There are three artist known as “Rice”: 1. rice is a band formed by Yuki (Vocal.) and Hiro (drums.). They were both from the band Raphael. rice was formed after the death of Kazuki, Raphael’s Guitarist. 2. Also, Rice was a mock-political hardcore band from San Diego, active in the mid 1990s, who played songs about rice. They featured members of Rocket from the Crypt, The Peechees, Physics, and Beehive and the Barracudas. 3. RICE is also a band from Jacksonville Florida. The band RICE began as all good things should—amongst friends. A collective consisting of Michael Martin, Christopher Pringle, Paige McMullen, Summer Wood, Leo Kulishevskiy, Jeremy Nix and Ryan Turk, RICE was conceived on an unusually cold night in November of 2009. Since that night, a series of fortuitous events have carried the band from the precious stages of infancy and transformed it into a young flower, fragrant and bright, with aspirations of maturing into a full bloom, with melodies that will ease the troubled hearts of all who listen.|In the few months of its existence, RICE has managed to develop a loyal following throughout Jacksonville, Florida, a quiet city in which all the members have lived most of their lives. RICE’s music has received a wide array of comparisons that range from Modest Mouse, due to the impassioned and inexhaustible vocals of Michael Martin, and to Mogwai, due to the dark and oftentimes beautiful and haunting melodies played by the other members, to only name two. Still, when asked what type of sound they are aiming for, the band members simply smile and say, “We are only following the inspiration.” And so far, the inspiration has given this small band from Jacksonville a degree of success that, although small on a grander scale, astonishes and excites its members, nevertheless.|In April of 2010, RICE was honored to receive a review in the official campus newspaper of the University of North Florida, known as the Spinnaker. And in May of 2010, RICE was invited to join Skinny Records at Warehouse Studios, a local label in Jacksonville, Fl, where Lynyrd Skynyrd recorded their first album. On July 31, 2010, RICE released their first EP, entitled Breathe. This EP has received great acclaim from friends and supporters alike, and has even had the privilege of having two of its songs played on “The Indie Endeavor,” a National Public Radio broadcast. In August of 2010, RICE played its first out of town show in Gainesville, Florida, with fellow Jacksonville band, Wild Life Society and Gainesville gem, Cassette, at Common Grounds. Currently, RICE is working on its first full length album and looking forward to playing more local and out of town shows.|Throughout its young life, RICE has and continues to receive unending support and encouragement from family and friends. To each and every one of them, the band is tremendously grateful and hopes to continue on the bright journey it has started. RICE is a band of love. It is love that it aims to spread. |