‘Waltzing’ with classic rock

Band of U alumni aims to make it big with originality

By Elliott Bueler

CD release party

When: Friday

Where: Liquid Joe’s.

For an industrial painter, a Crown Burger manager, a medical device salesman and a an owner of a musical instrument small business, making it in rock ‘n’ roll was something they’d have to do on their own—and they wouldn’t have it any other way. The four career men—and U alumni—who comprise the local band Waltzing for Debbie understood the risks and heard the doubts but still felt there was never a better time to try.

With core members of an existing band already in place, old acquaintances reunited when guitarist Dave Phillips invited singer Jeremy Hilton to join drummer Dean Maroudas, bassist Matt Harrison in hopes of establishing a classic rock cover band. But as the band began work on material, it became clear that the four of them were suited more for originality.

“We realized very quickly through rehearsing that there was quite a bit of synergy between us, among all four of us,” Hilton said. “We just had a nice groove going and started to write music.”

Melding mutual veneration for ’70s rock with individual influences ranging from jazz to grunge, the band began to forge an identity for Waltzing for Debbie. With time off after performing their first show last December, the members of the band, with their diverse styles and experience, began to write their first album. Hilton said the collection of songs represents each of the musician’s best work.

“The music breathes,” Hilton said. “It has a pulse to it. So often you hear albums nowadays and they’re so overly produced that the music almost loses its soul.”

Despite decades of collective songwriting experience, the album surpassed even their own expectations. Phillips, who has spent years teaching and playing guitar and is pursuing a master’s degree in guitar performance at the U, said he was surprised the album turned out as good as it did.

Although the members of Waltzing for Debbie felt that the best way to reach the widest possible audience was to integrate modern elements with the purity of classic rock, they said they understood that the traditional music business format with major labels and big record deals offered them few possibilities. Instead, they embraced online social-networking resources as a means of increasing the band’s exposure. Following the success of similar bands, they saw this as their best chance to make it.

“Nowadays, you can do that,” Hilton said. “You can be four dudes who are into their own careers and make it if you’re smart about it, and it starts here locally, developing a really good, strong following in Utah but also being savvy enough to learn just how to market something over the Internet. Never in the history of music has there been more opportunity for a band like ours to actually make it.”

Now it’s simply a matter of making it happen. For four guys who joked about developing their own version of the Snuggie—made of leather and complete with pockets, which they quickly dubbed the “Cuddly”—ingenuity and determination don’t appear to be lacking. Neither did their obvious satisfaction as a band, and as musicians, they are intent on not going away quietly.

“We’re here to stay,” Hilton said. “We believe our songwriting is strong enough. We believe our musicianship is as good as anybody out there, and we believe that we’re going to appeal to the masses. We’re getting ready to really take the world by storm.”

e.bueler@chronicle.utah.edu

Itunes Great rock and roll!! An amazing debut. The lead guitar and especially the drummer are very talented. Every song makes you want to bob your head and rock out!! This will be the first of many great things to come from Waltzing For Debbie!! Thanks itunes for bringing great bands like this to the masses! Buy it now!!! Itunes Listener: 5 star rating.

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