WHO ARE THE SECRET CIGARETTES?

They are a band based in Jacksonville, Florida comprised of members whose names are: Mike Linsky, Jason Irvin, Joel Stephens, and Nathan Smith.

WHAT IS THEIR VISION?

"At its core, the musical vision of the band primarily comes from an expression of the often precarious balance between the light and dark of living people and the universe we inhabit. It is through the contrast of the haunting dissonant sounds of the darkness, and the energizing *secret omitted* sounds of the light, that we can best reflect the fullness of life."

"Beyond the vision of the music itself, Secret Cigarettes embraces the technologies of both the past and the present, with the intent of gaining the best of both worlds, through the creative blending of various mediums and tools. You are just as likely to see us fiddling with an old 4-track tape recorder as you are finding us neck deep in a computer tweaking the latest plug-ins in our DAWs. We intend Secret Cigarettes to be a creative production that spans beyond the songs themselves and into the realm of visual and interactive art. Each member is a multi-instrumentalist and though we typically specialize in specific areas in respects to the band, nothing is off the table when it comes to contributions, ideas, or instrument switching."

Most of the audible influences in the band's sound can be traced to genres such as New Wave, Punk ,Rock and Roll, and 90's Grunge. However, this is only the tip of a nearly limitless spectrum of influences in terms of inspiration, production techniques, attitude visual presentations, and so on, that guide our decisions during the creation process. A major goal for Secret Cigarettes is incorporating this myriad of influences in a way that still retains a feeling of focus and consistency. The aim is pointed brevity, carefully curated homage, and thoughtful injection of experimentation to generate a sound that is at once familiar and alien. It is this yin and yang simultaneity that inspired the band to begin referring to their sound as Intellectual Future-Punk.

FEATURE

I am humbled at how thoroughly Nathan Smith inspected my work and so positively and accurately reflected the conversation I have and create, both interpersonally and intrapersonally. It is refreshing that in Jacksonville, Florida there is a booming art culture where local artists are supporting other local artists.

UPCOMING SHOWS

A performance you won't want to miss, starting at 8:00 PM. On Thursday, February 25th, Secret Cigarettes with bill performing with Nikki Hill at Jack Rabbits in San Marco (1528 Hendricks Ave Jacksonville, FL 32207). For event info, click HERE. For ticket info, click HERE.