Station Wag meets rocking,
rapid hometown success
The Eugene-based rock
band, formed in 2002,
is working on its first
full-length studio album
By Natasha Chilingerian
Pulse Reporter
The members of Station Wag, a Eu
gene rock band, have hit a positive
streak lately. Last Sunday, they tied for
first place at the first round of Battle of
the Bands at the Downtown Lounge.
Requests to play at local venues are
rolling in, their first full-length album
is in the works and they have found a
style that works: playing hard.
"Sometimes one of us is bleeding
by the end of the show," bassist Eric
Merchant said.
Station Wag will compete with six
other Battle of the Bands winners
Sunday at 8 p.m. at Audio Liberation:
Battle of the Bands. The event will
take place at WOW Hall, located at
291 W. 8th Ave. On I lalloween, they
will headline a rock show at Samurai
Duck, located at 980 Oak St., at 10
p.m. The five-member band plans to
put on "a fun visual show" with the
sounds of "a driving rock."
When Station Wag formed in the
summer of 2002, there were only four
members — lead vocalist Candice
Kingrey, rhythm guitarist Ana Hewitt,
lead guitarist Andy Dent and drummer
Tom Newson. Newson came up with
the name "Station Wag" during a long
freeway drive.
"It means nothing, really," New
son said.
But the name triggered a resolution
within the group. A friend of Hewitt's
was in a band that was headlining a
show at a Portland dub, and she invit
ed Station Wag to open the show. Sta
tion Wag decided that if it was suc
cessful, they would keep the name.
After just three rehearsals, they head
ed to Portland. After the show, the
name became permanent.
In November 2002, the four mem
bers of Station Wag began to search for
a bass player. Kingrey, a sign-language
interpreter, was interpreting for a math
course at the University when she met
Merchant, a graduate teaching fellow at
the University, and learned he was a
bass player. