Honest Iago (pronounced yah-go) formed in San Diego in the early winter months of 2005. The band began with a rotating membership of multi-instrumentalists and performed with multiple visual artists before solidifying its lineup to record its full-length debut, Straight On ‘Til Morning. That lineup consists of Matthew Fradkin, Nick Norton, Craig Vermeyen, and Hunter Knight.
Recording Straight On ‘Til Morning was an arduous task. Shortly after beginning work on the record in various members’ bedroom studios Fradkin left San Diego for Irvine to attend medical school, while Norton moved to Paris, and then London, to pursue a career as a composer. Work continued nonstop, however, with band members mailing material back and forth and even working out instrumental parts via skype.
Straight On ‘Til Morning was finally mixed and mastered at Capricorn Studios, in San Diego, and released on September 22, 2009. It is currently available for download on itunes, Amazon mp3, and other online retailers. September also marks a sort of reunion (“we never broke up, or even stopped working, we just haven’t all been in the same room in a really long time”), as all of Honest Iago’s members returned to Southern California to begin playing concerts to support their release. Keep your eyes and ears on this band; even after four years of work, this debut is just the beginning.
