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Show The Broship Sets Sail in Salt Lake City This national family of friends began in West Valley Nick Parker Production Manager Navigating the treacherous seas of local and regional music scenes can be extremely difficult for bands. Most bands dont make it beyond their first year, but when members of Salt Lake-base- d Broship force themselves through the choppy waves of their musical hardships, the buried treasure is success. When you talk about heavy music in Salt Lake, certain bands are almost always brought up. Bands like Clifton, Her Candane and I Am the Ocean are huge players in the local scene. Those bands succeed in and beyond Salt Lake. Another thing they have in common is that theyre founding members of The Broship, a group comprised of musicians mosdy from West Valley. These bands started the group when future Clifton members Carl Ball and Brad Bacon Wood met up with future Her Candane members Dreu Hudson and Mike Doepner to split a tablet of mescaline with future Loom bassist John Finnegan. They would become The Council and the first members of The Broship. This hard partying lifestyle typifies its members, but isnt required. Clifton vocalist Bryan Edwards subscribes to the straight edge school of thought and doesnt drink or do drugs. Whether its a house party or hanging out in the van with some beers before a show, The Broship knows how to keep the family together and have a good time. Its smoky, booze-soakvans are a staple at Salt Lake concerts. Were mostly just musicians and friends that got together to hang out, said Clifton guitarist Mark Wursten from the back of his bands van before a show in Provo last week. Were the best of friends and want one another to succeed. And succeed they have. The three main Broship bands have all earned national recording contracts. Clifton was signed to Abacus Recordings, Her Candane is on Tribunal Records and I Am the Ocean is part of the Uprising Records roster. Were going to take over the world, said Bryan Edwards, vocalist for Clifton. Weve expanded to Alaska and California. Bands like Victorville, Calif, band Lorene Drive and Alaska natives 36 Crazyfists are also Broship members. There are 60 to 70 members of The Broship at this point. Not all are human, either. Scribble Jackson Her Candanes dog and sixth member is Broship, said Wood. Charlie a dog with a penchant for loving human legs a little too much is under review. The Broships popularity has gained much attention from local musicians and music fans. Its logo can be seen on fliers for shows and among the body art of most members. The logo didnt come until a few years after the groups inception, though. We were on tour in LA when our friend and Broship Veteran Alex Guy drew up this little ship, said Edwards. We all thought it was rad. The ship can be found in many different spots of members bodies as a badge of honor and a testament to their closeness. Some have it on their arms, some on their legs and I Am the Ocean vocalist Kellen Dopp even has one behind his ear. The Broship doesnt take new members lighdy. Joining the family takes time. We have to test the waters of the voyage, said Edwards. Well see if theyre heading in the same direc tion in life and then say, Hey, we have to talk about something before anything happens. Yeah, we have to see if they can hang, said Doepner between cigarette drags and beer gulps. They're down for life. You cant just be in. And that attention to quality shows through the groups work ethic and plans. Theres going to be a Broship Web site, said Edwards. We also have the ship design on our CDs. The bands also plan to form some type of record label down the road. We bring a good time where there is no good time, said Doepner. Her Candane will be bringing the good time with fellow Broship band Lorene Drive at The Avalon Aug. 27. Clifton and I Am the Ocean wall play at Club 600 Sept. 28 before going on tour together. ed VOLUME XLI: ISSUE 1 Bryan Edwards of Clifton shares the stage with Brock Lindow of36 Crazyfists at their show in Ogden last March. Broship veteran Ian Kilpatrick dives into the crowd while sporting his custom-ma- de Broship baseball shirt. 10 |