Minus Six
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The best kept secret in music

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"Minus Six…guitar not included."

Minus Six…guitar not included.
Minus Six Plus Z-Bar Equals Jamming
By Carrie Sebree


River City Times
Thursday, January 12th, 2006

A guitarless band may seem strange at first, but the piano, bass, drums, and sax group, Minus Six, have proven they can derive an impressive rock sound despite not having a guitar, thus leading to the band’s name “Minus Six”.

You can catch their show Saturday night at Z-Bar on Downtown’s Main Street.

The band was formed in May 2003 by Kevin Carton (piano and lead vocals), Kameron Rummans (bass and vocals), Matt Sivertsen (saxophones), and added Rob Baner (drums) in October.

Over the past 3 years the group has been writing and rehearsing original compositions and performing at local venues in Illinois and Iowa.

Minus Six released their debut CD in June of 2004 entitled “Overdue”. They recently recorded their 2nd CD, “Some Things Change”, on Music Row, in Nashville, TN., in April 2005 which was released in August of 2005. All four band members are Illinois Quad City natives - Kevin, Matt, and Rob are all from Moline. Kameron is from Rock Island.

Minus Six is a rock / pop orientated group that draws influences from many styles. Their concerts are filled with a nice mix of great originals as well as using their unique style and contagious energy to play hits from the present and the past. A Minus Six concert is an experience for young and old alike.

Matt took time out this week to chat with the River City Times:

How many shows do you do a year? About 40.

Who are your musical influences? Ben Folds, Gavin DeGraw, Maroon 5, Dave Matthews Band, O.A.R., Billy Joel, and Jason Mraz.

What is your live show like? It’s very energetic, danceable, and has melodies you can sing. We put on a show!

What separates this band from all the other bands you have played with? Great chemistry. We all share the same drive to play at a high level of musicianship and have a lot of fun playing.

What is your best experience as a band? Recording our CD in Nashville.

What is your worst experience as a band? Running out of gas coming back from a gig in Champaign between Peoria and Galesburg.

What is the hardest thing about being in a band for this genre? The hardest thing for us is trying to classify us in a genre.

Your favorite places to play? Outdoor shows anywhere.

CD’s are available on www.minussix.com as well as www.cdbaby.com. Music can also be downloaded on www.itunes.com as well as several other digital mainstream sites.

© 2006, River City Times - River City Times


"Road trips, rockin' are big pluses for Minus Six"

Road trips, rockin' are big pluses for Minus Six
By Nora Johnson, southof20@qconline.com

The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus
South of Twenty
Saturday, September 3rd, 2005

What does a piano, plus a little bit of saxophone, plus some drums, plus a touch of the bass guitar, plus some vocals, plus some high energy equal?

Minus Six.

It’s not your ordinary band. It doesn’t include a six-stringed guitar (hence the name " Minus Six"), but that has no effect on the quality of the band’s music. Members are Kevin Carton, 18, piano and vocals; Matt Sivertsen, 25, saxophone; Tyler Kaschke, 17, drums; and Kameron Rummans, 18, bass guitar and backup vocals.

(Minus Six gets its name from somthing the band doesn't have: a six-stringed guitar.)

The band was formed in May 2003. Its first CD, "Overdue," was released in 2004, and its second, "Some Things Change," was released recently.

When asked about her favorite part of the Minus Six shows, Tara Vandygriff, 15, of Rock Island said, "Just having fun while listening to their really fun, awesome music."

Minus Six has pretty personal music, and pretty much everyone can relate to the lyrics on some level. The songs cover everything from relationships to bad endings. The band has many musical influences, including Ben Folds, Gavin DeGraw and Maroon 5.

On top of being in a band, the guys have their hands full with a lot of other things. Kameron, Tyler and Kevin are seniors at Alleman High School. They're involved with sports and extracurricular activities, and they have jobs and social lives. Matt is married and has a day job and a dog. All four members also give music lessons.

