Downside Joyride

Life is like a rollercoaster. Every day brings a new twist or turn , uphill climb or fall back down. Downside Joyride's songs tell the tale of the everyday struggles we have with love , loss , ourselves , and the world around us.

Downside Joyride was born sometime in 2007 when guitarist Todd Mihan found himself between projects. Todd began writing songs and recording them up at his studio in Hyde Park , NY. Before long the number of tunes reached over 30 and after the smoke cleared he found himself with some great material. The music is a fuse of rock , country , pop , and blues. "I had always been in heavier rock bands. I wanted to try my hand at something a little different.” Previous projects were more of a collaborative effort in sound and lyrics. This was a chance for Todd to use personal experiences to shape the style and tone of each song. The lyrics of songs such as Whiskey Thunder ring true to this musicians heart, which was written after the loss of a close friend. Todd say's. " I love the style of country guitar , and admire the musicianship in that genre. I have been playing a telecaster and learning the art of it for about 15 years now. This was a good chance to let the guitar have its own voice in telling my stories. Sometimes the rawness of a guitar riff can be as powerful as your lyrics." With the songs written it was time to take the project to the next level. Todd picked the best 14 songs of the lot and really started fine tuning them. He called his longtime friend Chris Trainor to play drums on some more demos at 3 Bays Studios in Redhook , NY. Chris’ solid performances in the studio sold Todd on playing with him in the future. After about a year and a half of writing and recording , it was time to form a complete band.

With the talented Chris Trainor now onboard , Todd set out to find some solid players. Mike Hamel’s name came to mind instantly for the position of bass guitar. Todd and Mike had played together in preivous bands. Mike is not only known to be a great bass player , but a talented singer and overall musician as well. The last space to fill was the role of rhythm guitar. Mike Morrison stepped up to fill that very important role. His strong musical sense and attention to detail made him a pefect match.
Since Downside Joyride began performing in the summer of 2009 the reponse has been great. The band continues to grow and the future looks very bright. Look for the finished CD to be complete in the summer of 2010.

Todd Mihan currently teaches guitar to 30 plus students at Alto Music in Wappingers Falls , NY. Todd submitted the first ever entry to ThePublicRecord.com , won an Ernie Ball Music man guitar and will be featured on the new Tommy Lee Methods of Mayhem record!