Artist description A mix of rock from all around the spectrum. We concern our efforts of musical libation toward the atmospheric. Relying on hybrid instinct rather than your typical manifestations in this area.

Music Style Rock, Psychedelia, Funk, Jazz, Freeform

Musical Influences Pink Floyd , Radiohead, Beatles, Miles Davis, Phish, The Isle of White video, The Who, James Brown, The Jam, Al Green, Stevie Wonder, Grateful Dead, Staind, Captain Beefheart, Frank Zappa, C.W. McCall's 'CONVOY', Jerry Reed 'East Bound and Down', Gomez, Pretty Things, Hawkwind, Bob Dylan, Crosby Stills and Nash, Napster, Thelonius Monk, Charles Mingus, Vivaldi

Artist History Formed in April of '99 Currently trying to overthrow the evil music empire from our cozy little basement studio. We have a fridge very near to chill the things liquid and dear. Mics and a highway of cords that light and fill our heads with fleas.Welcome to the world of AIRBAG Welcome to the world of AIRBAG Named Best of Rockford 2002 "Airbag" you say? "Well, we've come up with worse names" quips a cynical Eric Bergstrom. Eric plays guitar, sings, and if that's not enough, also plays the bass. "We tossed around a handful of names, but we liked Airbag because it's already displayed on dashboards all across the world" Marketing genius? We'll find out! Eric is an all-encompassing artist, with interests in painting as well as music. He has a side project called Me, You and John where he is working on his drum playing skills. Eric's youthful energy and lively persona on stage really shows his true love for what he does. Besides Eric, there is Dan Trotter. Not only does Dan plays the guitar with the energy that will make you want to get out of your seat, but also has the ability to make it sing a beautiful melody. Dan also takes on the duties as one of Airbags vocalist, or comedian, you judge for yourself. Next is Jason Jeras. Jason has been playing the drums for about 20 years now and has perfected the art! His beats are strong, loud, and unlike most groups, is definitely a focal point of Airbag's sound. Jason takes care of most of the business side of things, as well as is the creative mind behind their website, promotional flyers, etc. He supports local music to the fullest and can almost always be seen out enjoying various local artists. Jason also set up an in-home recording studio (Crooked Post Studios) and engineers all recordings for Airbag, as well as other local bands. All this and still holds down a full-time job! If asked how he finds the time, a modest Jason says, “I just play the drums". Formed in 1999, Airbag has been nominated for 4 RAMI (Rockford Area Music Industry) awards, and a “Best of Rockford” nod in 2002 which landed them a slot at the largest Labor Day festival in the Midwest called On the Waterfront. Airbag's music consists of many different influences. From funky pop to a laid back groove. "We draw from many different sources of music" say the boys. Their well written originals are complimented by covers of songs, including tunes by The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Commadores, James Brown and Joe Cocker. "We don't all agree on what 'good' music is, but somehow it all comes together when we jam" Dan adds. Just check out their live show and you will know why Airbag is the most entertaining band around! Audience participation is a must at the shows! That's probably why people keep coming back again and again. You'll have to check it out for yourself to see whether or not this kind of collaboration works for the guys!!! Airbag is based in Rockford IL. They are currently playing the local scene with hopes of grabbing the attention of as many folks as possible. They also have been utilizing the internet to great lengths. Check out the bands website at www.iloveairbag.com where you can see photo's or listen to some tunes. Contact info: Jason Jeras at (815) 227-4104 or crookedpost@ameritech.net

Group Members Dan Trotter: vocals, guitar. Eric Bergstrom: vocals, guitar, bass. Jason Jeras: drums, and "producer, engineer fella"

Instruments drums bass guitars tambourine harmonica bongos eggshakers birds water feuglehorn