When asked about the best thing about being in a band, they said, "Friendships, meeting new people, people's reaction to OUR music, road trips! and rockin' out!" (They made sure I put emphasis on "our" music and exclamation marks after road trips and rockin' out.)

With three of the band members graduating from high school this year, what will become of the band? The guys are planning to stay local next year, and they would like to play circuits and branch out while waiting for "the" phone call that will get them on their way.

To find out more about Minus Six, visit the band’s Web site at www.minussix.com.

You can see Minus Six perform during the "Christmas for the Troops" event Saturday, Sept. 24, at the Rock Island Moose Lodge, 4410 9th St. The band will play from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. It also will perform from 9 to 11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, on the main stage outside The Mark of the Quad Cities, Moline, during the Quad Cities Marathon.

© 2005, Moline Dispatch Publishing Company, LLC
- The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus


"Best Local Band of the QC - Quad City Magazine 2006 Readers Poll - May/June"

Best Local Band of the QC - Quad City Magazine 2006 Readers Poll - May/June - Quad City Magazine


"Band Minus Six seeing signs of positive growth"

Band Minus Six seeing signs of positive growth

By David Burke, dburke@qctimes.com
Quad-City Times – Go!
Thursday, August 18th, 2005

The Quad-City based band Minus Six found itself playing for students at Iowa State University a couple of months ago, to a reception that surprised even the band members."When we were playing a song, they would have the refrains memorized," lead singer-pianist Kevin Carton recalled. "They would wait in line for an hour afterward to meet us and have us sign stuff."Little did the ISU co-eds know that the band they'd grown fond of was younger than they were.

A collaboration of four Rock Island Alleman students — Carton, bass player Kameron Rummans, sax player Matt Sivertsen and drummer Tyler Kaschke — Minus Six is seeing its reputation add up with the release of its second album, "Some Things Change," this weekend.

"We went from a basement project through the help of a friend to a live studio in Nashville, Tenn., with all this expertise and help," Rummans said.

Three of the band members attended a music seminar in Arkansas last year, where they met Joe Hand, a performer and producer of the likes of Linkin Park and Matchbox Twenty. Hand agreed to take the band under his wing, and in April, the members found themselves on Music Row, for 2 1/2 days of solid recording.

"Joe had actually listened to our first CD down there (in Arkansas), and he could tell there were issues with the first recording," Carton said. "Not that it was horrible, it just could have been better. He wanted to work with the band, expand the sound and make it a little more professional."

Hand told the band what its strengths were, and where it could improve.

"Ever since he's known us, he said we always had the ‘It factor,' which not all bands can develop," Rummans said. "We needed to become tighter in the next year, then give him a call."

Members of the group can already tell they're making progress, thanks to the producer's encouragement.

"He liked the music, he thinks we're getting tighter, and he's excited to see where we're going," Carton said. "He's always on board if we need anything."

To have the good words from a respected producer helped the band's self-worth.

"To get a compliment from someone like him who's had experience means so much to you," Carton said. "It's not like the crazy guy that comes up after the show and says ‘You did a real good job.'"

The band's name comes from its unique calling card — that it's without a guitar. Members compare themselves to a combination of Ben Folds, Billy Joel, Maroon 5 and Gavin DeGraw for their piano-heavy pop-rock sound.

"We wanted something a little more unique, like Ben Folds Five," Carton said. "There are other bands who have made it without a guitar, but there's not a lot of live, local bands with piano, bass, drums and saxophone."

Those unfamiliar with the band see a piano and sax and wrongly think it's a jazz group, the members — age 17 to 25 — say.

"It's definitely got a defined rock sound, but it's got a twist," Carton said. "We're all playing different styles of music, forming them into one."

With the backing of a well-known producer, members of Minus Six think they might have a shot at the big time.

"Originally, we were just having fun," Carton said. "When a band starts, they always want to make it big, but after we've been touring around the Midwest and seeing the reaction from colleges there, it gives us a lot of hope."

What: Minus Six CD release party

When: 8-11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19th, 2005.

