The Oak Cliff Film Festival

June

Zepplin, Zeppelin, Zepplin …” the boys rattle off when asked about their musical influences.

“We had a kid that didn’t like Led Zepplin, but we had to kick him out of the family,” Longhway jokes.

But seriously, he adds, “when it comes to role model bands for the boys, from my perspective, it’s bands like Van Halen, AC/ DC, The Black Crowes and Kings of Leon that I love because all of them involve brothers in a band.”

The Hyenas practice regularly, but not too rigorously. They have recorded one album and plan to make a summer project out of another. The recording can get a little monotonous, the boys concur.

As their dad tells them, they are special because they play instruments and write their own songs, but they don’t look down on the guys who don’t. The pop groups who sing and dance are “OK and pretty good at what they do,” young Gunner offers graciously. “They aren’t the worst things out there,” Zack adds.

Longhway leads the family in laughter when he floats the idea of the Hyenas learning choreographed dance routines.

Creative Water Gardens

It is all a great hobby, a valuable experience, they agree, but do the kids plan to stick with it? To make a career of music, as their father has?

“Well, even if I become a lawyer, I’ll still play in a band,” Aiden, a Lake Highlands Elementary School student, says. “I might be an archeologist first and then in a band,” another brother adds.

Aside from having access to an experienced instructor, instruments, and quality recording and practice venues, to name a few, the Hyenas benefit from being a tightknit pack.

“I always tell these guys that one of the hardest things about being in a band is sticking together as a band for a long period of time, and just by nature of being brothers, they have a huge advantage in this category,” Longhway says.

“Plus, it makes it really easy to coordinate rehearsals.”