Formed from the unlikely union of UK beachtown singer/guitarist Kelvin Cochrane and North Philly percussionist extraordinaire Sabu Rex, The Absolute Zeros started making music in 2007. The band quickly evolved into a 5 piece unit with the addition of Bill Rose on drums, Steve La Monica on bass and Austin Madert on lead guitar. Within their first year, the band recorded their self titled debut album and tightened their live performance by playing anywhere and everywhere in the Philadelphia area. The Zeros' dynamic shows quickly earned them a reputation as one of the most promising new acts in Philly. 2008 included rave reviews in local press, radio airplay and TV appearances but ended in tragedy when co-founding member Sabu Rex unexpectedly passed away on December 1, 2008.
Following a period of mourning, the band decided to carry on in honor of Sabu. They were signed to Saint Joseph's University indie label, 1851 Records, which released the song “Whisper in the Storm” as their first single with the label. While still playing out regularly, they continued working on new material while re-working old favorites to fill voids left by Sabu's trademark percussion.
The summer of 2009 marked another big change for the band. Longtime lead guitarist Austin Madert departed and drummer Bill Rose put down his sticks to take the role of new lead guitarist. The newest member of the band, Mike Sharkansky, stepped in as drummer to complete the new lineup. This change brought a new energy to the AZ's live set while also creating fresh inspiration for new songs.
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