When you are a freshman, it can be hard to make friends. However, two freshmen took on a more difficult task in their first semester: making a band.
Meet the Moonberries or, as their friends call them, Meatpile. The Moonberries consist of Steve Wright ‘19 on bass, Dan Timmermann ‘19 on guitar, Andrew Burklow ‘21 on drums and vocals and Alex Hughes ‘21 on guitar and vocals.
“I asked Andrew if he wanted to start a band one day in the dining hall because we would always comment on each other’s band t-shirts. He and I started playing guitar together in my room after that and learned some smiths and cure songs, then we put up a flyer in Curtis that Steve and Dan responded to. We went and met them at their apartment and hit it off so that completed the lineup. This all happened in early September,” said Hughes, a global commerce major from Ann Arbor, Michigan.
With their first performance at an off-campus event, they were a huge hit. It has been their only show so far, but the excitement has lead to more practice and plans to play at places like the Bandersnatch.
However, making a band in one semester is hardly an easy feat, even with a successful show in their back pocket.
“Finding a place to practice was tough, but we ended up being able to use Herrick fairly regularly. The school also doesn’t own a drum set for students to use so we had to buy one at a pawn shop in Columbus. It all came together pretty quickly, we all liked the same music and all were really into the idea of getting a band going asap so we made it happen,” said Hughes.
Along with the goal of creating a new music vibe on campus, the Moonberries see music production in their future. Members of the band have a knack for music, and that includes a passion for writing and releasing.
This means another goal for the band would be to be able to put out a couple EP’s or LP before Timmermann and Wright graduate, potentially even playing some shows in Columbus.
With two of the members being juniors, there is limited time for the band that the four guys have to work out. Yet the Moonberries continues to enjoy their time playing together and laughing as a band, like when they tried to learn the theme song to the Nickelodeon show “Drake and Josh.” The Moonberries really enjoy trying new sounds and music styles.
“I’ve liked being able to play drums with the guys in the band because we all have a certain sound in mind. The music scene here needs some more diversity in sound and I think our sound is definitely an eclectic mix of different tastes and brings something new to the table,” said Burklow, a history major from Kensington, Maryland.
Although only a semester old, the Moonberries have begun to make an impression on the Denison student body, some of which were able to catch their only show. They have even caught the attention of Denison’s radio station, 91.1 WDUB The Doobie.
“I think it is great to have another band that is up and coming on campus,” said Rachel Weaver ‘20, an environmental studies and art history double major from Nashville. Weaver is also the art and PR director for The Doobie. “The radio station is extremely happy about it. Hopefully they will audition for Doobie Palooza and bring some more fans to the event. As a radio executive member, I have to appreciate good music, so I appreciate the Moonberries.”
What is in store for the band is hard to say, but they can promise that you have not seen the last of them.