Thinking of a good band name can be hard; the naming process can even break up a band. But your band's name can also decide if you get taken seriously or not.
Screaming Mechanical Brain, Rev, John Wheeler (Vocals, Keytar and samples), Owen Good III (Guitar), Bryan Pierson (electronic drums, loops and samples) and Cass Nee (Bass and keyboards) formerly known as Screaming Monkey Boner, know this first-hand.
"The name change was long overdue and yes, we made the change because we weren't getting taken seriously. People would see the name and throw our press kits in the trash without even listening to our music," Reverend John Wheeler IV (vocals, keyboards and samples) said.
The change wasn't hard to make once the band realized it might get them more slots on tours and sponsorships.
The band that once thought of itself as a novelty act was now getting serious.
Screaming Mechanical Brain's music has evolved as well. Compared to their 2004 release, "The Process of Assimilation," their new release, "There is No God in Space," due to be released June 2006, is tight, metal-based and fused with bits of samples and keyboards; the track demonstrates a step forward in their songwriting as well.
Do-it-yourself has been the key to the band's success to date, but with this CD, they also teamed with Atomic K Records. For their first CD, the label acted as a place to sell their records online.
"We went with Atomic K to say we were on a label. They did cut us deals on stuff like making our music video, plus they sold our CDs online for us. It was cool, because rather than us always going to the post office, we'd just get a check in the mail every month," Wheeler said.
The business arrangement worked well for both the label and band on the first CD. Their upcoming release benefits from a new Atomic K arrangement, one in which the record label covers the initial expenses.
"We have an official deal with Atomic K where they'll pay for the record, some promotion and they'll recoup their costs from sales of 'There is No God in Space,'" Wheeler said.
The band's energetic live show, complete with sometimes bright hair and clothes, provides solid entertainment value. Their unique sound and style is adding up to a hectic touring schedule that's creating a buzz, it's also driving their CD sales and the chance to tour with bigger bands. And that buzz is helping them locally as well – they're headlining an all-ages show at The Quest to celebrate the release of their new CD.
"I'm still amazed by how much touring out of state has helped us here. A year ago, this CD release party wouldn't have been at The Quest. Even though we could always bring in the crowd, I guess we had to prove some sort of point," Wheeler said.
The future looks bright for the band as they've already established themselves as a touring band by playing cities multiple times and building their fan base fan by fan, city by city.
Screaming Mechanical Brain is almost a full-time band; they supplement their income with the occasional part-time job and by living frugally.
"With the amount of records we move independently, I can see the band going this route for a while. We're all still in our early 20s and it works for now, but we're looking into bigger labels, booking agents, energy drink sponsorships, all that stuff," Wheeler said. "Atomic K hooked us up with SoundScan for the new release, so we're going to try to move up a level or two in this industry, at the very least, make a little more money. We've been getting real attention since we started sending out press kits and making phone calls. I guess we'll see what happens."
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