I met Bryan Wilson Bande some years ago when I was a Christian Rock Disc Jockey in college. I remember a loud, over the top party boy with a larger than life work ethic and more than his share of a few demons on his back. He had just lost a dear friend to suicide and once again was not attending yet another funeral. The goth laden singer with emo good looks and an UFC disposition was once again heartbroken and yet motivated as ever. When I was called upon to revisit Mr. Bande and his band of immortals known as “Live N’ Breathe”, I had my expections. I expected to go into a sex infected, self destructive, pool hall, religiously confused, yet somehow still a working enviornment, party lounge of a house. What I found surprised me.
I drove up to the end of B Street in Chesapeake Beach, Maryland a 22 minute commute from downtown Washington, and I was astonished by the incredible view of the Bay at the end of the street. As I then made the required turns to reach my destination through the established neighborhood, I came upon a quiet house at the end of a quiet street. The yellow seemingly middle class house sat decorated for Fall with a friendly female scarecrow welcoming me as I pulled in place to park. A vast array of large oak and poplar trees adorn the entire hillside which could only be described as a small forest. I saw multi-colored mums lining the drive as I made my way towards the large front porch with it’s black iron furniture, with padded striped cushions and a glass top table with a fall arrangement in the center. This was not the bachelor pad of old that was once deemed the “Live N Breathe mansion” in Forest, Virginia where smoking was allowed inside and out, where you never knew what you would find on any surface, and you could find a Bible or a scantily clad female in any room of the house. This was something different, this was the home of someone with means and a quality of life beyond that of a rock n roll fratboy. As these somewhat surprising thoughts invaded my mind, a large yet familiar figure popped his yellow mohawk covered head out of the glass storm door and said “Dude have a seat and I will be right with you.” I was once again taken back by the fact that Bryan Bande is a big guy. The over six foot tall, 185 pound young man who calls himself a hockey player with no skates, is built more like an NFL quarterback with square shoulders and a round face. I did notice that the infamous chipped front tooth was no longer there, via rumors of a stray microphone hit, and stories of a drunken brawl with a best friend. This line of thinking was interrupted by a “Hey man good to see you, what can I bring you, coffee, tea, beer, soda?” question from Bryan. Being in the presence of Mr. Bande I honestly felt obligated to have a beer. “Beer”, I said. Bryan asked “Dark or light?” “Dark”, I said. It was at that point the man himself sat down with a brown bottle, a frosty mug and a smile and said, “Thanks for coming out!” As we spent the next few minutes making small talk about our families, my recent career moves, and my drive down from NYC, I couldn’t help but notice how at peace and how at ease this guy seemed to be. I was taken back by the fact that just one album and three short years ago, this guy in front of me was fighting for his life, his place in the world, and just plain fighting everyone and everything.
Ross: “So, what is with you man?” “Who is this person I am talking to?”
Bryan: “What do you mean?”
Ross: “Clean hair, clean house, the new mature peacefulness, heck you even got your teeth fixed?!”
Bryan: “There came a point in my life not too long ago where I had a real light bulb moment. I finally figured out that all of my fighting and screaming at everbody was counter productive. I figured out that everytime I would snap on someone that I more often than not really hurt that person, and as a result the message I was trying to send was getting lost.”
Ross: “Speaking of the message, are you not a Christian anymore?”
Bryan: “First of all You can’t lose an entire religion, it is too big. Secondly if people wanted to label us a Christian band at one time, I was o.k. with it. Anyone can put any label on the band or myself that they want to. Ultimately labeling becomes a problem when you or someone in your organization does something outside of the box of that label or stamp. The moment that happens you are then labeled as a backslider or in our case insincere.” If anything we are secular musicians trying to find God, not the other way around. We should probably be labled as forward sliders.”
Ross: “Now, on that same subject of religion, I noticed a lot of people were upset at the fact you did not more strongly fly the flag of Jesus in your 2008 Home DVD, when asked by reporters specific questions. Do you feel like you danced around their questions at all?”
Bryan: “I did not dance around anything. I was at home trying to finish an album and there was a camera crew in my face asking me some very tough questions about some very tough subjects. I think we do not pause, listen, think, and then answer enough. What I mean by that is the fact that I do not have to have a definitive answer on things I have not had time to ponder. It does not make me weak or lessor of a person nor does it weaken my belief system or position on certain topics. I think it would be refreshing to hear more people say “I do not know, but I can find out for you.” “.
