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Brad Guesman Strumming the 37th Parallel

BY THUY-TIEN LE

T

he crowd quiets to a low mumble of anticipation in the Art Boutiki, a venue in San Jose dedicated to art and music, as 37th Parallel, an indie rock band consisting of four high school juniors, walks up the steps and onto the stage. Despite being some of the youngest performers at the venue, they confidently stride towards their places on stage and pick up their instruments. The multi-colored stage lights beam on the four boys as they stare into the crowd. The guitarist turns around to his band members and nods to cue the beginning of their first song.

Immediately, a quick-paced drum beat rings throughout the venue, joined by the sound of a deep bass. Soon after, the keyboard and guitar are added in creating the melody of the piece. The guitarist turns around to face the microphone set up in front of him. He begins to sing

the lines to the band’s hit song, “She’ll Be Mine”. The guitarist and singer is none other than Brad Guesman.

I first heard of 37th Parallel about a year ago when I was wandering the halls of Los Altos High School and happened upon a poster advertising the Haiti Solidarity Jamnesty concert which was to be held that night at Red Rock Cafe in downtown Mountain View.

The poster exclaimed in bold print, “Local artists will be performing! Come see Zach Gospe and 37th Parallel!” Up until that point, I had only heard of Zach Gospe, but never 37th Parallel. Either way I decided to attend the event to hear them play. At the venue, I was rather shocked to see that they were a band consisting of four high school boys no older than sixteen with Brad at the lead. My initial thoughts after realizing the age of the band was that they were

just the stereotypical high school group who had one good song and weren’t too serious about making music. Rather, they were just doing it for the sake of being in a band. It wasn’t until later that I found out from Brad that this attitude was one of the challenges of being in a high school band. “People don’t take you seriously and you really have to prove a lot. You automatically start levels below those who are older than you, just because of all of the negative stereotypes that are associated with high school bands” (Guesman). Little did I know at that time, this band was something that was very real to him and the rest of the group.

Officially, I met Brad through a mutual friend two months ago and upon talking to him, I was surprised by his maturity and realistic outlook on his band. When I sat down to talk to him 1

left: Brad performing at Art Boutiki in San Jose; middle: Brad and Eric on stage at BFD 2014; right: 37th Parallel performing at the Sweetwater Music Hall about 37th Parallel, I could not help but notice that he was very much like the “old, strange guitars” he was telling me about (Guesman). The antique guitars were underestimated for their ability to sound good because they were just so weird-looking , but sound “super cool and unexpected” when you actually hear the sound that they produce.

Nowad ays, it is very

hard for bands to gain recognition. In fact, it has always been extremely challenging for artists to “make it” in the music industry. Even if one does get far in the industry, it is filled with money-hungry predators that will more often than not, attempt to change an artist in order to make the most revenue possible. Jeremy Gilbert, who wrote an article on the inner workings of the industry states that, “the aim [of producers and large record companies] is not simply the generation of acceptable income for [the artists], but the long-term, uninhibited, and unlimited accumulation of capital”. The music industry is very capitalistic in this sense, valuing money over skill. In Brad’s words, he says that , “the music industry is

a terrifying pit of worms and wolves and other scary things that will maim you if you go in2

side, but I think the most important thing to keep in mind about that is that you can’t let those people get you down or change who you are.” Building upon that statement, he includes that, “the odds are pretty scary too. Some very small percentage of people get to perform in amphitheaters in their career, but I think the consolation in that is some percentage of it is luck, but the big majority of it is being good, having good songs, connecting with people, and practicing so hard that when the opportunity comes around, you are just ready to grab it. ” It is this determination that fuels Brad’s desire in continuing with his band even in times of adversity, and showcases his seriousness and motivation in pursuing music.

Brad was born in Virginia and moved to Kansas at a very young age. Growing up in Kansas, he lived next to an older girl who played piano. When she invited young seven-year-old Brad over to her house to show off her piano skills, Brad realized that he was “pretty jealous” and “want[ed] to be able to do that” (Guesman). When he asked his parents if he could learn to play piano like his neighbor, his parents were immediately supportive of

from left to right: AJ Pelayo (drums), Philip Chang (keyboard), Brad Guesman (guitar), Eric Dyer (bass) his dream and enrolled him in piano lessons, where he would learn the music theory and techniques of playing the instrument. However, he knew upon learning piano that he didn’t want to go down the classical route. It wasn’t until Brad’s family moved to California and became a student under Rich Coons, a professor at the Community School of Music and Arts in Mountain View when he was introduced to jazz and blues music. There, he learned how to improvise music, a common trait of jazz and blues music. After a couple years of playing piano, Brad chose to learn how to play the guitar. When I asked him how good he thought he was at both instruments, he replied, “There’s always going to be someone better than me, for sure. I’ll try as hard as I can to improve myself”.

spiritual way...the amount of excitement and energy you can get by playing with other people is vastly above what you can get by playing by yourself. I feel like you get to know somebody on a level that transcends friendship when you do something like that.”

After some searching, he eventually found Philip who plays -Eric Dyer, bassist of 37th Parallel Chang, keyboard, and asked always been passionate in music. He him to join. Eric Dyer, 37th Parallel’s was always transposing and writing mu- bassist, joined after Brad saw him “playsic on the computer, not just parts for ing bass in the Blach band room...[usthe instruments he can play, but parts ing a cool] technique from Funk called for other instruments too” (Guesman). Slap Bass” (Dyer). The drummer, AJ Sadly, Brad’s first band failed when the Pelayo, was the only returning member other members were not as committed of Brad’s original band. Initially these to it as he was. When I asked Brad why four members got together and just he wanted to start a band, he tells me, played music for fun. Performing for a “when you play music with someone, crowd was something they weren’t realyou just connect with them in a very ly thinking of until much later.

