Nessie

There are 3 artists named Nessie: 1. A progressive rockband from Belgium that made two self-recorded albums (never released on cd format) in the 70's. Their music is mostly symphonic with some experimental elements (like in Gentle Giant's music) here and there. 2. The ringleader and vocalist of Nessie & Her Beard. 3. A Pop-Punk band based in Raleigh NC. All three members are currently still in high school.

1. A progressive rockband from Belgium that made two self-recorded albums (never released on cd format) in the 70's. Their music is mostly symphonic with some experimental elements (like in Gentle Giant's music) here and there.

2. The ringleader and vocalist of Nessie & Her Beard.

3. A Pop-Punk band based in Raleigh NC. All three members are currently still in high school.

The origins of Nessie can be traced all the way back to 2004. Geoff and Tony met while sharing the same classes at Wakefield Middle, and eventually started "jamming" together, while also attempting a few blink-182 covers. They immediately realized their incredible talent, and began the search for a bassist. The search came the a screeching halt when Geoff talked to their mutual friend, Mike Hopkins. Apparently Mike had recieved a bass the previous Christmas, and was looking for a band. With Mike's friend Jared handling vocals, "Second Hand" was born.

The new group decided to share their talent with the world, and found a perfect opportunity in the Wakefield High School Talent Show. This incredible performance was memorable for many reasons; Geoff's awe-inspiring drum solos, Mike's astonishing bass proficiency, and Tony's hilarious 6 inch vertical leap will forever be etched into audience members' memories. After this once-in-a-lifetime electrifying live event, the skies seemed the limit for Second Hand. The next few months appeared to be a prosperous and joyful time for the band, but appearences can be decieving. In the coming months the unrest within the band slowly grew until the group collectively decided they would be better off as a trio, and Jared became the odd man out. Although the official reasons for his departure have never been explained, many fans speculate he left due to differences in musical direction and reckless bagel habits.

Thus marked a new era for the three young musicians. After a brief period of namelessness, the group decided on a name: Nessie. It worked on many levels: Originally concieved as an acronym for "Nobody Ever Said Singing Was Easy," Geoff later informed the band that as a young child he learned to play drums by beating his pet turtle named "Nessie". Since they had the incredible luck of being the first band to think of this name (if you choose to ignore the random country band from Florida), they agreed to use their fame to be strong advocates of Loch Ness Monster rights and fight Loch Ness Monster cruelty worldwide. With the name decided, there was nothing left to slow them on their meteoric rise to the top... except a complete lack of original music.

After three months of high-fiving each other for coming up with such a sweet name, Nessie knew it was time to get to work. So they made a series of videos about a fictional character named "Wormy". These videos were the visual inspiration needed to light the inner flame of professionalism that is so prominent in Nessie's work today. At this point they had yet to make an original song, and fans were becoming restless with a etheric mix of anticipation and boredom. Just as interest in this hot new supergroup began to wane, Mike amazed us all with an incredible set of lyrics which would be the foundation to Nessie's first song, "Immature." With the addition of a few power chords and a small guitar solo, their first song was completed, and Nessie was on top of the world.

After finishing their first song, the floodgates opened up and suddenly Nessie was thrown into the limelight. They were invited to play at countless parties, but only played at a few to appear more exclusive. This was also a new high for the creative forces of the band. This period was the cultivator for such memorable hits as "Not Now," "Peer Pressure," and the extremely rare unreleased ballad, "Fake in the Lake." They even experimented with adding fellow WHS student Tim Packett into the band as a vocalist, but ultimately returned to their original lineup after writing "What Do You Expect" with the help of Tim. Yet their basement recordings using a single mixer and free software left something lacking.

As Nessie became increasingly discontent with their home recordings, an incredible opportunity arrived. They would be able to get a high quality recording made over the summer. They rushed to create songs in time for the recording, and many were created less than a week in advance. Still, Nessie perservered and produced their first album, which they decided should be self-titled. They burned many low quality copies of the cd and sold them to friends over the summer to make up for the cost of recording, and the extremely low quantity of these CDs produced accounts for the fact that today they are collectors items.

After the release of the CD, the band became somewhat stagnant and once again Nessie attempted an alternate lineup. This time around they asked Jared to return to perform the lead vocals, along with Matt to contribute his unique style of guitar playing. For a brief period this configuration prospered, but eventually it was clear the this new group did not have the chemistry that Nessie had, and the Geoff, Tony, and Mike once again returned to their trio status. Since returning to their original lineup, Nessie has played several shows, two of which occured at the Brewery. But all previous accomplishments pale in comparison to what Nessie has in store for the summer of 2007.

Nessie is currently in the process of polishing the material for their newest album, which is expected to be recorded some time this summer. The new CD promises to be a city upon a hill; a shining beacon to light the shadows where rock and roll's warming influence has long since left. It's hard to explain exactly how the music sounds, but rest assured you will be taken on a musical journey comparable to man's first feeble steps on the moon. The uncharted territory of PowerPop-Punk Indie rock is just begging to be explored, and Nessie is there with flag in hand ready to take possesion of these new, fertile lands. We're not sure what it's going to be called, or how many songs it will have, but one thing is for sure. This CD will greatly surpass everything Nessie has previously done, and the day of its release is drawing ever nearer.