Fire Nuns

The first place I really heard Wax Bananas was last summer at the BAM Festival in Woodle Park in Sturgis. I was impressed. It was four young men — Hadrian Michael Kindt on guitar and vocals, Sam Matson on lead guitar, Adam Mundorf on bass and Steven Cady on drums — who know their instruments and play well together.

This year, the Wax Bananas have become Fire Nuns, and have released their first CD, “Dad, Jr.” Their instrumentation is clean and intricate. They have the beat. I find myself bopping at the keyboard, listening to “Dad, Jr.”

I hear things that remind me of the Beatles, various metal bands I didn’t like well enough to remember a name and something I think of as Euro-pop. I might be missing some blatant imitation, but I doubt it it. These young men have taken too much care in everything else to be anything but original.

Some of the songs touch me. “Three In One” has a '60s sort of appeal: “In the sunshine, don’t you know, you can do whatever you want.” “Everybody’s Perfect” takes me back to my childhood, and cracks open a little bubble of nostalgia that makes me smile.

“Girl From Another Town” is my favorite. It reminds me a bit of Simon and Garfunkel's “America,” with a definite 21st century twist. Boy going to see his mom, meets girl on a bus, she puts him at ease and takes him home for tea and chocolate fondue. Mom is worried and calls the cops, “because she thought I was lost, but in my mind I had been found by the girl from another town.”

For more information on Fire Nuns, go to http://firenuns.bandcamp.com/ or email them at Firenuns@gmail.com. - Rapid City Journal

Fire Nuns are a four piece rock and roll group located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Initially playing shows as the Wax Bananas, the band's first album as Fire Nuns 'Dad, Jr.', was released on March 7th, 2013. "Seeing "Dad, Jr." up on Spotify is pretty cool! I use the service a good deal, and have discovered heaps of bands I wouldn't have otherwise. I am also very proud of our live performances, whenever I think we have played the most chaotic show we will play, we always seem to find a way to top it."

popVLTR: You've been making moves in South Dakota, how'd you get into music? FN: Hadrian: I got into music because I realized it was the only thing I enjoyed doing that could actually be good for me.
Steven: My father is a musician and he indoctrinated a love of music in me at a very young age. Some of my earliest memories are of listening to The Beatles and The Police on cassette. Sam: I've been playing guitar since the age of 6, and I've had a love affair with music ever since my parents first played me The Beatles. Adam: I have been into music for as long as i can remember. I think my first band was started in like 2nd grade....we didn't have any songs, but we were a band. Trust me.

popVLTR: Congrats on 'Dad, Jr.', who are some of your influences? FN: Hadrian: I've got too many influences and I'm getting more every day. Steven:My tastes are all over the place, but in terms of my role in the band, some drummers that have had an impact on me are Stewart Copeland, Fabrizio Moretti, Matt Helders, and Dave Grohl. Sam:George Harrison, Nick Valensi, and Josh Homme have definitely been big influences on me as of late, though my guitar playing always goes back to the Chuck Berry licks i learned when I first started playing. Adam: Steve Harris, and Les Claypool are the big ones for me. They taught me not to be a lazy bassist.

popVLTR: What are some of your proudest moments in music so far? FN: Hadrian: I'm proud of the fact that we've managed to stay together as long as we have. It's not always easy being an original band in South Dakota, but I think we've been playing long enough, and we're starting to get the recognition we've worked hard for. Steven: Making this record. It's one of the most creatively-satisfying things I've ever embarked on, and I'm already seeing some minor recognition with is nice. Sam: The 5-month process of making this album was one of the most incredible experiences, and I'm already looking forward to the next one. Adam: Seeing "Dad, Jr." up on Spotify is pretty cool! I use the service a good deal, and have discovered heaps of bands I wouldn't have otherwise. I am also very proud of our live performances, whenever I think we have played the most chaotic show we will play, we always seem to find a way to top it.

popVLTR: What cool stuff is on the horizon for Fire Nuns? FN: Hadrian: We hope to find a tour to jump on board with. I think that's doable. Steven: Relocate, tour as much as we can, and make more records Sam: Tour the country, play some music, and live life. We'll also be relocating to Oregon, which should be another awesome chapter on this epic journey of rock. Adam: We have a couple of gigs in cities we have never played before, Sioux falls w/Charlie Siren, and a headlining gig in Denver. The album is popping up in more and more online outlets as the days go by, and a physical release is in the works. After that, only time will tell, I got my fingers crossed to hop on a couple tours this summer though. - Pop Vulture

Fire Nuns are a four piece rock and roll group located in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Initially playing shows as the Wax Bananas, the band's first album as Fire Nuns 'Dad, Jr.', was released on March 7th, 2013. "Seeing "Dad, Jr." up on Spotify is pretty cool! I use the service a good deal, and have discovered heaps of bands I wouldn't have otherwise. I am also very proud of our live performances, whenever I think we have played the most chaotic show we will play, we always seem to find a way to top it."

popVLTR: You've been making moves in South Dakota, how'd you get into music? FN: Hadrian: I got into music because I realized it was the only thing I enjoyed doing that could actually be good for me.
Steven: My father is a musician and he indoctrinated a love of music in me at a very young age. Some of my earliest memories are of listening to The Beatles and The Police on cassette. Sam: I've been playing guitar since the age of 6, and I've had a love affair with music ever since my parents first played me The Beatles. Adam: I have been into music for as long as i can remember. I think my first band was started in like 2nd grade....we didn't have any songs, but we were a band. Trust me.

popVLTR: Congrats on 'Dad, Jr.', who are some of your influences? FN: Hadrian: I've got too many influences and I'm getting more every day. Steven:My tastes are all over the place, but in terms of my role in the band, some drummers that have had an impact on me are Stewart Copeland, Fabrizio Moretti, Matt Helders, and Dave Grohl. Sam:George Harrison, Nick Valensi, and Josh Homme have definitely been big influences on me as of late, though my guitar playing always goes back to the Chuck Berry licks i learned when I first started playing. Adam: Steve Harris, and Les Claypool are the big ones for me. They taught me not to be a lazy bassist.

popVLTR: What are some of your proudest moments in music so far? FN: Hadrian: I'm proud of the fact that we've managed to stay together as long as we have. It's not always easy being an original band in South Dakota, but I think we've been playing long enough, and we're starting to get the recognition we've worked hard for. Steven: Making this record. It's one of the most creatively-satisfying things I've ever embarked on, and I'm already seeing some minor recognition with is nice. Sam: The 5-month process of making this album was one of the most incredible experiences, and I'm already looking forward to the next one. Adam: Seeing "Dad, Jr." up on Spotify is pretty cool! I use the service a good deal, and have discovered heaps of bands I wouldn't have otherwise. I am also very proud of our live performances, whenever I think we have played the most chaotic show we will play, we always seem to find a way to top it.

popVLTR: What cool stuff is on the horizon for Fire Nuns? FN: Hadrian: We hope to find a tour to jump on board with. I think that's doable. Steven: Relocate, tour as much as we can, and make more records Sam: Tour the country, play some music, and live life. We'll also be relocating to Oregon, which should be another awesome chapter on this epic journey of rock. Adam: We have a couple of gigs in cities we have never played before, Sioux falls w/Charlie Siren, and a headlining gig in Denver. The album is popping up in more and more online outlets as the days go by, and a physical release is in the works. After that, only time will tell, I got my fingers crossed to hop on a couple tours this summer though. - Pop Vulture