MysteryDriver is a
rock'n'roll trio from Chicago. Basic, lean rock'n'roll - roots
but not retro. Pure but not purist. A grand tradition of not following
tradition.
Steve Gerlach
is the guitarist in MysteryDriver and generally handles the vocals.
L.T. Swisher plays bass and sings. John Carpender is the drummer.
Steve had been in bands with L.T. and with John, but never with
both at the same time. At the end of '94 the three longtime friends
formed a band with the sole concept of playing "music that
makes us feel good," according to guitarist Steve. They do
exactly that on their debut album, Getting
Away With Murder.
There's a lot
of history in Steve's playing but he's never studied to be a six-string
scholar. He'd just listen, enjoy, and let it sink into his playing.
"The first guitar player to really influence me was Jimmy Page.
It may not be obvious but it's always there. I was really taken
by Johnny Winter when my older brother took me to see him in '86.
The common thread in our music is a blues influence but with more
of an edge. No pretensions." He can usually be seen sporting
a hollow-body Gibson but a Strat is fine by him, or any of his
dozen other guitars. His solos are what's on his mind right at
the moment, what he's feeling, not planned with written charts
or pre-selected cribbed riffs.
The
Phantom Helmsmen, a Midwestern rock band, was the first recording
project for both Steve and John. They earned themselves a local
radio hit with their song "Don't" from their 1992 self- released
album, Lessons
Worth Learning. Despite their beginning success, differing
musical directions grounded the group before a follow-up was recorded.
The Amarillo
Kings was initially a quartet that featured L.T. on guitar and
was led by Tem Harrier on vocals. Steve liked the band and after
a few jams found himself as an official fifth member. "Hi-Tone
Baby," a tune that Tem and bandmate Sam Barker wrote for The Amarillo
Kings, was recorded by MysteryDriver for Getting
Away With Murder. "I like to play it. A great song
is a great song." says Steve, "It doesn't matter who wrote
it, if you wrote it ten years ago, or if it was written by a friend.
A good song," he declares, "is one I wish I wrote."
Steve's rep led
to an invitation to join The
Bad Examples, the phenomenally popular Chicago rock outfit.
Mindful that he eventually wanted to do his own music, he reserved
the right to have his own band on the side. Steve's hi-test guitar
drove the Examples' rockers and his versatility complemented their
pop balladry. His vocals fleshed out the sound of the band. Their
recent album Kisses
50 Cents features Steve on lead guitar. "Me
And My Near-Blind Hindsight" has him sharing the lead vocal
spotlight. His live version of Ray and Dave Davies' "Got My Feet
On The Ground" became a highlight of their stage show. "I've
known that Kinks song since high school. It really caught my fancy."
A few Gerlach originals made it onto the Examples' set list but
he was mainly writing with his own band in mind.
Steve and John
wanted to work together again in a trio format as they did in
The
Phantom Helmsmen. L.T., at this time, had his own country-rock
group, The Lonely Boys Supper Club. He switched to bass to complete
the trio and MysteryDriver was in gear. While at first they played
those rare times when The Bad Examples' busy schedule allowed,
once the original songs were there and the sound was right it
became time for all three to commit all their musical efforts
to MysteryDriver.
"We're more
of a live band than a studio band" is Steve's opinion. The
album was recorded quickly, in about five days. While most of
the original songs on the disc are recently written by Steve,
"Hate To See You Go" comes from the live repertoire of the final
days of the Phantom Helmsmen. John contributed "Jumparound." L.T.
wrote "Don't Tell Motel" and handles both the lead vocal and lead
guitar. Steve comments on the other cover version on the album,
"I had versions of Ray Charles' 'Leave My Woman Alone' by the
Everlys, Johnny Winter and Dave Edmunds. I just sorta dreamed
up that version with all those modulations." Their set list
now includes more originals from L.T. and John. Onstage their
Eddie Cochran-cool demeanor will quickly heat up to a sweaty fever.
MysteryDriver's ten-song debut disc, Getting
Away With Murder, is the calling card for this American rock'n'roll
band that is now hitting the hi-fi highways.
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