Brandt Cooley

Musical taste, like most adolecents in my psuedo rebellious position, stayed in the heavy range. I spent my high school years trying to emulate the bands that I loved, but once I got to college I realized that things that were unique were much more intriguing, so I started to hear and search for anything I could listen to. Primus and Toadies will always be the biggest influences on originality and songwriting, but after hearing Ben Folds Five, Ben Harper, The Planet The, The Pixies Stevie Wonder, Nickel Creek, Portishead, Bjork, Dave Brubeck, the Beatles, I really really wanted to create something original, like they all did. So I started to record at home, because that's where I had the most freedom to experiment. I had my first experience playing and singing at a church retreat, it just so happened I was in front of 400 people. From that point on, I knew that that was what I wanted to do. there's no better feeling than having a room full of people who are enjoying the music you're playing just as much as you are, even better when it's music you've written. I feel like I'm cheating if stuff I write sounds too 'normal, so I throw it away, I usually don't try and revive it, because if it doesn't grab me, why would it grab anyone else?

In high school I was in Static Farm with Travis Howe
Moved to Ruston to be in Swifty with changing names and members. Brian Hauser and I were the only two consistant members, bass players have been Lance Guy, Matt Abrahm, and Nick Van Der Meer. Performed with Monty Russell (http://www.montyrussell.com/) at various shows.

Is that was I was supposed to write?