By DeAnn Rossetti
There’s a popular new rock band on Mercer Island, and it’s members are fast becoming a local phenomenon.
When the four Islander Middle School eighth-graders played a concert at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall two weeks ago, a crowd of well over 125 screaming fans greeted them.
The band charged $5 a ticket to cover expenses. It needed at least 100 people to show just to break even.
It was surprised when more appeared, though band members had done a lot of promotion, including selling T-shirts, some in black, some in hot pink, emblazoned with the band’s logo, and also posters designed by Eddie Bond’s mom.
Piece of Mind will probably never headline for band members’ idols, The Who or The Rolling Stones, and the boys know that. But playing rock `n’ roll together gives 14-year-olds Eddie Bond on lead guitar, Robert Capelluto on rhythm guitar and vocals, Forrest Marowitz on bass guitar and vocals, and 13-year-old Tyler Reymore on drums, the opportunity to take on adolescence together, and learn from each other.
“Being in a band teaches you life values, like teamwork,” said Reymore. “It creates a bond. I knew Forrest, not Robert or Eddie, and now they’re my best friends.”
“We can tell each other things we can’t tell anyone else,” agrees Capelluto.
The boys said they thought for a long time about what to call the band they started a year ago, and though everyone had different ideas, they came up with the perfect name.
“I went to a restaurant called Peace of Mind for my brother’s birthday,” said Reymore. “We narrowed it down to a play on words from that.”
“What I like is to use contradicting words,” adds Marowitz. “We have the name `Piece’ and then have a big peace sign on our backdrop and our T-shirts.”
The guys started the band for a myriad of reasons.
“It’s a fun hobby that takes your mind off school,” said Bond
Adds Marowitz: “There’s so much more than musical stuff that’s going on. You have to learn to make decisions as a group and when you get a song down at first it’s hard, then it comes down to compromise, and when you’re finally done, it’s awesome!”
Piece of Mind claims many bands as influential in creating their sound, mainly because each of the band members likes a different kind of music. Fast-guitar-playing “shred rock” is favored by Bond, along with Steve Vai. Reymore likes Frank Zappa, the Grateful Dead, and a band called The String Cheese Incident.
“The Seattle sound of Seattle bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice in Chains and Soundgarden is what I like …,”said Capelluto
“But we all listen to classic rock, like the Beatles, The Doors, The Who and Eric Clapton,” interjects Reymore. “They’re the music gods of our generation.”
In the year Piece of Mind has been in existence, the band has played six gigs at everything from birthday parties to bar mitzvahs, and band members are eager to point out that they’ve been paid twice.
“Our first gig was a talent show in seventh grade,” said Marowitz. “We played `Twist and Shout,’ `Sunshine of Your Love’ and `Magic Carpet Ride.”’
Piece of Mind practices every Wednesday from 3:30 until dinner time, and its playlist is large enough that the band can play three sets of music for an audience. The list includes songs the boys have written, with titles such as “Chill Pill,” “Another Day” and “Don’t Believe Everything You Hear.”
The teens practice at Bond’s house because, he noted, he has the biggest amplifiers and most tolerant neighbors. Piece of Mind spends up to 12 hours at time recording its songs at Marowitz’s home because he has a computer mixing and recording system.
Barbara Marowitz said the band brings her family closer together.
“My husband and I love the old rock `n’ roll bands, and we think it’s thrilling to see the kids love the same Cream records,” she said. “Forrest puts the albums on the phonograph and we rock out in the kitchen; it’s a bonding experience for the whole family.”
Robert Capelluto’s mother, Andy, said: “At the moment it’s all good, clean fun. The life lessons they’re learning outweigh the risks and fears of what lies ahead … besides, they’re not going to leave school to become rock stars.”
For the boys, being in the band is about camaraderie and the ability to make others sing along with what they’re playing.
“When you see the fans and realize you’re making someone happy, that’s the ultimate,” said Reymore.
Capelluto knows he and his friends are living out most kids’ “big dream.”
“At age 12 you stand in front of the mirror and rock out, (playing air guitar) then you get a guitar and start jamming with other guys and the next step is starting a band,” he said.
For more information on the band, visit www.myspace.com/
pieceofmind or www.purevolume.com/pieceofmind or call 236-2469.
