Published: 08:00 AM, Thu Jul 16, 2009
Oakcrest to play Jesters Pub
By Jessica De Vault
Staff Writer
Oakcrest CD Release Party
When: Friday at 8 p.m.
Where: Jesters Pub at 6577 Fisher Road
Want more? Visit www.myspace.com/oakcrestband
The five members of the band Oakcrest pride themselves on creating an eclectic blend of West Coast rock, metal and reggae. And as crazy as their music may sound, they insist on giving an even crazier show.
Lead singer Tim Kranz may climb onto something as he belts a song, while a shirtless Donnie Brunette thrashes against his drums and changes the rhythm at a moment's notice.
Those who haven't seen Oakcrest perform can check them out at their CD release party at Jesters Pub on Friday. Kranz said the event will coincide with the group's personal mantra.
"We have this saying in the band," he said. "Music is the soundtrack of our lives, so turn it up!"
Max Kranz, who is Tim Kranz's brother and the group's lead guitarist and second vocalist, became friends with bass player Jake Eckerty while attending high school in Santa Rosa, Calif. The two decided to form a band. Meanwhile, Tim Kranz joined the Army and was stationed at Fort Bragg. He sent for Eckerty and his brother in 2005. With the band still in mind, they linked up with drummer John Shrudder and rhythm guitarist, Van Lewis. Shrudder was replaced by Brunette this year.
Pulling their influences from the likes of Pantera, Sublime, The Offspring and even a little Broadway, Oakcrest seamlessly switches between genres to concoct their own sound.
The band caught the attention of Dustin Lee, the founder of the Music Is My Weapon of Choice (MIMWOC) group, and was asked to write the organization's theme song.
Oakcrest spoke with the Weekender Street Edition about their music and their upcoming projects.
Weekender: So why the name Oakcrest?
Tim Kranz: Oakcrest was the name of the mental health facility (in Santa Rosa). We had some trouble when we were younger. My sister died suddenly. She had a bad liver. She ended up taking Aspirin instead of Tylenol, and she had overdosed. It broke our family apart. That same month we got evicted, my dad left and my mom ended up going crazy and had to go there for a little while. We ended up being homeless for a year and a half. Oakcrest was a big part of our life. It's closed down since then.
Weekender: Is that sense of "craziness" evident in your music?
Tim Kranz: There really aren't that many bands that have that California style of music here. We've got a sound that's very unique and it's got that North Carolina draw on it, but it's very California-based. It's a little crazy. It's not intentional, but it just comes out that way. But people seem to like it.
Weekender: Who are some of your influences?
Tim Kranz: Jonathan Larson. I went to a special high school that had classical, conservatory-style theater. I was in love with . Listening to that CD got me through the hard times. I get a lot of my style from that Broadway-type stuff. It just makes it greater, what we're doing.
Brunette: (In high school, I) moved to Phoenix, Ariz. from Buffalo, New York. There was a huge hip-hop crowd there, and they used to ...freestyle battle. I tried to do it, but I really sucked. But I wanted to fit in. I used to always complain that they didn't have a beat. So I'd practice beat boxing everyday. When I was beat boxing I could imagine a drum in front of me. That's where it all started for the drums. Now since Oakcrest is crazy, it's made my drumming style crazy. I had to learn how to do metal beats and progressive rock.
Weekender: How long had you played the drums?
Brunette: For nine months.. When I got on craigslist, this was the first band that I saw on there. They said they need(ed) a new drummer. They already had shows booked, so I was like, "Sweet, I'm going to go lie to them right now," because I wanted to do shows right now.
Weekender: So I hear you have a tour coming up?
Tim Kranz: We're going to start in Phoenix (Ariz.). Once we get there we have an audition for an independent label there. Then, we'll drive to Laguna Beach (Calif.), move up to Los Angeles, Bakersfield, San Francisco and hopefully up to our hometown. We haven't planned it all completely, but we know we're going to do it.
Weekender: Tell me about the "Oakcrest Alive" album?
Tim Kranz: The album . . . has got a little bit of everything - everything we're about. Our style, we'll have a song that will start out with surfer-type music, then speed-thrash punk, then metal. And this will all be within the same song. The songs are just introducing who we are as a band.
Staff Writer Jessica De Vault can be reached at devaultj@fayobserver.com or 609-0649.