Local Band: November 1994
Archived
The Obvious
One commitment. One goal. Yearning for something. Unstoppable success. Putting the hard work in to gain that success. Chris Rowe handles guitar. Mike Shallbetter is on drums. Shane Sorensen is playing bass, and John Stockingham is singing vocals, which completes the foursome.
Doing that thing they have wanted to do all of their lives, playing music, has been paying off for them. The Obvious has been taking it easy on the workload: either attending college or helping the band, but not doing the 9–5 thing for the last year. “We’d like to get the point across,” explains Mike. “We like what we’re doing.” Mike is spokesman for the band and know what they want. That’s not to say they don’t know how to have fun. Seeing them on the stage lets you know they do enjoy performing and the music.
The Obvious isn’t one of those bands that does things just to please someone else. They do it because that’s what they want. Their feeling and heart go into what they are doing with their music. Writing is one thing they do from the heart and mind, letting their emotions show. They don’t write a catchy phrase because it will be a crowd pleaser—there is meaning behind it.
A song written the day before can change even though they were perfectly happy with it yesterday. Sounds change along with the tempo and lyrics to challenge you. They haven’t jumped on the “bandwagon,” a little ’70s rock, some punk and their own style combine to make an extraordinary mix. “We like to challenge people’s ears,” smiles Mike. “Basically [it’s] a lot of fun.”
Their new EP Detached unleashed that extraordinary mix. Released last month, “Detached” (the song off the EP) has reached number one on the request list of local radio station X-96. Release parties for “Detached” were held on October 3 at Club DV8 with an overwhelming 500-plus fans in attendance and a good showing for a Monday night on October 10 and The Edge in Provo.
“Detached” was produced by ~leWxoltnam, a freelance producer who has produced Cradle of Thorns and done some work with Geffen and Capitol Records. He has also gotten them two appearances on CBS’s Touched by An Angel TV series.
Recording of “Detached” was done locally at L.A. East Studios and mixed in Los Angeles, California at Abstraq Studios. This EP does not sound like a local band, which is exactly what The Obvious wanted. They didn’t want to settle for a second-best recording. This album is a far cry from that. There has been some interest from major record labels, but nothing is set in stone. Detached will promise to outsell their first, eight-song E.P. No Toes, which sold over one thousand copies locally and on the road combined.
The new EP contains 12 songs all as good as the one before. The first song “Detached” off Detached is one of the faster-paced licks and, remember, has been number one on X-96 request charts. To slow things down, “Nightfalls” and “Clark’s Rock” do the trick with a more mellow tempo. Each song is different and unique. Detached is filled with an hour’s worth of great stuff. To really experience The Obvious, you need to get a copy of the EP.
To pick up a copy of Detached, simply write to The Obvious at P.O. Box 10407, Salt Lake City, UT 84110, and you will also be put on their fan club list. To catch them live try the Provo Armory on November 4, November 11 at the University of Utah, a benefit for Camp Kostopulos and November 25 at The Holy Cow with Suspension of Disbelief. Don’t miss The Obvious. –Dawna Branagan