If you are in Wilmington, NC, and you are, in anyway, musically inclined whatsoever, you better know someone at Winoca Records. Or at least know co-founders Lincoln Morris or Kevin Rhodes.
Unfortunately, I don’t consider myself a talented musician of any kind, more of a maven of that music, created by the talented musicians, in which I attempt to share with any music enthusiast willing to give me a second of their time.
What brought me to Winoca Records this afternoon you ask..the very talented ( drum roll please) boys of Onward, Soldiers, a Wilmington based rock and roll band
With Sean Thomas Gerrard, ( great name right?) as their front man, he contributes with his songwriting and lead vocals. Not only does he have a very distinguished, different sound when he opens up to sing, but this kid can write a song; very intoxicating to ears. Maybe too intoxicating, since according to drummer Kevin Rhodes, Sean stays close on the trails of his lady friends. I suppose that now would be a great time to share that Kevin is at least a decade older than Sean, which hasn’t effected the band much except for Sean stealing all the women and Kevin being grumpy and not being able to keep up in the partying department.
Lincoln Morris, shredder of the electric guitar, and co-founder of Winoca, adds his fair share of excellent riffs to their sound, also does the quite/almost silent JD, taking care of the bass.
To me, its quite obviously that you aren’t a rock band, a folk band, a pop band, or an anything band, I said to them.
“Correct, we don’t play any one style or genre of music. We really don’t even think like that. We just play music,” Sean replied, ever so smoothly.
This is just one of those bands you can’t really classify into any one genre, which is awesome. People are always too stuck on classifying stuff all the dam time, if you ask me. Some songs are a bit folk, others a bit psychedelic, ( they all claim Pink Floyd as an early musical influence), one straight up rock, and then after listening in on their practice after our interview, I hear some electronic dance loops mixed in with some mandolin. I dig it.
All classifications aside, Onward, Soldiers are a great band, that creates great music. Keep on playing soldier.
Personally, there are very few music videos out there that still, tickle my fancy, per se. Batting a cool 100%, these guys are 2/2 in my book so far. With videos for both “Alright by me” and “Let the Time Roll”, they have two pure, fresh, pretty good music videos, that are.. guess what? About music still! They actually belong on MTV.. from the 80’s, when Sean, and myself for that matter, were nothing more than thoughts, vision, the future; much like what was before Kevin and Sean teamed up to create Onward, Soldiers. Good for you. Bad for MTV.
I have faith in these guys to take their music far. True musicians, they began playing only seconds after ‘interview’ was declared ‘over’, cant keep the real ones away from music, no matter the scenario. The tunes started to pour from Sean’s guitar and Justin’s mandolin, in perfect, bliss, harmon. Justin was in house for a 6 0’clock jam sesh/band practice, Justin also plays in band Charlie the Horse, (more about them to come).
I sat in on the beginning of practice, pretty neat, Justin was really going on his trumpet.
I sat in on the beginning of practice, pretty neat, Justin was really going on his trumpet.
The Sol
diers are on the move, about to start a north bound tour hitting Pittsburgh and NYC, among other cities.
diers are on the move, about to start a north bound tour hitting Pittsburgh and NYC, among other cities.
They are playing the 3-day Troika Music Festival in Durham, NC on November 5th. Look at that, Odessa Record’s, Americans In France will be there too. Durham, here I come.
A new song off their second CD will be on an upcoming episode of TVs “One Tree Hill”, which is filmed in town. Sean will also be making a cameo on the show, so check that ish out yo.
Winoca Records will be putting together “Take the Lake Music Festival”, Halloween weekend, at Green Field Lake Amphitheater, a great outdoor venue near downtown Wilmington. Obviously headlining will be our very own Onward, Soldiers, joined by Charlie The Horse, Mandolin ORange, Holy Ghost Tent Revival, Dirty Bourbon River Show, The Kingston Springs, and Rayland Baxter.
Check out www.winocarecords.com for more info, a very very sweet website actually. If you like the designs, maybe for some project you are working on yourself, I can easily get you in contact with the artist, oozing talent and pizazz.
They will be playing alongside, Acoustic Syndicate, this weekend, 10/15 at Beer Fest, also at Green Field Lake Amphitheater in Wilmington.
Be a witness… you won’t regret it