By Lisa Olen
They say that survival of the fittest is the name of the game in the music industry, especially when the band is still their own record company, management and foremost supporter. Over the years, Orlando has been home to alternative rock sensations such as Matchbox 20 and Seven Mary Three, who were both fortunate in the local arena before graduating to the vaunted "national level."
Another Orlando hopeful, Blue Meridian, was born in the wake of these bands’ unfolding successes, and the band believes that this is their time to become the town’s next favorite sons.
Now, on their fifth anniversary as a band, Blue Meridian has much to celebrate about. They have been nominees for prestigious local music awards such as Orlando Music Awards and the Jammys. They have also headlined at high-profile venues such as House of Blues, Hard Rock Live and Sapphire Supper Club, as well as opened for national bands. With all of that (and with radio requests and CD sale figures that have surpassed all expectations given to any local band), Blue Meridian has become the darling of all the media and a top contender for a national record contract.
Not bad for a group of guys whose ultimate goal is to get on the cover of Connections Magazine. Now they can add that prestigious honor to their already-impressive list.
The First Meridian
When fans hear Blue Meridian’s debut self-titled album, the first reaction is usually in amazement that the band is still "local and unsigned." Local they are, and for quite some time now they’ve been the crown princes of the Orlando venue circuit---performing dozens of shows at Sapphire Supper Club and House of Blues. The band has also opened for national acts such as Push Stars, Tonic, Finger 11, English Beat and The Fixx. Signed acts that come to Orlando such as Marvelous 3, House of Dreams and Sugarspoon have found themselves opening for the well-established local favorite. Blue Meridian even played for a crowd of thousands at an Orlando Arena Solar Bears game.
Deriving their name from a song by one of their favorite bands, Canadian legends Tragically Hip’s The 100th Meridian, the band—composed of Donovan Lyman on vocals and guitar, Todd Rockenburgh on lead guitar, Gene Samero on bass and Kevin Kirkwood on drums—formed in the mid-nineties in downtown Orlando. At the forefront was founder Donovan Lyman, the self-styled local celebrity who started writing music after an unsuccessful attempt at undergoing childhood piano lessons.
"I lost interest in piano lessons because the instructor was boring me to tears," said Lyman. "I taught myself for the most part and began writing original songs right away. One of the original Meridians, Dave "Boo" Rhea (of Von Ra fame), remembered being one of the ‘new kids on the scene.’ I remember playing pubs like Bull and Bush and Scruffy Murphy’s. We couldn’t get into places like Sapphire back then. The scene was different back then. There was not a lot of competition—instant rock-stardom!"
Playing the same clubs with a good friend, the now chart-topping singer of Matchbox 20, Rob Thomas, Lyman recalled the "Old Meridian" days.
"I knew Rob before everything started happening for them. Those ‘Beat Tabitha’s Lizard’ Days were a blast!"
Blue Meridian’s debut self0titled album exploded onto the local and regional circuit. The seven-song EP was even given the stamp of approval by District Media Manager of Best Buy, Inc, Adam Sachs, who started carrying the CD in area Best Buy outlets and sold them at unprecedented figures.
Friends in High Places
Blue Meridian is no stranger to producing radio-friendly singles that have surpassed all request expectations placed on a local band. The first track off the debut CD, "Dream, Breathe, Scream" was played every Sunday night for months on WXXL 106.7’s Alternative Static in 1998. Nikki Knight, host of the popular weekly radio show knew the single would grow a huge demand from listeners.
"From the first time I listened to Blue Meridian’s self-titled CD, it was obvious to me how well crafted each song was. Exactly what radio asks for," said Knight.
Over in the WTKS studio, the Cutting Edge Weekend’s crew rotated the second single off the Blue debut, "Sideways Silverjet" with the likes of signed acts like Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sheryl Crow and Collective Soul. Even more impressive, "Sideways Silverjet" played in rotation 62 times over nine weeks on REAL Radio 104.1 (reaching number 9 on their playlist), making it more popular then some of the aforementioned national acts. Melissa Foxx, host of Get a Life and disc jockey during Cutting Edge Weekends commented on the huge demand to play the single.
"REAL Radio has been playing their song Sideways Silverjet for a few weeks and the listener response has been phenomenal," said Foxx. "Blue Meridian has the sound, the look and the presence of mind to take them anywhere that they want to go."
Even a station like MIX 105.1, which as a rule, does not play local music, invited the band on the popular Scott & Erica Morning Show to plug their shows and CD. The single has also been featured on Trackspotting IV, REAL Radio’s "The Philips Phile " and M4 Radio.com’s live internet broadcasts. The zany host, Stammerin’ Banzai, known for co-producing one of the only shows dedicated to promoting local music, believes that the band’s strength lies within their on-stage performance.