During Brad’s two years at Blach Intermediate School in Los Altos, he showed immense interest in starting a band. As his mother recalls, “He has

“He does everything wholeheartedly and loves it for every single minute.”

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The band didn’t perform in public until they had their first gig in Eric’s backyard towards the end of eighth grade. A mutual friend of the four boys had invited a whole group of friends over and wanted the band to provide music entertainment.

At that point in time, Brad and his fellow bandmates had never had a live performance before and didn’t know what to play.

They originally wanted to play instrumental songs, but Brad soon realized that the gig would be very boring if they didn’t play anything with lyrics. Despite his lack of singing experience, Brad volunteered to do the vocals for the upcoming performance. Brad and the other members ended up

practicing for “four to five hours” that day rehearsing songs to play for the next day (Guesman). When asked, Eric said that Brad “[is] very passionate about everything he does. He does [everything] wholeheartedly and he loves it for every single minute...he’s always so determined and always wanting to figure out that last piece.” “He usually goes really deep on the things that he’s interested in” (Guesman). Although they did not having the best equipment, Brad recalls, “Somehow, we still managed to sound alright for a bunch of eighth grade kids who never played a live performance before.” After the show, a friend of the band came up and told Brad, “You are the best singer in our whole grade.”

After the band’s gig in Eric’s backyard, they realized that it was within the realm of possibility for the band to be taken seriously. At that time, the band was under the name Mind the Gap. The boys decided that the first step to taking music seriously would be to change their name because “there [was] already another band called Mind the Gap” and with the old name, they weren’t “going to be able to sell music” or “license anything” (Dyer). After band practice one day, Eric and Brad decided to surf Wikipedia and hit random ar-

ticle until they reached a page that could be their new band name. They came across an article called “77th Parallel,” which signified a place on the globe and thought it would be fitting if they could change it so that it related to their location. After some research, they came up with “37th Parallel,” which is the latitude of the Bay Area, where the group currently resides.

It was originally difficult for 37th Parallel to find gigs to play at, so the boys decided to enter competitions to try to get their name out there, one of them being Battle of the Bands. Battle of the Bands is an annual event where fifty-five different bands from around California compete for the top place.

37th Parallel ended up taking second place. Brad shares,“Battle of the Bands [in Santa Cruz] was probably the first public gig we had.” Soon after, the boys also decided to enter themselves into another competition to win a spot on the local stage at BFD 2014, an annual music festival at the Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View. In that competition, 270 different bands advertised themselves to garner as many votes as they could. Despite only having “one demo recording...of She’ll Be Mine”, 37th Parallel managed to secure first

place and gained a spot on the local ic’s house. When I walked into their lel’s debut album professionally. Once stage. practice room, I was greeted with an the album is released, he hopes to spread

Winning Battle of the Bands assortment of instruments, amplifiers, their music to more people and evenand playing at BFD confirmed the and microphones. As they were prac- tually gain more of a following. As for boys’ belief the long term that they future of the were able band, Brad to go somec o mm e n t s, where with “You can’t the band. It really say for proved more something than ever like 37th Parthat they allel what’s had enough going to haptalent and pen when experience we all go to to take the college. It’s band to placone of those es they had thoughts never before where it’s a thought poslittle bit sad -Brad Guesman, guitarist and lead singer of 37th Parallel sible. To his because you fellow bandthink, what mates, “Brad has taken on the leader- ticing, I watched as Brad and the oth- if it all just falls apart? I think that’s a ship role in the band. He manages the er members rehearsed songs and im- choice that needs to be made when it practice and helps the band get to where proved their sound. Brad and Eric were happens. As for music in general, I’m it is today [and] he provides a lot constantly stopping at different parts in going to play music for the rest of my of inspiration when times get each song to point out areas of possible life.” Eric adds, “I’d say no matter what rough” (Dyer). improvement, refusing to glance over happens with this band, he’s going to be

I had the pleasure even the most minute errors. After a very well-known guitarist because he’s to attend and observe practice had ended, Eric told me phenomenal” (Dyer). one of the band that, “[Brad]’s definitely the most In a way, Brad is very much practices at determined in this band and he in- like an antique guitar. When I first met Erspires me personally to become more him, he tells me about these antique focused on [it]” (Dyer). guitars that are downplayed because of

In the near future, Brad wants how outrageous they look. However, to keep 37th P a r a l l e l upon plugging them in, the player is going strong and immediately astonished by how well release a they sound. Brad’s band is routinely unfull studio album. derestimated simply because they are a He is in the process of starting high school band, but once the audience a Kickstarter campaign, which is a actually hears them play, they will be global crowdfunding plat- very much surprised of how exceptionform that helps fund- al they are. “The most important thing raise money for indi- is remembering that in the end, you’re viduals to complete just doing something that you’re pasprojects, in order sionate about and if that passion goes to raise money to away or if you find that passion is not record 37th Paral- there, you shouldn’t even be doing it.”

“The most important thing is remembering that in the end, you’re just doing something you’re passionate about and if that passion goes away...you shouldn’t even be doing it.”

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