For This Young Band, It’s All Rock and Roll, and Metal, and Blues, and Jazz, and Big Band, and…It’s All Good
by Lisa Morgan
Today’s youth are able to completely drown themselves in all genres and styles of music if they want to. Thanks to the internet that has changed the music industry dramatically. It has both educated and perhaps overwhelmed today’s youth with sonic information and opinions. Still, it seems so many of the young musicians in or just coming out of our desert’s local high schools have one common thread: Their classic rock appetite for bands like Led Zeppelin, The Doors and Jimi Hendrix. But not all of them can translate it into their own, all original music. The Classy Mother Fu?kers, however, do, and they do it very well.
Lead singer, guitar player and songwriter, Joseph Vaughan and drummer, Jasyn Smith, have been playing together since meeting in band class. Their debut as “Classy Mother Fu?kers” was at the Open Mic competition at Tilted Kilt, a progressive contest that they won handily, setting themselves apart from 11 other musical acts. I was at the finals the night they won. It was a long night, packed with talented and passionate artists on varying levels of experience and skill. When these two young men took the stage with simply drums, guitar and a single vocal, my rather seasoned ears perked, and they had my full attention within the first verse. Astonishingly young to play and sound so seasoned, it was very clear that this duo has limitless potential.
Vaughan’s vocals are almost unreal when you consider how young he is. Even his lyrics and song construction seem to come from an old soul. Understated and somewhat mild mannered on the surface, the music produced from his vocals and guitar are incredibly refreshing, transporting a classic time in our music history into our modern day sound garden, satisfying that craving for good old fashioned rock and roll authenticity. Smith accompanies him on drums in true blues taste, feeling his way through the songs, and not merely playing them.
Vaughan, having graduated from high school last year, has been a self-taught guitar player and singer for the past 9 years. With no family members or teachers to inspire or mentor him, he chose the music of artists from 50’s and 60’s blues, some old and newer hard rock, jazz and even some big band musicians as his teachers, all of which come through in his original music.
Currently a senior in high school, drummer Jasyn Smith first developed his appetite for drumming while watching and eventually sitting in on occasion with cousins who were jamming in the garage. He finally talked his father into getting him a drum set. Other than his cousin showing him some fundamentals, Smith chose drummers from Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin and Metallica to be his teachers, yet has managed to learn the power in subtlety. Now, six years later, his teachers would be very proud.
Here is an example of the mature writing style of Vaughan, a song I would personally love to add to my own iTunes playlist:
Who I Once Was
In the days of my youth, I used to be so cold
While everyone just stood around to watch me become who I once was.
Take the one that you know the most
And show them what the world will be if you leave
While all around flames rising from the ground
And he’s here to take you home with him
Cause I know.
What I’m to do.
It’s too sacred.
And Who I Once Was is gone for now.{2x}
Hey you there, are you worried?
Cause your minds a blank.
Are you scared?
To shaky to become who I am and I stand.
Cause I know.
What I’m to do.
It’s too sacred.
And Who I Once Was is gone for now.{2x}
Always inside, wonder why you’re too scared to hide.
Underneath you to find sacred memories on the other side.
The fallout brings you all around like it did before.
Left without the answers from all the other ones.
Taken from me honor, glory, everything that I once was.
Find me waiting for you angry for the cause of degrading me.
It’s time to take you all around in the search of Eve.
While everyday it seems to take every part of me.
Yeah.
And Who I Once Was is gone for now.{3x}
Written & Produced by:
Joseph Vaughan & Jasyn Smith
(You can listen to the song on YouTube at this link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=MVcF2I6zsvc&list=UUXA817DJNWZbH5Bf3YxTslA)
“We have been playing together for nearly four years now,” shared Vaughan. “We have been practicing for the several months and are working on our demo, ‘Dull Entertainment.'” That is a demo I am personally looking forward to hearing, and hope an EP is in their very near future.
You can support our great local music and catch these two promising musicians at Schmidy’s Tavern in Palm Desert opening for Wicked Jed this Halloween night, along with another incredibly talented group of teens, the Yip Yops.
Follow Classy Mother Fu?kers at:
www.facebook.com/pages/The-Classy-Mother-Fukers/316365701877556
