Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 6, 1995 TAG: 9502090008
SECTION: NEWSFUN PAGE: NF-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MIMI EUBANK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Two groups of young rockers are getting to find out just what it's all about to be in a band.
Neeley Minton and Ashley Case get their band, Wiplash, together once a week to practice. Guitarist Neeley, an eighth-grader at James Madison Middle School in Roanoke, and drummer Ashley, a seventh-grader at Cave Spring Junior High School in Roanoke County, played with some other kids last summer at their first gig at the Hunting Hills Country Club pool.
Afterward, lots of their friends told them, "Wow, you guys were really cool," said Neeley.
Wiplash plays music by its favorite bands, Nirvana and Green Day, but members also are trying to write some of their own music.
"We're proud of our own songs," said Neeley, who wrote the words for "Come With Me." Writing music has other advantages. "Nobody knows if we mess up," said Ashley.
But there's plenty of hard work and problems to overcome when you're in a band. First, you've got to find some friends who have instruments and know how to play them.
"It's hard to find a bass player," said Ashley, whose mom lets the band practice in the basement of their home.
Bass player Brad Oechslin, a seventh-grader at Roanoke's North Cross School, just joined the band in January.
Finding singers for their band wasn't easy, either, said Neeley, because at their age, "most guys' voices are changing."
Now that Wiplash has settled on lead singer Chip Knighton, an eighth-grader at James Madison, the band is "mostly just trying to practice," said Chip, before they play to an audience again.
It's also tough to find a time when everyone can get together.
"Someone's gotta do something every day of the week," said Neeley, who also plays tennis.
Trey Missimer and Rob McLean, eighth-graders at James Madison, have jammed with other people before, but now have formed their own band, Brown Helmut. They, too, say Nirvana and Green Day are their favorite bands.
Trey, the rhythm guitarist and lead singer, and Rob, the bass player, try to practice with lead guitarist Billy Blackburn and drummer Joe Lunsford as often as possible, but it isn't always easy to get together.
"Transportation can be a problem," said Trey, who, like members of both bands, has to rely on his parents to get him to practice.
Brown Helmut has played at a party at James Madison and will be playing for three more parties there in the spring. They also played at a party at Olympic Park pool.
Even as both bands are practicing together, all members are practicing on their own. Neeley, who has been playing guitar for two years, takes electric guitar lessons and Brad is taking bass guitar lessons.
And each member doesn't spend time on just one instrument. Ashley, who has been playing drums for two years, also can play guitar, and Neeley has taught herself how to play the drums. Brad has played the piano for several years, and Chip is taking lessons on his new acoustic guitar.
The members of Brown Helmut have learned to play different instruments as well.
Joe, who is in the seventh grade at James Madison, has been playing the drums for about seven years, but also can play the bass and the electric guitar. Trey occasionally plays drums for the band and has played percussion instruments at school. Billy, an eighth-grader at James Madison, can play the drums; and Rob can play the violin and the drums as well.
While members of both bands already have their own instruments, sound equipment is what both would like to have more of but can't afford.
"It's expensive equipment for kids our age," said Trey.
Both bands play a lot of music by Nirvana, but they do not look to its former lead singer, Kurt Cobain - who died of a drug overdose - as a role model.
"He would have been cool if he wasn't on drugs," said Neeley.
Trey also said he was bothered by Cobain's death, adding that "he had a lot of talent but just didn't know what to do with himself," because he was on drugs.
The parents of all band members are pretty proud of their young musicians - and happy to know their kids are doing something constructive.
Ashley Case's mother says she doesn't have to worry about her son all the time because "I know where he is" when he's practicing, she said. "I can sure hear him!"
Joe's mom likes to see the accomplishment her son and Brown Helmut enjoy when they get together and make the music happen.
"It's something different to do," said Joe. "You feel really good about yourself" when you hear yourself playing music, said Rob.
As for other young musicians, members of both bands have plenty of advice. "You shouldn't play an instrument because you think it's cool," said Billy. "You should play because you like music."
"You have to practice a lot," warned Brad.
"You should just have a good time," Neeley said.
by CNB