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Times Advocate, 1999-06-30, Page 18TAKE OUR CAKE! DE.cADENI" ICE CLAM MUM'S num° i.asa2ams • TRY OUR PIS! Crossroads PIZZA NOT LINE 235.4949 Page 18 Wednesday, June 30 , 1999 Exeter Times -Advocate Local rock Mith revealed By Craig Bradford TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF WINCHELSEA — The bandmates in Mith aren't as mysterious as their name implies. Mith is an alternative rock band made up of five London District Christian Secondary School students. The local connection is Matt Den Hollander, 17, the drummer/percus- sionist and lyricist from Winchelsea. The other members are Wayne Dykstra on lead vocals, guitar and bass, Geordie Buesink on lead guitar, Jeremy Zeyl on bass, viola, .guitar and backup vocals and newcomer Darryl Heerema on rhythm guitar. Beusink is the elder statesman of the group at 18 while all other band members are 17 years old. Heerema joined the band about a month ago. The band members come from all over the region: Buesink is from Strathroy, Zehl and Heerema are from London and Dykstra is from St. Thomas. The band was formed two years ago by Dykstra and Zeyl. Buesink joined shortly after followed by Den Hollander. The fivesome have released a 10 - track CD entitled Pennies From A Richman recorded and mixed by Edward Platero at Digital One in London and mastered by George Graves of with a bongo or some other non-tra- ditional instrument. Besides Metallica, the last refuge of guitar god rock, influences listed by the band include Led Zeppelin and other classic rock acts. The band's sound has been compared to Our Lady Peace, Moist and Creed while Platero has called Mith good old Canadian rock. Highlights on Pennies From A Rich Man include the rocker 'Thirteen', the breakup ballad 'Till When' (a song getting airplay on London's 103.9 FM and 6X FM 106.9), the gui- tar -heavy 'Hesitate', the punk -influ- enced 'Again' and the final track 'Pray'. While 'Till When' is getting airplay on the dance -orientated 103.9 FM, Heerema is quick to point out Mith is "definitely not dance music:" Den Hollander said the appeal of 'Till When' shows the diversity of sounds and styles on the album adding Mith isn't aiming itself at any particular audience. The band's connection with their' Christian upbringing and education is evident on the title track and 'Pray'. Den Hollander said the band doesn't want to have the 'Christian Rock' moniker hanging heavy around their necks but admits it is part of • • their music. r. "We're `not pushing anything," he Lacquer Channel in Toronto. The band produced the CD along with Platero. The band paid for the 60, hours of recording time out 'of their own pockets spread out from February to April. ,Den Hollander enlisted the help of his older brother Eric who was in charge of art direction and design on the album. The 50A copies of the. CD were released June 11 and 50 were gob- bled up by Mith's schoolmates within 10 minutes. So far the CD has sold 150 copies at $15 a pop, mostly to LDCSS students. That number of copies sold is amazing since the school has only 250 students. "They all want them signed," Dykstra said. "We've been signing like crazy." The CD shows the band is a little rough around the edges but has great potential. There's a bit of everything on the CD, from bone crunching gui- .tar licks a la Metallica (Buesink's number one influence) to female friendly ballads. Zeyl's viola gives some songs an orchestrated feel while not. going overboard and Den Hollander adds some spice to songs said. Most of 1 the songs focus on relationships, failed or otherwise, and what Den Hollander calls "life situations." "It usually always comes from look- ing down at the big picture, an overview," he said. Mith has played some gigs at London's The Embassy and Call The Office and placed second at Woodstock's Battle of the Bands. The band has a yet to beannounced date at London's The Drink and will play sometime this summer at Clinton's Jonnymores Roadhouse & Motel. What could have been their biggest break was an opening spot for Rusty in February that was cancelled by the headlining band. The band's great hope is to be signed by an independent label (they are sending their CD to several record companies). Platero has told the band he has faith they will be picked up by a label sooner or later. For now Mith will concentrate on jamming in Den Hollander's base- ment and on writing another album. "Our second one will be' better and more thought out," Zeyl said, quickly adding they are happy and proud Mithical.The rock band Mith in the Den Hollanders' basement rehearsal'space. Front left: Jeremy Zeyl, Matt Den Hollander; back left:Wayne Dykstra, Geordie Buesink and Darryl Heerema. with their first CD. The challenge for the boys will not be forging ahead with their music but simply staying together. While four fifths of the band will return to LDCSS for their fifth years, Zeyl has been accepted at Hamilton's Redeemer College where he will pur- sue a BA in music on his way to becoming a music teacher. "Music is my life right now," Zeyl said. His bandmates all agreed, adding the band and its future is their num- ber one priority. "Ninety per cent of my thoughts are on the band," Den Hollander said. Besides their interest in music and Mith, the five guys like to hang out anyway. "I don't think the band would go far without us getting along," Dykstra said. Exeter's Reel Time will soon have copies of Pennies 'From A Richman and the band•wants everyone to check them out. "We'd like people to try us out and buy a CD," Den Hollander said. "There's not many bands who do this around here." Library gears up for children's suininer reading program EXETER -- Get ready for "Animal Adventuresr That is the theme for Huron County Library's children's summer reading program this year. The program will be held at 11 library branches in the county including Exeter, Hensall, Kirkton and Zurich. Through participating in crafts, games. stories and songs relating to the theme of animals, chil- dren will be encouraged to read a variety of books over the summer months. Valerie Van Riesen and Amanda Westbrook. the Summer Reading Program Coordinators, will pre- sent the "Animal Adventures" program during the months of July and August throughout the participating libraries. Children ages 5-12 are invited to take part in the program. The Summer Reading Program is made possible through the support of the Huron County Library, Human. resources Development Canada and Young Canada Works, a division of the Department of Canada Heritage. The Exeter Lioness have also been generous sponsors of the program. For for information about "Animal Adventures," or to pre -register your child, please visit your local library. The program dates in the following areas are: Exeter Library: Mondays, July 5 -Aug. 16 from 1:30-2:30; Hensall Library: Mondays, June 29 - Aug. 16 from 7-8; Kirkton Library: Thursdays, July 8 -Aug. 19- from 3:30-4:30; Zurich Library: Thursdays, July 8 -Aug. 19 from 1-2.