CD compiles local music,
provides wanted publicity
By Nicole Arias
Staff
Writer
No one had done it yet, so a member of the local
band Summerfield created a compilation compact disc of the music of
eight Lafayette—area bands.
Jesse Charles, a distance learning computer technician
at Purdue, said he wanted to give local bands some exposure.
The CD was comprised of music by local bands Zambow,
MT Rhoades, Prozak Kittens, Adrenaline, Short Bus, Summerfield, Scott
Greeson and Red Almighty Mars.
The genre of these bands ranges from heavy rock,
to country, to the blues.
"It runs the gamut," Charles said. "I
think it’s a pretty good mix."
Although it cost him $300 to create the CDs using
his computer, Charles was successful.
The free CD was distributed in September at Von’s
Records. The supply of 250 discs ran out within a week.
Charles' goal is to make a compilation CD every
year. His method of production is burning the CDs on his computer, but
if it gets big enough, he said he would like to make the CDs professionally.
He said that although people would have to pay
for it, the CD would be a better product.
The compilation of this CD was not Charles' first
endeavor to promote local area bands.
Three years ago, Charles started the Web site lafayettemusic.net.
"A lot of bands were around, but no one knew each
other," he said. "I brought them together."
He said the Web site has gotten as many as 30,000
hits in a month.
Pat McClimans, the lead singer and guitarist for
MT Rhoades, said the Web site has increased his awareness of other Lafayette-area
bands, and he uses it to network.
"In a town like Lafayette and West Lafayette,
bands stick together," he said. "We’re all trying to
help each other out."
For example, McClimans said that if his band hears
of an opportunity to perform but can’t perform itself, the band
would give the show to another band they know.
Chris Russell, the guitarist for Summerfield, said
the Web site has given broad publicity to the music scene by including
links to other music Web sites such as the one for Indianapolis bands.
"Playing original music is a pretty challenging
thing and communicating with each other makes things easier," he said.
Besides being a good networking tool for bands,
it can also be a good resource for fans.
The Web site includes links to the Web pages of
21 bands, including those on the CD, most of which have background information,
performance schedules and samples of music.
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