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Local band Idle Ride is staying anything but idle in their quest to become a solid and appreciated band.
In this age of "Behind the Music," seeing VH1 constantly blast the stories of how bands like the Goo Goo Dolls or Blink 182 made it big, it might be easy for those outside the music scene to forget that there are hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of other bands out there hoping for success.
Idle Ride, of Martinsburg, is one of those groups who would prefer to ditch the day jobs and jump on a tour bus. Though national success remains a dream, they have come a long way already.
Idle Ride is made up of Jason Trenary, lead singer, rhythm guitarist, and primary songwriter; J.B. Tanner 364, bass; Mike Snyder, drums; and Dave Combs, who contributes lead guitar and backing vocals. They each have their own behind the scenes roles too, like concert scheduling, promoting, and taking care of finances.
Tanner and Trenary room together at Idle Ride headquarters, a.k.a. their apartment. On one recent evening, the guys gathered to talk about where they've been, what's going on now, and where they would like to be.
All in their 20's, the guys have a dorm-like camaraderie and look like they could have been plucked from any campus in the country. The small apartment is cluttered with sound equipment, mis-matched furniture, hundreds of CDs and a fooseball machine. A Woodstock '99 and a Rage Against the Machine poster are taped (not framed) on the wall and Trenary munches on dry cereal as he talks.
He, Snyder, and Combs have known each other since elemenary school and have been in various bands together in the past, some under the name Idle Ride with different members. The current lineup, which the guys insist is the most committed incarnation and the one that is in it for the long haul, has been together since November 2000.
"We made a pact at the beginning that there's no backing out now," Tanner says. Vestiges of their seriousness are he now-over three, four, and five-year girlfriends relationships they chucked for Idle Ride.
The name comes from a song Trenary wrote. It became the name of their first album and the group. They had been touring around without a group name and one day it struck them that Idle Ride would look good on a T-shirt.
"It also fit the group atmosphere at the time," Combs explains. "We felt like we were working so hard and weren't going anywhere. We'd play a show for like $25, which isn't much when you split it four ways."
Those early days, many of which took place before Snyder came on board, are the source of bemusement now. Combs say that first recording was made literally with green construction paper and a CD burner.
Things started to click when Tanner and Trenary hooked up with some song fragments they had sketched out and cranked out 12 songs in just four hours
Their much higher quality second CD just came back from being printed up. Called "Words in Their Eyes," it contains 13 of what they describe as their particular brand of "southern alternative rock." Trenary's grandmother helped with album-making expenses.
And they're national quarter-finalists on nextbigstar.com, a web site that Ed McMahon sponsors as a sort of online sucessor to his now-defunct Star Search talent search TV show. Music lovers can now log on, listen to bands, then vote for the ones they like.
Though they have more than 50 of their own songs copyrighted, the band performs covers during their marathon, four-hour-plus live shows. It might be Hank Williams Jr. one night or Lynyrd Skynyrd another.
Trenary's own songs range in topic from how he thinks things are going in America to a relaying of a time he went skinny-dipping in the 9th grade.
Local gigs have led to a group of fans from Shepherd College, where Combs and Trenary are finishing up their senior years. Lack of a local music scene have led the band elsewhere to build up a following. They still have gigs lined up in the Panhandle, but also frequently play in Winchester and other spots in Virginia.
They are passionate and committed to the band and say the chance to further their musical endeavors are what motivates them.
"That's what keeps us going," Trenary says. "That chance to get on the bus. The band is a huge expense but it's not about how much you make, it's about how much you can afford to lose."
"We don't think about wanting to be rock stars," Snyder adds. "If we could just travel around and survive doing this, that would great."
But being a rock star wouldn't be bad. Tanner raclls one recent show where a bunch of women stormed the stage while they were playing.
"I just looked around at this sea of women and I thought, "Man, we're getting paid for this?"
Weekends where gigs aren't lined up leave the band feeling despondant and at a lack for what to do. They say it just doesn't feel right not to be giving a show. Days in which they will be playing leave them giddy, excited, and unable to wait for that moment when they hit the stage, where they say they do their best work.
"We are a live band," Snyder says. "We're better live than in the studio and there's stuff we do that you'll never hear unless you come to one of ours shows."
"When you get a crowd singing along or dancing and getting into it, it's just the best feeling in the world," Trenary says.
Local rockers join forces with Musselman High School and the Journal to help the Red Cross
MARTINSBURG - Just about everybody wants to do something to help alleviate some of the damage and heartache caused by the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, but many have expressed frustration in their inability to do anything much to help.
Mike Snyder, drummer of local band Idle Ride, felt the same way but a conversation with his mother gave him an idea.
"She said, 'You're in a band - why not do something with that?'" Snyder recalls.
He mentioned it to his bandmates - J.B. Tanner, Dave Combs, and Jason Trenary, and they thought it was a good idea. "It wasn't even a question of not doing it," Snyder says.
So contrary to the first word in their group moniker, the Idle Ride guys decided to pull their resources together and "Concert for the Cause" is what they came up with.
Snyder contacted his friend, Mike Stiles, drama teacher at Musselman High School, for some help. Stiles arranged to allow for the concert to take place at the high school and volunteered his drama students to help out with the concert.
Snyder also checked around to see if there was any way The Journal, where he works as a graphic designer, could help out. Publisher L. Craig Bohrer had also been wanting to figure out some way the company could do something to benefit the Red Cross, so he agree to have The Journal Publishing Co. co-sponsor Concert for the Cause. About $2,000 of advertising was donated to publicize the event.
Sunday's concert is being billed as "two hours of music/dedication to honor our fellow countrymen lost in the nation's tragedy."
Snyder says Idle Ride will preform many of the same songs they play in their frequent area concerts, but he promises "there will be a few suprises."
He assures those planning to attend that there will be a definite patriotic theme running throughout the show, from the large flags that will adorn the stage, to some patriotic musical selections Musselman High students will preform.
All proceeds from the concert will go to the Red Cross amd half of the profits generated from the sale of Idle Ride merchandise (CDs, posters, ect.) will also be donated. Though the admission fee is only $5, Snyder says attendees who want to give more can certainly do so.
Idle Ride band members describe their music as "southern alternative rock."
"Its not quite straight-ahead rock or country but it has elements of both," Snyder says. "It's sort of like Lynyrd Skynyrd meets Pearl Jam."
Whatever they call it, the group members have been impressed by the willingness of other groups to help them get Concert for the Cause off the ground.
"Everybody wants to help," he says. "Now its the public's turn to chip in with their attendance."
I have to agree with you on that one....I know one of the band members very well...and I would like to say to them...that I am proud of all of you and congradulations....and good luck in all you do... And you better come to PA more often..LOL So I can see you people... Always have fun and just smile...PaLady
It's been a while since I've seen a band in this area get back to the basics of meaningful lyrics and stripped down in your face roots rock without the noise and vibration of metal guitars and a screaming guy who you never really understand. I saw these boys when they played for Gullifty's on Thursday and they absorbed absolutely all of my attention just by playing good music that I could understand and feel for...great work...let us all know when you are coming back to Harrisburg.
i did'nt see this band but i do know one thing they seemed to be everywhere at the conference. i thought it was nice to see a group that enjoyed being together even when they weren't on the stage. i talked to the four of them every night at the hilton shows. i've been wondering if they sounded as good as they looked.
Idle Ride definitely need to come back to Harrisburg :) I didnt even get to hear them, but I did get to video an interview with them and they're such nice lads! Couldnt have been any friendlier~