Could the year 2001 actually go by without a single rock band out there attempting to explore new realms? Was it really going to be left to them techno guys to create the space odyssey? Well, America may have been thinking so, but, in Liverpool, England there is brewing a sound that’s fresh, fun and serious (well, when necessary) and it’s all a part of the band Eto.

Eto is an entity that has been evolving for five years now with vocalist, guitarist, saxophonist and all around music man Joel Phelan mastering the helm. The band first started as a straight rock act known as Jub Jub. Everything was going great for the band. They went on tour as the support group for Elvis Costello as well as the highly acclaimed Brit pop group Space. Joel even went on tour with Space as their guitarist during their US stint and on the infamous weekly British music program Top of the Pops.

Things started changing for the band after a freak accident with a taxi that led to Joel being held up in a hospital for two months. While stuck in bed 24/7, he started thinking about how his music can expand. He also started having dreams involving this freakish fun-loving alien, named Eto, who showed him the true meanings of life in his world. That darn little fella would sit and chill with Joel non-stop. Soon, they started jamming together and Eto illustrated to Joel how all the joys and troubles in his far away land are celebrated and resolved through song and dance.

Well, needless to say that alien had a heavy influence on Joel and on his decision of what to do with his band. Soon after being released from the hospital, Joel presented his new vision to the rest of the group. Jamie Bleasdale immediately knew what he had to do and transformed himself from being a straight keyboard player to an audio guru with vocoders, pitch shifters and a mess of high tech equipment. Bassist Matt Jones was thrilled because he could groove more and well drummers don’t seem too happy with everything, at least one hasn’t stuck around long enough to say otherwise (a new one is on the way soon!). Since the Eto carnation, the band has done several soundtracks for leading British television movies and theater presentations. The single “Let’s Go Disco” was released last year and they just completed a new EP entitled Destination. Eto is also a regular act at a large Liverpool venue, the Lomax, and they’ve had numerous stints in London and Manchester. When it comes To England, Eto has been there, done that. They’re next target is the United States and judging by the crowd response of one performance that they did in New York City’s well known East Village venue Arlene Grocery, the US wants them as well.