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Best Pop Performer 32.62% ButtonHead*
Others with Votes (more than one):
* On the ballot |
Well, where many bands don’t survive past a half dozen or so gigs (if they’re lucky), ButtonHead, in spite of the name, have managed to hang together since 1997. Besides, O’Connell on bass, ButtonHead features Jason Kocks on guitar, Joel Young on guitar and vocals and Marky Mettert on drums. The band originally began as a three piece, then added a fourth member in 2000 for a brief time. They went back to being a three-piece until just last year. What might seen as chaotic hasn’t fazed this year’s winner of the Whammy Award for Best Pop Performer. They released their debut project, Sofa King Cool, in 2000 and followed it up with the aptly named Number 2 in 2004. Both discs have had tunes chosen for the X102 Essentials compilation CDs. “Addicted,” from the second CD, was also selected for Jagermeister’s 2005 National Compilation CD. Now they have a Whammy Award to their name, winning the Pop category by a razor-thin margin over Mr. Whammy himself, Mike Conley. “Our original music has been compared to power pop,” O’Connell said. “Probably the best way to describe ButtonHead originals is an eclectic blend of pop, rock and punk. Our cover list is certainly filled with tunes that have served us well over the past 10 months.” ButtonHead are starting to make a name for themselves outside of Fort Wayne as well. They’re beginning to get some national radio airplay, and they’re becoming well known in Indianapolis and Terre Haute, as well as in many of the surrounding communities near Fort Wayne. “Fort Wayne has a plethora of musical talent,” O’Connell said. “However, the original music scene tends to be fairly weak It it weren’t for the likes of X102, Matt Jericho, Richard at Columbia Street West and a handful of other venues, original music would be dead. There are some die-hard supporters of original music out in the public as well.” “We knew we were nominated. It’s the first time,” said Young. “I don’t think anybody in the band even voted, so it was kind of amazing that we won. We must have some local fans out there.” (John DeGroff) |
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“The name?” asked Chris O’Connell in
reference to his band’s moniker. “It’s like
buttin’ heads, basically not being able to get
along at times.” So what else is new for
musicians and bands struggling to get by in a
highly competitive field?