Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
LAPEER - LoudLove seems a band unaffected by time and space.
If the band's formulation was summed up in one word it would be "serendipitous."
Steve Barker, 27, Victor Colón, 32, and James Keovongsak, 21, each grew up separated by hundreds of miles, five years and in different musical environments. A chance encounter in Ann Arbor, when the trio first met through mutual friends, was all that was needed to bring LoudLove to fruition.
Colón provides LoudLove's vocals, taking turns playing bass and guitar with Barker, and local boy and the band's youngest member Keovongsak keeps time on
the drums.
Their sound, a decidedly funky blend of jazz and rock, has roots in Jimi Hendrix, James Brown and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. From their vintage microphone to their juicy guitar licks, LoudLove is a study in effective anachronism. This isn't just another garage band-these guys have soul, they have
funk and they have the groove.
A recent show at Abruzzo's Piano Grille demonstrated the extent of their appeal when a handful of minors unhurriedly left, trying to stay within earshot of the tunes as long as they could once the restaurant and bar kicked out anyone under
21.
Their music fit the bar well, the kind of sound that fills a room without
overpowering it. Those of age stayed behind to enjoy the sounds, drinks and company as Barker snapped the bass with careless ease, Keovongsak tapped the
drums and Colón poured himself into the mic.
And while they do perform a few covers-such as "Fire on the Bayou" by the Meters and "When the World is Running Down..." by The Police-They have almost 20
original numbers, enough to cover a couple CDs or a three-hour concert.
LoudLove will be returning to Abruzzo's Piano Grille July 9. Before that, they will be playing The Token Lounge in Westland May 28, Blind Pig in Ann Arbor May 31 and The Elbow Room in Ypsilanti June 18.
LoudLove hasn't released a CD yet, but if you can't wait for their next show you can go to ww.myspace.com/loudlove to listen to their originals "Coupe DeVille,"
"Algorythm," "Razmatazz" or "Without Saying." The site also offers additional pictures and information, as well as the band's upcoming show schedule. - LA View Staff Writer - Jeremiah Britt
Discography
Self-produced EP with six tracks. Available through contact e-mail on this website.
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Our band is the culmination of the various musical experiences each of us has had growing up. We grew up in different cities and are separated by a 5-10 year gap in age. Victor is from Cleveland, Ohio and is 32; Steve is from Ypsilanti, MI and is 27; and James hales from Lapeer, MI and is 21. We met practically by accident through mutual friends just over a year ago in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The first time we played together, we immediately felt the groove fall into place. That night we improvised our way through what would later become one of our main songs, "Highway." Like our music, our influences are as wide and varied as our ages and backgrounds. We each have our own favorite artists, but collectively we share a great love for Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Parliament/Funkadelic, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Curtis Mayfield, Tribe Called Quest, Eric B. & Rakim and many others. What sets LOUDLOVE apart from other bands is our groove, our love & respect for the music, and our genuine enthusiasm for playing. What also sets us apart is the fact that we are a stripped down group of funkateers playing music that is generally associated with larger ensembles. Even though there's only three of us, however, we can still fill plenty of space with our sparse setup. Not many bands these days have that definitive groove thang. We've got it.
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