Sounds of Addiction
Next gigs: Thurs., Dec. 17 & Sat., Dec. 19, 10pm-1am at Mulligan’s at the Wharf, Lahaina
Web site: www.myspace.com/soundsofaddiction
You can become addicted to all sorts of things that aren’t drugs and alcohol: texting, video games, sex, porn. Maybe even falling in love. Addiction changes the way we think, and in turn changes our brain chemistry. The word “addiction” is a strong one; we use it to describe compulsion, obsession and psychological dependence. There are people who feel the word “hate” is used too casually in our vernacular—well, I feel the same about “addiction” (and “fetish,” but that’s a different story).
So when I found out a band had decided to call itself Sounds of Addiction, I was more than a little skeptical.
You know those people who always seem to be plugged into their mp3 players? The ones who seem to fade a little when they’re not listening to music, or making even better music? These are the people that are always banging on tables, drumming out a rhythm or lugging around their guitars.
After listening to Sounds of Addiction, I can relate to them. SOA has that special something that makes you sit up and pay attention, that gets you to believe music is a necessity, a magical, essential part of our lives.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to speak with anyone from the band by my deadline, so I turned to the next best thing: YouTube and MySpace. (If any of them would like to comment back with an “I never said that,” or “We’ve never played that,” I can direct them to a video.)
SOA is composed of Nick Dub on drums, Kale Mon on bass and Mojo Slim on rhythm/ lead guitar and vocals. Also on vocals are the talented DocNes (formerly known as Nesjah) and Peter D.
The origins of SOA come from the day Nick Dub, DocNes and Mojo Slim picked up their first instruments. (Granted, the band’s sound would be a lot different if Mojo Slim and DocNes stayed with their original instruments—alto saxophone and trombone, respectively.) Kale Mon and Nick Dub have been rocking the Lahaina music scene, jamming on 545 Front Street and almost gigging at a sophomore banquet, according to their MySpace page. Peter D. also rocks out in Lahaina, but pays homage to his Waihe‘e background.
Mastystruction hails from Oregon, but seems to be an island boy at heart. In fact, one of their first Mainland gigs was for a luau at Pacific University, in Oregon. (Believe me, it’s these performances that ease the heart-wrenching homesickness of local kids attending out-of-state colleges. You can hear the appreciation and relief of the students when the band gave a shout out to all the island kids in attendance.)
Sounds of Addiction takes popular songs and makes them their own, infusing them with a roots/reggae vibe and letting their fun-loving personalities shine through. And they don’t only cover roots, rock and reggae—they play a whole spectrum of music. Want to hear what John Legend sounds like accompanied by a ukulele? DocNes has you covered. Jonesing for some Jason Mraz? Look no further than SOA. My favorite is “Hawaii ’78,” featuring Peter D.
Even without chatting with the lads, I could sense SOA’s commitment in the way they play. One bandmember puts it like this: “We play for free. That’s the only way to play music.” That spirit, coupled with their talent, could certainly make them famous, though probably not rich.
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