Genres: Heavy Metal

Teenager artist and musician Jon Crosby conceived and started VAST, which stands for Visual Audio Sensory Theater. He did so in the early 90’s, when much of the music world was occupied with grunge and the dying breed of hair metal bands that were still getting airplay. He found it difficult to find good musicians who were open to his experimental style, but he finally found a bass player, and he bought a drum machine, and they were able to play gigs. They played clubs, but they didn’t draw the crowds that the club owners wanted, and their band was ridiculed as being “too electronic.”

He did make enough to put together a demo tape at home, and he sent many tapes out to local L.A. and San Francisco radio stations. The station managers liked it so much that he began getting regular airplay time. He sent more tapes out to other radio stations across the country, and eventually caught the eye of Elektra Records, who signed him. He released Visual Audio Sensory Theater, and began hiring band members so he could tour. His original road crew, including Steve Clark, Thomas Froggatt, and Rowan Robertson, became his band, and they toured extensively in support of V.A.S.T. The band released a second album, but Robertson had been replaced with Justin Cotta. Music for People, was more of a collective effort from the four members of VAST.