More Than a Chance Meeting

SomeKindaWonderful

A person can never have too many friends! When you really sit down and give it some thought, you find that the statement makes a lot of sense. In fact, it might even be true when thinking about associates, and/or acquaintances. Of course most of us understand the difference between real friends, and those we associate with via school, workplace and sometimes business. Sometimes I reflect upon my high school years as I approached graduation. The feeling of happiness and accomplishment were tempered because I was moving far away from home, where high school classmates and even good friends would no longer be in close proximity.  Yes, I had feelings of anxiety knowing I would be surrounded by different people. I would possibly choose new friends. Like everyone else I continued to experience normal changes in people of influence as the pages of life turned ever so often. However, it was the way that people came into my circle of influence that was interesting. I’m sure we all have experience with seeking individuals who could help us in some way. The stories regarding how we meet others can be compelling indeed. I met one longtime business partner at a McDonald’s restaurant years after being just fellow students in one college class. From that meeting we went on to become friends and partners in a music publishing and recording company. Why does association work with some more than others? I wanted to examine that question this week as I chose to feature up and coming musical group: SomeKindaWonderful.

In any description of SomeKindaWonderful, there are a couple of things that should be mentioned. First of all they currently have a top 20 first release in the song “Reverse“. Second, if you get a chance to listen to their entire album, you will hear that they have already developed a unique, eclectic sound. SomeKindaWonderful music seems to cry out for live performances, and the band answers the call. They are currently on the road playing an exhausting schedule of intimate venues across the country.

Everything about SomeKindaWonderful seems to be a throwback to days past; when bands relied upon clever songwriting and instrumental talent to entertain and grow their fan base. Their hit song “Reverse” is a self-descriptive tale of heartbreak told in reverse because of the story’s painful nature. The song lyrics are a very clever premise that works well. As I stated in the beginning of this post, how this group formed is an intriguing story. Here is how lead vocalist Jordy Towers described SomeKindaWonderful’s story:

“Basically..I used to be signed to Interscope records, I was their golden boy for 2 seconds. They tried to change me as an artist and when it didn’t work, they dropped me. I’ve been dropped for a year, people stopped returning my calls. I moved to the back woods of Ohio and opened a bar with some family. I met some musicians out there in the woods and created a sound with them. We call ourselves SomeKindofWonderful and our first song is called Reverse.”

Towers makes it sound like any of us could find musicians and start a successful band. There are many factors that dictate how much success any musical act will achieve, but SomeKindaWonderful has quickly found their way. Therefore, it appears that Jordy Towers did not just find random musicians in a bar, he found talented musicians who shared his creative process. “Reverse,” was recorded in less than three hours after SomeKindaWonderful met in that Cleveland, Ohio bar. I’m sure many of you who are musicians reading this post have played in jam sessions with musicians you did not know previously. Sometimes you get a good sound and develop an ability to play well together, but not top 20 songs.  Apparently their relationship is something special.

Relationships, whether for business purposes or music, normally need time and all parties need experience working together in order to develop into a unit that works well. I have seen several bands that even after spending countless hours working together, were not able to record any music remotely close to marketable. When I hear the story of how SomeKindaWonderful met and were quickly able to gel, it tells me that their initial meeting was much more than a chance meeting.

I’m happy for them that they were able to find each other. Should musicians wait to find that special unit that just works right away? Not really! Most people don’t live that long. Seeking the right personnel musically is the normal part of the process of building a band. Therefore, for most bands time is necessary in order to become a special unit. Time is needed in order to find members, and to learn to trust each other. Once those things occur your band could be ready to entertain an audience. One thing is certain: it takes more than a chance meeting to create a special musical unit. SomeKindofWonderful sounds like the real deal!