About P3

Band History

P3 (sometimes called "P-cubed") was so named because each member's name begins with the letter "P". Individually, the members of P3 are all highly professional musicians with a wide variety of experiences and backgrounds. Brought together as the result of a "happy accident," they sound as though they've been playing together for years.

The band got its start in 2003 as a last-minute replacement when the scheduled entertainment at The Coffee Mill, a Clayton, NC coffeehouse, couldn't make it. Club owner Cliff Morgan called Studio 415 owner and guitarist Paul Barton and asked if he could come up with a show. With just two days' notice, Paul started calling musicians and managed to assemble a three-piece band.

Although they hadn't had time to rehearse prior to taking the stage, the guys had such fun playing together that night and their music got such an enthusiastic reception from the crowd they decided to form a "real" band. Due to other commitments, the original drummer wasn't able to participate, so Barton and bassist Paul Kollar called upon Kollar's friend, drummer Phil Wylie.

Since then, P3 has been playing out steadily in the Triangle (NC) area and has actually been known to rehearse occasionally. They recorded their debut CD during a live performance at The Coffee Mill in April 2003 and have plans for additional live and studio recordings.

In concert, much of their material is improvisational. As Barton often jokes, their songs could very well be titled "We Just Made It Up, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, etc." In fact, their song titles are often based on routines by the comedy group Firesign Theater, of whom both Barton and Kollar are fans.

Paul Barton grew up a quick subway ride from New York City and lived to sing and play guitar. Paul toured with rock bands, frequently opened for national acts, held down a full time corporate day job and sometimes found time for sleep. His blues-based guitar style tends to veer off into previously unknown territory, spurred on by explorations of the other two P's. Locally, he's best known as the owner of Studio 415.	Paul Kollar earned his first bass at age fifteen by working in a Chinese restaurant in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. Since then, he only puts it down to play the citern, mellotron, Taurus pedals or a host of other musical instruments. Paul has performed in bands from many genres, including acclaimed progressive rock ensembles St. Elmo's Fire and Brain Forest. With an adaptable style that ebbs and flows or assails you, Paul's well-trained ear lets him catch the mood and the moment and make it look easy. He produces recordings from his North Carolina studio as Sprawling Productions, Ltd.	Discovered by the drums in 1978, Phil Wylie tossed his tenor sax into the chasm of dust in order to appease the gods of percussion. Phil pounds, tickles or caresses the drums (and all other things percussive) with a style that's atmospheric, polyrythmic, mercurial, and really rocks! This Charlotte, North Carolina native has performed with many jazz and rock bands, including The Shakedown Wizards, Brain Forest and jazz masters Ooto.

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P3 is available for public and private bookings. Interested? Contact Studio 415 for more info!