On again, off again

Contray to what the group name suggests, the upbeat tunes, smooth vocals and raw but polished sound in their four-track demo is definitely on … consistently. Bassist Sam Edgin, drummer Dan Gray and guitarist/vocalist Mike Winegardner, along with a guest appearance by Amanda Lyons from the Chicago duet Like Young, round out the force behind the debut release from the band On Again Off Again. The four-track release can be heard on their MySpace page at myspace.com/onagainoffagainmusic, but keep your ears perked as they’ll soon be hitting up the stages around CU.
buzz: What is your songwriting process like?
Mike: I wish I could say the songs just birthed themselves out of magical jam sessions or something, but it’s usually just me with an acoustic in my room. The songs never sound good when they’re forced out, though, so a lot of the lyric writing and melodies just pop up while I’m walking around or in the shower.
buzz: How do you feel about your style of music integrating into the local music scene?
Mike: I feel confident. There are good musicians in CU, and we really want to play shows with them. It seems like we have to somehow “pay our dues” as a band, though. Either way, I think people will like the songs. We made a start at Pogo Studios with Mark [Rubel], so we’re hoping we might be able to jump on a good bill down here soon.
buzz: Has your music style changed since your first song? How would you compare your very first song to your latest?
Mike: Well, I can’t say I recall my first song, but compared to earlier stuff, the songs I’m writing now are more like pop songs. I’ve wanted to write livelier songs lately, maybe just to wake myself up from everyday routines and stuff, whereas I used to write songs to relax.
buzz: What can people expect from your live show? What kind of impression would you ideally like to make on your audience?
Mike: I don’t think we’re trying to drop jaws or anything when we play live. But I do think we are trying to keep you from getting bored. It’s a creamy sound. I’m hoping people feel like they just drank a really good latte after watching us.
buzz: Do you plan to continue with your music after you graduate?
Mike: Yeah, that’s the plan. My bandmates live in Chicago, so the goal right now is for us to set up camp in the city next year when I’m out of CU. I think all three of us are in the state of mind where we are determined to make it work and willing to make the sacrifices when we have to.

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