Sarasota's Crayons color the world with fun pop music
BY DAWN E. SCIRE CORRESPONDENT
SARASOTA --
"If I was trying to describe my band to somebody, I would probably say, 'Yeah, we're a rock band that's played at a day-care center,'" said bassist, singer-songwriter and Riverview High School senior Aaron Baker of his quirky pop trio, Crayons.
The band's day-care debut took place at drummer Nathan Kintner's alma mater.
"We played to, like, 50 5-year-olds. And it was the coolest thing we've ever done," Baker said.
Oh, and their name isn't "the" Crayons; it's simply Crayons. Another band already claimed the Crayons, so they dropped the "the" from their designation.
Baker's brother John, aka John Crayon, guitarist and primary singer-songwriter, talked about the thought process while seeking a simple name.
"When we first started … it was before the whole "the" thing happened -- like the White Stripes and the Strokes.
"And Crayons, well, it implies … childhood. And that's a big thing that's important to us -- and art, the kind of art that anybody can do."
Crayons' kicky, melodic, vintage-flavored rock songs are deeply hued and underwoven with social complexities twisted into tasty, teasing lyrics with a high-energy fun factor.
"I think lyrics are kind of like a lost art these days," said John, an English literature major who writes almost three-quarters of Crayons' probing words. "It's really kind of sad. I don't think people put much time into being tongue in cheek."
Crayons recently released a five-song, self-titled EP recorded at Sub Cellar Studios (available at shows for $6 and via e-mail through its Web site, www.CrayonsCrew.com), followed by a short supporting tour -- its first.
John called it "a ramshackle affair," and Aaron's descriptive was "a midwest NASCAR circuit" because they played states such as Indiana, Michigan, Illinois and Georgia.
Yet after recounting some of the band's surreal on-the-road experiences, he also said, "It was definitely the best experience of my entire life."
The members are spread out over different locales -- Aaron's in Sarasota, Kintner (a music composition/percussion major) lives in Brandon and attends Lakeland's Florida Southern College, and John, a recent FSC graduate, teaches middle school in Lakeland.
Despite the geographical hurdles, the group is tight and able to play with few rehearsals.
"We've done the three big things that bands tend to wanna do: Play a lot, make a CD yourself and go on tour," Aaron said" And now, you know, we're just waiting for the next step, whatever that is. It'll come, or we'll get too old and wither and die."
John is more judicious.
"We're not on a ridiculous quest for fame," he said. "We'd just like to make a living at it. And to, like, do what (the D.I.Y. aesthetic) says: Do it ourselves.
"So I guess … having the idea that you can just take a crayon and make a work of art is a pretty radical idea, when you think about it."
Crayons join Drifting Condolences and Broken Image at Community Youth Development's Teen Fest 2004 on Sept. 18 at Twin Lakes Park, 6700 Clark Road.
For security reasons, only 12- to 17-year-old students (who MUST have picture IDs) will be permitted into the show. Call 922-5126 or access www.cydonline.org for information.
