Aranda
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Aranda

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States | INDIE

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States | INDIE
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This band has not uploaded any videos

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"Aranda: "Idol" connection more than band ever dreamed"

Ever since "American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson decided to record "All I Ever Wanted” and "Whyyawannabringmedown” for her latest album, Dameon Aranda has had a lot of explaining to do.

Hard-edged rock is the stylistic calling of the Oklahoma City-based band called Aranda, which Dameon fronts with singing brother Gabe. And when they include those two songs in their set, someone invariably approaches them after the show and asks the same question.

"I mean, you’ll get people every night, it doesn’t fail, they’re like, ‘Man, why you guys coverin’ Kelly Clarkson? Why you doin’ a Kelly Clarkson song for your new single?’” he said in a recent phone interview from a tour stop in Denver.

Clarkson is a pop diva. "All I Ever Wanted” is the title tune of her most recent album, released in March. "Whyyawannabringmedown” is the ninth track on her disc. Aranda just issued its much harder rocking version of that same song as its new single.

The thing some newer Aranda fans don’t realize is that both songs were co-written by Dameon Aranda and two of his band’s producers, and both tunes are included on Aranda’s self-titled debut album, which was released in April 2008.

So it’s the other way around: Clarkson’s covering Aranda. But she’s a lot more famous at the moment.

The way it all happened, Dameon said, is that the wife of one of Aranda’s producers is best friends with Clarkson and turned the Idol on to the band’s music.

"(Clarkson) checked ’em out on MySpace and loved ’em,” the guitarist, co-vocalist and chief songwriter of Aranda said.

But Clarkson apparently thought the songs were demos from nonperforming songwriters when she paid for the rights to record them. When she found out the songs had been recorded by Aranda, she immediately telephoned Dameon to apologize.

"She called me, and she said, ‘I am so sorry, I didn’t know that these were on your album, and is it still OK for me to record them and put them on my album?’” Dameon recalled. "I was like, ‘Kelly, please, that would be a dream for us.’ I was kind of already shocked that Kelly Clarkson was calling me in the first place. ... It was funny because when she called, she was like, ‘Hey, what’s goin’ on? This is Kelly Clarkson.’ And I was like, ‘Man, who is this? You jokin’ around? What the heck?’”

The exposure, despite its unusual nature, has been invaluable. At least three major labels — which shall remain unnamed until a contract is signed — have expressed interest in the band, and Dameon has signed a publishing deal to write songs for other artists, having already worked with "American Idol” runner-up Adam Lambert and Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean, who’s working on a solo project.

Meanwhile, Aranda the band has shared the stage in the past year and a half with the All-American Rejects, Saliva, Shinedown, Puddle of Mudd, Theory of a Deadman, Black Stone Cherry and Tantric.

After a three-month absence, the band, which also includes Chad Roper (bass) and Mike Walker (drums), returns home to family and friends and to play a benefit concert for autism research Thursday at the University of Central Oklahoma in Edmond.

No doubt, they’ll get the same silly questions here, just like everywhere else.

"And obviously, look at us,” Dameon said. "I mean, it’s great conversation.”

Read more: http://newsok.com/aranda-idol-connection-more-than-band-ever-dreamed/article/3406760?custom_click=lead_story_title#ixzz0TGnfFPPq
- NewsOK


"Things picked up majorly with ARANDA"

August 30, 2009
By Kelly Crawford

Trees being back open is a fantastic thing. By far one of the best venues in Dallas it's starting to revitalize Deep Ellum. Friday night saw an amazing line up come through and given the opportunity to go a few different places I didn’t hesitate to head downtown.

Dallas's own VENTURE kicked off the night with a killer set as always. Though the crowd was still fairly small they had the place rocking. Second to last song was dedicated to Iceberg, owner of RenegadeRadio and champion to local and indie music.

A band I'd never heard of, ATOM SMASH was up next and honestly I wasn't all that impressed. Decent songs but they need to work on their stage presence a bit. I could see the potential but really guys, look alive up there.

Things picked up majorly when ARANDA took the stage. Hailing from Oklahoma City these two brothers know how to put on one he'll of a show. I saw them for the first time at this year's EdgeFest and bought their CD the minute I could. I was even more impressed this time. Not only are their songs catchy and show off their talent but they have amazing stage presence. Few bands engage the audience like these guys and we were all dancing and singing along. I'm still a bit hoarse!

Of course the night just got better still. TANTRIC took the stage to a very ready crowd and while they might have had to encourage the audience to be louder at times I think it was clear we were all enjoying it. Moving between old and new songs they commanded the stage and had the crowd singing along and by the end of the night everyone wanted to keep the party going. Sadly all good things come to an end but it was one hell of a show and a great way to kick off the weekend.
- Examiner.com


"Aranda to perform at HogsPalace in Leoni Township"

September 17, 2009
By Bill Chapin

For all the advantages that come with having Kelly Clarkson record two of your songs — from recognition to royalties — it does have its downside.
When your rock band performs the tunes live, you have to explain to people that you're not disrespecting the "American Idol" winner by covering her; rather, she is the one covering you.

Welcome to life in 2009 for Oklahoma City band Aranda, fronted by brothers Dameon and Gabe Aranda. Clarkson recorded versions of two songs, "All I Ever Wanted" and "Whyyawannabringmedown," off of Aranda's self-titled debut. Both are featured on her latest album.

