Along Northeast Australia's Sunshine Coast, struggling musicians faithfully plug away at their craft, spurred on by visions of a bright, happy place where all beings love music and each other. This oasis of good vibes, glad-handing and sweet, sweet harmony is their Mecca. We know it as Orem, Utah.
'We heard Orem was the music capital of the world,' said Dan Petersen, with just a dash of irony. Petersen is the manager of oz-STATIC, an Orem-based band made up of three of his children and a locally-recruited drummer.
'If it's not, we'll make it so,' he said.
Oz-STATIC consists of Sam (who fancies the nickname 'Jam Fever'), Lou and Daynia Petersen and John 'Banana Boy' Buckner. If you spent time on the Sunshine Coast in the early 80's, you may have heard of oz-STATIC's first incarnation, The Kickatinalong Band from Kangaroo Country. The Petersen family started performing a comedy/music show under this meaty moniker in 1981, emphasizing traditional Australian bush music.
The Kickatinalong Band became oz-STATIC and relocated to California in 1987. Heeding the advice of a record-company executive, who told them the United States' mountain region would be the place most likely to embrace their music, they packed up and moved to Orem in 1992. Since their cross-continental move oz-STATIC has released two self-produced albums, 'Big Dreamer' and 'Save America.' A third release, 'Sunset Honey,' went on sale March 16.
Although the band members joke about Orem as a hotbed of new music, they are dead serious about their goals as a band. So far their biggest gig was as the opening act for fellow Aussies Hunters & Collectors and was attended by 3 to 5 thousand people, Sam said. Dan has spoken to Hootie & the Blowfish's manager, Rusty Harmon, about the possibility of the two bands doing some shows together. Harmon was receptive, although he said Hootie is booked up through their currently scheduled tour.
Daynia describes oz-STATIC's music as mostly 'light, happy dance music,' although she said she has been pleased to hear comments about the variety of musical styles present on the band's first two albums. Sam exemplifies the kind of variety oz-STATIC strives to present. He is a fan of such dissimilar artists as Bob Marley, Megadeth and Dire Straits, and also enjoys jazz. Judging by the reactions they have received so far, their style has seemed to appeal most to kids in their early-to-mid teens. This demographic hasn't limited their appeal too severely -- Sam recalled putting on a show in a nursing home after which one 99-year-old man proclaimed that oz-STATIC put on the best show he'd ever seen.
Some of the 180-some songs the band has penned to this point focus on traditional pop-music themes like love and having fun, but others explore political, Biblical and. . uh, family themes. One of oz-STATIC's songs spells out band members' feelings about French nuclear testing, another supplicates Babylon to rock on, and another spins a merry yarn about a diabetic granny who's lost both legs.
'They enjoy themselves, and that enjoyment radiates from them. That's important,' said Patricia about her children's attitude about their music. 'Australian humor is somewhat different than American humor, but you can see that they don't take themselves too seriously.'
Three-fourths of oz-STATIC inherit the entertainer's spirit from Dan. He and his wife Patricia performed with their children in Australia and still do so occasionally today. In addition to working in a publishing company, Dan trained as film director under Peter Weir. Early in Dan's career, he had a small role in one of Mel Gibson's pre-'Road Warrior' films, 'Gallipoli.'
What does Dan identify as the main difference between life in Australia and life in Orem?
'It doesn't snow on the beach, and here they take your checks,' he joked.
'Here there is a much more serious tone; Australians are more laid-back. There is also greater affluence and much more opportunity. Aussies use the terms 'tall-poppy syndrome' -- the poppy that sticks its head up gets it cut off. Stick your head up here, and people cheer you,' he said.
Dreams of stardom aside, oz-STATIC first of all strives to make music with a positive message. Daynia said she 'hopes that this CD will change the face of this generation.'
In a testament to his priorities, Sam recently gave up Ziggy Marley tickets to join the rest of the family in putting on a fireside for an Orem young-adult ward. All of oz-STATIC's members are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Despite his family's good intentions, Dan has somber words for any would-be musicians.
'Don't be a musician. It's a long haul. It's of the devil, too!' he said.
He might have been kidding, but to what degree and about which statement, you'll have to make up your own mind