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SERVING CHAOS:
Consisting of powerhouse vocalist & radio personality Lauren Davis and
husband Mike Davis on guitar, the group is firmly grounded by drummer
Marty Burk (formerly of mid-90's & mid-Michigan faves The Jitters),
and last but not least, the undeniable talent of bassist/backing vocalist
Susan Light (formerly of the SVSU Jazz Ensemble, The Joey O Band, The
Perpetrators, and founder of the impressive percussive side-project, Like
Water Drum & Dance.
Musicianship and variety abound in this band, along with the professionalism one
would expect from such a committed combination of artists. And frankly, it's
also been a long time since the tri-cities have witnessed such a freshly
fashioned collection of material ranging from Incubus, Godsmack, to
The Foo Fighters, and even the occasional 70's chestnut such as Emerson,
Lake & Palmers 'From the Beginning', completely re-worked in a heavier, more
laid-back, contemporary groove. "I
took a break from music for five years," reflects Lauren. "The last gig I
performed was opening for Pat Benatar in Bay City, and the thing is, with
this band, I was determined never to perform any Benatar or Heart ever
again." As a
classically trained vocalist on the verge of embarking upon a career in Opera,
it's easy to see why Davis would be more intent on turning her immaculate vocal
prowess towards the intense passion embedded within A Perfect Circle as
opposed to the Wilson sisters. "The
thing is, I love to perform music," continues Davis, "but I also love to
entertain. And in order to do that, I wasn't looking to cover tunes that were
tired. Once we brought Marty into the band, everything started to click." Once
she heart what Lauren & Mike were concocting, Sue Light was eager to enter the
fold. "I wanted to play hard rock," she states. "I've played other types of
music over the years from jazz to Blues to Light Rock, but wanted to play the
harder stuff. So I set out to find other people that wanted to play the music I
wanted to play, came upon these individuals, and it's worked out great." As
fate would have it, a pair of life's simple twists of fate managed to postpone
the pursuit of the band for close to a year. First, Mike received a punch of
fate when he experienced a serious motorcycle accident that broke his neck in 3
places; but in the interim the blessings of fate also delivered a new baby into
the couple's lives. "I'll
never forget receiving the call when Mike got into his accident," recalls
Lauren. "From the tone of voice on the other end of the phone, I didn't know if
he was dead or not. So I raced to the hospital and thankfully he was alive. The
months following that were interesting. I was nurturing a disabled husband,
working at the radio station, and then handling a newborn. But when we started
up the band project again and found Marty, everything started to feel focused,
powerful, and 'right'." Was
it difficult for Mike to mend and play the guitar after his accident?
"Yeah, well, it took some time," he laconically responds. "Playing guitar in a
harness was painful at first, but eventually I got all my chops back. I'm
playing as good as I ever did. The only thing that's changed is that I don't
ride motorcycles anymore." As for Marty, after leaving The Jitters he moved to Tennessee for several years and then made his way back to Detroit, where he currently resides. "I'm driving so much anyway right now that it's not really a hassle driving up here for practice and gigs. Playing with good musicians is worth it."
What
does the group feel distinguishes their sound from other bands in the area?
"With only our third gig behind our belt, it's difficult to say," responds
Lauren. "But if I can reach out and get you to pay attention when you might not
want to with the kind of music that I want to play, then I'm doing my job.
Plus, with the range of material we perform, it's not your common fare." As
for their name, it seems to fit the timbre & demeanor of the band - with musical
phrasing that runs the gamut from exhilarating highs to fiercely impassioned
depths of emotion. "It's
funny," answers Lauren, "because chaos is what I serve for breakfast every
morning. But seriously, I was reading a book by Dean Koontz and he was talking
about a character that went around 'serving chaos'. I saw that line and liked
it." With
plans to eventually pursue original material, the breadth of songs that
Serving Chaos pursues through their set lists is ample proof that the group
undeniably has the talent to charter unexplored terrain. It's been a long time since the tri-cities has been given the opportunity to enjoy a band so talented, fresh, and focused. Definitely check them
out. Serving Chaos will again be performing at White's Bar
on Friday & Saturday, November 12 & 13.
Marty
Burk, Sue Light, Lauren Davis, and Mike Davis. |
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