Luster – Bravefellow – The Wiitala Brothers – Not A Planet…..Run With It Presents
Luster
Early in 2008 after 6 long years of releasing mediocre albums and ep’s, the guys in LUSTER decided to take a hiatus, hit the reset button and start writing new material for the album that would eventually become Run From Dogs. For the first time since becoming a band, LUSTER finally felt things moving in the right direction. Formed in Chicago, IL by brothers Bryan and Jeremy Mederich back in 2002, the band never really had an identity that they felt could take them to that next level, until now. The release of Run From Dogs has changed things dramatically for the band. The boys of LUSTER feel that they now have a worthy product to offer and are ready to show the world just exactly what they’re made of. After a long year of writing and recording, the guys felt it was time to take this thing on the road. That meant it was time to quit the day jobs, buy an RV, and book tons of shows across the country. Joined by Jonathan Brubaker (guitars) and Robbie Senti (Keys), LUSTER has taken on something of a new and much more comfortable identity. Bryan has now moved from lead guitar over to drums, and Jeremy has surely evolved into the classic bass player / frontman we all once longed to become. LUSTER is now touring the States indefinitely with no plans of slowing down any time soon.
LUSTER has written and recorded their material from the corner of a flooding basement, to one of the top studios in Nashville (Creative Caffeine Studio, Brock Music), and most recently, Engine Studios Chicago(Iron & Wine, Gomez, Grandaddy, Margot & The Nuclear So and So’s, Ben Weaver, Bonnie “Prince” Billy). They have had the pleasure of working at Sterling Sound NYC with Greg Calbi (John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Kings Of Leon, MGMT, and many many more) for the mastering of their new album “Run From Dogs”.
Signed to Pen Music Group (Los Angeles, CA) in 2006, LUSTER’s music has been licensed repeatedly by the CW’s “America’s Next Top Model”, as well as MTV, ESPN, Fox, The Lifetime Channel and a number of independent filmmakers.
Bravefellow
Mid-September 2009, Bravefellow began as two friends and two strangers composing songs on a vacant floor of an office building, just south of Kansas City’s Westport district. The music, subtly influenced by popularized Brit-rock, you will find to be expressionistic yet accessible; weighing heavily on melody, driving rhythm and dynamics. Think Snow Patrol, Muse, and The Killers.Mid-September 2009, Bravefellow began as two friends and two strangers composing songs on a vacant floor of an office building, just south of Kansas City’s Westport district. The music, subtly influenced by popularized Brit-rock, you will find to be expressionistic yet accessible; weighing heavily on melody, driving rhythm and dynamics. Think Snow Patrol, Muse, and The Killers.
After more than 2 years of searching and auditioning, guitarist/songwriter Andy Fox and bassist Shaun Alexander of Kansas City, Missouri were beginning to wonder if their efforts were in vain. The two had been reeling to rebuild what was left behind of a previous music project and had agreed that after such a long search yielding no viable results, they would place one last ad on popular website Craigslist.
Inspired by a chance viewing of a Kings of Leon performance, recent transplant and ex-frontman of the now defunct Dallas based alt-rock outfit Choris Romance, Brad Allen Johnson decided to respond to that ad . That same listing also attracted the attention of then 17-year-old drummer/keyboardist, Michael Krueger. “Finally, you could feel the pieces come together” recalls Fox. “Within a couple weeks of what we thought may be our final ad, we had found our drummer and then singer, after almost two years of tireless searching.” By the next day, the pent up creative energy of the past two years began to emerge as the core of musicians began writing; they quickly found their musical identity.
By early 2010 the band started gigging around the Kansas City area and outlying regions capturing the attention of new fans, and the respect of other popular local artists. In the summer of 2010, the young band headed into Blacklodge Studios in Eudora Kansas, with producer/engineer Ed Rose. Here they cut their debut four song E.P. ‘Spoils of War’, a powerful first effort illustrating the vivid impact of the relationships, both good and bad, that human beings have with each other. “We have high expectations” says Johnson, “our goal since we started this was to always find ways to reach a larger audience, not for commercial interests, but because we have an intrinsic artistic goal to reach, a story to tell, and we want to share it all with as many people as possible.”
Bravefellow has no qualms about romanticizing what it is they want to achieve, and in no uncertain terms simplifying how they intend to get there. “The nature of this stuff is to turn the listener back to themselves sharing in a story that they can relate to. These are simple stories that remind us of how we are all the same, and that’s a powerful thing when you see it,” says Johnson. “If you come to our show or listen to our record you will find this evident in the music.”
Bravefellow is Michael Krueger, Andy Fox, Brad Allen Johnson, and Shaun Alexander.
The Wiitala Brothers
Having called Chicago home for over twenty years, we’ve had the privilege of being involved with a number of successful groups and, having been raised on music full of passion and melody, want to continue making music the best way we know how.
Not A Planet
Indie, folk rock outfit, Not A Planet, hails from Kansas City, MO. Nikki Marcotte, from 91.9 KSBD, describes the band’s sound as “The Killers meets Bon Iver with just a hint of The Beatles.”
The members have a raw, creative energy born from the spontaneity of their conception, and a lust for life and all it has to offer. In songs like “Turn Me On,” the foursome summons their reserve to create the ambience of a fiery first love. “When The Sun Comes,” reminisces on an epic New York night that doesn’t stop until sunrise.
NAP solidified its reputation as an exciting touring act just weeks after they formed and have been building upon it with touring and recording ever since.
Not A Planet has gained momentum. With a sound unlike any other, a dedicated fanbase, and a fiery passion for making good music, there’s no sign of that momentum slowing. “Forget using indie to describe a band. This band is straight folk rock, and they fucking own it.” -Casey Osburn, Popwreckoning
We Lead, You Follow
