Ashes of Babylon: Headed For The Big Time And The Big State of Texas

By Cassondra Guilbeau
The Times of SWLA

Ashes of Babylon @ L'Aburge du Lac

When you first lay eyes on Ashes of Babylon, if you do a double take, well you’re not the first and you won’t be the last. For seven white guys playing reggae music with such authenticity, the shocked reaction is a compliment.

The undeniable leader of AOB is Corey Saucier, 24, who is responsible for uniting the group’s unique sound. The Sulphur native relocated to St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands just after his junior year in high school when his father was transferred there.

Of course, it was pretty much a culture shock for the teenager, who was a musician, but was not a fan of reggae music at the time. He soon found that he would have little choice in the matter.

“It’s pretty much all you listen to, it’s all they have on the radio there,” Saucier said. He remembers the first reggae song he heard on the radio—a dancehall song with lots of sirens and sound effects. “I thought I would hate it, but I ended up loving it.”

While he was in St. Croix, he met schoolmate Jeremy Crenshaw and his brother Jacob who were from Zachary, La. The three started playing music together and continued playing when they moved to Georgia after high school.

Then came the twist of fate. On Easter of 2006, Saucier’s parent’s house burned down. It was after that incident that Saucier decided he needed to make a change. After living away from Southwest Louisiana for about five years, he returned, and quickly looked up some old friends.

He hooked up with his cousin Beau Guidry, 28, and their friends and fellow musicians Sam Chapman, 22; Max Sprigg, 22; Eric Daigle, 28; and Dan Robertson, 28. Jacob Crenshaw, 28, also joined the group. Saucier was ready to start playing and recording right away, and even had songs written before the group came together.

But, his fellow musicians, all from Sulphur except Crenshaw, had limited exposure to reggae, and would need to develop the same appreciation for it that Saucier had.

“That music was too slow for me to listen to at the time,” Chapman , whose musical background includes Sulphur High School band and the McNeese Jazz Ensemble, was playing punk and ska music at the time.

The band’s early recordings helped to sway opinions. “I really didn’t like reggae music, but when I heard what he (Saucier) recorded, it made me like it,” Chapman said. “Corey plays some people’s songs better than they do.”

Under Saucier’s direction, AOB developed a genuine sound that is very unique in this area. Just two days after coming together as a band, they played their first live show. And their live performances became the foundation for their success. They traveled around the state, building a fan base. Many of their fans were being introduced to reggae for the first time.

“Most people, when they think of reggae, they think of Bob Marley, like reggae and Bob Marley are interchangeable,” Saucier said. “But there is so much other stuff out there. It’s good stuff, thought-provoking stuff.”

Ashes of Babylon are proud that they have opened up south Louisiana to a different genre of music. They sought to expand their audience with the recording of “Revolutionary Roots,” their first album.

They recorded a CD themselves in bass player Daigle’s bedroom. But the result sounds far from homemade. They created a professional-quality piece that captured the band’s live show vibe. And they are proud to say their sales just went international. “Someone from Canada bought our CD on iTunes,” Saucier laughed.

To say that their fans are important to them would be putting it mildly. Chapman and Saucier recount negative experiences they have had when meeting musicians they admired. Regardless of the level of success they achieve, they are determined to never let their fans have that experience.

“I would rather somebody think our music isn’t great than think I am not a good person,” Saucier said.

That sort of reputation is a priority for AOB. In addition to recording their album themselves, they book their own shows and handle their own business. So, they are very aware of the impression they are leaving. And, anything short of professional is unacceptable.

“We played Chelsey’s in Baton Rouge and the management complimented us on our professionalism,” Saucier said.

They also put the same care and attention into their live shows. The goal is simple…they want the audience to have a good time. “We like to get a big crowd and get people dancing,” Saucier said. “That’s where the gratification is.” Chapman added that it is a disappointment when an artist doesn’t care about the live show.

