Dreams of rock star status might seem like a stretch for some aspiring musicians, but for the band Built for One that fantasy seems a bit more within reach. After winning the first round of Gorilla Productions' Battle of the Bands competition, the five-man band of AU undergrads is heading off to compete in the finals at Jaxx Nightclub in West Springfield, Va. on Dec. 13.
The band met and became known as CS-5 after vocalist, keyboard player and Kogod School of Business then freshman and current sophomore Corey Schneider expressed interest in starting a band. The band built a fan base on and off campus by performing at Georgetown's now-closed Grog and Tankard and at campus events, such as Up 'til Dawn and Relay for Life. After a name change and many hours of practice, Built for One is no longer just having jam sessions in their dorms. Instead, the band is creating music that is being recognized all over the District.
"I'm pretty confident that our sound is unique, especially for our age," said Geoff Malloy, the band's drummer and a sophomore in Kogod. "Most bands in college are emo/thrash/metal bands that can only scream and play three chords."
Built for One can be described as an alternative rock group similar in sound to Coldplay and Ben Folds Five. Schneider is responsible for writing the songs the band performs while the rest of the group works on the melodies.
"When I write my lyrics, I am trying to satisfy the needs of two different types of listeners," Schneider said. "The first being the person who is listening to music for pure entertainment purposes and the other being the person intrigued enough to break down the lyrics and discover the true message of the song. Bottom line, I focus on making my lyrics easy to listen to, but incredibly deep for those who want to better themselves by using my message as an inspirational platform."
The band will compete against nine other bands of a variety of genres in the finals, which will be judged by how much the audience applauds for each band after their 30-minute set. If Built for One's music and lyrics please audience members and make it through the finals, they will win $500, 20 hours of studio time and a submission to a record company (Warner Brothers, Rotten, Geffen, Prosthetic, Metal Blade, Universal or Columbia). The bands that make it through the finals will have their music put online, and people will vote for their favorite band.
"We feel winning this battle of the bands will do more than simply get us the prize," said Al Smith, the band's guitarist and a sophomore in the College of Arts and Sciences. "It will expose a whole new range of people to the music we are creating. We put a lot of effort into the music we play, and that certainly won't be lost on our audience."
Schneider said he thinks the event can teach the band a thing or two.
"More than anything, this event will show us what we are, what we need to be and what we must overcome in order to be the next popular band of our generation," he said.
No matter how the battle turns out, Built for One has already experienced success. Gorilla Productions called Schneider and said they want to work with the band in the future. The band has connected with a music director associated with the competition, and they will be working with her for future events.
"This is the start of something big," said Keith Ingram, the band's bassist and a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs.
The band has also seen a great deal of support from AU, the Class of 2011 and campus greek life. Since AU is more famous for its political interests, the band hopes to spark more of a musical interest on campus by getting more of their music out into the public.
"Of course we wish to become well known in the music industry, but there is something much more fulfilling we strive for," Smith said. "We hope to change the world through the art of music, because music has the power to stir the emotions in a way that words and text cannot. Art is often overlooked in today's society, but hopefully we can change that perspective."
With a number of events on their calendar, a record in the works and a national competition in their future, the band's members are beginning to make a name for themselves in the music industry.
"It is nice to see our hard work finally paying off," Schneider said.
Tickets for the battle are $8 in advance, $10 at door.
Eagle Staff Writer Hilary Crowe contributed to this report.
You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
