GARAGE BANDS ALL SHARE SAME HOPE: TO LIVE OFF THEIR MUSIC
BY: Katie Guiler, FOR THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Fatkid Dodgeball? Dirty Leon and the Showerheads? The central Ohio groups are just a couple of the many garage bands that hope to soon be as recognizable as Metallica or Green Day.
Brian Turnbull and Brian Frank started Fatkid Dodgeball after graduating from Pickerington High School in 1996.
"Our first show was in a barn, and our group just formed from there," Turnbull said.
Six years later, the group has expanded to include members Casey Potts and Jon [Lawrence, ed.]and is getting its first taste of success. It plays frequently at Columbus clubs such as Bella, Skully's and Old School (formerly Alcatraz). It also is working on recording and producing an album.
Fatkid Dodgeball is far from being satisfied.
"Music is our main focus now," Turnbull said. "This is long term, and, eventually, we want to get out of Columbus."
On the other end of the spectrum is Dirty Leon and the Showerheads, a group just starting out. Johnstown High School seniors Jake McKim, Mike Holley and Josh Oswald formed the band last year after playing together at school events.
Johnstown band director Mark Zirille supports the group.
"As a music teacher, my job is to promote music. If this motivates kids to play, then I'm all about it," he said.
Their main "gig" is backing up the school's chorale during concerts, but all of the musicians have been in other groups, some of which have played in area bars.
"The turning point in my outlook on music was the first time I got paid for playing," McKim said. "Getting 75 bucks for having fun for three hours blew my mind."
Both groups have had to overcome obstacles. Turnbull said that the greatest challenge Fatkid Dodgeball faced was getting respect in Columbus.
"At first we had to play on Monday nights in area clubs, but now, we play every Friday night. That's pretty cool."
The members of Dirty Leon and the Showerheads recognize that they will face similar difficulties.
"For me, finding time to practice and venues to play in are the hardest things," Holley said. "Getting support can be tough, too. My parents are supportive of my dream, but they want to make sure I keep my feet on the ground and have something else to fall back on."
McKim defines their goal:
"Ideally, we would achieve moderate success, but realistically, we'd all be happy to simply live off our music."
Members of both bands think that the persistence is worth it.
"There's no feeling in the world like performing for people who are into the music," Holley said.
Turnbull agreed:
"Playing is the best feeling. Hearing people sing back the words we wrote is incredible. There's no other thing we'd rather do."
