THE STRIVERS is an open music collaboration group created and led by Juan Carlos M. L. The Strivers music and lyrics are composed and written by Juan Carlos. So a bio of The Strivers is really a Juan Carlos' bio. 

Born in Santiago, Chile Juan Carlos grew up with a variety of musical influences. His first band, VIRTUS VERBI had four members and its style was primarily new wave and post punk. During their second year together they recorded in studio a DAT. The songs there were like a crossover between Adam Ant, The Pixies and Joy Division and at the same time they did not sound like any of those bands. They played only once a real gig. After that, the band practices became inconsistent because every member was in college or university and in those years, in Chile specially, that was the most important thing in someone's life. Eventually VIRTUS VERBI disappeared before having really ever appeared in the Santiago music scene. After moving to the States in the late 90's Juan Carlos lived in different towns. He is a dedicated BMX rider and in those years touring and contests made it difficult to find people to permanently play with and mature musically. Although he did played here and there with musicians he would meet in places he lived in like Santa Barbara, Boulder or NYC as the years passed, nothing became more than good times and the gathering of experience. Later the arrival of more accessible and portable technology and recording equipment made it possible for Juan Carlos to record while on the road, or in a temporary home, making his songs fuller without having to rely on proximity to other musicians. This one man band type thing was named DREAMING TECHNOLOGIES.
But this was not fully satisfactory either. There was a feeling of isolation within the illusion of a digital landscape. After a few years of Dreaming Technologies, he minimized and went back to basics: Just the acoustic guitar, no recording and enjoying the pure real tone and the present moment. Whether would it be playing when no one was around or for a few friends. After staying in one place for a couple of years and performing in various open mic venues, the impulse of playing with others turned into a collaboration song by song. THE STRIVERS are any inspired artists willing to work hard to create a worthwhile musical composition or if there is none around then Juan Carlos will keep going and striving to bring out from the depths of his being whatever its truest nature can wrest in the form of music that wants to be sang out.

Right now, besides writing new songs, we are working on a summer concert, with an effort to play the songs with all the different instruments and tracks that constitute each one. Maybe slightly different versions from what can be heard in the recordings, for example, a violin doing a guitar lead, etc. but essentially the same. Juan Carlos will continue to play solo sets whenever possible. If our music appeals to you contact us and share your thoughts and feelings about the songs and our work in general or with questions about anything: music, life, dreams. 

Thanks for your support.