The Inactivists

Throughout the history of Western Music there have been songs written about every conceivable subject from being the walrus to telling us to go to Medved. But there is one subject that has been sorely overlooked — the emotion of love. Pretty much the only love song that I can think of “Love Grows (Where my Rosemary Goes)” by Edison Lighthouse, and even that song is more about horticulture than love.
The Inactivists were somewhat surprised when they noticed this tremendous gap in the subject matter of popular music. So they decided to try and write some songs dissecting and examining this common and powerful feeling from every possible angle. Having never experienced this emotion which you human beings call love for themselves, the Inactivists did research, reading Wikipedia’s entry on the subject. Before they knew it an entire album of quote-unquote"Love Songs" was written.

As annoying as heavily distorted ukulele and Theremin can be, though, Dreaded Concept Album is an undeniably witty swipe at the type of prog-rock extravagance that The Inactivists, ironically enough, demonstrate they’re fully capable of.

-The Onion,
June 14th, 2007

Difficult to pigeonhole, the Inactivists seem to channel the experimental nature of Lothar and the Hand People, the playfulness of They Might Be Giants and the DIY spirit of the Minutemen.

-John La Briola,
WestWord

Apart from their sweet-ass ukulele and theremin, the Inactivists had some tight songs that featured fairly complex but never overblown arrangements and a singer dressed like a retarded six year old, complete with helicopter beanie. The combination boldly stated, “Yeah, we’re pretty smart, but we’re not afraid to pretend that we’re even dumber than you are,” which is a powerful message.

-Cory Casciato,
Westword, Backbeat

The Inactivists, are best described as a cross between Zappa, Danny Elfman, Tenacious D and the Commodores.

-The Yellow Scene Magazine

“Nerd-punk” taken to the extreme with eccentric instruments, off-beat arrangements, and comic relief.

-The Denver Post

As self-deprecating as they are innovative, the nerd-friendly members of the Inactivists take a playful approach to pop confection. But what exactly to call it? Theremin-addled funk? Clarinet-driven spazz-lounge? Jazz-baiting excursions into the darkest underbelly of the 4H Club? It’s all that and more, Poindexter.

Westword’s best of 2005

Denver’s own Inactivists remind me of a certain genre of New Orleans music made by punks who love Tom Waits and live in a city full of working jazz musicians who get off their gigs at midnight and proceed to drown their sorrows in whiskey and outlandish music.

-Sarah Jaffe,
Kaffeine Buzz

The Inactivists are friends and maybe the closest thing to what we do in Denver, at least in their sense of aggressive and twisted nerdiness.

-Little Fyodor

One of the best records I have ever received here in the studio that has one of the funniest songs ever on it that I just can’t play for you but you got to get the record and listen to it.

-Jake Schroeder,
99.5 The Mountain

If you‘ve heard the Inactivists, if you‘ve seen them live, theremin and everything, you know it ain’t quite normal. It may not be all there, but they‘re worth checking out.

-Alf,
KTCL 93.3