Published: January 03, 2009 01:42 am      

Young musicians take their act to Los Angeles

Like most parents of teenage boys, the moms and dads of Ryan Michael, Foster Davis, Conner Sinclair and Ricky Traynor are accustomed to the sounds of loud rock music coming from their boys’ bedrooms.

You won’t catch these parents complaining about the trouble with rock ‘n’ roll — for Southern Indiana’s The Trouble With Boys, it’s part of their business plan.



IN IT TO WIN IT

“If you want to be an Olympic athlete, you must swim every day. Singers’ sing, musicians who want to make it have to play every day,” explained Mark Maxwell, of Mom’s Music Rock School in Jeffersonville.

Maxwell has worked with bands of young people throughout Southern Indiana. However, The Trouble With Boys are a standout and were invited to play in Los Angeles at the National Association of Music Merchants, or NAMM, before a crowd of industry professionals — who in recent years have included Slash, Stevie Wonder, Carlos Santana and more. The conference is later this month.

“It takes a long time to build a name in the music industry,” Maxwell said. “If you’re any good at country music, for example, you go to Nashville. They tell you to write and be in the community for five years before you know whether something is going to happen or not. Write/record, write/record, and do it because you love it, not because you’re gonna be a star.”



TASTE OF SUCCESS

The Boys now head to Los Angeles having tasted success already.

Cindy Gatziolis, spokesperson for the Chicago Mayor’s Office of Special Events, reported that the Boys beat out about 50 other talent entries from the Greater Chicago area to win the Taste of Chicago music competition in 2008.

“Invitations are sent to not only the local schools, public and private, but to all the area performing arts schools — and there are many in the Chicagoland area,” Gatziolis said. “Judges are recruited from outside the mayor’s office. We try to get a variety of impartial judges from the children’s entertainment field and local media to grade the talent entries.”

In June, the band will return to Chicago to play an hour-long set on the Funtime stage of Taste of Chicago, a festival that attracts 3.5 million visitors annually to downtown Chicago — and they’re already being stopped by fans.

“We were just walking down the street in jeans and T-shirts in downtown Chicago, and some guy stopped us on Michigan Avenue,” Davis said. “He said, ‘Aren’t you guys in The Trouble With Boys?’”

“It’s a good feeling, just walking around being recognized,” Michael added.

“They are little rock stars in this town,” said Maxwell, but he’s got bigger plans for his protégés than just teaching them to become legends at their lunch tables. “These guys are going to grow up and have tons of confidence and be able to deal with life. At 18, they will all go to college — that’s what they will do. The plan is to do all we can for five years — they’re 13 now.

“They’re learning a lot about business and how to make this business work. They are a product, just like every band that’s come out of this town. How good can they play? How good can they write a song? That’s what it comes down to.”

“On stage, it’s both work as well as fun,” said Michael. “It’s the best job a kid can have.”



NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS

Tena Edwards, co-owner of The Grand in New Albany, was impressed by how hard the boys have worked, and decided to help them reach a goal by donating her facility for a benefit show set for Friday.

“We like to help our neighbors in the community, and we hope about 300 or so will show up,” said Edwards. “A lot of kids don’t have parents behind them, supporting them, and when you see someone who really is trying, you want to help them, too.”

“If you have a goal that you’re going to write songs and record them, you’ll do it,” said Maxwell. “The next goal is to figure out who to get the songs to, and that takes time. One of our goals starting out was to get out and play gigs and have fun. We’ve done that. Most bands stop right there — they stop when they become the hero to their friends. We’re going to L.A. to play this show and showcase the band to industry professionals.”

“You’ve got to conquer your town, then look to take a wider path of where you play and what you do,” said band parent Chad Brough

Maxwell concedes that it takes more than talent to make it big in music.

“In this business, it’s who you know. I’m old, and over the several, several years I’ve been around, I’ve met a lot of folks out there,” he said.

In addition to playing as entertainment at NAMM, The Trouble With Boys is going out of their way to court recording executives.

“We’re hosting a showcase, and we’re inviting our friends [in the music industry] to invite their friends to come and see this,” Maxwell said. “It’s not open to just anyone off the street — only industry contacts will be there.”

