Logos was founded in 1982 and included guitarists/vocalists Chris Marks and Jack McLaughlin, bassist Erik Marks, and drummer Jim Reid. Jack was a longtime friend of keyboardist Ellsworth Hall (Tailwynd, Sabre) in high school and introduced Ellsworth to Erik Marks who was attending UMBC (as was Ellsworth). The band began performing gigs in the summer of 1982 while Ellsworth was on hiatus from his own band, the Baltimore-based Affinity (founded in 1980 by Ellsworth, guitarist/vocalist Mark Van Natta, bassist Bill Myers and drummer Courtney Eckler). Courtney (also on hiatus from Affinity) joined soon after to replace the departing Jim Reid and after a series of gigs in 1982, Jack left the band.
Mark, Courtney, Ellsworth and the Marks brothers worked together through 1983 under the Affinity aegis. In early 1984 Chris and Erik went their own ways and Affinity continued with Ellsworth, Mark and Courtney up to 1993 in various configurations from that point on including lineups with bassist Scott Noyle and guitarist/vocalist John Walsh. A cassette EP release in 1985, the RIP Maxi-EP, resulted in airplay on WIYY in Baltimore. The Affinity Music Library CD releases by the band members ‘Ethereal Desert’ and ‘Beyond the Horizon’ appeared in 1989 and 1993, respectively.
Photos courtesy of Ells
A brief reunion with the Marks brothers in 1990 was the precursor to the full-fledged reunion in January of 1994 which included Ellsworth, Courtney, Chris Marks and Erik Marks (with Mark Van Natta on occasion). The band combined the two previous band monikers into Logos Affinity as there were other bands on the internet with the name Afffinity. The band was more informally known as The Logos Band.
The “Affini Logue” album was recorded during 1997-1999 and Sam Shields joined the band in the Spring of 1999 as percussionist and backing vocalist. Sam left the group over the Summer of 2000, and Mark Van Natta filled in for Chris in the Fall during his hiatus from the band. Ellsworth Hall took his own hiatus from The Logos Band and began his own album project “Aethellis” in the fall of 2002 which spawned the song “Hubris” a certified Prog Rock Top 10 hit at Broadjam.
Logos bio supplied by Ellworth Hall.
Aethellis, an original progressive rock group described by The Prog Archives as “like a cross between Tony Banks, Alan Parsons and Rick Wakeman – very keyboard oriented” continued in the ‘00s as a vehicle for Ells to perform his original music live. Mike Harrington replaced Courtney on drums in 2004. Auxiliary drummers included Joel App (‘04-05), Gerrit Marks (‘04-08), and Jim Reid (‘04-06).
In 2010 Aethellis released their second album “Northumbria” to positive progressive reviews worldwide.
1989 (CD) Ethereal Desert
1993 CD) Beyond The Horizon
1999 (CD) Affini Logue
Releases as Aethellis:
2002 (CD) Aethellis
2010 (CD) Northumbria
