This article is about the band TAS 1000, for the user of the same name please see TAS 1000 (user).
TAS 1000 was an experimental Canadian band, formed in Kelowna, famous for their single "(I've Been) Delayed" made popular in earlier versions of Club Penguin (most notably Penguin Chat 3). Recently, this song has become available again as Igloo music
Their works mixed recorded answering machine messages with music composed by various members of the band. The band got their inspiration for their music after Matt Krysko bought a used Sanyo TAS-1000 machine with its tape still in it at a Value Village store in Kelowna, British Colombia. The previous owner, an art conservator named Marta, did not erase the tape so her messages became the blueprints for the vocals in the band's songs.
The bog in 'Stagnant Bog'
Local Popularity
The band never intended to play live at first, but they would go on to become a novelty act in Vancouver and Victoria. Made somewhat infamous for their shows, which regularly included releasing a swarm of bees on the audience and other semi-dangerous acts. This would sometimes escalate into on-stage violence and property damage. Part of this violence was said to be a result of the band's strict on-stage dress code it was also said that they waned the band to have a "adversial stance".
They were more than just a novelty act however:
"Message for Marta is a catchy, well-crafted, musically accomplished and often poignant collection."
Receiving critical acclaim and airplay on CBC radio, the band also proved popular at "English as a Second Language Parties", but were also heavily criticized.
Proliferation
While their single (I've Been) Delayed saw popularity in the Club Penguin game franchise another one of their singles, Birthday, was considered for use in national commercials for a Canadian restaurant chain however they lost to another much more popular band.
Legal Troubles
Getting them some attention: the band was sued and given cease and desist orders several times. The first time they were sued was by Marta and her family who didn't approve of the band's usage of her answering machine messages. They were then sued several times by various boat manufactures the band had claimed to have been sponsored by.
In a recent interview with Marta she claims to not have sued TAS 1000 in any way and actually approved of the music. She also states TAS 1000 actually visited Marta Leskard at some point.
Zeus Rape of the Gods - peel session
Zeus's Rape of the Gods Music Video
Zeus
Many of the band's members played in the psychedelic rock band Zeus, which was formed in 2003. Zeus, named after the grecian god, performed several short apocalypse themed gigs before disbanding in 2005. They had an album planned to release in December 2004, and there are two known songs, "Rape of the Gods" and "Fury Upon Olympus (Heaven Broken By Battle Cries)". They once played together with TAS 1000 at a concert.
Documentary
A 2006 documentary about the band named Stagnant Bog was made about the band, the documentary is about the band and particularly an event where the band dumped over a 300 hundred unsold copies of Message for Marta into a local bog. They were thought to have been inspired by Atari E.T. video game burial urban legend to discard their works in the bog.
The documentary has not yet been made available for online purchase.
After asking the owner of the fanpage who has spoken to most of the members, it has been concluded that the documentary was probably a joke like the "deaths" of the band members.
End of the band
At their farewell concert they stopped after only two songs. At the abrupt end of the show the band drop-kicked the TAS 1000 until it was effectively destroyed, symbolically ending the band.
Split
TAS 1000 split up in 2005 when each member decided to explore their own musical interests and because they had "run out of source material".
Death?
No one is dead. The members of TAS 1000 or the website manager faked the member's deaths. This caused a lot of conspiracy. Scott Howard and John Rogers were thought to be dead, but it was found to be just a myth..
Tributes
TAS 2000, a tribute band to TAS 1000 has emerged on August 30, 2012. They claim to use various answering machines, but the main one at the moment, is the Cobra Timekeeper. Their website is still fairly rough (TAS2000.tk ), but they seem to have claimed TAS2000.com on August 30, 2012 as well. TAS 2000's Facebook.
Where the members are now
Cassidy now works at the University of Chicago.
John is a music educator.
Matt lives in England and is the Director of Music at the Warehouse Project.
Scott's whereabouts are unknown.
Discography
Right on Girl (200X) (rare recording)(re-issued online by GlacialFreez, youtube video)
A Message for Marta (2009) (re-issue download compiled and converted by Newtown, released on Hellopayton and the Internet Archive, MP3)
A Message for Marta (2007) (re-issue download from RFSHQ, WMA)
Club Penguin: The Soundtrack (2006) (featured track)
Florian EP (200X) (rare recording)
Ron Rondon Calling EP (2003)
A Message for Marta (2002)
Trivia
The band would sometimes take live bees in jars as payment for albums. It's thought these were bees were used as part of their stage show.
On their website, one of the news pages titled "Juan Really Gone" had a song download titled "Something To Remember You By". The song that is downloaded is "To Be With You" by Mr. Big.
The Cover to the "Ron Rondon Calling" EP
The cover of their "Ron Rondon Calling" EP is a parody of The Clash's "London Calling" Album. The cover for the EP shows the TAS 1000 machine being destroyed, possibly foreshadowing how the band would end.
On the music section of their website, they were selling a "TAS 1000 Home Hotdog Suite" for $89.99.
There are still three lost tracks that were on their website that have not resurfaced. These being "Beau-Mark VCR", "Dehumidifier", and "The Lost (And Glorious) Protein Shoes Horns".
The download for the original tape was on their website, but the only part of it to resurface is the original tape to "I've Been Delayed"