Where: River House Bar & Grill - Courtyard, 1510 River Drive, Moline, IL

How much: Free

Information: www.minussix.com

© Copyright 2005, The Quad-City Times, Davenport, IA - Quad-City Times – Go!


"Q-C band Minus Six adding fans, new CD"

Q-C band Minus Six adding fans, new CD
By Sean Leary, seanleary@qconline.com

The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus – Life
Thursday, August 18th, 2005

Lumped with the alternative rock label, local band Minus Six has done just fine without rock's greatest archetype: a guitar player.

"That's where we got our name," said Kevin Carton, pianist and lead vocalist for the group. "A guitar has six strings, and since we don't have one, we came up with minus six."

However, it hasn't left the group's sound lacking. The rhythm section of bassist Kameron Rummans and drummer Tyler Kaschke keeps a persistent punk rock beat, Carton's piano and Matt Sivertsen's saxophone take a right jag toward a jazzy Ben Folds vibe and Carton's lead vocals lean into the pop sound. In all, it's a unique blend of would-be disparate elements combining for a pleasing whole.

The group's act, which has been packing crowds into local coffeehouses since 2003, has been captured well on its latest CD, "Some Things Change," which bows this weekend with a $10 price tag and a considerably more upscale pedigree.

The disc was recorded on Music Row in Nashville with producer Joe Hand, who has worked with matchbox twenty and Linkin Park.

"We met him at a music conference down in Arkansas," Carton said. "He heard our stuff last year and said he'd be very interested in working with us on the next CD, so we got one all written up and he was very anxious to get the stuff.

"It was amazing. We went down there on a Wednesday night, got there about 11 a.m. Thursday, worked until midnight, got up at 8 Friday, worked until midnight, and did the same thing through the weekend. It was a very cool experience, especially working on Music Row with someone who has worked with bands that have made it. It was very cool."

The record marks a leap forward sonically and thematically for the band from its debut, "Overdue," last year. Of course, given the jump to Nashville, the record showcases a decidedly professional sheen. But the material also reveals deeper, maturing songwriting textures.

"We're really excited for people to come out and hear it," Carton said. "I feel really, really good about it. The chord progressions and lyrics are a lot more advanced than they were previously, and a lot of the songs are based on experiences in my life. But I tried to make them relate to both the younger generation and older generation.

"We have people from toddlers to our grandmas that come to our shows. It's a good feeling to see that, and I tried to keep that in mind for this CD."

With the group's 3 younger members entering their senior year at Alleman High School and the eldest member out of school, things have happened quickly for Minus Six. The act has trekked to various locales in the Midwest and has begun to receive invitations to open for larger bands and join bills on the music circuit.

"We're just trying to get our music out there the best we can," Carton said. "It's exciting to us to see people who don't know us, outside the Q-C, enjoy our music. It made us realize that if we branch out people will enjoy us in other places too. I'm really excited to see where Minus Six goes."

For more information on the band, see www.minussix.com

© 2005, Moline Dispatch Publishing Company, LLC - The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus – Life


"Minus Six hoping it all adds up"

Minus Six hoping it all adds up
By Todd Welvaert, toddw@qconline.com
The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus – Front Page
Monday, October 11th, 2004

The music starts with slow bass chords as a collection of animated high-school-aged girls ring the stage. The band, on wireless microphones, starts the show by emerging from the excited throng.

It's somehow fitting that Minus Six begins its music there, among its fans.

``Be out in the garage almost every day / Makin' kick-ass music from ninth to 12th grade ...'' lead vocalist Kevin Carton sings. The words come in a rapid-fire tumble.

``We were rockin' all day long / we were rockin', singin' and writin' songs / rockin' -- that's where we belong.''

They've been playing together a little more than a year, formed from what started as a loose collection of musicians who played in their church band. That's snowballed into an act that has fans packed in for show after show, an appreciably successful CD, and very big hopes and dreams.

