The Pines of Rome (John Kolodij, Matthew Derby, and Rick Prior) have been exploring the frontiers of Cosmic American Music on and off for the past 25 years, dialing down the tempo and turning up the volume to create tidal walls of sound that surge and break like the turbulent Atlantic waves that batter the shores of the smallest state in the Union.
The band originally formed in 1997, when the small-but-mighty Providence music scene was reaching an eclectic creative peak, where fuzz pop, psych rock, and noise bands would share the same stage at hallowed venues such as Fort Thunder, AS220, and The Living Room, sanding off the hard genre distinctions that kept music scenes in other cities silo'd.
Over 20 years had passed since their final show, and then, while shuttered inside during the pandemic, Derby was inspired to contact his former Pines bandmate, Kolodij and start writing new music. In addition to new music, the band welcomed new member Steven Kimura on bass and the trio became a 4-piece.
Over the years The Pines Of Rome have shared the stage with great bands like Songs:Ohia/Magnolia Electric Co., Richard Buckner, Bonnie Prince Billy, June of '44, Shipping News, Lullaby for the Working Class, the Promise Ring, Jets To Brazil, Rainer Maria, Joan of Arc, Silkworm, Bright Eyes, and more.
