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Taking influence from shoegaze pioneers and post-punk icons, Longwave got their start in 1999 when Steve Schiltz (vocals/guitar), Shannon Ferguson (guitar), Dave Marchese (bass), and Mike James (drums) congregated in a small New York studio to record demo material. Gigs in Lower Manhattan sharpened the group's sound, which melded sweeping melodies with touches of space rock, and Longwave soon caught the eye of local club owner Rob Sacher. The quartet then became the house band at Sacher's own establishment, the Luna Lounge, and also became one of the first acts on his newly formed label, Luna Sea Records. Endsongs marked Longwave's proper debut in fall 2000. It was an impressive first record, full of lush string arrangements and heavy guitars that helped differentiate the band from such New York City contemporaries as the Strokes. Two years later, Longwave displayed a darker disposition on the Day Sleeper EP. Within a week of its release, the Strokes' manager asked Longwave to play t...