Raw soul + hard rock = hard soul...or at least that's how the math works for the Dt's, a band from the Pacific Northwest that blends the emotional power of R&B with the punch and power of rock & roll. Formed in Bellingham, WA, in 2001, the Dt's were a "long in the planning stages" project from guitarist Dave Crider -- best known as co-founder of Washington State garage rock icons the Mono Men and head of the influential independent label Estrus Records -- and vocalist Diana Young-Blanchard, whose resumé included stints with Madame X, Baba Rhum, and the Lucky Stiffs. The longtime friends had been discussing forming a band for the better part of a decade, but it wasn't until Young-Blanchard moved from Seattle to Bellingham and Crider dissolved the Mono Men that the Dt's came together. Teaming with drummer Phil Carter (who'd played with Crider in the short-lived post-Mono Men project Watts), the band began gigging around the Seattle/Bellingham area, and later added a keyboard player, Patti Bell, another Crider acquaintance who had played in a side project with Crider, the Roof Dogs. After winning rave reviews for their intense live shows, the Dt's went into the studio with producer Tim Kerr and recorded their debut album, Hard Fixed, which arrived in stores in the spring of 2004. ~ Mark Deming