Biography
UPDATE:
Five A.M. has recored 2 new songs with producer Jeff Dawson. A music video for the song "Weightless" is currently being filmed and should be released early spring.
In April 2008, Five A.M.'s single "Be Still" became the #1 podcasted song in America (source: Podsafe Music Network), and stayed in the Top 5 for an entire month. Meanwhile, the track "Just Say Anything" has been added to playlists across the country (see list below).
In August, 2008, Five A.M. was included on KFOG 104.5's "Local Scene CD" for 2008. The band also played a KFOG Summer Concert with Rocco de Lucca August 14th.
BIOGRAPHY
In a small California town, in a small bar like many across the country, Five A.M. took the stage to once again prove themselves in front of a crowd who knew nothing of them or their music. As the sound swelled up and began to win over fans one by one, it poured out into the street until it reached a tired business man on his way home. Compelled by what he heard, he soon found himself in the club taking in the music. This chance encounter would be the first step of many, and he would quickly become a friend and energized supporter of the band, providing them funding akin to a record label. Thus began the year long adventure that became “Raise the Sun.” Recorded in Vancouver and San Francisco, Five A.M.'s third full length album teams the band with Grammy nominated producer Jeff Dawson (Daniel Powter's "Bad Day") and Grammy winning mixer Mike Fraser (Aerosmith, Hinder, AC/DC, Rush, Metallica). “Raise the Sun” was released in early 2008 to a sellout crowd of 400 in the band’s hometown of Santa Rosa, California.
Their angel investor had only just begun his crusade for Five A.M. He was so moved by the album’s first track, “Still in Love With You,” he wrote and produced a short film around it, featuring Ice T, Eddie Furlong, and Rumer Willis. It’s a powerful mini movie that speaks to the violence and atrocities humans inflict on each other, and aims to promote peace - a message perfectly keeping with the soul of the band.
“’Raise the Sun’ is an album of love, hope, and reaching for something bigger than oneself,” says lead singer and songwriter Trent Yaconelli. “I grew up believing the best kind of music was more than something to dance to. It was something that could change someone’s perspective, change someone’s life, bring people together or change the world. That’s what this collection of songs is about, and that’s what this band is about.”
Incredibly, “Raise the Sun” marks the third time Five A.M. fans have helped the band realize their music. In 2003, Five A.M. fans raised $21,000 to fund the groups’ debut album, “Degrees of Falling.” For their second outing “This Morphine Life,” they were literally pushed into the studio by the president of a recording college, who happened to hear them playing live for a campus webcast.
It’s this unique combination of energy and passion, both in their music and message, that compels listeners to Five A.M., and keeps them on the road playing over 70 dates per year throughout the western states. Their intense live energy has brought them into the league of national acts, where they've been billed with Train, Rocco DeLuca, Dishwalla, Cracker, Guster, Bob Schneider, The Gin Blossoms and Sister Hazel. And now, armed with the radio ready promise of “Raise the Sun” and the support of industry veterans, Five A.M. has stepped up to the plate, looking to make the same impact on a national level.
“By virtue of a highly polished radio-ready album, Five A.M. are poised, now more than ever, to break into a larger market. Full of solid hooks and thoughtful lyrics, there's no logical reason why ‘Raise the Sun’ shouldn't splash onto radio play lists in the Bay Area and across the country.” (The Bohemian).
Instrumentation
Five A.M. is:
Trent Yaconelli - lead vocals and guitar
Jed Friesen - drums
Zach Hammer - lead guitar and vocals
Benjie Kushins - Piano/keys & percussion
Jason McGrath - bass
Discography
"RAISE THE SUN" (full length CD)
Release date: Feb 2008
"THIS MORPHINE LIFE" (full length CD)
Release date: June 2005
"DEGREES OF FALLING" (full length CD)
Release date: January 2002
Sold to date: 5,000 copies
Radio airplay:
KFOG 104.5fm San Francisco, CA
KSAN/The Bone 107.7 fm San Francisco, CA
KINK/Kink FM 101.9 fm Portland
KMVY/mvy radio 92.7 fm Martha's Vineyard, MA
KMHX/The Mix 104.1 fm Santa Rosa, CA
KXFX/The Fox 101.7 fm Santa Rosa, CA
KZST 100.1 fm Santa Rosa, CA
KRSH/The Krush 59.9 fm Santa Rosa, CA
KUSF 90.3 fm San Francisco, CA
KVYN/The Vine 99.3 fm Napa, CA
KSUN 91.5 fm Rohnert Park, CA
KHUM Eugene, OR
KCLC 89.1 fm St. Louis, MI
WOCM 98.1 fm Ocean City, MD
KRVM 91.9 fm Eugene, OR
KAXE 91.7 fm Grand Rapids, MN
KTAO 101.9 fm Santa Fe/Taos, NM
WRRW 100.9 fm Virginia Beach, VA
KMTN 96.6 fm Jackson, WY
WBWC 88.3 fm Cleveland, OH
WholeWheatRadio Alaska
XM RADIO (Unsigned Artist Channel)
Yahoo Launchcast ("Be Still" reached #1 in the internet/podcast charts)
Pandora
Radio activity:
"Be Still" will be included in KFOG's 2008 "Local Scene" CD.
"Just Say Anything" was included on Radio MVY's "Fresh Produce" CD 2008.
KRSH 59.9 named "Degrees of Falling" their "CD Pick of the Week." This was the first time in the station's history that an unsigned band was given this distinction.
Five A.M.'s single "Paper Bag," from "Degrees of Falling" reached the Top 10 on Santa Rosa's 104.1 FM KMHX (The Mix), and stayed there for ten weeks.
Live/In Studio performances:
104.1 The Mix/KMHX (Santa Rosa), 100.1 KZST (Santa Rosa), 59.9 The Krush/KRSH (Santa Rosa), 90.3 KUSF Radio (San Francisco), 99.3 The Vine/KVYN (Napa), 91.5 KSUN (Rohnert Park). KRVM (Eugene), KINK (Portland), KMTT, KPND (Spokane), KVRO (Kalispell), Radio MVY (Martha's Vineyard).
Links
| http://www.fiveam.com |
| official website |