Iris I officially formed in September of 2006. In 2005, drummer Michael Cotta (formerly of Loom) met bassist Marc Gamble, ironically through Loom’s bass player at the time. Marc had fled Idaho in search of a rock band that wanted to emphasize artistic creativity. He found that with Michael, a drummer whose use of electronic pads, loops and pedal effects, in conjunction with acoustic drums, sonically and rhythmically help to shape the music.

Vocalist/guitarist Dan Hagan (formerly of Trine, Seed, and Collapse) had occasionally played on the same bill with Michael’s band in the early 2000's. Unbeknownst to Dan, Michael was plotting a way to steal him for his band, even back then. They stayed in touch over the years and in September 2006, they came to the conclusion they should be in the SAME band and Dan joined the project.

Iris I have played at the Showbox Sodo, Neumo’s, El Corazon, The High Dive, etc. Michael and Dan are both Seattle music veterans, gigging extensively over the last 10 years in their previous bands, including the extinct Off Ramp, Colourbox, etc, as well as in cities from Portland to Boise, Spokane to Bellingham.

In January and February 2007, Iris I recorded a 6-song EP. Some music was already arranged and lacked only vocals and guitar, some was co-written together. And, in January 2008, they've begun recording their second batch of songs, again with Don Gunn. www.dongunn.com The new material showcases their collaborative writing effort. The music is intricate and emotional; dynamic and persistent. Their compositions are unpredictable and always contain great melodies and powerful riffs. They draw influence from the early nineties Seattle sound to the rock music coming out of Great Britain and Canada, and at times incorporate moods and rhythms from the Middle East.