"Blue Meridian’s style and energy on stage coupled with their magical music make then a must-see and hear band, one of the best in Central Florida," said Banzai.
The band didn’t slow down in 1999. They played a seven-song set at this year’s Jammy Awards, at which they were also nominated in the category of "Best Modern Rock." They were also nominated for best rock for an Orlando Music Award. Earlier this year, the band shot a video for Sideways Silverjet at the Langford Hotel in Winter Park. A brainchild of director Dave Swuz and Lyman, the video was created as a CD-ROM inclusion track on their second CD entitled, Brave Angel.
Brave Angel
Brave Angel is the second release for these veteran locals. Taking 160 hours of studio time at Phat Planet Recording Studios, Blue Meridian believes the album shows their maturity in songwriting and instrumentation. Lyman, a proficient songwriter with over 50 original songs to his credit, crafted nine of his favorites for this CD. Lyrics that tell a straight-forward "knows what he’s thinking, writes what he’s feeling" narrative, the songs convey an honest, non-glossed depiction of love and sex.
From Counselor, "Lie, lie, lady lie on my king-size and roll back your eyes/Air too thick to breathe, come inside of me."
Using poetic nuances and metaphoric imagery, Lyman is a thinker of many things complex, trite, colorful and historic. Accrediting Elvis Costello as being one of his favorite songwriters, Lyman’s songwriting has parallels to the legendary pop artist’s. Like Costello, the lyrics talk about love that has been distorted by weak character and imperfection of spirit. Unlike Costello, however, the songs on Brave Angel are not as angry or blameful. Instead, the songs represent the cat and mouse relationship and a desperate need to have what you don’t already.
Produced by Mark Mason and Lyman, with special guest musicians including Brian Chodorcoff on lead guiter, the musical compositions and arrangements on songs like "Glistening" and "Brave Angel" show the artistry of adding purposeful (U2’s) The Edge like guitar lines that are at times exotic and always memorable. The combination of creative percussion (including timbales, udu drums, congas and djembes), well-varied vocal harmonies and unique transitions and tempo changes encapsulate the band’s trademark power of anchoring the hook.
"Kevin, Gene and Todd are each very good and creative musicians, and their influence is all over the songs," says Lyman. "Needless to say a great drum beat, guitar riff or bass line can positively effect what the other players add to a song."
A League of Their Own
I asked Donovan whether the band preferred playing on stage versus in the studio.
With witty banter (a common trait for the frontman) he replied, "Do you prefer fellatio or intercourse? Or maybe Lays potato chips are a better analogy, ‘cause you can’t do just one."
Then he added a more serious observation. "Both the studio and the stage are a terrific opportunity for expression. Both are as necessary as food and oxygen. I never felt restricted artistically in the studio—especially not on the Brave Angel album. I sat in the producer’s chair right along side Mark (Mason). I think the stage can be a celebration of the studio."
If bands are formidable enough to survive five years together, they usually have weathered many storms together, too. Blue Meridian is no exception to the rule. So how do four guys survive the music industrial asylum without killing themselves or each other?
"What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?" answered Lyman. "I would have to think that retaining your work ethic, choosing your paths carefully and pouring as much of yourself into the music as possible are some things I have done and will continue to do."
On losing a band-mate, Lyman adds, "It’s an unfortunate thing to lose a friend and band-mate, but it can be very positive to the bigger picture. Kevin (the other founding member) and I have also grown as musicians substantially over the past few years."
As far as his relationship with ex-band mate Dave Rhea, bassist for another successful local favorite, Von Ra, I wondered if there was any residual competitive rivalry that exists among local bands all after the same goal.
"There will always be competitive vibes," Lyman responded. "Anyone claiming they are entirely absent is closer to Sainthood than Hollywood and is probably more of a musical hobbyist anyhow."
He further adds, "I’m happy for Dave and company. Each of us makes strides daily and we often rub each other’s noses in it and then shift gears and talk about other stuff. We’ve been friends a long time and I don’t see that ending."
Dave Rhea reciprocated his admiration of his former band’s formidable spirit and drive over the years.
"The Blue Meridian of today is great and I am proud to be a charter member of the band," said Rhea. "The songs they are writing now have hit-potential. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if they got signed."
Knowing the risk involved with putting it all on the line for the hope of "making it," when can a band like Blue Meridian, who has been fortunate enough to have the respect of their peers, their fans, and the industry can really say they are satisfied. When they land a record deal? When they have a Platinum album?
Lyman quite humbly stated, "When I can fall asleep with a smile on my face."