4entertainment
wingspan • february 25, 2011
While in his home studio, senior Wayne Redden (above) records a bass track on the bass guitar for a song on his album Scenic Route. While in the recording studio of his senior project mentor, Michael O’Shea, Redden (right) mixes and masters his guitar and drum recordings into a song.
Student uses graduation project to further music career Alisha Carland Asst. Managing Editor
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he crowd goes wild once again after another successful show. Three accomplished young band members leave the stage as their new fans chant their name, “Boho.” This dream-like sequence is nothing short of reality for senior Wayne Redden. Redden played drums in the band “Boho” for more than six years. His older brother, Zach Harding, played lead guitar and a close friend played bass. After perAlbum cover from Redden’s latest CD forming in different places such as Cat Daddy’s, Clara Bell and The Backroom, they learned a lot about the music world. “Some shows were really fun, but others, not so much. Just because you’re not playing Lynryd Skynyrd every song, some people just don’t get into it,” Redden said. “But it really helped me learn how to perform because I realized that I played to enjoy myself and the music we were playing.” Over the six years they were together, Boho’s members decided to experiment with recording some of their original music. They saved money and bought the best equipment they could afford. “We actually made a couple of real CDs, which we gave out to people for free. They really seemed to enjoy it, but we didn’t have that great of equipment,” Redden said. After splitting with Boho and trying a few other failed groups, “My dad’s the production manager at the Orange Peel, so I get into all the concerts for free. Over the past eight years I have been to too many conerts to count. My favorite concert I have been to there Kari Cochran was Cage the Elephant. It senior was a really great show and the atmosphere was great.” “The Orange Peel is not my favorite place to go, but the place has got a good feel to it and it puts off a great atmosphere. Concerts there are very homey, and they usually have good bands and lineups. I have Amy Castellucci seen a ton of people there junior and my favorite was Conor Oberst.” “I go to Bele Chere, and I like the concerts and shows that are there. I also like to go to concerts at the Orange Peel, but my favorite place to go is the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. My two Brayden Dickerson favorite bands to see in junior concert are Coldplay and Switchfoot.”
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Redden found a new way to experience music. “I got to spend five The process began when Redden was assigned his graduaweeks at Berklee School of Music in Boston. It was an amazing ex- tion project. He studied music production with producer Michael perience because I learned so much while I was there,” Redden said. O’Shea. With new equipment in hand and a mentor at his side, The Berklee program allowed students to stay on campus and Redden jumped into the world of recording with an open mind. take college level classes to expose a younger generation to all types “To be able to play and create with other people used to be the of music. Classes consisted of drum technique, funk styles and mu- best part of music. But now with all I’ve learned, it’s almost a tie with sicianship. the actual production process. There’s so much that you can do with “My favorite part of Berklee was definitely the sound. I’m so intrigued with putting one sound meeting the teachers and just having music around in a computer and manipulating it to create someI’m so intrigued me 24/7,” Redden said. thing completely different,” Redden said. with putting Redden was given the chance of working with Not only are the physics of music important, Larry Finn and John Blackwell, who was once a but the motive behind what is written helps to one sound in a drummer for Prince and Justin Timberlake. There make music something worth listening to, he said. computer and was even a guest appearance by John Mayer who “If you’re feeling a certain way or you have manipulating it to something to say but don’t necessarily know how to graduated from the institute. Many alumni returned to the school to offer words of advice. it, music is a great way to get your point across. create something say “I was told to treat practicing like a work week. You can just write a song about what’s been going completely Monday through Friday practice every day, but take on over and over inside your head,” Redden said. a break on the weekends to play your shows and jam Redden received support from O’Shea, but different. with people. It really works, if you can keep up with his family has been a great source of inspiration as Wayne Redden well. They’ve done everything from helping to fund it,” Redden said. senior equipment to moving it back and forth from shows. While studying on campus, Redden acquired a new set of equipment including a mid-2010 model “My family has been extremely supportive. I’ve Macbook Pro and an Apogee Ensemble that rehad so much more than I could have dreamed of cords guitar chords. He also uses a Korg Triton Extreme Keyboard from both my parents. They’re always willing to listen and critique Synthesizer. Between practicing every day, weekend shows and what I create. It’s extremely helpful,” Redden said. keeping up with school, Redden still finds time to focus on his solo After his experiences at Berklee School of Music and his graduextended play, a conglomeration of original songs that doesn’t qual- ation project, Redden has decided where he wants to take his talify as a full album. ents in the future. “I want to get to a professional level. When I go “You can actually buy it at ascenicroute@bandcamp.com. All to Berklee for college, I want to be an EP music specialist and music three songs are original. So, now I can release an actual album or a engineer,” he said. “If I didn’t have music I don’t know what I would couple singles. Whatever I feel like,” Redden said. do with myself.”
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Student band plays local venues Playing at different venues, festivals and bars, Blackjack’s party rock gets people moving. Getting into places to play is a challenge, but the band ophomore Adrian Brinkley stepped onto the members hope for the best whenever they give the stage at the Orange Peel in downtown Asheville managers their demo CD. One of their regular gigs is ready to perform. Being in front of so many the annual Apple Festival. “The Apple Festival is really fun. There are a lot people might make some people nervous, but of people there, and they walk by and stop and say, Blackjack handled it with ease. With a rowdy crowd in front of them, the band ‘Hey, they are good looking, and they play guitars,’” Brinkley said. “It is outside so that jumped in and began. is kind of weird. It is louder because “Playing at the Orange Peel was Playing at the there are more people. It is just a huge definitely my favorite. It was nice because we got to go backstage and Orange Peel was festival.” Social network websites like actually perform there,” Brinkley definitely my Facebook and Myspace have helped said. “The crowd was standing and Blackjack with publicity. they were listening to our music, favorite. It was With every band, the manager’s and it was good. It was crazy when nice because job is to manage the accounts and the we went on stage. A lot of stuff was money and run the “backstage” needs. going through my head.” we got to go This is what one parent contributes to Fifth grade was a long time ago backstage and the band. for high school students, but for actually perform “My dad calls them (venues) and Blackjack, a student band from West, gets us booked there. Usually they say it was just the beginning. As the there. no because we are under 18. My dad fifth grade talent show approached, Adrian Brinkley manages it (the band) and gets us gigs current sophomores Johnny sophomore and runs the Myspace and Facebook Blackwell and Cole Laughter wanted accounts,” Brinkley said. to perform. With Laughter already Blackjack planned to release the group’s first CD playing guitar and Blackwell beginning to sing, they this month. decided to start a band. “I am psyched about our first album. I am Pulling Brinkley into the band, the group had pumped. We are going to have a big CD release party enough talent to start Blackjack. “It (the talent show) seemed fun, like the right at the Grey Eagle in Asheville. It is going to be rager,” Blackwell said. thing to do at the time,” Blackwell said.
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Aury St. Germain Feature Writer
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