``I think this band can do it,'' says Mr. Carton, 17, in a raspy voice after the show. ``I think this is going to be the first famous band that came from the Quad-Cities -- I have no doubt. No doubt we are going to make it. We are going to put the Quad-Cities on the map.''

Three Alleman High School juniors form the nucleus of the group. Mr. Carton, 17, Moline, is on piano; Tyler Kaschke, 16, East Moline, plays drums; and Kameron Rummans, 17, Rock Island, is on bass.

Matt Sivertsen, 25, Moline, plays saxophone and works as a financial planner at the Planning Center by day. He also serves as a youth director at Christ the King Catholic Church, where he met up with his bandmates and organized the group.

``The vibe from these guys is just so positive,'' he said. ``We don't have the fights and the arguments about playlists or whatever you see in some of the other bands/ It's about getting the job done, about getting out there and having fun.

``We are all committed to see where this can take us, where we can go. We all have a passion for this.''

Mr. Sivertsen looks uncomfortable in front of the high-school crowd at first, stilted and a step out of place. Then a song passes, and something changes. He's swaying and playing off the crowd's energy, and it becomes hard to imagine him doing anything else.

Mr. Carton is the group's primary songwriter, but all the members collaborate. The songs -- the band has nearly 30 originals to complement countless covers -- carpet the universal themes, like love and loss, while also including the obscure, like a fan favorite called ``Bicycle Man.''

``We get together to hash out the parts,'' Mr. Carton says. ``It's not always what I envision, but everybody offers some pretty good stuff. I usually have a pretty good picture in my head of what I want.''

``Picture?'' Mr. Rummans blurts. ``It's like a freaking movie.''

They've enjoyed a good run. They've sold 500 CDs in three months, but finding places to play isn't always easy.

``Our fan base is an issue for us,'' Mr. Sivertsen says. ``Because of their age, most of what we've built is at the high schools. We haven't really crossed over the bars yet. Augie is talking about booking us, and we are playing the ``Jingle Jam,'' so that will be good.

``Right now it's about getting the music out there and having lots of people listen to it.''

For now, they stick to the coffee shops, outdoor parties and the occasional high-school gig. They are hoping to release another CD at the beginning of next year, something Mr. Sivertsen hopes will be good enough to send out to record companies.

``We talked with a guy who pushes bands out of Chicago, and he had a lot of positive things to say about the music -- real positive things,'' he says. ``That's what we are concentrating on now, with the next CD -- taking our time, doing it right, so we have something we can be proud of, that really shows what we can do.''

Mr. Sivertsen said the band started with just their instruments and what they could borrow from the church. The gigs, merchandise and CDs have allowed them to buy their own equipment and lights and fund their next project.

``We started with nothing, and now we have about $15,000 to $20,000 wrapped up in equipment,'' he says. ``We put everything in the bank.''

``We're really lucky to have a financial planner on board,'' Mr. Rummans says. ``The guy has records like you wouldn't believe. Kameron ... Taco Bell ... June 3 ... Grande Burrito ... It's scary.''

Mr. Sivertsen graduated from the University of Illinois in 2001. His wife, Laura, supports his efforts and comes to as many gigs as she can.

``We're all real lucky in that all of our parents support what we are doing,'' Mr. Carton says.

The first CD cost about $2,000 to put out, but the band was blessed in a way, Mr. Carton says. A friend, Phil Schaefer, with AMEG Studios, Moline, let them record on his equipment in his basement.

``I think I would hav - The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus – Front Page


"“If you’ve seen them before, you’re a fan. If you haven’t, you’re about to be.” – MINUS SIX"

Minus Six

By Gabrielle Tee
Your Mom – The Mix
Wednesday, September 8th, 2004

“If you’ve seen them before, you’re a fan. If you haven’t, you’re about to be.” – MINUS SIX

A crowd of about thirty is packed into The Dead Poet’s, a small coffee shop in Moline.

Upbeat, rockin’ music blares out of the small speakers. My friend and I don’t hold back. We dance, cheer, and sing along to this awesome high school band that we’ve stumbled upon: Minus Six.

