (2006)
v.ii (2008)

Artist Census

Name: Graham Duncan

Instrument(s): Vocals, Guitar

Discography:

T.H.C., T.H.C (cassette), 1993
Sweet Idiots, Sweet Idiots, 1993
Graham Duncan, Graham Duncan, 1997
radiophonic, 3 Shot West, 2000
Since You Weren't There – Live, 3 Shot West, 2001
v.I, heliopause, 2005


Influences: Daniel Lanois, Jeff Buckley, Vernon Reid/Living Colour, U2, Björk, Radiohead, The Flaming Lips, The Beatles, Camper Van Beethoven, Cracker, Davíd Garza, Cake, They Might Be Giants, R.E.M., Freedy Johnston, Peter Gabriel, Beck, Steve Earle, Julie Miller, Matthew Sweet

In your CD player now: Fox Confessor Brings The Flood, Neko Case

Guilty pleasure: Madonna, Belle and Sebastian

The first song you learned to play: My guitar teacher made me learn “Stairway To Heaven;” Brian Aldsworth made me play rhythm to “Sweet Child O' Mine”

Current projects: Radiophonic, Finest Wines of Idaho, heliopause

Favorite candy: anything chocolate...

Best old movie: Way harder than the influences! Harold and Maude, The Philadelphia Story, The Producers

Best new movie: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Lost in Translation, The Royal Tenenbaums

Current hometown: Dallas TX

Previous hometowns: Mill Cove, Nova Scotia, Bethesda MD, Unionville Ontario, Poolesville MD, Madison WI, Dallas TX, Urbana IL

Anything else about you?: I wonder how my friends can stand me.

Webpage: www.myspace.com/myheliopause (opens in new window)

Artist Census

Name: Kevin Matz

Instrument(s): guitar and bass

Discography:

Marxist Capitalist, The Fledgelings
The Lost Years, The Lost Years
v.I, heliopause, 2005


Influences: Karate, Pixies, Sonic Youth, Slint, Nirvana, Wilco, Pink Floyd, Chet Baker, Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Muddy Waters

In your CD player now: Karate's Pockets

Guilty pleasure: Bob Seger (just kidding, that guy sucks)

The first song you learned to play: “Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Current projects: heliopause, Finest Wines of Idaho

Favorite candy: Junior Mints

Best old movie: The Big Sleep

Best new movie: Broken Flowers (for the soundtrack alone)

Current/previous hometowns: Champaign, IL

Webpage: www.myspace.com/myheliopause (opens in new window)

Artist Census

Name: Brian Pinke

Instrument(s): Guitar (NST), lapsteel, effects

Discography:

Diversions: A Subtractive Sampler, Katzenellenbogen
v.I, heliopause, 2006
laminal, maskirovka, (forthcoming)


Influences: (and inspirations) Elliott Sharp, Robert Fripp, Nels Cline, Bills Brovold & Frisell, Johns Zorn & Cage, Davids Bowie & Torn & Sylvian, Brian Eno, Daniel Lanois, Terje Rypdal, Sonic Youth, Einstuerzende Neubauten, electric period Miles Davis, Deathprod, Radiohead, Supersilent, Reeves Gabrels, Raoul Bjoerkenheim, Bartok, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Pole, Godspeed..., Giant Sand, Peter Hammill, Pan*American, Mission of Burma, Iron Path, Mars Volta, Richard Pinhas, Steve Tibbetts, RATM, My Bloody Valentine, Tortoise, Zappa

In your player now: See influences and inspirations, and then some....

Guilty pleasure: Bowie, Porcupine Tree

The first song you learned to play: I don't really know any songs

Current projects: heliopause, Finest Wines of Idaho, laminal, Katzenellenbogen

Favorite candy: ear candy

Best old movie: I've never made any movies

Best new movie: see above

Current hometown: Champaign, IL

Previous hometowns: Bloomington, IN; Bowling Green, OH; Salzburg, Austria; Klagenfurt, Austria; Clear Lake, IA

Webpage: www.myspace.com/myheliopause (opens in new window)