Hard music doesn’t mean low values to local rock band

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    By TRENT BLACKHAM

    A visitor at Muse Music on Tuesday nights can hear the overpowering sound of heavy guitars, thunderous bass and crashing drums emanating from the back of the building.

    Sitting in an adjacent room, anyone could listen through the walls as members of local band, The Abilene Paradox, finished their grueling practice.

    “We just had a pretty cool practice,” said singer, Scott Shepard from Richfield, Utah. “By the end, I was pretty tired.”

    In contrast, bass player Josh Dunn, a BYU graduate from Elkridge, Utah, sat in front of a laptop computer working on his new band logo. On the same desk, beside an alarm clock, sat a set of scriptures.

    The Abilene Paradox has written and performed some of the hardest rock music to come out of Provo. But, according to these members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they don’t sacrifice their high standards for playing hard rock.

    “To be specific, distorted guitars and screams don’t jeopardize your values,” said drummer Ryan Hone from Springville.

    Each individual is distinct in the group: Dunn has his clean-cut image, Shepard has his shaggy hair and guitarist Al Deans from Vernal, slightly resembles a biker. (He actually paints motorcycles on the side.)

    Each of the musicians came from different musical backgrounds including punk, jazz and choir. When asked about how the band started a year ago, this unlikely group of musicians described their beginning rather ambiguously.

    “We were all just jamming together, and we all passed through the refiner’s fire and met up as musicians,” Hone said. “It wasn’t really an origin, it was an affinity between us as musicians.”

    Making the band what it is today took a lot more work than the musicians give credit, though. The group originally began with a few friends playing together.

    The result was a group of five musicians called Mute. The band transformed over the next six months, losing the original singer, drummer and its original name.

    Dunn wryly said the music underwent the greatest change.

    “If you heard us a year ago with our old singer and old drummer, we were a completely different band,” Dunn said. “We listen to what we wrote a year ago and we laugh.”

    These musicians came to embrace hard rock, although it was not their intention to adopt that particular style.

    “I think that it just came out that way,” Dunn said. “I don’t even know that we made a conscious decision for it [adopting a hard rock style] to happen. So, it’s kind of crazy.”

    Unfortunately, Dunn said the community has not given their music the best reception.

    “I think that our style of music in Utah is sort of a contradiction where you have a largely LDS population or just conservatives in general,” Dunn said.

    These musicians said they hope to change popular views of hard rock music.

    “Our main goal is to show people that a hard rock band can stand for something good,” Dunn said.

    Standing for something good is what the band said they’ve done most of their lives. Dunn, Hone and Shepard served full-time LDS missions, and the members of the band try to live active LDS lifestyles.

    “On a personal basis, I try to attend church on a weekly basis and better myself daily like any good church member would,” Dunn said. “I think speaking for most of my band members, same type of thing.”

    Dunn said with their active church-going lifestyle, their music is under a lot of scrutiny.

    “Being a return missionary, people definitely look at you in a different light, and I don’t know, they expect more from you,” Dunn said. “So hopefully, those people who are looking for something more can find it, and see that, you know, even though the music is hard, there’s something good in it.”

    Dunn said the band has stuck to their convictions, and they hope the good message shines through in their music.

    “We definitely portray gospel principles through action, even through some songs,” Dunn said. “I think that’s the big thing for us just living right and that if we do make it, that people see that.”

    Deans said that on several occasions he has been in a position to be an example to other musicians as well as their audience.

    “Those kids are really impressionable,” Deans said. “In the times that I’ve played, I’ve actually been able to set some good examples for certain kids.”

    Fortunately, these musicians have help where it counts. Some of their parents are very supportive of their musical ambitions.

    “I really believe that one of their goals is to be a good influence with their specific style,” said Dunn’s father, Dennis Dunn. “I believe they’ll have a good influence on the people around them.”

    Through clean lyrics and good messages, the band said its music has grown on people who are not necessarily fans of hard rock music.

    “The more that people actually hear the music the more they love it,” Josh Dunn said. “My mom hated it the first time she heard it, and the more she hears it the more she loves it. For me to be able to see my mom enjoy my music, that’s a huge success to me, and if my mom can enjoy it, then anybody can enjoy it.”

    The band has often filled local venues when they play shows. They recently won a Battle of the Bands sponsored by local radio station, X-96.

    Some have said they think the band has found success because their music appeals to a larger audience.

    “What they’ve been able to do is tap the mainstream crowd to come to their shows, and not just kind of the hard core scene,” said Corey Fox, manager of Muse Music. “The reason why they’ve been having big crowds is because they’ve been appealing to both.”

    BYU students who have attended their concerts said they appreciate having the option of listening to hard music that is also clean.

    “It’s always good to be able to have some fun, work out a little angst and know that you’re not driving yourself into darkness,” said Eric Hochhalter, from Highland Park, Ill., studying animation.

    Dunn said he realizes that many around the Provo area may not appreciate his band’s music. But, regardless of differing opinions, the band is willing to share its talents.

    “This is what we do, and it’s fun,” Dunn said. “And if you want to come along and have fun with us, then you’re more then welcome to. But if you continue to have a closed mind, then that’s your choice.”

    Dennis Dunn also said he hopes people will approach his son’s band with an open mind.

    “I just hope [people] don’t try to blame Satan for it,” Dennis Dunn said. “Because he’s not necessarily the author of everything we don’t like.”

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