The next two hours are filled with a good mix of catchy originals and covers from Ben Folds to old standards like “Jump, Jive, and Wail.”

That was back in December, and six months later I’m getting to meet the four guys responsible for this kick-ass music that is somehow still stuck in my head.

Kevin Carton rocks out on the piano and lead vocals. Kameron Rummans jams out on the bass and doubles as comic relief and sweet back-up vocals. Tyler Kaschke tears it up on the drums, and Matt Sivertsen is the man behind the sweet sax lines.

Minus Six is a piano, drums, bass and sax quartet. That’s right kids, no guitars.

But don’t be fooled by that. These four Quad-Cities natives can rock like you wouldn’t believe.

Think Ben Folds meets Dave Matthews Band, with their unique Minus Six sound added in.

“One day Ty, Kam, and I were all jammin’, and Matt just started playing with us,” Kevin said. “In the beginning we had a lot of frustrating practices. Kameron and Tyler had only been playing their instruments for a few months.”

Kameron, Kevin, and Tyler will all be juniors at local high schools this year and Matt graduated from University of Illinois with a degree in sax performance. The four officially formed Minus Six in May 2003, and began playing local coffee shops and birthday parties that summer.
From the beginning they tried to work originals into all their shows.

Kevin and Kameron, who have been friends since second grade, write the majority of the music. “When you write songs, you’re inspired by something, whether is be someone else’s love, a girl you like, or a neighbor moving away,” Kevin said.

Minus Six continued playing shows all through their sophomore years, attracting more and more people at their regular monthly shows at Dead Poet’s Espresso.

On Jun. 5, 2004, they release their first independent CD. “Overdue” is a 16-track CD filled with the group’s best originals. They have fun, quirky love songs such as, “Celtic Auvoir” and “Denny’s.”

They also have more serious, emo-ish ballads, “The Pain” and “Let Go.” You can purchase their CD and T-shirts at all their shows. Check out their Web site, www.minussix.com, for details and show dates.

Although they have only been together for about a year, Minus Six has a growing fan base, particularly females.

“They’ll be all these girls coming up after the show, throwing their numbers out at Ty, Kam, and Kevin,” said Matt, who’s been happily married for two years.

It’s no surprise that girls are asking for autographs and numbers from these three. Not only are they good-looking, talented musicians, but they are all such sincere and funny guys, even off stage.

I was quite nervous going into the interview, but they were all welcoming and kept me laughing the whole time. Kameron did a mean Chris Farley impersonation, and the band even performed two of their new songs for me.

What’s next for Minus Six?

They are starting to venture outside of the Quad-Cities a bit and are doing a show in Naperville, IL, this month. There is also talk of going back into the studio to record a second CD.

They plan to keep playing their music and doing their own thing for the next two years, and then will decide what to do as far as college or trying to take Minus Six to the top.

Kevin said, “I’ve encountered a lot of people that will tell me “You realize you’re not gonna make it [into the music business], right? And that just makes us want to prove them wrong.”

Of course, Minus Six also has many supporting fans behind them with hundreds of people showing up at out-door shows, wanting autographs, pictures, and spreading the word about their shows.

You can tell that whether they sign a major record deal or just make a name for themselves around the Quad-Cities area, these guys just love what they’re doing.

Throughout their shows they dance around, venture into the crowd, and really get the audience involved and feeling the music. Kameron said it perfectly: “I just love getting up in front of people and doing what we love: playing music.”

So if you and your friends are driving around on a Saturday night looking for some awesome, original, can’t-help-but-dance music, come check out Minus Six. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Bring friends and come early, ‘cuz when the coffee shops are small and the music is this rockin’, seats fill up fast! - Your Mom – The Mix


"Minus Six (Overdue – CD Review)"

Minus Six (Overdue – CD Review)
By Kelly Buckner
Nefarious Entertainment Magazine – Issue Number 55
Sunday, August 8th, 2004

WOW! This is a debut release for this group, and I’m floored! Kevin Carton, the lead vocalist and pianist, is someone I have reviewed in the past. With the addition of Tyler Kaschke-drums, Kameron Rummans-bass guitar/vocals, and Matt Sivertsen-saxophones/tin whistle/vocals, this quartet has created a catchy, heart-felt release!

