It's electric, baby

By Colleen Callery, contributing writer
Posted on September 24, 2007

What do members of the local band, Electric Baby, want to do?

“Besides take over the world?” senior Clint Petty said. “We just want to offer something new.”

Last Wednesday, the band signed with JMU’s own student-run record label, 80 One Records. The band is composed of seniors Ryan O’Connell (vocalist), Clint Petty (bassist, vocalist, keys), Dave Berry (guitar) and Doug Sexton (drums).

80 One Records was created in the fall of 2003 as a branch of UPB by students Sean Branigan and Matt Stuart. Since then, the label has signed about one artist each semester. This year, they are breaking new ground by signing a band, according to junior Rachel Sarah Blanton.

“We were looking for a new artist to sign since [formerly signed 80 One Record artists] Doug Roberts and Eddie Cain Irvin graduated last spring,” Blanton said. “Electric Baby will bring a lot of diversity to the label with their unique sound, and because they are the first band ever signed to the label.”

However, members of the band feel this merge is beneficial to Electric Baby as well.

“It is important that we get our name out,” O’Connell said. “And it’s a good experience. How many other schools have record labels?”

“In the past we’ve been very laissez-faire about promotion,” Sexton said. “This gives us an opportunity to focus more on our music.”

Music is a focus that is very important to the band. While Electric Baby can rattle off influences such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, 311, Incubus and Led Zeppelin, they each have a hard time classifying their own music. Yet, whether a song is predominately rock, jazz or bluegrass, the boys feel the music itself is really what is important.

“We play how we feel at any one given time,” Berry said. “It’s being able to musically communicate.”

A term coined on their Facebook page, “Soul Language” is a concept the band embraces while playing, while always trying to “bring a good vibe” to each show.

“Soul language is when this one moment hits and you can see clearly and everything makes sense,” Sexton said. “We are talking to each other without words.”

An important dynamic to any musical group is communication. Electric Baby has been building their group since freshman year and finds encouragement in their collaboration.

“Each one of us has a unique perspective,” Berry said. “We use each other and each other’s influences.”

Similar to their group dynamic, Electric Baby describes the sound of their first full-length album, For Your Ears, as very eclectic with a variety of sounds. Electric Baby hopes to complete the album by the spring semester. Hoping to complete an album comprised of 13-14 songs, the band describes the sound as “a year in progression,” with both new songs and old tracks from their demo Wolfe Street Sessions

“I personally don’t like where mainstream music is going anymore,” Petty said. “Hopefully we can tell people it’s okay not to write pop songs.”

Fans looking forward to new tracks can hear what the band is working on at any one of their shows until the album is released. The band is scheduled to perform next on Sept. 28 at Spaghettifest 5 at 8 p.m..