4 - THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MUSIC
THURSDAY, OCTOBER3, 2002
Conner moving out of the garage
By Matt Beat
mbeat@kansan.com
Jayplay writer
Lawrence rock band Conner is moving out of the garage and into the studio.
The band is currently recording its first full-length album, which is scheduled for an early to mid-November release.
"The album is pretty much finished," said singer and guitarist James Duft.
Duft said it took a long time to begin recording because the band didn't have enough money, and had yet to sign with a record label.
Conner has released only one demo with six songs on it, but the band is quickly gaining popularity in Lawrence.
According to KJHK and rockkansas.com, since last spring when Conner's first demo songs played, the band quickly became known as "the band that sounded like The Strokes."
After that initial airplay, Duft said the band received e-mails from people around the world telling them they liked their music.
"I sent out over 100 copies of our demo to people who e-mailed us wanting our music," said Duft, who eventually had to stop sending out demos in June because he couldn't afford the overwhelming demand.
Duft said the strangest e-mail he received was from a man in Scotland, who said he was walking down the street humming a song, but he didn't know who sang it. He asked his friend who wrote the tune and his friend answered, "Oh, that's Conner."
"It's kind of weird because our smallest
"I admit to ripping off Iggy Pop more than to ripping off The Strokes. Just listen to his song 'Some Weird Sin' and you'll know what I mean."
James Duft singer and guitarist for Conner
amount of contact has been from Lawrence," Duft said.
Duft said Conner had a respectable fan base in Lawrence, but most of the people who came to their shows were regulars. He said that, surprisingly, the band mainly had female fans, which was unusual because garage bands generally appealed more to males.
Bonahoom said with the new album, the band is starting to get more serious. He is happy with the way things are going.
As for the controversy surrounding Conner's similarities to the Strokes, Bonahoom said the controversy has sparked their success, in a way.
He said Conner was mentioned on the Strokes' message board on their Web site. This caused another controversy surrounding the similarities between the two bands, but most people expressed how much they liked Conner's music.
Bonahoom said he was happy to see how successful "garage rock" is right now but didn't know how much Conner fit into the category.
"I like to think we're more rooted in '60s garage rock than most bands of today," Bonahoom said. "A lot of these 'garage
bands' of today really have more of a punk edge to their sound."
Conner plans to go on some small tours starting in November when the band travels to Texas for a few shows. During winter break Conner will start a U.S. tour and during spring break the band will play a West Coast tour.
The band currently averages a show a week and will perform with The Mooney Suzuki and Sahara Hotnights on Monday at The Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St.
The band formed in May 2001, but Duft and bassist Phil Bonahoom have been playing together for six years after meeting in Omaha, Neb.
Bonahoom says he is very excited about the new album and the growing
success of the band.
"Our fan base is quickly building as we get more airplay on KJHK," Bonahoom said. "We really came out of nowhere here in Lawrence last spring."
Duft said he was not sure if the band was a part of the current "garage rock revival" that was going on now with big acts such as The Vines and The White Stripes. He describes Conner's sound as a mix between '60s garage rock and the Iggy Pop/Lou Reed/David Bowie sound of the '70s, and '80s new wave.
"I admit to ripping off Iggy Pop more than to ripping off The Strokes," Duft said, "Just listen to his song 'Some Weird Sin' and you'll know what I mean."
For more information on the band log on to http://www.rockkansas.com.
Edited by Andy Samuelson and Andrew Vaupel
DOCK BOYS
by Scott Drummond, for The University Daily Kansan
Heard on the Hill
Will you go to the Beck/Flaming Lips concert in the Lied Center Nov.16?
Compiled by Erin Beatty Kansan staff writer
Dave Nobles,
Leesville, La., senior
"Yes, I'll go. I like Beck — he's such a musical chameleon."
"Yes, I definitely plan to get tickets."
Chris Stubbs,
Topeka junior
Nathan Booth, Lawrence junior
"I won't go. It's too expensive. And I even know Beck."
"I'll go if I can find someone to go with." Amanda Rogers, Russell freshman
"I'll go to see Flaming Lips." Guillaume Doane, Atlanta, Ga., senior