"All the bands I've ever loved...it wasn't because I saw them in concert. It was because they had that song, that sound," explains guitarist and background vocalist, Joey Aszterbaum. "After our fall tour, we listened to a cassette tape of the last show and agreed that the songs and the grooves were not up to snuff. A lot of our fans were in it for the visual performance, and that's great, but it was time for us to get serious about making music."
"It's virtually impossible to write music when you're on the road, between hotel rooms, driving and sound check," says Tyrone Wells, lead vocalist. He rents a house with seven other people in Fullerton, Ca. "My room is out back, disconnected from the rest of the house, so I can play guitar and sing at full voice any time of the night."
Am I pretty? (Word/Epic), their major label debut released in 1998, received some raves in critics' columns, was nominated for a Dove award ("Best Modern Rock Recording"), and sold spectacularly for a band in their genre without much radio play or an opening spot on a major tour. But skypark's sights were much higher.
Founder and bassist Tony Deerfield put it this way: "After meeting the band Flick, I had a revelation. It's not only possible, but it is a responsibility to transcend the limitations placed on modern music. So much music today is made for the quick fix, easy marketability. But the greatest albums seemed to have little to no concern for that... OK Computer, Dark Side of the Moon, Abbey Road, Unchained. Ten years ago I was impressed that I could play the Kinks' You Really Got Me. But now it's time to make rock history."
With the record company's support, skypark pushed back their sophomore release to May, 2000. They began a Monday through Friday writing regiment, converting Tyrone's bedroom into a rehearsal and recording studio. Winter turned to spring, with the band inviting all sorts of people in to critique the music. Thom Roy, who produced their debut, dropped in, as did Black Crowes guitarist Marc Ford.
"God has blessed us with a community of people and artists who have kindly offered their services to refine what we do," says drummer, Keith Gove. "We 've tried to take advantage of those opportunities to improve. It was difficult sometimes, but it brought years of experience to our music that we didn't have."
By summertime, skypark had written over forty songs. They recorded their ten best, affectionately (and appropriately) naming the project Bedroom Demos. They then hit the road for seven weeks, playing festivals and small venues in California, Oregon, Washington, Texas, Iowa, Illinois, Colorado and Alaska. Meanwhile, the demos caught the ear of producer Ed Stasium (Living Colour, The Ramones), who signed up to do the record.
With the leap in artistry between these two recordings, the long-haul dedication of all four band members, and the same work ethic applied to their live show as they have to the new record, skypark will transcend the modern rock scene and make rock and roll history.
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