Steve GutenBAND rocking mics in the Boston area
Published on July 19th, 2006
STONEHAM, MA - A popular condiment company once espoused that good things come to those who wait.
And for four Stoneham locals, after two-years of laboring to achieve their musical dreams, it’s an overwhelming feeling to finally catch-up. This Saturday, the 21-year-old members of the Steve GutenBAND will formally kick-off a celebration marking the release of their debut album, Sweetness Overflow, at the Good Time Emporium in Somerville this Saturday at 10 p.m. According to the group’s lead vocalist Eric Blackman, and Brian Vatcher, who plays guitar for the Steve GutenBAND, the milestone marks a very proud moment for each of the native Stonehamites, who worked for over two years to release the 14-track recording.
“We kind of dabble in a lot of styles. If I had to label it, I’d say we’re alternative. But we try to create our own unique sound and style,” said Blackman, attempting to explain the group’s musical genre. “This [album] has just really exceeded our expectations. I mean, this is a full, 14-track album.”
“This is all kind of new to us still. But we’re pretty proud of what we’ve accomplished so far. This is a really big thing for us,” Vatcher added.
Along with drummer Ellert Ellertsson and bass guitarist Chris Wood, the foursome first began playing music together during their senior year at Stoneham High School in 2003. Initially intended to be a joke, the four long-time friends never thought that those first sessions would turn into a serious endeavor, especially since all but Blackman had never really taken any formal music lessons. But once in college, the Steve GutenBAND members started getting serious, and there began their two-year Odyssey towards releasing a debut album.
“Besides me, most of the other guys are really self-taught,” explained Blackman, referring to his years of tutelage in the trumpet. “And we really never got serious until our freshman year of college.”
“We would send each other files through our e-mail over the Internet. We’d all pretty much do our writing and then fit a little bit of everything into each song. It was tough, because we all went to different schools. And that’s why it took us to years to finish this,” recalled Vatcher, who attends UMass Dartmouth.
Landing various gigs at the Skybar and Good Time Emporium in Somerville, as well as at some local business in Essex near Nichols College, the band members have just begun to turn their gaze towards Boston-area opportunities. According to the Stoneham High School graduates, part of that delay has stemmed from their lack of knowledge on how to promote themselves, a task that the group is just beginning to master. And while Blackman and Vatcher admit that the promotion side isn’t nearly as exciting as the performance side, the band members are enjoying every minute of their newfound success.
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