The Entrained

02/21/2008, 11:46 am
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MIKE MURPHY, mikem@mywebtimes.com, 815-431-4031



MARSEILLES -- La Salle County is home to many onetime residents of Chicago and its suburbs.
All three members of Marseilles-based rock 'n' roll band the Entrained once lived in the city or the suburbs, yet moving to La Salle County is what brought them together.

"It was a stroke of luck that we met each other," said Bob Satler, Chicago native and bassist for the group.

Two years ago in a Marseilles tavern, Satler -- a telecommunications worker who moved to La Salle County in 2000 -- struck up a conversation with Dan Rub, a singer-songwriter who grew up in Shorewood and had recently moved to Seneca.

"We started talking about music," said Rub, a union painter who always had been a solo performer. "I had written a lot of songs and I was starting to get focused on the music business."

"The next day Dan was over (at my house) and we started playing," said Satler, who lives outside of Marseilles.

Rub and Satler bypassed the normal route of playing in front of audiences and began laying down tracks for songs at Studio 71, a South Ottawa Township home recording studio owned and operated by Rick Powell.

After most of the songs were recorded, Bob Satler's brother Bill, a drummer, moved in next door to his sibling and joined the band.

"The timing was perfect," said Bill, another telecommunications worker.

The Entrained released "It's So Crazy," a collection of 12 songs recorded at Studio 71, late last year. Bassist-keyboardist Powell, guitarists Robert Treglio and Alby Odum, drummer Kevin Stiles and vocalist Regina Doss also contributed.

Rub and the Satlers have played a few live shows, and plan to do a few more.

"We'd like to go from the bar scene to the concert scene," said Rub, adding that his original songs comprise about one-half of the Entrained's live sets.

All bands aspire for additional success, but the Entrained also plans to add more members. A second guitar player and keyboardist are on the list.

Right now, "we're trying to make the sound as full as we can with three people," Rub said. "Once we find another guitar player, that will open a lot of doors."

Rub recalls bringing his guitar to more than 100 Chicago-based open mic sessions over a five-year period, hoping to get a break. He admits to having little success, but was determined to keep singing, writing and playing.

"It's where I learned to play in front of people," he said. "I always knew I could write. I got tired of relying on these publishers. They don't even listen to you."

The Satlers had been soundmen and musicians for years, at one time working at the Blue Max, a club in a downtown Chicago hotel. That experience included running sound for blues legend B.B. King and soul group the Spinners.

"When I first heard Dan's songs, I really liked them, so I stuck with it," said Bob Satler, who soon found chemistry with his brother and Rub.

Rather than entrust his songs to a publisher, Rub took them to Studio 71. The title track "It's So Crazy" was the first tune he recorded there.

Living in a difficult world is a theme contained in some of Rub's songs. Hope, however, always is part of the equation.

"The world can be a better place, but a lot of people can fix it at an individual level," he said. "And the right group of people can do a lot of things."

Spiritual themes also wind through Rub's work, although he doesn't call the Entrained a Christian band. After all, the trio does perform in bars.

The songwriter admits to reading books about spirituality, some of which have affected his lyrics. All three members of the Entrained believe in God, Rub explained, yet he wouldn't call the group a Christian act.

"You'll never find an offensive lyric," Bob Satler said of the group's songs.

Most of the material on "It's So Crazy" carries a folk-rock sound, but tinges of blues, pop and rockabilly are in the mix. The Entrained is working with ProMediaAspire, a Morris promotional firm, in trying to get songs from "It's So Crazy" played on the radio.

Sales have been kind of slow, "but people have to have the opportunity to hear it," Rub said.

The Entrained plans to soon return to the studio and record another CD for spring or summer release. Rub said the songs will be more introspective. And all three members will be involved from the start.

"The next project will be the other way around," Bill Satler said. "We'll play the songs (live) first, then do it in the studio."

If the Entrained meets its goals, songs from "It's So Crazy" and the next CD will be heard in La Salle County, the Chicago area and beyond.

"I want to be on tour," Rub said. "I want to be doing this full time."


- Ottawa Daily Times

SENECA - When Dan Rub sits down with his acoustic guitar, his creative juices start flowing as he strums out a few chords that eventually lead to the creation of a new song.

“I don't normally write the words first,” said Rub. “Instead, I sit with my guitar and start strumming, then the appropriate words come out and I end up with a song.”

Rub is a singer/songwriter living in Seneca who has teamed up with Bob Satler, on bass, and Bill Satler, on drums, to create the acoustic band The Entrained.

