Artist description Blue Wysteria is composed of two guitarists, bass, drummer, singer and often plays with a guest percussionist and saxaphonist.Their sound is big and funky and you never quite know what to expect when listening to their set: they've been known to include everything from country riffs to beat-boxing in their songs.Blue Wysteria has played with the Goo Goo Dolls, K.C. and the Sunshine band, and the Charlie Daniels band and is looking forward to a packed concert schedule in Summer 2000.Their first self-titled release contains 10 original songs that run the gammut of genres and sounds. They are the Allman Brothers for a new generation.

Music Style Southern-Fried Blues/Funk

Musical Influences Allman

Similar Artists Allman Brothers, Black Crows,

Artist History Blue Wysteria began as four high school students who wanted to show their musical abilities off attheir high school talent show. Ryan Russell, Mike Lovett, Ryan McMonagle, and Dave Laven were allsophmores at University School, a prepatory school in Hunting Valley, Ohio. They decided to play a fewsongs for US's annual Variety Show, and quickly realized that even though they didn't get along very well,they got along musically. Russell, in an effort to take the band to the next level, signed them up for thePeabodies Down Under Battle of the Bands, despite the fact that the band lacked original tunes, as wellas a lead singer. The next step was to convince Chris Kehres, a gifted vocalist and friend, to step onstageas the lead singer of Blissful Counterstroke, the bands unintentionally homoerotic original name. Theconcert was a disaster, for the band was not quite together, and Kehres showed up late and disgustinglyhungover. After that, all of the members of the band decided to take a break from playing. A year and ahalf later, after Laven had returned to his roots at Shaker High School, the band aquired John Manly,another Shakerite. By then the band had more original music, as well as better individual chops. Again,Russell signed the band up for a battle of the bands, this time promoting them to the Odeon stage. Theband was prepared, except they still needed a name. After a long phone conversation between Lovettand Russell, Lovett reluctantly agreed to Blue Wysteria, instead of his Phantasy Pharm. The rest ishistory. Since then, the band has played all over Cleveland, including a gig at the Great Northern RibCook-Off with the likes of the Goo Goo Dolls, K.C. and the Sunshine Band, Fastball, Charlie Daniels,and several other Cleveland based bands. Blue Wysteria recorded a self-titled album in the spring of1999.

Group Members John Manly--Vocals Ryan McMonagle--Acoustic and Electric Guitars Ryan Russell--Acoustic and Electic Guitars Mike Lovett--Bass and Acoustic Guitar Dave Laven--Drums, auxiliary percussion

Instruments Guitar, Bass, Drums, percussion, (saxaphone)

Albums Blue Wysteria (1999)

Press Reviews "Blue Wysteria provided a fine closing set. The five-piece group's set incorporated rock, blues, country and a tinge of R&B.It all came together nicely on the original, "I'll Go South" that sounded like it could've come right out of the Allman Brothers catalog.Their closing song, a cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama," was admirable." --Cleveland Free Times"When singer John Manly sang 'I'll Go South' it sounded like the audience wanted to go there right with him."--Cleveland.com

Location Cleveland, Ohio - USA

Copyright notice. All material on MP3.com is protected by copyright law and by international treaties. You may download this material and make reasonable number of copies of this material only for your own personal use. You may not otherwise reproduce, distribute, publicly perform, publicly display, or create derivative works of this material, unless authorized by the appropriate copyright owner(s).