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Getting Up Close
Thursday, March 9, 2000
BY AMY COWEN Times-Dispatch Youth Correspondent
After hours in a studio -- perfecting voices, sound and quality -- the music begins to fade and slowly turns to a ringing in the ears.
The studio doors open, and out stride five young artists who don't know whether to let out a shout of triumph or collapse onto the pavement out of exhaustion.
"Is it a dream?" Up Close members ask.
It's not, and boy bands 'N Sync and the Backstreet Boys better make room for these new kids on the block.
They're five local teens who combine acoustic guitar with harmonized vocals that have gone from doo-wop to pop.
The former is what got them noticed, but the latter -- and the two demos they recorded for a major record label -- may get them signed.
The name of that label is strictly confidential since nothing is firm; however, the key will be to stand apart from the rest of the pop music pack.
"We will distinguish ourselves from the pop music scene with our harmonies, first of all," said Matthew Stanley, a junior at Clover Hill High School. "We often sing in five-part harmony, while the other boy bands out there usually sing in two to three parts."
Then there's the instrument factor, he said. "Two of us play guitar for the group, and I'm going to learn how to play bass."
Flashback
Known as the Chorduroys, the original group formed four years ago under the direction of Clover Hill's former choral director, who doubled as the group's vocal coach.
While performing '50s and '60s music, the Chorduroys began to gain citywide recognition. The group's gigs ranged from entertaining residents at local retirement homes to opening for the Drifters at Richmond's Landmark Theater.
The vocal coach is no longer with the group, but it was he who submitted a tape of Chorduroys member and Clover Hill senior Paul Haasch to a New York contest, which led to the Phone Call.
From a major agent.
Who loved the voice.
But . . .
He wanted four more.
Consequently, Paul teamed with the three other group members -- Matthew, Clover Hill sophomore Jonathan Meadows and Manchester junior Seth Krisnow -- and the search was on for the fifth voice.
What a lucky day it was for Matt Donaldson, a freshman at John Tyler Community College.
Coincidentally, Jonathan's mother worked at the same Ukrop's as Matt Donaldson and overheard him humming one day. She asked if he sang, and the next thing he knew, he was thrust into an audition.
"I tried out and got it on the spot!" Matt said.
Jonathan can attest to that.
"He sounded perfect," Jonathan said. "We all looked at each other and thought, 'Hey, that's pretty good!'"
Jonathan said eight or nine other people from in and out of state tried out, but God's favor seemed to be with Matt.
In fact, as these active church members who are grounded by their faith will tell you, his favor has been with all of them. And his presence and inspiration, they said, makes the temptation to compromise obsolete.
"There will not be a conflict because we all realize that we could not have done any of this without God," said Matt Donaldson. "He gave us our voices and has brought us this far. We won't compromise our beliefs or morals, and we don't feel we should have to. The conflict will be with the individuals or industry that wants us to compromise."
Besides, said Seth, praising God in the pop world is not so unusual.
"If you look at the CD cover for 'N Sync and the Backstreet Boys, then you'll see that they talk about thanking God for everything," he said.
"People usually accept different people's views on things. I mean, if I believe in something and you don't, that doesn't mean we can't work together or that you can't listen to my music that I make."
Starting fresh
It has been more than three months since the quintet decided to change the name to Up Close.
It was the one name they all agreed on -- so far.
"For now it's Up Close, and maybe tomorrow it'll be something else," said Seth. "It's no biggie."
Since then "the ball has just been rolling," said Jonathan.
As of last month, the group had finished making two demos; it took a total of 25 hours in a local studio to produce a sound they liked. Members said the record company gave them money to produce two songs previously written by the studio's songwriters.
"It was tedious, but a very big learning experience," said Matthew. "We all had a good time."
Jonathan agreed.
"Yeah, we'd go from school to practice. Free time was very minimal. There is a lot of commitment required."
Dedication and hard work aside, the guys' real break won't come until they get an official contract.
"So, we've got to be committed, perfect what we have and do what our vocal coach tells us," Jonathan said.
The contract becomes reality only if their demos, which are in the hands of the record label execs, are approved.
If all goes well, members eventually hope to donate funds to organizations for the needy, as well as their churches, which have helped them along the way.
"The purpose of me doing this is not to get a lot of money," Jonathan said firmly. "It's because I love performing."