Being a musician is about more than creating a sound in a studio. When you are playing live, there are no special effects to hide behind. These serious musicians are determined that what you hear on their CD is what you hear when they play live. They see a successful future including being on the road more, playing live music. They also have an appreciation for the “grassroots fans.”

“I don’t care if people are burning our CDs,” Saucier said.

While Saucier introduced the concept of creating a reggae band in Southwest Louisiana to the group, the sound that they have developed is a collaborative effort. Everyone comes together in the writing process under the band’s songwriting motto, “create and elaborate.” They have written together as a group and written independently and brought their concepts back to the group to perfect. “Everyone is open,” Chapman said.

Everyone is open to doing what is best for the band as well. So, when Robertson’s wife got into graduate school at Texas State, Ashes of Babylon had a band meeting. They decided they all believed in the future of the band and should all move to San Marcos, Texas, to continue the dream. And, that is what they are doing this summer. The move also includes girlfriends and fiancés, which demonstrates just how strong the fabric of this band is.

Even though they are going to take their time getting settled in and meeting people before they record their next album, they have plenty of material written. And you can hear their new songs when you catch a live AOB show. They plan to travel back to Southwest Louisiana every few months to play. But they will be focusing their shows in Texas, gaining exposure in bigger markets.

“Austin is the live music capital,” Chapman said. “There will be professional people there like bookers and promoters we wouldn’t be exposed to if we weren’t there.”

Ashes of Babylon realizes the future is wide open and their potential is unlimited. That is why they find the move, with an opportunity to play bigger shows in bigger venues is so exciting. Until now, their biggest performance was a New Orleans Hornets pregame show. But now, they already have their eye on a specific prize.

“We applied to South by Southwest (music festival in Austin) and didn’t get it,” Saucier said. “We applied this year and we were put on stand-by. Next year, they need to just put us in the damn show already.”

To get your own taste of Ashes of Babylon, check them out at www.myspace.com/theashesofbabylon.

Sunrise Kills

By Cassondra Guilbeau
The Times of SWLA

Listen to a sample of Sunrise Kill's tunes at www.tinyurl.com/SunriseKills

The phrase Band of Brothers may conjure up visions of military units. But, spending just a few minutes with Sunrise Kills, and you realize the phrase isn’t just a play on words—it is a fitting description of this up-and-coming group.

Sunrise Kills is a gifted group whose respect and admiration for each other is as strong as the love that they have for the music. The strength of their relationship, their bond, comes out in every note they play.

Aaron Johnson, 24, Sean Kennon, 18, and Jon Norman, 24, have always been the heart of Sunrise Kills. Johnson and Norman went to high school together. Lake Charles native Johnson met Kennon when he was a kid.

“I dated his aunt and babysat him and his little brother,” Johnson said. The two bonded over a mutual interest in music.

Kennon, a Dequincy native, played drums in his church band. Johnson started playing guitar with him in the church band. At the same time, Walter, a Grand Lake native, was learning to play bass.

“We would all get together and just start jamming,” Johnson said.

The jam sessions turned into a full-blown band about three years ago. The group originally had another lead singer and a keyboard player, but when they left, the true core of the band remained intact. That is when they adopted the name Sunrise Kills and Johnson stepped up to the role of lead singer. Later, Norman’s cousin Matt Hungerford, 22 of Dequincy, would join the group.

Kennon and Norman say they had to encourage Johnson to take the microphone as lead singer, but they knew he had what it takes.

“Once he did it, I was really proud of him,” Norman said.
And Johnson admits it wasn’t a natural fit for him. “It took a lot for me to open up,” he said. “I’ve come a long way. I was a shy guy.” While he says since he has to focus on singing, he can’t do as much on his guitar during the show, he does now feel comfortable as the front man of the group. “It’s where my heart is at.”

Sunrise Kills describes its sound as pop/hard rock that is just catchy enough not to push people away. “Some songs have some hard break downs, but nobody dies or anything, so it’s all good,” Johnson said with a laugh.

