Criteria is an indie rock band from Omaha, Nebraska, formed in 2003 when ex-Cursive founding member Steve Pedersen returned to his hometown after graduating from the Duke University School of Law. He spent six months in a friend's basement where he wrote all ten songs for his new project's debut album. He recruited the help of some old friends, A.J. Mogis (of Presto! Recording Studios and Lullaby for the Working Class) on bass guitar, Aaron Druery on guitar, and Mike Sweeney of Beep Beep on drums. Their first album, En Garde, was released on his previous band's label, Initial Records.

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Criteria
Steve Pedersen (left) and Aaron Druery (right) of Criteria perform at Omaha's Sokol Underground in 2006.
Background information
Origin	Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Genres	Indie rock
Years active	2003–present
Labels	Saddle Creek, 15 Passenger, Initial
Members	Steve Pedersen Aaron Druery A.J. Mogis Mike Sweeney
Website	https://15passenger.com/criteria

Steve Pedersen eventually got a day job as a lawyer, making it hard for the band to go on tour to promote their new album. Initial Records went bankrupt about a year after, leaving Criteria without a label. Saddle Creek Records took their longtime friend in and put out three releases in 2005. The first was a re-release of the overlooked and underrated En Garde, their new single, "Prevent the World," and their second full-length, When We Break. After being moved into Saddle Creek, Pedersen quit his day job to spend full-time making music and touring.

Criteria has performed with bands such as Cursive, The Fall of Troy, Thunderbirds Are Now!, Statistics, Poison the Well, Rahim (band), and Minus the Bear.[1]

The band performed at the Maha Musical Festival on August 17, 2013 in Omaha, Nebraska. Criteria's most recent performance took place on December 12, 2013 at the Waiting Room Lounge in Omaha, during which Pedersen mentioned the band was working on a new album.[2]

Band members

• Steve Pedersen - vocals, guitar
• A.J. Mogis - backup vocals, bass guitar
• Aaron Druery - backup vocals, guitar
• Mike Sweeney - drums

Discography

Albums

• En Garde (2003 · Initial Records) re-released 2005 on Saddle Creek Records
• When We Break (2005 · Saddle Creek Records)
• Years (2020 · 15 Passenger)

Singles and EPs

• "Prevent the World" single (2005 · Saddle Creek Records)

Compilations

• Lagniappe: A Saddle Creek Benefit for Hurricane Katrina (2005 · Saddle Creek Records)

song: "Booketa"

Videography

• "Prevent the World" (2 versions, August 2005, directed by Jason Kulbel)
• "Good Luck" (March 2006), directed by Shafei and Levitz
• "Kiss the Wake" (March 2006, directed by Jaime O’Bradovich, Saddle Creek Music Video Competition at the Hot Shops Film Festival winner, runners-up: Luke Rustermier and Michael McClendon)

See also

• Beep Beep
• Cursive
• Lullaby for the Working Class
• The Nein
• The White Octave

References

External links

• 15 Passenger
• Criteria official website (site now down)
• Criteria discography at Discogs
• Criteria on MySpace
• Saddle Creek Records
• Lazy-i Interview: June 2003
• Lazy-i Interview: May 2005
• Video Interview with Steve Pedersen of Criteria
• Interview from Alternative Press 184 (2003)
• Interview from Alternative Press 207 (2005)
• Soundcrank Podcast Hosted by Criteria