“Our goal is to provide that encouragement and support that people need when trying to find their identity and purpose. For our music to personally connect and challenge individuals to run after whatever they love in life.” @thenotionaries
Listen in live:: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/avaliveradio/2015/07/09/episode-243-ava-live-radio-behind-the-music-with-jacqueline-jax-1
GETTING TO KNOW THE NOTIONARIES
by Jacqueline Jax
Success…
For our music to personally connect and challenge individuals to run after whatever they love in life. If that happens, then I will feel successful. For some people, their dreams are simple and for others, they are more complex. Either way, if we can help play a part in making it happen for them, that ‘s what matters to me.
Starting Young…
I grew up with my older brother playing in a rock band called Subseven. Naturally, I went to a lot of shows and music festivals. My mom was also a music teacher, so I was surrounded by a music atmosphere all throughout my childhood. I started playing guitar when I was 8 years old and formed a band that same year. I’ve been playing ever since. I met Andrew (Notionaries drummer) in high school and we’ve played in different bands together since then. We started a band called Good Culture a couple years back and that led us to meeting Logan and Nick who were playing with Abandon Kansas. From there, we invited Logan out to a Good Culture show and hung out that night, which was really when the Notionaries was birthed.
Excited Eyes…
was actually the very first song that emerged from our first jam session together. Logan started out having a rad little guitar lick and we took it from there. The song itself really holds the philosophy and culture of what the band was founded on. It’s about pushing away excuses and fears from within to accomplish your true purpose and find your identity in life. So many times people have ambitions, goals and dreams that never get fulfilled due to various situations that arise in life. Our goal with Excited Eyes and the band overall is to provide that encouragement and support that people need when trying to find their identity and purpose. It was the first song we took into the studio and truly shows our mission as a band and as individuals.
Denver & Oklahoma City…
I currently live in Denver, CO. The other guys are in Oklahoma City and Wichita. We love hanging out at a historic venue in OKC called Kamp’s. We actually played there a couple weeks ago. But Andrew and I are pretty much regulars there. In Denver, I absolutely love going to Red Rocks. There are tons of shows there, but also they open it up for people to go workout and hike amidst the beauty of the natural formations.
The album …
as a whole is all about finding your identity. From the more transparent messages in Excited Eyes and Royal Ways to subtle and clouded ideas in Made Up and Bandit, the album can be looked at as a story of an individual finding his place in life, why he’s here, and what he’s meant to be. We hope that it inspires and ignites individuals however it helps them best, hopefully in bringing clarity or triggering the journey to find it.
Bio:
All is well in middle America, where two worlds united in a positive new sound with an underlying tone of fundamental truths. Despite their luminous sound, the notion of The Notionaries came about in 2014 on a dark and cold January night in downtown Oklahoma City, within the walls of a popular music venue among local artists. In these wee hours of the morning, Lamar Fite and Logan Rine engaged in a candid conversation that clarified their life ambitions and long-term goals as musicians. Thus began The Notionaries, a group of millennial artists committed to embracing freedom and creativity through music.
The collaboration seemed cosmically aligned for these young yet experienced Midwest artists. Lamar and Andrew had spent the majority of their music careers playing together, co-founding rock group Good Culture based out of Oklahoma City, while Logan and Nick were already familiar with working together through Abandon Kansas.
Taking the lead in The Notionaries, Lamar carries melodies with seemingly effortless vocals, though the range varies dramatically. He also rounds out the group’s sound through contributions on the keyboard and guitar. Logan’s role as lead guitarist commits their tracks to a feel good 80’s pop vibe. On drums and percussion, Andrew Hise provides a strong foundation that contributes to powerful mood deviations that leave the listener nodding and tapping to the beats. As bass player, Nick Patrick journeys through unique runs that keep the music interesting and takes their passion to new levels. Background vocals are a team effort and offer a sense of punctuation to lyrics that are embedded with optimism and promise. Each twenty-something artist contributes to the songwriting process as well, securing the band’s commitment to creativity.
The first professional tracks belonging to The Notionaries were recorded in the spring of 2014, with the help of Dustin Burnett in Nashville, best known for his contributions to the likes of Augustana, Dave Barnes, the Newsboys, and Darren King of Mutemath. The end product combines electric guitars, distorted pianos, percussion and synthesizers – hinting at elements heard from Imagine Dragons, Foster the People, Keane and even Coldplay.
The Notionaries pay close attention to their lyrics, which display a sense of confidence and thoughtful empowerment. Their fresh, courageous message offers listeners the will to overcome trials and live in freedom. In “Excited Eyes,” they address the joys of chasing your dreams and the clarity that can exist, even when there’s a million ways that you could go in life. It’s music with a mission – reminding people that it’s okay to live in the unsafe and the unknown. This idea merges peace and uncertainty, while triggering a meaningful craving in the soul. It inspires an individual to start a personal revolution by embracing the change agents in his or her own life.
It’s the kind of music that illuminates your day. You’ll want to hear it while driving down the highway with your car windows down, wearing your shades and tapping the steering wheel. No matter how cloudy, cold or stormy the day is, the Notionaries will always make you feel like its summer.
Social Media:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/thenotionaries
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenotionaries