A MUSICAL FAIRY TALE
(with our apologies to Hans Christian)
Once upon a time not really that long ago there was a man who loved women. He loved them so much that over time he'd fathered children by a number of different women in a number of different States. Little did he know that the world of power pop was destined to bring at least some of these offspring together and to bust him for the sex-crazed womanizer he truly was.
One woman who lived in Toledo had a son she named Derrick, and gave him the father's last name of Anderson. In Downey, California, another woman also had a boy who she named Robbie, though she gave him the name of her husband, Rist. Yet another also gave birth to a boy in Detroit, and he was named Wil O'Brien. All three of these young lads grew up with a love of and talent for playing popular music. Young Derrick became a bass player after worshipping Danny Partridge, (though he claims his choice of instrument might also have been influenced by an English player named Paul M). At the same time, Wil, decided to play guitar and sing and he fronted several bands in his hometown of Detroit. As a young boy, Robbie became an actor, but once in his teens he gave up the acting to be a fulltime musician. None of these young boys knew of each other, or knew much of their father except for the picture he'd left behind after his trysts with the various women he had loved. That was until fate brought them together on a cold, winter's day in L.A. in 1995.
"I'd moved to L.A. a couple of years earlier, and had been kicking around in groups," Derrick explains, "and then decided I wanted to find other musicians who loved power pop like I do and put my own group together with them." Derrick placed an ad in the Recycler which was immediately answered by both Rob and Wil. The three made plans to meet at Derrick's house and that was when history was made.
"We're sitting in his living room, and I'm looking around and I see this picture on the wall of this guy and I almost flipped," explains Rob. "It was a picture of my Dad. Not just a picture. The same picture my Mom had given me when she'd explained about my conception." Rob immediately asked Derrick what the f*** he was doing with a picture of his father on his wall, when Derrick explained that that was his father. Considering how little they looked alike, they started to argue the reality of the situation until Wil, in an attempt to put off any band in-fighting at least until they played a couple of gigs, got up and checked out the offending photo to try to decide which was truly the son. Imagine his surprise when he too recognized the shot.
"It was the exact same photo my mom had in our living room," Wil explained. "She'd told me it was the only picture she had of my real Dad." Phone calls home to the three Moms determined that these three musical strangers were indeed half brothers, and since the Dad's last name was Anderson, the name of their group was born.
Over the past 6 years their infectious good-time music and playful onstage antics have made them favorites in the now thriving pop scene in southern California. The internet has spread their popularity and fanbase around the globe. In 1998 the band released their own CD, "Separated At Birth" via the internet which eventually brought them to the attention of Smile Records founder/President Tony Valenziano. "When I first came up with the whole idea of a power pop label, I knew the Andersons would be one of my first signings," Valenziano admits. "Anyone aware of how popular this genre is becoming is aware of them and I didn't feel I could start this label if they weren't an integral part of its launch."
The band had already fininshed a new CD,"Family Secrets," an impressive follow-up to their debut CD of 3 years ago. Their guitar driven brand of pop makes the songs more than your average pop ditties. The strong harmonies on the ballad, "Falling Out" showcases the band's musical and vocal talents. Lead vocalist, Derrick's voice is perfectly complemented by the background vocals of Bob and Bill while the full sound of the guitars is reminiscent of Phil Spector's wall of sound production techniques. "Everybody Knows That You're The One", does what pop songs are supposed to do they make the listener bounce, tap their feet and generally feel good. On the other hand, "Apology" has more of an alternative feel that proves the band's relevance in modern day pop music.
This is music for the ages, music that anyone who enjoys real rock and roll will appreciate.
