The XYZ Affair

In 2006 the Brooklyn group XYZ Affair generated considerable attention by independently issuing the album A Few More Published Studies, whose bright guitar lines and four-part vocal harmonies stood out. The project had originated five years earlier as the solo endeavor of vocalist and guitarist Alex Feder, who subsequently enlarged it by recruiting fellow NYU students. Keyboardist and guitarist Russ Maschmeyer, drummer Sam Rockwell, and bassist Chris Bonner joined the lineup, after which XYZ Affair concentrated on concise power-pop material reminiscent of Big Star and Weezer. Finding only muted interest within New York’s independent scene, the band sought broader exposure through its debut music video, which included appearances by several alumni of Nickelodeon programming. The clip achieved widespread online circulation by combining XYZ Affair’s sharp songwriting with a narrative that incorporated participants from Double Dare, The Adventures of Pete & Pete, Salute Your Shorts, and Clarissa Explains It All. As web visibility increased, the band resumed local performances, now drawing substantially larger crowds while promoting its self-released debut. A follow-up three-song release titled Trials EP appeared in 2008, after which drummer Rockwell exited the group in January 2009.