Skip's Music Stairway to Stardom winners want you to "Fear the Mullet!"

Mullet For My Valentine official Stairway to Stardom picture

Oh my gosh! Total surprise! My jaw dropped to the floor! Metal/thrash band Mullet For My Valentine said they were beyond shocked to win the 2009 Skip's Stairway to Stardom competition against 21 other youth bands.

Vocalist Cristial "Kryss" Morsen, 18, guitarist Bryant "Bry" Peterson, 13, and drummer Matt Lomas, 15, spoke for the band, which also includes guitarist Finn Warfield, 14, and bassist Hunter "Mullet" Driscoll, 12.

As part of the eight-week summer music program, students audition and fill out a survey stating their musical influences and experience. Then they're matched with similar musicians and a professional music coach.  Mullet For My Valentine, who all love Metallica, were placed with metal-loving coach Brandon Glasgow, 33, who has been a musician for over 20 years and has coached five Stairway to Stardom bands. With Glasgow's help, the band learned how to work together, write songs, and eventually perform three original songs at a battle of the bands competition judged by industry professionals.

Mullet For My Valentine said they didn't expect to win the competition because other bands had more of a "mainstream, catchy sound."

The band describes their sound as "hard rock, metal, thrash" and definitely not mainstream.  "We have a singer that sounds hard rock. There's heavy guitar riffs and groovy bass lines. It's a nice blend of old school metal with newer influences, too."

Both the band and their coach recognize the key ingrediant to their unique sound is their "melting pot" of musical influences. Morsen, Peterson and Driscoll each like different types of metal, whereas Warfield is into hardcore punk, and Lomas digs jazz.

"The challenge was making the compromise to get a sound that they all were comfortable playing, and in my opinion, it worked very well,"  Glasgow said.

The band got along from the first day when the bassist walked into the room with a "way out of date mullet," Peterson explained.  Thus the inspiration for the name, which is a play off of the band Bullet For My Valentine.  "Please don't sue us!" Peterson said and then smiled mischievously.

The band name made their coach laugh, and Mullet For My Valentine set to work experimenting with riffs and constructing lyrics with the help of a whiteboard and Glasgow's gentle guidance.

"Brandon was never overriding. He let you do whatever you wanted and then gave you input," the band explained. "He was an amazing coach!"
 
Glasgow said the band stepped up to the challenge and all contributed to the song writing process, which resulted in three metal songs, "Into the Fire," "Obey the Master," and "Supernatural King."

"I stressed to them throughout the program that yes, I'm sure they want to win, but the main thing is that they have fun doing what they love to do," Glasgow said.

"I think they won the battle because, from my side of the stage, it appeared they were doing just that: having fun."

On his 98 Rock Local Licks radio program, battle of the bands judge Mark Gilmore said Mullet For My Valentine "killed it!" at one of the best Stairway to Stardom finales he had seen.

In addition to the live performance experience and technical lessons like Morsen's vocal instruction, Mullet For My Valentine learned life lessons. "A band doesn't rely on one sole person. It's always the whole band's song. That's the biggest thing in a band," Peterson said. "Give it your best shot, and do whatever you think is right," Lomas added.

The band described the program as "the best experience, ever!" For that, they wanted to thank everyone at Skip's Music and everyone who encouraged them to join the program, including Duane Calkins, Peterson's woodshop teacher who helped Peterson make his guitar in the Wood Shop Rocks program at Buljan Middle School in Roseville.

For anyone considering joining the Stairway to Stardom program, Morsen, Peterson and Lomas have two words, "Do it!"

As first place winners, Mullet For My Valentine will record three songs at The Track Shack and play Skip's Music Weekend Warriors show at Harlow's on September 13th.  Then the band said they hope to continue playing together and blending everyone's influences into their sound.

After that, "Expect the unexpected!"