Speed The Band

Check out the gorgeous sounds of Hawaii’s indie rock gods Speed The Band... - Indie Rock Reviews

"Transpacific Comfort" is the title of a debut album released this week by Speed the Band, a family-based pop/folk group that formed in San Clemente and stayed together even after half the members moved to Hawaii. The album, available on iTunes, represents a year of songwriting and experimentation, much of it by phone or via Skype, said Alex Loucas, who helps produce the group's music and videos. A featured track is "Chelsea Runs," a tribute to Chelsea King, a Poway teenager abducted while jogging and killed.

Speed the Band members, from left, Paul Speed, Pat Owsley, Carrie Speed Owsley, John Speed and Johnny Beutler. Not pictured are Steph Speed Hennings and Bethany Speed.

Band members are primarily the Speed family – Carrie Speed Owsley of Laie, Hawaii, on lead vocals; Paul Speed, also of Laie, on lead guitar; John Speed of Kailua, Hawaii, on bass; Steph Speed Hennings and Bethany Speed, both of San Clemente, on backup vocals; Johnny Beutler of Huntington Beach on drums; and Pat Owsley of Laie on rhythm guitar and harmonica.

"Carrie, Paul, John, Steph and Bethany are all brothers and sisters," Loucas said. "Carrie is married to Pat. Johnny is married to Steph's husband's sister. Modern-day Partridge family."

Loucas answered some questions about the band:

Q. How did they get together?
A. While originally from Texas, the band members moved to San Clemente, formed in San Clemente and wrote a lot of the album here, but did not start playing shows until they split up.

Q. Where do they perform?
A. In California and Hawaii, most recently playing for BYU Hawaii's Fall Ball.

Q. How often do they unite?
A. While the band holds partial band practice often in their respective states, the whole family gets together about once a month to rehearse and play gigs.

Q. Why such a long-distance arrangement?
A. School, husbands and children and the pursuit of something tropical split them up locationwise, but the whole band is connected in more ways than one.

Q. When did they finish the album?
A. In October at Playback Recording, a beautiful studio in Santa Barbara.

Q. What's next?
A. While the band has entered into a writing phase for their currently untitled sophomore album to be released next summer, they plan to gig around Hawaii periodically and will be playing at a benefit concert in March for the Chelsea's Light Foundation.

Q. What inspired the song "Chelsea Runs?" Did band members know Chelsea King?
A. "Chelsea Runs" was written by Michael Speed, father, executive producer for the band and family friend of the King family. It has become a mission of the band to support child protection and child-protection laws.

Q. Are they involved with the Chelsea's Light Foundation?
A. The band has played for Chelsea's Light benefits in the past and will continue to give their time, talent and a portion of album sales to the organization.

- The Orange County Register