James Madison University - Bluestone / Schoolmaam Yearbook (Harrisonburg, VA)

Chops. Pete Tuerck of the band Fried Moose drums on the Commons. Many students spent their afternoons on the Hill listening to music. Simpson i Simpson FT ocal Sounds « Tun ing into student bands Although it was not exactly the Mowtown of the recording industry, Harrisonburg did turn out quite a few good local bands. Whether is was at J.M. ' s or during lunchtime on the Commons, these bands made life at JMU a little more interest- ing. Many bands believed in their poten- tial yet remained wary of pursuing music as a career. Dave Sickmen, a guitar player in Pie Boy, aimed to go as far as the group could go but admitted that " career was a scary word. " Drummer Jason Alley and guitarists, D.J. Wil- liams and Ward Harrison made up the rest of the band which defined its music as " acid pop. " Pie Boy relied equally on each member for vocals and emphasized that their music catalog was comprised of " mostly originals. " Trying not to oversaturate the Harrisonburg scene. Pie Boy scheduleti dates outside JMU, most notably Blacksburg. Fried Moose created music as provacative and catchy as its name implied. Junior Rob Bullington described their songs as a distinctive sound heavily influenced by such diverse musicians as Paul Simon, Pink Floyd, and Eric Clapton, and defined their current status in the music industry as " jam- ming with potential. " The unique sound of Fried Moose was attributed to their large en- semble of musicians, which included a drum- mer, two guitarists, and a saxophonist. Aside from Harrisonburg, Fried Moose also gained valuable experience from its gigs in Charlottesville. Other ever-popular bands included Everything, BS M, and Full Stop. They too were regular performers at lunchtime on the Commons or on Thursday nights at J.M. ' s. -Brian Tetro Bands 47