Spring Break
Band seeks stardom, gets signed
Neal Ludevig '09 and his band won a spot on Sony/Epic Records after entering SPIN Magazine's Hot Pursuit competition
by Daniel D. Snyder
Associate Editor
Arts | 3/11/08
Posted online at 3:07 AM EST on 3/11/08
8 a.m.: It's not an easy wake-up time for a college student, but I have to rise or I'll miss my 9 a.m. ride to New York. My companion for this journey is Neal Ludevig '08, and there are big things in store for him at the other end of the road.
It's 8:49 a.m. when I roll out of bed, and someone left the window in my suite open. It's freezing. At 9 a.m. I'm stepping out of the shower and my phone is ringing (or rather techno dance beating). It's Neal. I try to lie and tell him I'm just putting on my shoes when he cuts me off and says he just woke up. Whew.
When we step outside, it's warmer than it's been in months, and it feels wonderful. So, after a quick prayer to Odin One-Eye for a good journey, we're floating down I-90 to the tune of ABBA's "Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)," scarfing down tuna sandwiches and "hot dogging" fruit cups. Unfortunately, the euphoria is cut short by a shorter-fused cop with a serious volume issue (Damn you, Odin One-Eye!). But after a stern talking-to and a beefy ticket, we were on the move again.
Our destination is Yorktown Heights, N.Y., a placid Everytown (I took my drivers license exam there!) nestled in plump-pocketed Westchester County. Our first stop is the local Starbucks, where we find a shaggy, hoodied T.J. Dumser chatting enthusiastically on his cell outside. T.J. is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for the The Scarlet, rock star seedling and winner of SPIN Magazine's Hot Pursuit competition, which sought the next big breakout music act. Beating out over 5,000 other bands, The Scarlet was declared the winner by rock juggernauts Perry Farrell and Tim Kasher, as well as SPIN editor Doug Brod.
T.J. asked Neal, a friend from high school and former musical collaborator, to join the band at the beginning of February to be the alto saxophone player. "I originally thought it was a one shot deal. I didn't think it was going to amount to anything," Ludevig says. Fortunately, he was mistaken. In addition to playing weekly club shows, the band will perform this month during the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas.
It's 8:49 a.m. when I roll out of bed, and someone left the window in my suite open. It's freezing. At 9 a.m. I'm stepping out of the shower and my phone is ringing (or rather techno dance beating). It's Neal. I try to lie and tell him I'm just putting on my shoes when he cuts me off and says he just woke up. Whew.
When we step outside, it's warmer than it's been in months, and it feels wonderful. So, after a quick prayer to Odin One-Eye for a good journey, we're floating down I-90 to the tune of ABBA's "Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)," scarfing down tuna sandwiches and "hot dogging" fruit cups. Unfortunately, the euphoria is cut short by a shorter-fused cop with a serious volume issue (Damn you, Odin One-Eye!). But after a stern talking-to and a beefy ticket, we were on the move again.
Our destination is Yorktown Heights, N.Y., a placid Everytown (I took my drivers license exam there!) nestled in plump-pocketed Westchester County. Our first stop is the local Starbucks, where we find a shaggy, hoodied T.J. Dumser chatting enthusiastically on his cell outside. T.J. is the lead guitarist and backing vocalist for the The Scarlet, rock star seedling and winner of SPIN Magazine's Hot Pursuit competition, which sought the next big breakout music act. Beating out over 5,000 other bands, The Scarlet was declared the winner by rock juggernauts Perry Farrell and Tim Kasher, as well as SPIN editor Doug Brod.
T.J. asked Neal, a friend from high school and former musical collaborator, to join the band at the beginning of February to be the alto saxophone player. "I originally thought it was a one shot deal. I didn't think it was going to amount to anything," Ludevig says. Fortunately, he was mistaken. In addition to playing weekly club shows, the band will perform this month during the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas.
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