Freshman is finalist in national battle of the bands

December 1, 2009  
Filed under Features, Features

Garage bands everywhere dream of getting the opportunity to play their music at a national, even international level. Playing on such a big stage can take years, as a band makes its way through bars and small party gigs until they find themselves in rock arena heaven. But for the members of the alternative-rock band The Switchfits, a chance has been given to them to play on a stage that surpasses the crowds of most high school bands.

Harry Russell, freshman, and his two fellow band members Sam Koltun, a freshman at John F. Kennedy High School, and Tony Pepper, a junior in the home school program, sent a recording of their two-year band (The Switchfits) to the National American Music Merchants (NAMM). It is part of the new national contest School Jam U.S.A, in which 10 bands from each of the five different regions in the U.S are given a chance to win up to $5,000 for their school music programs. The Switchfits were selected as one of the top 10 bands for the Midwest region.

“When I first heard that we made it to the semi-finals, I thought that was pretty  cool,” Sam Koltun said. “We were chosen from all these people. Now, I’m kind of hoping that we can get people rallied up to vote.”

Now that the top 50 bands are chosen, they have been put into a semi-final round in which anyone can vote online for their favorite band.  The top two bands with the most votes from each region will travel to Aneheim, CA, to play in the finals. The voting lasts from Nov. 1 until Dec. 5.

“So far, I think we have a chance,” Russell said. “I’ve sent out text messages to all of my friends, sent it out on Facebook, and talked to teachers to promote the band.”

Russell switches between bass and drums with Tony Pepper, while Koltun plays guitar.

“We met at Camp Jam about two years ago. We were just three kids with the same love for music.” Russell said.

Harry Russell is also a member of the KHS wind ensemble and marching band, so winning the money for the program would benefit him directly, along with the rest of the 185 members of the band.

The Switchfits are encouraging anyone to go to schooljamusa.com to vote for them. They have already made promotional appearances on such stations as News Channel 4 and have been featured on KSDK News Channel 5 website. Unlike most record deals, this national battle of the bands benefits more than just Russell and his band mates, it benefits the music programs of their schools.