I was pleased to see that there were still great slow ballads, as this has been one of Carton’s strongest fortes. Adding the additional musicians to the mix only strengthen this talent and really brought to the forefront the treatful array of musical variation. Matt’s saxophone really added a jazzy feel that brought the tracks together. On track 11, Goodbye My Love, you get a flavoring of emo-punk – short and catchy, I was thrilled! I always found the lyrical play of all Kevin’s releases to be fun, youthful and edgy. It was great to hear about love lossed, gained all the in-betweens. Tracks 3 (Juliet), 7 (Recent Nights), 10 (The Pain), and 12 (Lovers for the Night) remind you what young love is all about!

Without a doubt, these four musicians meld together like a BLT sandwich! Add a little piano, saxophone, drums and bass guitar, with a dash of youthfulness, and smoother it with fantastic talent – you will produce Minus Six.

© 2004, Nefarious Entertainment Magazine - Nefarious Entertainment Magazine – Issue Number 55


"Lack of a guitar is a plus for Minus Six"

Lack of a guitar is a plus for Minus Six
By Mark McLaughlin
The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus – Life
Saturday, March 27th, 2004

A guitarless band may seem strange at first, but the piano-bass-drums-and-sax group called Minus Six is proving that they don't need that particular instrument to make an impressive rock sound.

"We're called that because we don't have the six strings of a guitar," explained Matt Sivertsen, leader of the group.

By day, Mr. Sivertsen, 24, is a registered investment advisor with the Planning Center, as well as youth director for Christ the King Catholic Church in Moline. The other band members are 16-year-old students at Rock Island's Alleman High School: Kevin Carton, lead vocals and piano; Kameron Rummans, backup vocals and bass; and Tyler Kaschke, drums.

Mr. Sivertsen is a 2001 graduate of the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Music degree in saxophone performance. All four are Quad-Cities natives -- Mr. Sivertsen and Mr. Carton are both from Moline, while Mr. Rummans is from Rock Island and Mr. Kaschke is from East Moline.

Mr. Sivertsen met the students through his role as youth director. "We formed the band in May 2003 and started writing songs," he said. "We built up a repertoire by writing one to three new songs a month."

Mr. Sivertsen, who acts as musical mentor for the teenagers, is very proud of their accomplishments. "They volunteer a lot at the church," he said. "They're very giving of their time and musical abilities." - The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus – Life


Discography

Some Things Change
2005;
Overdue
2004;

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

"The show's energy continues to build.
Fans yell out favorites and the playlist is forgotten. By the end of the show, the band is dripping with sweat and the crowd is shouting for one more song!" - Todd Welvaert, The Dispatch & The Rock Island Argus.

Consisting of piano, saxophone, bass, and drums, Minus Six is an energetic pop-rock group drawing influences from artists like Ben Folds, Maroon 5, and Elton John. The band was formed in 2003 by Kevin Carton (piano and vocals), Kameron Rummans (bass and vocals), Matt Sivertsen (saxophones), and Tyler Kaschke (drums). The group created the energy of a rock band without the six strings of a guitar, thus leading to the band name Minus Six.

During 2003 the group expanded their audience as they played coffee shops and parties throughout the Quad Cities. In 2004 they recorded and released their first album entitled Overdue. With the help of Phil Schaefer the band had a solid debut album, containing 16 original compositions.

In the summer of 2005 Minus Six recorded Some Things Change in Nashville under the direction of producer Joe Hand. In October of 2005 Rob Baner joined Minus Six as the new drummer. Since then, the band has continued to expand their act, performing at clubs, bars, and events throughout the Midwest. The band just returned from Nashville where they recorded their exciting 3rd album with producer Joe Hand.