By Joel DeVyldere
The kids from 100 Watt Mind are setting to unleash scathingly danceable rock music at Bombs Away this Thursday. Tragically unaware that punk is dead, these three Ashland-based boys break out the Doors-esque energy and Ramones-esque attitude the moment they take the stage.
And then there’s Brynna Dean, the proverbial elephant at the show. A lead singer and leading personality, Dean brings out a stage presence so potent that it’s hard to shake those ever-cliche Janis Joplin comparisons out of your head. Guitarist Skyler Squglio has no illusions about the allure the boys would have alone. “Everyone comes and sticks around for Brynna. Not only is she hot, but she’s the best singer I’ve ever played with.”
Squglio and Dean do a little collaborative songwriting. “I usually start off with a riff or chord progression and Brynna will come up with some lyrics,” said Squglio. What results is a unique blend of progressive punk and classic rock that viscerally confronts the casual listener and compels even the wallflowers to cease their passive leanings.
Squglio also seeks to involve fans and strangers in his band’s songwriting process, opening up his repertoire to the whims of the audience. “Oftentimes we’ll play a song before it’s finished and see what the crowd responds to the ideas and adjust.” It’s a crazy, noisy, messy process, one that fans and critics alike may find respectable, or at the very least, hard to ignore.
100 Watt Mind is playing with Corvallis punk group Browntown on Thursday, Oct. 9 at 10 p.m. at Bombs Away Cafe. There is a $3 cover charge.
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