| In
case you are not familiar, One Side Later is one
of the best local bands going. These three guys from
Knightstown are rocking music festivals, college
campuses and venues all over the State.
Recently, we had an opportunity to talk with Jon
McKinney of One Side Later. We wanted to ask him
some questions about the Band and what they might
have planned for us down the road. |
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What brought the three of you guys together? |
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As
teenagers, all the other kids were into modern
music. Bryce, Stuart and I were connected by our
love of older music. |
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I
grew up playing basketball with my neighbor Bryce.
Over the years we played lots of air guitar before
we picked up the real thing. |
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In driver’s education Stuart and I would listen to
oldies. Stuart would invite me to his house to play
video games. In return, I invited him to my house to
play drums. |
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How did you come up with the name OSL? |
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We recorded our first few practices on a tape
cassette. We labeled the first side Beginning,
because it represented how we sounded when we
started the band. We labeled the second side One
Side Later. |
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For those that may not have seen OSL live, how
would you describe your music? |
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The band is driven from emotion. Sometimes the
audience has more control than the band members.
Consequently, we rarely play a song the same way
twice. Solos are improvised and transitions are
based on looks. It keeps the band on its toes, and
makes the shows more interesting. It’s the only way
to play the blues. |
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How long has OSL been playing together? |
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We’ve been together since the summer of 2002. For
the past 5 years, this band has been our lives. |
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At what age did you first pick up the bass? |
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I
did not seriously pick up the bass until I was 18.
Up to that time I played rhythm guitar for the
group. When our previous bassist left for college, I
picked up the instrument and feel in love. |
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Is there any special musician(s) that has influenced
you the most? |
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Two years ago we attended a free Buddy Guy concert,
and left asking ourselves, “Why don’t we play the
blues?” Before that day we described ourselves as a
classic rock band. |
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Has your faith ever affected your music in any way? |
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Yes, everyone perceives lyrics differently though.
Our goal is to write songs that everybody can relate
to, while maintaining a positive message. |
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What advice would you offer to an up and coming
artist? |
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Be persistent and look at every situation as a
learning experience. More often than not, the
biggest disappointments have turned out to be my
most valuable learned lessons. |
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Does any one "gig" really stand out from the
rest? |
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Not really, because every show is different. Every
performer will experience good and bad nights. We
are in it for the good nights, and learn from the
later. |
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Music is powerful. It touches people in ways that
nothing else can, and not just the listener. When an
audience is hungry for music, it pushes us to raise
the bar. It is a circle of energy that we cannot
create alone. |
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What are some of the songs we might find on your
IPOD? |
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Rather than favorite songs, I think in terms of
favorite albums. I maintain a constant rotation of
Band of Gypsys – Jimi Hendrix, Live at the
Fillmore East – The Allman Brothers Band,
From the Cradle – Eric Clapton, Apostrophe
– Frank Zappa, Lawn Boy – Phish, and the
entire catalog of The Beatles. |
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How many CD's have you released? |
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While we have multiple basement and live recordings
floating around, our most recent Wind of Change
EP is the product we are most proud of. Many
hard hours went into the project, and I believe they
are showcased well on the recording. |
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What would you say is your best original song? |
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Songs are like children, it is tough to pick a
favorite. Each song has moments you love, and yet
traits you wish were different. |
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Who writes most of your songs? |
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Songwriting is a group effort that requires open
communication. We throw lots of ideas at each other,
but each member finally decides how they will be
heard through the song. |
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Have you ever forgotten the lyrics of a song while
performing? |
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Yes, but I cannot let it ruin the performance. I
have found myself singing a 1st verse
instead of 3rd numerous times. The show
must go on. |
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What would be your favorite song to perform live? |
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Original compositions that move people. We have all
experienced songs that recall tears, laughter and
love. The ability to produce such a response on
demand is the sign of a true artist. |
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Have you ever been intimidated playing in front
of a large crowd? |
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A
little stage fright is common. I would describe it
as empowering, not intimidating. In fact, we
encourage large crowds to attend shows. |
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What venue do you really love to play? |
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College campuses are fun. Younger people are
generally more open minded to new music. |
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Since you guys are in college in different parts
of the state, how do you manage to rehearse? |
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It requires a lot of sacrifice. All my friends and
family have to understand I am busy every weekend.
|
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Stacked up against other local bands, what
really sets OSL apart from the rest? |
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Emotion. Few people get to express their emotions as
publicly as we do. Every night, the audience
physically sees the music affect us. |
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Is there any other local band we might want to keep
our eye on? |
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The Max Allen Band and Mike Milligan & Steam Shovel
are local influences. When first beginning to gig I
would call and ask, “How did you do it?”
Additionally, along this journey we have made
friends with really cool bands, Austin Bridges and
Generation Gap. Check them out. |
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We saw your performance at the Knightstown Fall
Festival. Do you feel any added pressure when you
perform for a Knightstown audience? |
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A
little more pressure. We have lots of friends and
family in Knightstown. If we play a bad show to
strangers, chances are, they will not remember our
name anyway. |
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What are your future plans for the group? |
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Make more friends. It is our unique friends that
have produced who we are today. Venue owners and
fans alike have changed us more than they may ever
know. |
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Looking at more objective goals; we are looking at
videotaping a soundstage performance at Ball State
University, tracking another EP and playing new
venues. |
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Is there anything about Bryce and Stuart you would
like us to know? |
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Bryce and Stuart are more than band mates, they are
my best friends. It seems as if we have matured
together with guitars in our hands. I consider them
family, along with their families. Much love goes to
these guys. |
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Is there anything else you would like the
Knightstown community to know about OSL? |
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Knightstown is where we call home. It is where we
first began playing music and graduated high school.
We are proud of our history and wish nothing but the
best towards our community. |
