Growing up together in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, guitarist Clayton Squire and drummer Jules Jenssen, along with bassist Brian Ross, had to do things the hard way. With nowhere for young teens to play, they had to create their own ad hoc venues and performances.

Raised on jam and improv, HiGHER ORGANiX was about creating a unique musical showcase each and every night, inspired by the livetronica sounds of The Disco Biscuits, STS9, and The New Deal.

Through the trio's increased notoriety, Jenssen, Ross, and Squire met Zach Levy, and set out to create their own festival, featuring the jam and electronic acts they had come to love. The Big Up, now in its third year, boasts a lineup featuring Tipper, Digital Tape Machine, Ott, and of course, HiGHER ORGANiX, among others.

Next week on The Untz Podcast, catch a very special two-part interview with Darren Shearer, drummer for the pioneering livetronica act The New Deal. After twelve years, the band has decided to end their career after this summer's dates are completed. We talk about the past, the present, and the future of The New Deal in this, the first in a three-part series saying goodbye to tND.