The benefit of living in a city like Boston is having the
opportunity to meet people with all types of interests and talents.
For those who take the initiative, college can be the perfect time
to dabble into different areas of interest. I was introduced into
the area of music early in my freshman year.
The benefit of living in a city like Boston is having the opportunity to meet people with all types of interests and talents. For those who take the initiative, college can be the perfect time to dabble into different areas of interest. I was introduced into the area of music early in my freshman year.
I met my best friends at orientation in June of 2002, and three of them happened to have both a talent and passion for making music. Our close group of friends, all made up of individuals with different majors, talents, experiences from different areas of New England, pushed the group to take their talents to the next level.
Soon enough, Ross Hopman, music industry major, 19, of New York City, Dave Snell, architecture major, 19, of Weymouth, Mass., Nate Stearns, graphic design major, 19, of Hadley, Mass., and Adam Tabas, 18, of New York City, are the unique components of the band Project 1.9. They started playing in the basement of Kennedy Hall, the honors hall and Snell’s home freshman year performing for close friends, then later expended to Northeastern’s on-campus club AfterHours.
Now they have two demos, two photo shoots, and more than a year and a half of performance experience under their belts. Since their start in 2002, the boys have played shows at UMass Amherst, TT The Bears (a bar in Cambridge, Mass.), and played for a number of Northeastern sponsored events, to name a few. They have also had articles published in The Northeastern News and The Patriot Ledger (Snell’s hometown newspaper), written by yours truly.
Project 1.9 has opened my eyes to the world of music industry. I had always known that writing would be in my future, but had always linked my style of writing to print journalism or public relations.
Recently, the boys asked me to be their Marketing Manager and handle their media relations in order to gain them more exposure. They also named Marissa Marchand the group’s Booking Manager. Being that we’ve been best friends with Hopman, Snell and Stearns since orientation, we jumped at the chance to help them get closer to their dream. It wasn’t till after their practice last Sunday that I started to wonder whether working for and with your best friends could cause problems.
Where do you draw the line between business and friendship? Project 1.9 may have started as a fun activity for the boys, but it has grown into something with the potential for success. As their friend I have a drive and want to please them and help them in their endeavors. However, because I’m their friend, feelings get involved. I might fall behind on a deadline because I know my friends won’t yell at me.
Or worse, I might write something they don’t like, or I may not do the job as well as they want me to. This could have a strain on the friendship as well. So far, we’ve succeeded in drawing a line between “band time” and “friend time.” We have band meetings and practice where the only topics of conversation include the music and the business. Then, we have weekends and nights where we can be friends again. As an MTV viewer and regular music listener, I know what sells and what doesn’t.
Project 1.9 has the talent, attitude, look, and unique sound that sets them apart from the mainstream bands that are overcrowding the airwaves today. Their sound is a mix of Dispatch, Matchbox 20, and Maroon 5 together, but with a look that would suggest otherwise. At first glance the audience sees a cute, scruffy lead singer in Hollister Colo., a sweet and confident lead guitarist wearing Abercrombie, a laid-back base player in Birkenstocks, and a lighthearted drummer with a big smile in Etnies and ripped jeans.
Lead singer, Hopman, has a stage presence that matches those of Justin Timberlake and Bon Jovi. Hopman always begins his show with a gracious thank you to their enthusiastic fans and a joke to one of his loyal friends present.
Lead guitarist, Snell, has an amazing talent and passion for music that compares to Dave Matthews and John Mayer. I’ve seen him leave parties to play his guitar because the urge came over him. Stearns’s quiet demeanor is no reflection of his musical skills. His versatile skills have made him both the lead guitarist for several songs and the deep rhythm to support the rest of the group for others.
Tabas couldn’t have joined the band at a better time. Project 1.9 is in the process of perfecting their third demo that includes a revised track from their last album, Adrenaline and Melodies, and others. Tabas’s drum skills add the full and complete sound that Project 1.9 was searching for.
Their most recent performance was on April 28, at Northeastern University in the main quad. Don’t feel bad if you missed it, the boys have many more performances planned for spring and summer this year. For more information on these unique talent, check out their site at http://www.onepointnine.net and to request a demo, either e-mail me at my address below, or contact the band directly at na***@**********ne.net/
