Spring Break
Band built on word of mouth, continuing to grow
Craig Bidiman
Issue date: 1/9/09 Section: Diversions
"At first I had a hard time when I found out the songs weren't based on real-life experiences," Norris said. "I wanted it all to be real, but after thinking about it for a while, the ideas must have come from something real."
Norris went on to discuss how he has made an effort to draw on his own experiences to give the songs a more genuine feel.
The group, which placed third in the OSU Battle of the Bands in 2007, has never been able to place a finger on the style of music they play. Even their fans have much difficulty defining the chemicalwarbear sound.
"We get that question a lot," Fingerut said. "We don't know what this is."
If there were to be a definition associated with the band, a trained ear would simply deem it a chill project. More likely than not, listeners will be comforted by the consoling voice of Norris, the uplifting riffs that he and Fingerut orchestrate and the brilliant rhythmic styles that Collins and Kay consistently produce. All of that coupled with the fun-loving, crowd-appreciative, slightly intoxicated response that Norris and the rest of the band always exude during live shows makes chemicalwarbear a memorable set for any fan of true music to experience.
Collins said that he wasn't playing the bass when Norris asked him to join the band, and that he started it up again. He said he feels as if he is constantly getting better at his own instrument while the entire group continues to become tighter as they write more and more material together.
"Just being able to play with your best friends gives you some room to relax and not worry about if your riffs are heavy enough," Collins said.
Being serious about the music they are playing while being able to laugh off a number of situations is a great trait this band encompasses. They are also able to find the importance behind finishing school while keeping their friendships strong.
"We once played a show in the back of a Chinese food restaurant," Fingerut said. "The stage is in the back where the bar was located, and I turned to Gabe and said 'this can't be the right place, man.'"
Norris went on to discuss how he has made an effort to draw on his own experiences to give the songs a more genuine feel.
The group, which placed third in the OSU Battle of the Bands in 2007, has never been able to place a finger on the style of music they play. Even their fans have much difficulty defining the chemicalwarbear sound.
"We get that question a lot," Fingerut said. "We don't know what this is."
If there were to be a definition associated with the band, a trained ear would simply deem it a chill project. More likely than not, listeners will be comforted by the consoling voice of Norris, the uplifting riffs that he and Fingerut orchestrate and the brilliant rhythmic styles that Collins and Kay consistently produce. All of that coupled with the fun-loving, crowd-appreciative, slightly intoxicated response that Norris and the rest of the band always exude during live shows makes chemicalwarbear a memorable set for any fan of true music to experience.
Collins said that he wasn't playing the bass when Norris asked him to join the band, and that he started it up again. He said he feels as if he is constantly getting better at his own instrument while the entire group continues to become tighter as they write more and more material together.
"Just being able to play with your best friends gives you some room to relax and not worry about if your riffs are heavy enough," Collins said.
Being serious about the music they are playing while being able to laugh off a number of situations is a great trait this band encompasses. They are also able to find the importance behind finishing school while keeping their friendships strong.
"We once played a show in the back of a Chinese food restaurant," Fingerut said. "The stage is in the back where the bar was located, and I turned to Gabe and said 'this can't be the right place, man.'"
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