The Campbell Apartment

Singer songwriter, Soviet-born oil painter and renaissance man, Ari Vais formed The Campbell Apartment about two years ago with drummer Justin Storer and bass player Adam Greenberg. First the latter exited, citing his own solo career, and was replaced with Dan Haag, current Campbell bassist, followed shortly by Storer's departure (Campbell music was getting more and more heavy, and Storer is more of a folksy drummer) and replaced by current drummer Dave Harman.

Dan and Dave are a rhythm section for many years before joining Ari to round out the pop power trio The Campbell Apartment. Dan comes from the murky late-night East Village scene from the mid-nineties, as former bass player for Astrojet, the solo band for Fountains of Wayne guitar player Jody Porter - they were part of the scene that produced The Strokes, and the many anti-folk bands of the era including Moldy Peaches. Dan Haag and Dave Harman are like one instrument, nailing down Ari Vais originals and turning some esoteric pop ideas into major hit singles.

Vais, in the mean time, lived in Northampton, MA, and fronted the mid-nineties indie rock band Humbert before moving to London in the late nineties and playing solo acoustic (residency at the 12 Bar Club in the Tottenham Court Road) as well as with a trio simply called Ari Vais, before moving back to NYC (for a fourth and final time), forming the pop quartet The Pelicans, and appearing with the band on Queer Eye For The Straight Guy - at the same time Ari had a cameo appearance with actress Laura Linney in the motion picture "PS" (by Dylan Kidd, writer and director of "Roger Dodger").

Fountains Of Wayne front man Chris Collingwood, a long time friend and strong advocate of Vais songs, is playing shows in support of The Campbell Apartment this spring and summer, and the band is soon to shoot a music video with film maker Adam "Tex" David (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0204129/) and Brian DeQubellis (dequbellisfilms.com), for their new hit single "St Louis". Ari has regular art gallery shows displaying figurative oil paintings of cities, and is a cast member of the improv group Upright Citizen's Brigade. The band is about to embark on its first tour, supporting Jonah Matranga, in Ontario.