The Octagon started, in a way, in 1994, when freshman drummer Will Glass made fun of classmate Zack Waldman's Green Day t-shirt. Nine years later, after a proto-post-rock high school stint, not to mention separate college gigs, with Zack bandleading in NYC and Will supporting Montrealers in the godspeed! circle, the two were reunited in northern Manhattan with a swift-crooning co-songwriter, Johnny USA, and an enigmatic Deadhead bassist, the Bunny. This was, and is, The Octagon.

For what it's worth, others have compared them to the Replacements, Husker Du, the Voidoids, Weezer, Modest Mouse and so on. Their stronghold covers are of Ween and Prince. Time Out says "tight british pop -- the Jam and the Libertines come to mind -- reimagined as vivacious New York Punk." Lately they've drawn on the Minutemen and the Feelies for inspiration, though it's a big gurgling stew of influences.

The Octagon are performers; 8 sides of mystery and wailing.