Press Reviews AIRBAG by Airbag: By Dan Klefstad "(music critic)" Local band Airbag's first CD is a self-titled demo. The half-dozen songs on Airbag show a range of styles and sonic experimentation. All are originals. Methadone and Off A... are trippy, allegoric tunes best enjoyed while wearing headphones. The lyrics are bleak without being despondent. They appear to describe a search for pleasure and answers in a cold silent universe. Off A... experiments with baby noises and bird calls. In many recordings, sound effects end up as meaningless indulgences. In this case, however, they added to my experience of the music. The upbeat instumental, Funky Ass Red proves the band can still play a party, while the vocals-only Tangent shows off the singers in a downward spiral of overlapping harmonies. 1/2 hour to :45 minutes is radio ready pop rock that sounds good while driving. Airbag is: Jason Jeras ,Eric Bergstrom ,Ron Reeder, and Dan Trotter. Dan Klefstad enjoys hearing and writing about all kinds of music. He hosts the saturday blues on 89.5 WNIJ.Review Of the latest CD release by Airbag, Trailer Park Garage Sale, Rock River Times Jan 24-30 2001 (by Kathryn Cole, Retro Jazz Vocalist and Voice over Artist) Airbag may think of themselves as "a mix of rock from all around the spectrum," but their new CD Trailer Park Garage Sale is hardly an eclectic offering. The majority of material fits the label "moody angst-driven psychedalia" extremely well, and that's not a bad thing. Moody, angst-driven psychedalia is Airbag at their best. The opening song "Kelsey" is so good in fact that the rest of the CD can't help but be something of a disappointment. We now know how good they can be, how much effort has already been spent on structure, melody, dynamics and emotional composition. "Kelsey" succeeds even though we don't what the song is about, because it feels real. If the band could impart this same creative discipline to the rest of their material, they could really have something. Not to say their aren't quite a few potential goodies on this CD;"Confused" and "Little Voice..." for example. If Airbag didn't have talent, I probably wouldn't have listened so hard. Just about every song starts off great; catchy, melodic, rife with possibility. To be honest, some progress better than others. The lyrics are often silly and the melodies occasionally fall into the two-note range. The vocals can be completely inaudible, drowning in gallons of reverb. The band's "Pink Floyd" meets "Verve" production values sometimes devolve into a sort of edgy, wall-of-mud on Valium. And yes, songs tend to hang around long after we know they've finished. But, and this is a big but, if "Airbag" is serious, the skill and creative talent are there. Ron Reeder, Dan Trotter, Eric Bergstrom and Jason Jeras are four excellent players who play and write very well together. "Airbag" shows a lot of promise, and I look forward to hearing what they do next. “ The Sound of an Airbag” Local band finds success in studio, on stage. By Edith C. Webster Rockford Register Star Friday, January 17, 2003 Airbag’s doing it backward. Most local bands play around town, build up a little following, then hit the recording studio. Rockford-based Airbag is a group of musician pals whose members were writing and in the studio before they started playing bars. “We’ve been together for 3 � years,” drummer Jason Jeras said. “Last year, we got together and started playing out.” Airbag’s unusual path probably has to do with the fact that Jeras operates Crooked Post Studios. He and his in-home recording studio have been nominated for Rockford Area Music Industry Awards. Besides Jeras, Airbag consists of Eric Bergstrom (guitar, bass and vocals), and Dan Trotter (guitar and vocals). Last year, they landed one of the area’s most sought-after gigs: Rockford’s ON the Waterfront festival. Organizers of the event, which draws more than 350,000 people over Labor Day Weekend, even named the group a “Best of Rockford” band. Airbag also has snagged RAMI nominations for Best New Rock. Now the band enters 2003 with a new CD. “What’s It All About” is an eight song disc that members give away at performances. The release consists mostly of original songs, done in Airbag’s style of funky rock- kind of Pink Floyd meets Red Hot Chili Peppers. The CD also has three cover songs, including the Refreshments’ theme to the animated TV show “King of the Hill”. Airbag has no grand schemes for making it right now, Jeras said. With gigs lined up through May, they’re just enjoying a local music scene that he said is better than it’s been in a long time. “The music’s more diverse, “ he said. “It doesn’t all sound the same.”

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Location Rockford, IL - USA

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