Regionally, the Boys are building a solid reputation. Brittany Morris of ClearChannel Communications is in charge of Cincinnati’s Meijer Kids Fest, and remembers the Boys quite clearly.

“They were easy to work with, got along well with each other and were appreciative and well-mannered compared to other acts,” said Morris. “They captivated adults as well as the kids, and gathered the entire crowd into their performance. Girls were screaming!”

Gary Jacob, organizer of Abbey Road on the River, has faith in the Boys.

“They’re an exciting group of talented young musicians,” Jacob said. “Fans at Abbey Road on the River were very excited by them last year, and if they keep working at their craft, they’re going to have a great career at music and performing.”



THE NEXT CHALLENGE

And what if The Boys don’t score a record deal while they’re in Los Angeles?

“The showcase is for industry folks to see if they find anything special about this band,” explained Maxwell. “I expect to hear some ‘nos.’ I’m very used to the word ‘no.’ The Beatles were turned down a million times before they got a ‘yes.’”

And if the showcase does result in a lot of “nos,” what next?

“It would be really nice to go out to L.A. more often, because that’s where the music industry lies. It could take several tries. In a world of Jonas Brothers who barely play their own instruments, we’ve got something special here,” said Maxwell.

“I think the L.A. trip challenges them,” said Brough. “They know they’re going to have to go out there and play well to impress anyone. Ninety-five percent of the attendees at NAMM are former musicians. They will know instantly whether or not these boys can play.

“Mark challenged them to practice every day. They were practicing two or three times per week beforehand, and they’ve stepped it up.”

While a record contract is the ultimate goal for any aspiring rock band, “it’s an opportunity for the boys to talk to companies about sponsoring them, as well,” said Brough. “Cymbals run $150 to $300, and Ryan has gone through four cymbals this year.”

The Boys understand the band is a business, and expenses do add up.

“Gibson, Dean, Yamaha — any of those would be great to have as sponsors,” Traynor elaborated.

“Even a small sponsorship would be great,” said Michael.

Sinclair seeks validation from the experience.

“It would be nice if we got someone [in L.A.] to think that we’re more than just a bunch of kids,” he said.

“We’re musicians, not just a sideshow carnival,” Davis agreed. “If we got feedback from the pros, even if it was a ‘no,’ we’d take the feedback, work on it, then ask them ‘What do we do next?’”

Michael is adamant about the group’s musicianship.

“We’re not jut a novelty band — we do take it seriously.”

The group has already had their share of personal successes, whether on the road regionally or performing locally for children with cancer.

“It’s something I love, something fun to do, hanging out with my brothers,” said Michael.

Sinclair smiles.

“Group hug!”

The trip itself is a success for the band.

“They will never have to say ‘I wish I would have tried,’ because they are going for it,” said Maxwell. “But [the music professionals] are going to flip out, I can promise you.”



Girl Power: Young men aren’t only ones going west for NAMM

Four years ago at Utica Elementary School, Remington Maxwell and Allyson Whitlow decided they wanted to form a band.

The girls joined forces with friends Jessie Madill, Madison Cunningham and recruited little sister Bayley Whitlow. Together, these young ladies, ages 10-13, are known as the Hi-tops.

The girls are preparing to fly out to Los Angeles for the annual National Association of Music Merchants conference, or NAMM, leaving behind their tour bus, pink Austin Healy and personalized Cadillac limo.

“They’ve got five original songs, and they’re going to do some recording in a new studio while they’re out there,” said band manager Kim Elliot.

No longer members of Mom’s Rock School, the Hi-tops have graduated to doing paying gigs on a regular basis.

“Spring, summer and fall, the girls play once per week at paying gigs — sometimes up to twice a week,” Elliot said.

Like The Trouble With Boys, the Hi-tops are hoping to get their songs in front of the right people while they’re out West.



Trip Agenda

• JAN. 14: The Hi-tops will be recording at the Jungle Room — where Miley Cyrus and Jonas Brothers have recorded.

• JAN. 15: Showcase for music industry contacts.

• JAN. 16: NAMM show; also will play at the Anaheim Garden Walk.

• JAN. 17: Play at Six Flags — Magic Mountain.

Visit the Hi-tops online at

/ or friend them at myspace.com/thehitopsrock, where you can hear their music.