Quietdrive: Spilling Their Guts and Making Their Own Rules
November 2006
Perhaps John Tucker Must Die might have survived its rapid fall from box office grace had this summer’s moviegoers traded their tickets for soundtracks.
Viewers are sure to recognize the repetitive melody of Cyndi Lauper’s 1984 chart-topper "Time After Time" streaming from the screen. However, the track, sans its dynamic songstress, is instead covered by Minneapolis-based Quietdrive, a quintet currently touring nationally and collecting thousands of fans en route.
Consisting of Kevin Truckenmiller, lead vocalist, guitarists Matt Kirby and Justin Bonhiver, bassist Droo Hastings, and drummer Brandon Lanier, Quietdrive recently made their debut in Boston last month, playing an acoustic set at First Act Guitar Studio.
Minus Hastings and Lanier, the band performed from their ten-track Epic Records release When All That’s Left is You to an intimate, but nonetheless excited crowd.
With almost 800,000 visits to their MySpace music webpage, Quietdrive stands out among most popular bands, having taken advantage of newer Internet developments such as MySpace, podcasts, and blogs as vehicles for relating to fans on a more personal level.
In an exclusive interview, Kirby notes, "[MySpace] was an accelerated path; we found an angle and decided to exploit it as best we could."
Genuinely devoted to their ever-growing fan base, Truckenmiller adds, "We’ll almost go to any length [for a fan]. We have that luxury right now."
Luxurious, though, is not a fitting description of these remarkably tall, down-to-earth Midwestern boys whose vision to succeed, their "quiet drive" instills a determination rarely encountered in the music scene today.
Discussing the transition from college dorm to tour van, Kirby says, "To gain a lot, you’ve gotta give away a lot. It’s a huge sacrifice. You have to put your life as you know it on hold to produce something bigger. Everyone needs to be committed."
Inspired by a range of music icons from the Beach Boys to Beethoven, Quietdrive can be categorized as pop, rock, or even punk/pop, but confining their unique sound to a genre of Billboard chart would be a true injustice.
Kirby states, "We’re just trying to write music that is attainable for everyone to listen to. We want an eighty-year-old grandmother, and we want a six-year-old kid bumpin’ around in the car."
For Quietdrive, this goal is not difficult to achieve, as all of their catchy, talent-laced songs are infused with enough lyrical talent to give each one its own palpable personality.
A classical violinist for twelve years, Truckenmiller attributes his philosophical approach to life as the fuel for his writing.
"I always try to examine things very closely…the most important things in life that we take for granted everyday," he says, continuing, "I just like to focus in like a microscope and just really expose them and try to get people to feel that emotion. We don’t want to be all talk; we want to be more than words."
As for Quietdrive’s future, Kirby says, "We’re gonna get to be on tour, come home for two weeks—record, then come back out and tour."
Truckenmiller divulged the news of a possible winter re-release of their album, as well as the recording of a new song, "Pretend," which Kirby describes as "a dance number…significantly different from any of the other stuff that’s on the record."
To any aspiring musicians, Truckenmiller emphasizes the fundamental importance to "write great songs." Kirby advises, "Go out and really push them, and if you’re really confident about your music, good things will happen."
Certainly, good things have already happened for Quietdrive. Their inclusion on a major motion picture soundtrack alone proves, as Kirby conveys, "It means someone out there who likes music likes us. It’s pretty honoring."
Immediately likeable and decidedly talented, the members of Quietdrive exude a genuine graciousness, respect, and loyalty towards their fans which will assuredly keep audiences coming back time after time.
On the band’s current and potential/inevitable success, Kirby says, "I don’t need it to be fast. I don’t need it to be long. I just want it to be consistent and constant."
Does that mean there’s no rush to win any MTV Moonman statuettes?
"No, I wouldn’t really say that," Kirby says, then rethinks, "I would like ten. I want one in every room of the house. That would be nice."
Truckenmiller agrees, "That would be nice."
Links: Official Site | Facebook | Twitter
Viewers are sure to recognize the repetitive melody of Cyndi Lauper’s 1984 chart-topper "Time After Time" streaming from the screen. However, the track, sans its dynamic songstress, is instead covered by Minneapolis-based Quietdrive, a quintet currently touring nationally and collecting thousands of fans en route.
Consisting of Kevin Truckenmiller, lead vocalist, guitarists Matt Kirby and Justin Bonhiver, bassist Droo Hastings, and drummer Brandon Lanier, Quietdrive recently made their debut in Boston last month, playing an acoustic set at First Act Guitar Studio.
Minus Hastings and Lanier, the band performed from their ten-track Epic Records release When All That’s Left is You to an intimate, but nonetheless excited crowd.
With almost 800,000 visits to their MySpace music webpage, Quietdrive stands out among most popular bands, having taken advantage of newer Internet developments such as MySpace, podcasts, and blogs as vehicles for relating to fans on a more personal level.
In an exclusive interview, Kirby notes, "[MySpace] was an accelerated path; we found an angle and decided to exploit it as best we could."
Genuinely devoted to their ever-growing fan base, Truckenmiller adds, "We’ll almost go to any length [for a fan]. We have that luxury right now."
Luxurious, though, is not a fitting description of these remarkably tall, down-to-earth Midwestern boys whose vision to succeed, their "quiet drive" instills a determination rarely encountered in the music scene today.
Discussing the transition from college dorm to tour van, Kirby says, "To gain a lot, you’ve gotta give away a lot. It’s a huge sacrifice. You have to put your life as you know it on hold to produce something bigger. Everyone needs to be committed."
Inspired by a range of music icons from the Beach Boys to Beethoven, Quietdrive can be categorized as pop, rock, or even punk/pop, but confining their unique sound to a genre of Billboard chart would be a true injustice.
Kirby states, "We’re just trying to write music that is attainable for everyone to listen to. We want an eighty-year-old grandmother, and we want a six-year-old kid bumpin’ around in the car."
For Quietdrive, this goal is not difficult to achieve, as all of their catchy, talent-laced songs are infused with enough lyrical talent to give each one its own palpable personality.
A classical violinist for twelve years, Truckenmiller attributes his philosophical approach to life as the fuel for his writing.
"I always try to examine things very closely…the most important things in life that we take for granted everyday," he says, continuing, "I just like to focus in like a microscope and just really expose them and try to get people to feel that emotion. We don’t want to be all talk; we want to be more than words."
As for Quietdrive’s future, Kirby says, "We’re gonna get to be on tour, come home for two weeks—record, then come back out and tour."
Truckenmiller divulged the news of a possible winter re-release of their album, as well as the recording of a new song, "Pretend," which Kirby describes as "a dance number…significantly different from any of the other stuff that’s on the record."
To any aspiring musicians, Truckenmiller emphasizes the fundamental importance to "write great songs." Kirby advises, "Go out and really push them, and if you’re really confident about your music, good things will happen."
Certainly, good things have already happened for Quietdrive. Their inclusion on a major motion picture soundtrack alone proves, as Kirby conveys, "It means someone out there who likes music likes us. It’s pretty honoring."
Immediately likeable and decidedly talented, the members of Quietdrive exude a genuine graciousness, respect, and loyalty towards their fans which will assuredly keep audiences coming back time after time.
On the band’s current and potential/inevitable success, Kirby says, "I don’t need it to be fast. I don’t need it to be long. I just want it to be consistent and constant."
Does that mean there’s no rush to win any MTV Moonman statuettes?
"No, I wouldn’t really say that," Kirby says, then rethinks, "I would like ten. I want one in every room of the house. That would be nice."
Truckenmiller agrees, "That would be nice."
Links: Official Site | Facebook | Twitter
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