Anchors For Reality

Our tale begins in the ashes of a Phoenix Ignition. Three unlikely bodies glued together fusing aspiration, hope, and a distant light at the end of the tunnel.

"When Alex (lead vocals/guitar) and I started we had nothing but an out of tune guitar and each other. But that didn't stop us from cold nights in my garage." states Erno, bassist and Co-founding member.

A4R spawned from the tourist epicenter known as Petoskey, Michigan. The band struggled your typical small town uphill battle contending with police threats, renting out VFW halls, and pulling in attendance from a microscopic population.

Don't let the age of this band fool you. Although Anchors was born November 1st, 2004, they've kept themselves busy to say the least. With more than 200 hundred combined shows in 35 states, they've built a reputation for being road warriors.

"They are talented, and to their credit they have a heavy tour schedule. This is most promising and an excellent opportunity for inner-band growth." -BFR magazine

They departed on a full scale national tour only two weeks after forming. Equipped with acoustic guitars and blank cd's, Alex and Randall traveled across the east coast performing to anyone who would listen.

"We had a junky white Aerostar, a couple of laundry baskets of clothes, and some pictures glued to the dashboard of our friends from back home." -Grubaugh

After the tour the duo took an unlikely path, splitting up into teams.

Randall set off across the United States performing slam poetry, merching and servicing himself as a tour bassist. He held residency in Philadelphia, PA, New Castle, DE, Pittsburgh, PA, Eaton, OH, St. Louis, MO and many more. All the while he was telling kids about Anchors.

Alex stayed at home and found the next piece of the puzzle, which would come in the form of drummer Scott Mariner. Scott had a reputation around town for his cunning drum skills and humble attitude. He was just what the band was missing.

The songs then took on electric form. Like a pregnancy, Scott and Alex took the next 9 months devolving, nursing, and constructing what would become their first full length cd in the basement of a local hair salon.

To help the writing process they recorded their first EP titled, "Honesty.EP." This enabled the band to post electric versions of the new material online for Randall to learn from the road.

After hearing the record Randall knew it was time for him to come home. Finally, Anchors could blossom into full formation.

In the summer of 2005 the boys pooled together their resources, and moved into a small two bedroom apartment in Petoskey's famed, "Emmet Street Ghetto."

Equipped with mold, pizza rolls, and the sludgy bathtub, they would finally have an atmosphere to work in.

"It wasn't much but it gave us enough space to spray paint t-shirts." laughs Mariner.

"We didn't even have the Internet. We'd just drive around town stealing wireless from hotels, or pose as students at our local college to book shows."-Erno

The band quickly gained momentum. Backing local concerts and winning the "Battle On The Bay" they earned themselves studio time to make another EP titled "Searching For Something."

The winter of 2005 would prove to be the bands toughest time yet. Battling for two months touring through the harsh blizzards of the midwest, the band learned a hard lesson on seasonal planning.

"It would take us 7 hours to make a 3 hour drive. We learned to just keep each other company by singing to the radio."-Grubaugh

After the tour the band decided to take a much needed break. Alex moved to Pittsburgh and joined AMbridge, Randall moved to Philadelphia to record a solo record, then to South Carolina to join Darling Waste, and Scott moved to North Carolina to join Enemy of Silence.

But the break wouldn't last long.

After a couple months apart and several phone calls, email's, and fan mail, the three just couldn't take being apart from one another.

This was a second wind that no one was prepared for. Buckling down with a four day a week practice schedule, the band rid themselves of all the responsibility that affected the band. They quit their jobs and girlfriends, making music the primary driving force in their lives

Early summer of 2006 they received the opportunity of a lifetime. The sought after record deal brought to them by Runway Records of Detroit.

The label would instantly send Anchors to Atlanta, GA to record with Matt Mallpass @ Marigolds and Monsters.

The end result was the "Honesty.LP." A culmination of two years of homelessness, struggle, and the dreams of three small town boys all wrapped up in digital form.

Keep an eye out America.