It’s an interesting musical genre for this group, when you learn about their musical roots. Kennon’s grandfather, a Pentecostal preacher, was a bluegrass musician and his father is a drummer. Johnson’s father has played in Cajun and zydeco bands. Norman grew up watching his older brother perform in rock bands. They all agree that music is in their blood.

Speaking of family connections, the guys feel like they are as tight as family. Kennon is definitely the “little brother” of the group. “He likes to do his own thing his own way,” Johnson said. “But that is not necessarily a bad thing sometimes.”

Johnson is the “peacemaker” of the group. This is especially important when they start fighting, as brothers tend to do. Hungerford is the “bodyguard” of the group. “He is very protective of us, very protective of the group. He keeps the bond tight,” Walter said.

And what about Norman? How do his band mates describe him? “Jon brings the fun,” Johnson said. Norman even has a tattoo called “the fun rocket” to prove it. This is just one of eight tattoos Norman has. Johnson and Hungerford also sport their fair share of ink. Kennon wears a lip ring. So, the guys definitely look the part of the hardcore rock star.

But looks can be deceiving. The boys have manners that would make any mother proud. They also count their parents among their biggest fans. “Sean’s mom is our biggest supporter,” Johnson said.

The majority of the band’s practice time has been spent in Kennon’s parent’s living room. And apparently, they gladly welcomed the opportunity to support their son’s dream. Kennon, being a bit younger than the other members of the group, had to have special permission to play many of the band’s gigs. But, as long as he was with “his brothers” Kennon’s parents didn’t have a problem with it.

“We always brought him back in one piece,” Johnson joked.

Sunrise Kills has played mostly local gigs at this point. They have hit some spots in north Louisiana, Southeast Texas and have traveled as far as Montgomery, Texas. “We have a younger following, so we try to play all-age venues,” Norman said.

Even though their touring schedule hasn’t been expansive, the band has been able to develop quite a following. “A lot of people know us through myspace,” Johnson said. “You can catch random people’s ears that way.”

One recent offer the band received was a direct result of their myspace page. They were offered a promotional deal from a record label. The band would have a song on a CD with other artists, but would have to tour extensively as part of the deal. While the opportunity was good, they just didn’t think it was right for them.

Recently, Sunrise Kills has found itself at an interesting crossroads. The members all have jobs or go to school and all are in relationships. They all know that this is…this is the real deal. They want music to be their career. But, when do you make the leap?

“We are still trying to figure out what road to go down,” Norman said.

The guys admit that working without a net is a scary thought, but one they are willing to face. They have been working to lay a foundation of stability, so their musical career won’t leave them broke. But, they are ready for the day that they can “get out of the heat” of their daily jobs and get on the road as fulltime musicians.

Recently, the band spent four days in Baton Rouge at Little House Productions recording facility recording their first EP. Their first time in a real recording studio, this was a big step for the band. A step that not only brought them closer together as friends, but made them all better musicians. “We know how we are supposed to sound now,” Johnson said.

The songs are all original Sunrise Kills creations. The guys come together to write their songs. Like many bands, they all bring ideas to the table, each introducing pieces of music to the group to see how it can be developed. Johnson, as the lead singer, writes the lyrics. But, they know each other so well, they agree the lyrics he writes defines them all.

The CD will be released in the coming months. The guys can’t wait just to get their hands on the finished product. “We are going to take a bath in it,” Norman joked. The project was a true labor of love for Norman. He oversaw the marketing end of the project, including the cover art for the CD, which was created by his girlfriend. “I’ve always been a big procrastinator, but the band has kept me from procrastinating,” Norman said.

With the album ready to drop, the band will plan more touring, and feel ready to make the big leap into their musical career. They have been preparing for it for some time. Their band is a business and they know they have to treat it that way, which can sometimes mean separating their personal relationships from the equation.

“We have band talks and address things as a group,” Norman said. “It’s the key to staying together.”

As this “band of brothers” gets ready to embark on their dream, they remain grounded in where they came from and who they really are. “We always pray before going on stage,” Kennon said. “We notice a difference when we skip a prayer, it just feels different.”