Rub, who has worked full time as a union painter, said he normally gets laid off in the winter months and spends that time trying to market some of the 200 songs he has written and practiced the rest of the year.

“I would start to call some of the bigger record labels, but would freeze just before pressing the last number,” Rub said. “I'd start to have a panic attack and hang up.”

He said today is a different story.

The Entrained has just finished recording its first CD, “It's So Crazy,” which is available at the band's shows, online and in several local stores.

“I'm glad it took this long to put a CD together, because now I'm ready for it,” Rub said. “I have the music to pull from now and I'm writing better then ever.”

The CD was recorded after the band was formed in August 2006 at Studio 71 in Ottawa using studio musicians in addition to the band members to add a richer, more-produced sound to the normally unplugged band.


The project represents 18 months of studio work and showcases several styles of the music Rub has created over the years.

The title track, “It's So Crazy,” was the first song completed and it was then, the band members said, they knew they were onto something with their sound.

The band's first CD doesn't stick to just one style of music, but, rather, showcases their diversity. It features everything from Rockabilly to slow love songs to a Blues-inspired break-up song.

Rub started teaching himself guitar at 16 and has continued on his self-taught path, playing music from his heart and creating songs even when those songs don't fit his personal style.


“I have several songs I've written that I could never play and sing because they aren't me or my style,” Rub said before breaking into a few lines from a couple of his songs he doesn't perform.

“One is definitely a country tune that I think is catchy, but isn't me, and the other one I think would be best performed by a teen singer in a pop style.”

Rub has described his style as “acoustic rock” or “acoustic pop” and is adamant his music is not folk music.

He said he is certain that, with airplay, his band will take off, but added that getting airplay is a catch 22.

“You normally can't get published and airplay unless people are listening to you, but you can't get people to listen to you if you aren't published and getting airplay,” said Rub.

He said he has definitely learned patience and reminds himself patience is a virtue.

“I haven't always been the most patient person,” said Rub. “I've learned it due to my career in music taking so long to get going, but I believe it took such a long time because it was suppose to.”

Rub currently is performing solo at Jane's Pub in Ottawa every Monday, and will also be playing solo at Muffy's in Ottawa on Jan. 25.

The Entrained can be heard Jan. 26 at Fat Daddy's in Seneca, where it will be playing unplugged.

The band's music can be found on its Web site - www.theentrained.com - or purchased at www.DigStation.com.

- Morris Daily Herald

Entra Music announces the release of The Entrained's™ first C.D. entitled "It's So Crazy." This
recording highlights twelve original compositions written by Dan Rub, the founding member of
the band.
The project represents 1 1/2 years of studio work and showcases the variety of styles
of music that Rub (pronounced Rube)has developed throughout his career.
Started in the Spring of 2006, "It's So Crazy" was the first song to be completed and it was
then, that the band knew they were on to something. This track is a five minute composition
with melodic and somewhat dark overtones. The theme of this song is, the world is messed up;
"and we need to fix it," states Rub. That is the main concept of this project also with a bluesy
break-up song entitled "I Know You're Gonna Go" a Beatlesque uptempo song, "You're So
Divine", a couple of slower love songs, a Rock-a-Billy song "Have A Cure" a powerful
reminiscent song entitled "Easy Game" and ends again with the main theme of the project
with the songs "Someway" and "Don't You Ever Wonder."
Rub states "I grew up during the later stages of the "British Invasion"
listening to top 40 music and thats what I write. I've incorporated a
variety of styles on this C.D. so I can continue to do so in my future
endeavors. We found all the right people at just the right time and
the magic began.
The Entrained™ couldn't have achieved this kind of success without the
patience, hardwork, and creative abilities of everyone involved in the
project. "I am especially grateful to Rick Powell, Alby Odum and Bob
Satler who have all been there from the beginning." says Rub. "And
now, with the addition of Bill Satler coming on board as a drummer,
the release of our first C.D., and the resources of our Management and
Advertising Company, ProMediAspire, things are moving forward at a
rapid pace. The Entrained™ is currently booking events and planning a live tour.

The C.D. "It's So Crazy" can be purchased, along with t-shirts or posters through Exclusive
Distributors and On-Line at www.TheEntrained.com . The website's contact page lists the
exclusive distributors or you can mail your purchase request with a
check or money order to
Entra Music™, P.O. Box 719, Morris, IL 60450
This interview was conducted by Jackie Martin of ProMediAspire. - Constant Contact