Buzz Blog

Last week many of you were made aware via multiple sources that the bands Nolens Volens and Uzi & Ari had the majority of the gear stolen in the middle of the night.  Underground media outlets like SLUG, City Weekly and UtahFM let people know to keep an eye out for the equipment online and in pawn shops while the search for the thieves continues.  I got a chance to talk to Andrew Glassett, who plays in both bands, about the theft and what they're doing in the meantime. ---

Uzi & Ari / Nolens Volens


Gavin: For those who don't know you, tell us who you are and a little about yourselves.

Andrew: We are a modest operation of musicians who love to travel and work hard to perfect our craft. Uzi & Ari consist of creator Ben Shepard, Andrew Glassett (Nolens Volens, TaughtMe), Catherine Worsham (Catherine Eve), and Ryan and David Moore (Eden Express). We have seen success mostly in Europe and are preparing for our second tour there early next year. Our music has been compared to Radiohead, Mum, Sigur Ros

Gavin: So we know the basics of what happened, can you go into details of what took place?

Andrew: We had some close friends over for a movie night on July 17th. We ended up staying up very late, until almost 4:00 a.m. We went to sleep and woke up the next morning at 10:00 a.m. and noticed the front door was unlocked and most of our equipment was gone. We always make sure the door is locked but foolishly didn't deadbolt it on the one night it should have been.

Gavin: Was there any kind of tipoff to the robbery during the night, or did you discover it in the morning? And what was it like when you first saw all the stuff gone?

Andrew: We heard nothing, which is very disconcerting. Whoever did it had the gall to pick the lock and enter our house while we slept. When we noticed the equipment gone, it really was our worst fears come true. Our hearts sank and we were in a state of frustration, anger and depression. We are still stunned that something like this has happened.

Gavin: What were all the instruments stolen?

Andrew:
• Roland Juno 106 Synthesizer (black in color)
• Nord Electro-2 keyboard (red in color)
• Fender Twin Reverb amplifier
• Fender Mustang bass guitar (white in color)
• Boss DD-5 Digital Delay
• Boss DD-6 Digital Delay
• Dell Inspiron Notebook Laptop (black in color)
• Behringer 1204 FX mixer (dark gray in color)
• Tascam 4 Track (light gray)
• Korg Electribe ESX1 drum machine (red in color)
• Ludwig Acrolyte snare drum (matte silver in color)
And various power cords, guitar cables, etc., totaling about 4500 dollars worth of equipment.

Gavin: Have you filed a police report and what did they tell you about recovery?

Andrew: We called the police immediately and they came and did the best they could to investigate the scene. They found a few fingerprints, but we haven't heard anything back from them. There is not a lot they can do, but told us to continue investigating.

Gavin: Have you been browsing the pawn shops and websites looking for the equipment?

Andrew: We have been looking and asking around, trying to find any clues. Apparently pawn shops have to cross reference a police list of stolen items and report anything suspicious to police. The task seems overwhelming and we are all very busy working and paying the bills.

Gavin: What are your feelings about the other musicians and the underground media getting the word out to help?

Andrew: Everyone has been very supportive about what has happened. SLUG Magazine donated ad space and we continue to try and spread the word. Some of the items were very unique and possibly the only ones around Salt Lake. We have had friends that have also had their stuff jacked and have seen what they have gone through.

Gavin: With your equipment gone, where do both bands stand at this point?

Andrew: We have already begun buying equipment back. We only missed one practice because we are on such a tight schedule in our preparations. We work around the missing instruments until we are able to acquire new ones.

Gavin: Have you had to cancel any recordings or shows?

Andrew: Thankfully we didn't have any shows planned and we recently finished recording our new album Headworms that will come out October 15th. We are putting together a benefit show to try and help recoup some our loss on August 23rd. Check back on our MySpace for details.

Gavin: Have you gotten any donations or lenders to keep playing?

Andrew: We haven't received many donations yet and are using credit cards for the time being. We are all pretty responsible financially, but this kind of blow really shakes things up. We don't make much playing music, and what we do make we invest back into making the music better. We are open to anyone who would like to donate. Contact us at http://www.myspace.com/benshepard and something can be arranged. We also accept Paypal donations: ben_shepard_@hotmail.com.

Gavin: Got anything to say to the thieves?

Andrew: Initially we were angry at them, but now we would just like to know exactly what would have driven them to do such a thing. I have had many things stolen before, including my car (which thankfully turned up). It seems as though people who steal are struggling more than others have low self-esteem. Stealing becomes addictive, and can quickly become a lifestyle. I hope for anyone who feels the need to steal that they might have a moment of clarity and realize how their actions hurt humanity. Everyone has to work, and it isn't fair for someone to ruin other people's life just because they don't know how to handle their own.