September Artist of The Month: Southeast Engine
By Lauren Gross - 09/07/2001
Folk and roll, honky-tonk rock, bluegrass jive... however you label their "sound," Southeast Engine is definitely not your everyday carbon-copied Athens band. While denying jam-band status the band weaves mature vocals with their incomparable instrumentals for a finger-picking, toe-tapping good time.
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"Our songs aren't noisy," said Matt Lang, lead guitarist. "They're real instruments. No special effect."
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The members of Southeast Engine fuse the roots of rock and roll with a modern edge.
"We're folk to the point where it's not about image," said singer/guitarist Adam Remnant.
With their influences including legendary musicians such as Steve Earl, Son Volt and Neil Young, it is pretty clear that they are not reaching for top-40 status. They are just five guys who like music and happen to get along. Remnant compares them to the Backstreet Boys (minus being old, skanky sellouts...) in personality. "Nick's the quiet one, Leo's the happy one and Chandler's the sad guy in the corner."
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"Everyone is distinct, you can see that on stage," said Chandler Clifton, banjo and mandolin player. Though they may be different in personality, those differences not only positively affect their music, but their friendship as well.
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Southeast Engine was conceived inside the walls of Gam Hall in the winter of 2000 when Lang, Remnant, Clifton and Leo DeLuca decided they wanted to form a band. Later, when it was time to add a bassist, they auditioned and chose Nick McPherson. Most of the guys had been playing awhile and had been in previous bands, but not DeLuca who picked up the sticks not too long ago.
"Matt convinced me to buy a drum set, so I learned to play," De Luca said. They all agree that their songs get better as they become more familiar with their instruments.
"And we have an excellent songwriter," DeLuca says of Remnant who has written the band's original numbers. "In Case of Emergency," was their first original that they all played together.
Rising from their first gig (a one song open mic at the Swindlefish Saloon), Southeast Engine has now made a reputable name for themselves headlining shows at local venues such as Casa Cantina and O'Hooley's Irish Pub and Brewery. With 12 original songs on their set list, Southeast Engine has a strong furnace to keep them in motion.
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Presently the guys have been scheduling recording times around their fall shows in hope of releasing their debut album near the end of fall quarter. They have been recording at both Third Street Music and Recording in Marietta and at the 3 Elliot Recording Studio in Athens. This year they will be playing outside of Athens with shows already booked in Marietta, Columbus and Chillicothe. Their first big show of the season will be at O'Hooley's Pub and Brewery Friday, September 14th at 10 pm. Look for them next year in Haiti.
