Artist description What We Are's music combines numerous styles and textures with heartfelt lyrics and melodies and strong grooves. All original with a wide variety of influences. 6 members (contrary to the photo), including vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, electric bass, drumset, and percussion. Check out our homepage, http://www.whatweare.com

Music Style Alternative Fusion

Artist History The true makings of the band started in the Fall of 2001. Singer Lou Kestella, drummer Chris Guthrie, and guitarist Michael Jordan had previously played together in a band that performed mostly covers, and began collaborating on original music together in Lou's basement. For a couple of months, the three jammed, composed and arranged the makings of some of what would become the foundation of What We Are's repertoire, focusing on playing music that was heartfelt, fun, and mostly improvisational. Chris ended up leaving the group, separating for artistic differences, and Michael and Lou took a hiatus from playing until Nathan Foli began playing with them a couple of months later. The new trio began formulating new ideas and writing new songs and jams, for the following few months, while also expanding on the songs they had previously played with Chris Guthrie. Occassionally during these months, the trio would be joined by Aaron Bishara, who would just show up to jam and mess with their heads. Early in 2002, a pair of fine, strapping, young boys named Adam Carnes and Ryan Combs met Michael Jordan at college, and soon after, they also were brought into the fold. Adam and Ryan propelled the band from being an acoustic trio to an electric quintet, and changed the sound immensely. For the next four months, the band worked out existing songs from both camps (the acoustic trio, and the electric duo), and collaborated to unify their sounds. During this time, Aaron would still occassionally (and randomly) show up to jam on auxilliary and latin percussion. In June of 2002, the band decided to record their first demo of their music at Bobby Leonard's home studio, 187 Studios. Recruiting Aaron Bishara on percussion and Chris Gaines on Tenor Saxophone, they all piled up their gear and produced what is now known as the "First of Days" recordings. Shortly after this recording session, Aaron and Chris became permanent fixtures in the band, and they continued working on new music, drawing on a vast pool of musical knowledge and a wide array of influences that the seven member group had to offer. After a few mildly successful gigs, and hours and hours of practice time, the band continued creating eclectic and complex tunes, as well as developing their group chemistry. Due to schedule conflicts and artistic differences (again), however, Chris decided to take his leave of the group. The band continues, now as a sextet, to give birth to new music in their own particular idiom, with a unique sound, combining numerous textures, timbres, and styles.

Group Members Aaron Bishara - Hand Drums, Percussion, & Backup Vocals Adam Carnes - Electric Guitar Ryan Combes - Electric Bass Nathan Foli - Drumset Michael Jordan - Acoustic Guitar & Backup Vocals Lou Kestella - Lead Vocals

Location Columbus, Ohio - USA

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