Dumb Numbers

Adam Harding, a longtime videographer who later became a singer and songwriter, leads Dumb Numbers, the project responsible for sludgy, expansive indie rock. Born in Australia, Harding lived for many years in Los Angeles, where he directed videos for acts including Sebadoh and Warpaint.

A collaboration with Sebadoh’s Lou Barlow on music for a deleted scene from the DVD release of director John Waters’ Cry Baby—material that ultimately went unused—prompted Harding to keep writing and recording. Enlisting a range of Los Angeles-based players such as Barlow, Dinosaur Jr. drummer Murph, Dead River guitarist Bonnie Mercer, Melvins drummer Dale Crover, and others, he assembled Dumb Numbers’ distinctive blend of moody, guitar-based music that reaches into distorted noise, stoner metal, shoegaze, and additional rock styles. In 2013 the band issued its debut full-length, the self-titled album, on Joyful Noise Recordings.