by William Ruhlmann   Gregor Samsa are a band from Richmond, VA, who take their influence from the early British shoegazer scene. (They are not to be confused with a 1990s Illinois group of the same name.) The ensemble was formed in 2000 by Champ Bennett and Nikki King, and named itself after the main character of the famous short story The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka. (While Bennett and King remained the constants, approximately 30 other musicians came and went over the years.) With a Southern twist that adds a bit of dark paranoia to their sound, Gregor Samsa made their recorded debut with an eponymous EP released by Iodine Recordings on June 11, 2002. A short debut album, 27:36 (named after its length), followed on March 18, 2003. The band's second album, the lengthier 55:12, was released by The Kora Records on March 7, 2006. On May 23, 2006, Robotic Empire released the split EP Red Sparowes/Gregor Samsa. Gregor Samsa's third full-length CD, Rest, was released on May 27, 2008. At that time, the lineup consisted of Bennett and King (who married in September 2007), William Bennett, Cory Bise, Toby Driver, and Mia Matsumiya, and the group was operating out of Brooklyn, NY.