Gentian Violet
Biographies
The story of Gentian Violet
Gentian Violet was initially formed in the late 1990s (we’re not sure of the exact year, but the decade sounds about right) when Blue Stephenson, Gary Johnson and Laura Bowers were indirectly introduced to each other by Laura’s Music Theory Teacher. The three of them went frolicking down the yellow brick road with Laura’s dog Toto. (Oh sorry, wrong fairy tale.) Well, Anyway, the trio auditioned many drummers and lead guitar players only to have them spontaneously combust just when things would seem to be working out, leaving just a pair of green globule encrusted shoes where they once stood.
This went on for several years as Blue, Gary and Laura were witness to several such explosions. However, they continued to write music and the musical material began to pile up. Then one sunny day, Gary found out that an old friend he use to jam with was not happy with his current band and was showing signs of impending combustion. So Gary went and saved him from this terrible fate. (Hey, these things happen a lot, we’re not kidding.) Aaron seemed to work out really well. Happy with his new band, he no longer showed signs of bursting into flame. All that they needed now was a drummer.
Tom was the drummer for the same band that was almost responsible for Aaron’s implosion. When Tom saw how happy Aaron was with Gentian Violet, he realized that he was also very close to leaving behind the tell tale legacy of globule encrusted footwear and decided to hook up with a new band. Amazingly enough, the band finally seemed to be whole without the threat of spontaneous combustion. And with a backlog of wonderful music to play, they lived happily ever after. Well at least until the lawyers got involved. But that’s another story.
The Band members
Gary Johnson
Lead vocals
Direct fan e-mail to GRJ26@aol.com
Gary has been singing since he was born. In fact, we have confirmed that at birth, Gary entertained the delivery room staff with his own rendition of “Inagodadavida (long version)“. Since then, Gary has been entertaining audiences everywhere. The smooth power of his voice speaks for itself. Nothing we can say here can describe what you can listen to for yourself. Just don’t make him mad as he has a tendency to use lethal anecdotes without mercy. When Gary isn’t singing or annoying people with deadly narratives, he operates a produce wholesale company.
Laura Bowers
Rhythm Guitar
Direct fan e-mail to keylargogirlz@aol.com
Laura is rhythm guitar at it’s finest. She is the anchor of the band’s sound. Solid, steady and true. On acoustic or electric, she drives the music. Her vocal harmonies are a perfect match for Gary’s lead and the combination of their two voices is a big part of our sound. Just don’t make her mad. We don’t know why, but it’s got something to do with PMS, hell, fury and a woman’s something or other. When Laura is not playing with the band or assaulting the masses with her wrath, she is a teacher at an inner city elementary school.
Tom Vazquez
Percussion
Tom is an extraordinary drummer. His abilities, talent and aggressive, but tasteful, style are what drives Gentian Violet’s powerful music. Tom has been drumming all his life and the experience he brings to the band is evident in every crack of the snare and cymbal crash. Just don’t make him mad as when he is not beating things with sticks, he is a county code enforcement officer and has a tendency toward making people do things over and over again until they get it right or go bankrupt from the hefty fines. “HEY YOU, PICK THAT UP!”
Blue Stephenson
Bass Guitar
Well, we checked with the good folks down at the DMV, and it turns out that Blue is not his real name. After a rigorous session of torture involving Barry Manilow recordings, we could not get him to talk, so Blue it is. We will keep you updated, unless his real name is Myron or something. Blue is definitely the balls of the band. The booming growl of his bass is the cornerstone of our sound. Blue’s melodic and active bass lines are a perfect marriage to Tom’s technical percussion style, maintaining the solid foundation of low end. Just don’t make him mad as when he is not jamming with the band, he is a landscape designer and has a tendency to bury things into holes he has dug.
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