Maple Union

Harrisonburg (Va.) rock outfit Maple Union was conceived by Octane Blue drummer Josh Henderson after he joined longtime friend Jeremy Forehand's band Under the Red. Trading drumsticks for a guitar pick, Henderson’s unorthodox, self-taught style immediately meshed well with Forehand’s flamboyant technique behind the kit.

Despite a fair amount of success, Under the Red disintegrated in 2002. Determined to keep making music, Henderson and Forehand forged ahead, soliciting Jamey Bozeman (Canary/Luxury/They Sang As They Slew) to engineer what would become Maple Union’s first release. Unveiled in 2003, "The Georgia EP" provided a small glimpse into a large pool of potential and garnered critical praise from industry insiders. The positive response spurred Maple Union to refine their craft at such popular venues as Washington’s DC9 and countless local shows alongside the likes of indie stalwarts mewithoutYou.

Various personal commitments stifled further progression, leading Henderson and Forehand to end their five-year partnership. Henderson continued developing new material, and in 2010 recruited Andrew Hassler (Secret Agent T) and former Yours For Mine members Chad Altenberger and Jonathan Woods to help him fully flesh out his ideas. Initially named About Sound, Henderson re-branded the group the following year. The change reflected yet another transition period, wherein he welcomed accomplished musicians Jared Tampa, Adam Frost, and Christopher Waters to the fold while finishing Maple Union’s second record ("Aging Lines") during the latter half of 2012.