Ross: “So, one more question and I’ll change the subject. Are you a Christian music artist?”
Bryan: “No, I am a music artist who happens to be a Christian, and some of the subjects that I address and the way in which I choose to address them, may not be appropriate for some Christian broadcasts.” “Wow, this interview got heavy quick didn’t it? I mean you just walked up my drive and started asking me about religion. What is next politics?”
Ross: “No, I read your blogs so I know better!”
As the day went on Bryan cooked us a seafood lunch which was excellent, and then showed me around the house. The large red sofa, flat panel television with a dark wooden coffee table, was set off by deep red pendant lights in what I have to say was one of the most comfortable living rooms I had ever been in. An exterior door just off the side of the living room led to a large deck which went high out into the treeline of the forest, with an even larger deck on the lower level beneath it. “That is the band’s deck down there, I will show you that later.” Bryan explained. He showed me the flowers and vegetables he had grown in large pots all along the deck walk, and the bar level table for two with an umbrella where he and his wife of five weeks, have many of their meals. As I walked around the corner of the house there in front of us was the Chesapeake Bay crashing on the shore. The wind had blown just enough to cause the occasional white cap, and the day was crisp, sunny, and cool. Bryan turned and said, “Check this out!” as he opened the french double doors which lead into his bedroom, with simple but oversized wooden furniture, high ceilings, and a rocking chair given to him by his mother. Bryan then pointed to an oak tree in the back yard and stated, “I am going to put a big swing in that, after tour next Spring!”
Ross: “So, tell me about the tour.”
Bryan: “Well, it has been tough getting started this last time out. We had toured the album before this one with good success but it ended in vital people going home just after the recording of this existing album. So we had a finished album and burnt out band members returning to their normal lives, all while in their early twenties mind you. So there I sat with a web presence, successful gigs, and the best album I had ever made, complete and no band to go on tour with. So I would put a group of people together and go play a show and then go home, blog and do the on-line promotion thing, then put some other people together and play the next shows. I honestly felt like I was doing a real Axl Rose copy cat dance. In the meantime the album was selling by the thousands. So trying to get this tour going grew from “we are idiots if we do not bring this to people”. I then went to church, which is what I often do when I do not know what to do next. It is there at St. Nicholas Church in Calvert County, Maryland I met guitarist Patrick Holliday. God has always looked out for me, whenever I just have humbled myself just a little bit, and he sure did it that day. It was not long after that, we got metal drummer Jesse and blues bassist Britt, and it just felt right. Then we knew we had to find a sponsor. We had seemed to have landed a huge one, Aaron’s from the Atlanta area. One of their top marketing people were high on us only to later leave the company as well as leaving their interest in us behind also. We kept working and started working locally, which is when we met Bully Bling.”
Ross: “What in the heck is a Bully Bling?”
Bryan: “Bully Bling is a local Energy drink that is going national, and we are collectively using all of our contacts as a band to help them succeed, and they are returning the favor. Once the dates are finalized we do expect other sponsors to jump on, due to the nature of the type of tour we are doing. It is grass roots but high profile gig list. We would not have our new tour bus without Bully Bling!”
Bryan then continued to show me the band’s offices, large soundproof rehearsal studio, his collection of guitars, and finally the band’s party deck. The conversation continued as Bryan philosiphised about music, art, and his view for the future of the industry that he had been a part of since the age of twelve. Suddenly he exclaimed, “let me show you why I live here!” With the excitement of a little child Bryan Wilson Bande ran down the hillside towards the shore. This was not the guy I once knew. This was someone with all of the passion of a pissed off teenager, the energy of a hundred school children, but finally a grown man with a new peaceful perspective on life. Bryan Wilson Bande isn’t fighting with himself any longer, it is as if Robin or Bryan in this case, the boy wonder has finally become Batman. This calming, once dark and haunted individual has moved to the beach in more ways than one. He told me of his hope for America, his love of her history and the preservation of the ideals of her forefathers. He talked about travel and his love for the road, and how he could never imagine himself doing anything else. He spoke about his love for his wife and how she helped him through the dark days of drug addiction. Bryan Bande has truly come into his own.
