Cosby Sweater Announces Name Change

In the wake of the recent controversies surrounding allegations of assaults committed by comedian Bill Cosby, Indianapolis-based Cosby Sweater announced a formal name change to Turbo Suit. Ditching one piece of attire for another, the trio of David Embry, Nicholas Gerlach and Jeff Peterson began playing under their original moniker in 2012. They have a new record, Out Here, slated for release this spring which features guest appearances by members of the Trey Anastasio Band and Umphrey’s McGee, among others. Turbo Suit’s first tour kicks off on January 14 in Allston, Mass. and continues into April with appearances also scheduled for the Colordance Music & Arts Festival in Stewart, Ohio and Summer Camp in Chillicothe, Ill. in May.

The full text of their announcement is below.

The time comes for every artist to face the daunting challenge of selecting a moniker that represents their sound, their brand and their persona. In 2012, Indianapolis funktronica trio settled on Cosby Sweater, a pop culture reference to the flamboyant knit sweaters doned by an ‘80s sitcom star, which were later coveted by artists like Notorious B.I.G. as collectors items and referenced in cult-classic films like “High Fidelity.”

Cosby Sweater (the band) has been establishing themselves in the music scene — touring the US, performing at a plethora of top national festivals, and releasing four albums — all during their short tenure. Their fans embraced the vision behind the name and often show up in their best Cosby sweaters. Like the sweaters themselves, the name conjured a warm and familiar feeling.

Recently the word “Cosby” has developed a negative connotation in the news, and the elephant in the room has become too big to ignore. That once comfortable feeling associated with the band name is now surrounded with a preconceived thought that doesn’t reflect what the band represents.

Starting in January 2015, the band will effectively be known as “Turbo Suit.” What is Turbo Suit? A Turbo Suit is the suit that exemplifies how “You Do You” the best. It is the band morphing out of Cosby Sweater and into something that is fresh, fast, and stylish. Musically, the band has brought it to the next level with their new material. So, it only makes sense to “suit up” in a new vessel that showcases the band’s evolution from Cosby Sweater to Turbo Suit.

Along with the name change, the trio has announced dates for their winter tour which commences on January 14th in Allston, Massachusetts. Turbo Suit will be touring in support of their forthcoming album, “Out Here,” which will be released this spring.

The new full-length album represents a musical raising-of-the-bar for the band. “Out Here” will feature an impressive roster of special guest including Jake Cinninger, Joel Cummins and Andy Farag (Umphrey’s McGee); Natalie Cressman (Trey Anastasio Band); Zion I; ProbCause; Joe Hettinga and Marcus Rezak (Digital Tape Machine); Rusty Redenbacher and more.

David Embry (production and vocals), Nicholas Gerlach (tenor saxophone and EWI) and Jeff Peterson (drums) are “suiting up” in 2015, and they can’t wait for you to join them!