Young, local band to release CD
Brant
By Catherine Pillsbury
Staff Reporter

At an average age of 18, the members of Brant, a local band, are already preparing for their CD debut party.

“They’re dedicated,” said Laura Tull, their mentor and former lead singer of the Dixie Chicks. “And that’s really what it takes to put together an album, because it really does bring out so many weaknesses and strengths in individual playing and styles.”

James Gorski and Drew Snyder met Tull at an art studio, and without knowing she had a musical background, Snyder started playing his guitar.

“I said, ‘OK, halt the world, who are you guys?’ ” Tull said. “They have a lot of musical experience for their age, and I really got interested in who they were personally and as a group.”

The self-managing band recorded their 11 songs in eight days and have been played on the TCU and University of Pennsylvania radio stations, and at private parties.

“We played at my sister’s wedding ... we’re wedding singers,” said drummer Will Northern.

However, they’re anything but wedding singers. It’s all rock music, but each song has a different flare. One song has a jazz tone and another a Spanish feel, Northern said.

“The coolest thing about the music is it’s a simulation of different genres,” Snyder, the lead singer, said.

Brant had to borrow money from their parents and Tull to pay for time in the recording studio, merchandise and the debut party, totaling about $11,000, but they plan to pay them back, Northern said.

“This is our dream,” he said. “We’re doing it in a professional manner, so it’s something they can see we’re serious about.”

Tull said she’s proud of the band and that she can see them opening for a band like The Strokes.

“We would not have this at all without her,” Northern said. “She’s helped us by using her connections of the music world.”

Brant printed 1,000 CDs and will be selling them, along with T-shirts and stickers, at the release party, which will be held at Joe T. Garcia’s at 6 p.m. Sunday.