Rollerphone

Rollerphone is one of those bands whose target audience is so big you can see it from outer space. While the band’s sound remains mature and focused in the AAA genre-- it’s the kind of music that appeals to a number of demographics for its timeless qualities and genuine artistry.

Industry professionals dig it as well. From a humble three-song home recording, the A&R panel at Discmakers and Billboard magazine chose Rollerphone from among thousands of other bands as one of the 100 semi-finalists in this year’s Southeast Independent Music World Series contest. Another example of industry praise involved Rollerphone's song "Bruised and Blue." The song was literally written in fifteen minutes, recorded in one all-night session, and air-mailed to Los Angeles just in time to meet the nation-wide submission deadline for use in the independent film, "Window Theory" due out this fall. After close scrutiny from the A&R staff at TAXI, the song was forwarded to the film’s music director. The producers loved it and chose "Bruised and Blue" as the background music for the film’s rain montage sequence.

This is just a small taste of the kind of reaction the band’s infectiously melodic and deceptively simple songs have received thus far. Audiences in the band’s hometown of Atlanta, GA have been buzzing relentlessly about Rollerphone. Web traffic to the band’s site has steadily increased every month since it went online. Where else can you hear a light-hearted song about huffing gas? Or a ballad about love and loss that happily takes you and the singer's clone to hell and back for a midnight snack with the devil? And leave it to singer/songwriter Paul Warner to throw in a technically tasteful guitar solo, acknowledging his musical youth as a closet guitar virtuoso. When asked about winning the Steve Vai guitar contest in Atlanta at 17 years old, he chuckles, "As a songwriter, that's not something I usually care to admit."

One thing Paul Warner openly admits to is his complete obsession with creating music. "For a long time I was kind of a lost soul," he says. "I was in school, working a full time job, and it was killing me. I spent every spare moment writing and recording, dreaming of playing music some day," he smiles, "while singing my ass off in the car. One of the defining moments of my life was when I finally committed myself completely. I dropped the job, school, and everything that didn't directly relate to music. I’ve never looked back and I've never been happier. Now, I wake up and my sole focus is on doing what I've been put on this Earth to do- to write great songs and to try to affect people with them."

Paul's songs did affect people, particularly other musicians responding to his ads in search of band members. After auditioning about 20 different drummers, Paul got a call from drummer Bryan Mullis.

"When I first heard the songs I thought, 'This is too good to be true. This guy is trying to pass off somebody else's songs as his own. I actually went online searching for the song titles to find out who the real artists were. When I met with Paul, I saw he was for real. I knew my only task at that point was to convince him that I was the missing link to his musical vision."

After enlisting members of Mullis’ former band, Soundtrack Mind (Athens, GA circa 1998-2003). Rollerphone hit the road. Fueled by the excitement and energy catalyzed by this musical kindred finally coming together, the band set off to tour the Southeast. However, the creative forces of this band will not be subdued by a full calendar. Look for new songs to be born from this current tour as Rollerphone continues to cultivate their fanbase and refine their craft.