Ryewire

Album: Ryewire: Knockdown Rating: 4 Stars
Overall: This CD blew me away from track 1, all the way through. The band has come a long way, and with this album, have established the right sound with the right mix. The music was so well crafted, there was a great deal of time and effort put into the details. This is one of the best Seattle rock albums I've come across.
Reviewed by: Kevin at www.albumbuzz.com
- Kevin @ www.albumbuzz.com

Sometimes in life, you have just have to set yourself a deadline and stick to it.
That's how Greg "Red" Lehman formed the Seattle quartet Ryewire, which blends straight-ahead rock with pop hooks.
Ryewire makes its Olympia debut Friday at Capitol Theater in a show with Olympia punk-rockers Blacktop Demon, screaming hard rockers Sureal, and The Elephants, an alternative electronic combo from Tacoma.
The Seattle rockers -- influenced by bands from U2 to AC/DC -- got their start when lead singer Lehman, at loose ends after his previous band, Late Nite Menu, broke up, committed to play a show with a band he didn't have.
"I decided to set a deadline for myself," he said. "I was going to book a show and put together a bunch of people and play that show."
So he set up a gig and forgot about it until the booker e-mailed him a month before showtime.
"There was nobody in my band; it was just me," Lehman said. "I had to find three other people to play the show and teach them all the songs. It was challenging, but I'm hard-headed."
He found drummer Frans Laulainen -- who's still with the band -- through his mom, who worked with Laulainen's wife.
"My roommate played bass, and he said, 'I'll play this show with you if you can find a drummer.' So we went over to this guy's house, and he knew all the songs I swear before I'd even played them. It was like we had been playing together forever."
He added a guitarist from Late Nite Menu, and in February 2003, the new band -- then called Fourteen -- was born.
"We said, 'This is working; we're having a great time,' " Lehman said. "And we kept going."
Both the guitarist and the bassist later left
the band. "There were three lead singers in the band," Lehman said. "There were a few ego clashes."
What also didn't work was the name Fourteen. When the band went into the studio to do a demo, Lehman discovered that another band already had the name.
So what does Ryewire mean? Well, Lehman was really wired when he was trying to choose a new name, and he spotted "The Catcher in the Rye" on his bookshelf.
Two years later, the band -- now with guitarist Keefe O'Neill and bassist Pete Bossler -- is preparing to release its second album in November.
Ryewire is gaining recognition in Western Washington, with radio play on KAOS and Tacoma's KFNK (although Lehman admitted this was his very first newspaper interview).
"Ryewire is one of those bands who've found the balance," said Lisa Wood, who hosts radio shows on KFNK and KEXP. "They will rock you like a good rock band should, but they'll also put some of the catchiest pop melodies into your head."
crossing genres
-What: A diverse assortment of bands -- Ryewire, Blacktop Demon, Sureal and The Elephants -- gets together for an all-ages show promoted as crossing genres and leaving trends behind.
-Who: Ryewire, from Seattle, mixes hard rock and pop. Olympia punk-rockers Blacktop Demon are known for their in-your-face stage presence. Sureal is an up-and-coming screaming hard-rock band from Elma. The Elephants, from Tacoma, are an electro-indie combo influenced by down-in-the-mouth icons such as the Smiths.
-When: 7 p.m. Friday. (Doors open at 6:30.)
-Where: Capitol Theater, 206 Fifth Ave. S.E., Olympia
-Tickets: $7
-For information: Call 360-754-5378 or see www.olyfilm.org.
-What: Ryewire plays the main stage at Super Saturday. For more on Super Saturday, see Page 19.
-When: 11 a.m. Saturday
-Where: Main Stage at The Evergreen State College

BY MOLLY GILMORE-BALDWIN
- The Olympian

"Ryewire is one of those bands who've found the balance. They will rock you like a good rock band should, but they'll also put some of the catchiest pop melodies into your head. Give the new record 'These
Days' a spin and you'll be hooked." - Lisa Wood (Host-Audioasis/Variety Mix, 90.3/91.7FM KEXP & Host-Garage Monkey, 104.9FM Funky Monkey)
- Lisa Wood

An amazing blend of catchy harmonies, superb guitar licks and an amazingly strong rhythm section. All wrapped onto some of the best lyrics you'll hear this year. Musicghost.com
- Music Ghost UK