Fans will be able to hear how the band's rocking versions compare to Clarkson's interpretations when the band performs Friday at HogsPalace in Leoni Township, where they are opening for Kentucky rockers Tantric.
Dameon Aranda said the band's fortune was "blind luck."
"We happen to know a friend of a friend of a friend," he said.
That friend is producer Sam Watters, who in the 1990s performed with fellow Oklahoma City group Color Me Badd. Watters helped to get Aranda a meeting with Sony Music Entertainment head Tommy Mottola, who signed the group on the spot.
"You know how the music business is," Dameon Aranda said. "They want to mold you into something. We were kind of a rock band, and they wanted us to be a lot more pop.
"We were signed for two and a half years and never released anything."
While Gabe Aranda moved back home, Dameon Aranda was offered a publishing deal. After a few years writing songs for other artists, he, too, returned to Oklahoma to start the band back up.
When it came time to finally record and release an album, the brothers got Watters and his songwriter partner, Louis Biancaniello, to produce it.
Watters also is married to former "American Idol" contestant Tamyra Gray, and it was Gray that first had Clarkson listen to Aranda, Dameon Aranda said.
He didn't even know Clarkson had recorded the songs until she called to ask permission to include them on her album, which she named after "All I Ever Wanted."
"She's just a great person and obviously one of the best voices in pop music," Dameon Aranda said. "To have her do that stuff is just an honor."
The band takes pride in the variety of sounds and styles on their album, which ranges from angsty punk to disco-influenced grooves. Too many bands nowadays have albums in which all the songs sound exactly the same, Dameon Aranda said.
"Bands like The Beatles and Led Zeppelin, they had a lot of different textures on different songs, so it wasn't boring," he said. "We like to think that our album sounds different from top to bottom."
The brothers have been performing together since even before they learned to play any instruments.
"We would get tennis rackets out ... and put on Beatles songs and try to perform in front of our grandma, wishing we were The Beatles," Dameon Aranda said. "It was a lot of fun."
- mlive.com


"Idol Chatter Aranda: Another Idol link to the York Fair"

September 16, 2009
By Mark Franklin

Kelly Clarkson and Bucky Covington have already played the York Fair. David Cook will take the Toyota Grandstand stage Friday night.
Want another American Idol link to the fair?
Try tonight’s grandstand show — the X-treme Rock Star Showdown with the bands Pop Evil, Tantric and Aranda.
Aranda features brothers Gabe and Dameon Aranda. Neither name is likely to strike a chord with Idol fans.
But perhaps two songs they helped co-write will: “All I Ever Wanted” and “Whyyawannabringmedown.”
Both, of course, are on Kelly’s new CD, also named “All I Ever Wanted.”
But first they were on Aranda’s debut album, released by Astonish Entertainment last year.
Aranda wrote the songs with producers Louis Biancaniello and Sam Watters in 2007. Those producers also worked with Kelly on her latest album and presented the Aranda songs to the original Idol.
Both wound up on the disc.
“All I Ever Wanted” is one of several incredibly catchy songs on Kelly’s pop-radio friendly CD. The San Francisco Chronicle labeled “Whyyawannabringmedown” as the “heavy metal centerpiece” on an album worthy of wild applause.
You can hear Aranda’s version of the songs — in fact, two versions of “Whyyawannabringmedown” — on the bands MySpace page. A deluxe version of the band’s debut album has been released, and the band recently completed a video of “Whyyawannabringmedown” that will be released sometime this fall.
Aranda also includes Chad Roper and Mike Walker and is based in Oklahoma City. - In York - The York Dispatch


Discography

"Deluxe Edition" album released June 2009

Self-titled debut album released April 22, 2008

"405 Sessions" released 2004

Photos

Bio

KELLY CLARKSON COVERS TWO ARANDA SONGS ON HER NEW ALBUM, INCLUDING TITLE TRACK “ALL I EVER WANTED”

NEW SINGLE “WHYYAWANNABRINGMEDOWN” BREAKS INTO TOP 30 ON ACTIVE ROCK RADIO CHARTS

Aranda is currently on a three-month long, nationwide tour with Tantric. The tour arrives on the heels of the band’s acclaimed self-titled debut, which caught the ear of Kelly Clarkson. Clarkson hand-picked two Aranda songs, “Whyyawannabringmedown” and “All I Ever Wanted”, to cover on her new album and selected the latter track to be the title of her own album. Additionally, World Wrestling Entertainment recently selected “Whyyawannabringmedown” as the theme song for their June pay-per-view event, “The Bash.” Please see reverse for tour schedule.

Aranda’s self-titled debut album is out now and features 11 songs, including “Still in the Dark” and “Whyyawannabringmedown,” which recently broke into the Top 30 on the Active Rock Radio charts. Astonish Entertainment just released a deluxe edition of their debut, which includes live tracks and a radio mix of single “Whyyawannabringmedown.”

Aranda is fronted by brothers Gabe and Dameon Aranda and the band also includes Chad Roper and Mike Walker. Gabe and Dameon have been playing together since they were young children. Dameon has written songs for Grammy-nominated producers Sam Watters, Louis Biancaniello, and Mark Ronson. The band is based in Oklahoma City and has previously performed with The All-American Rejects, Saliva, Shinedown, Puddle of Mudd, Theory of a Deadman, and Black Stone Cherry.

For more information, please contact Ross Clark or Carla Sacks at Sacks & Co., 212.741.1000, roclark@gmail.com or carla@sacksco.com.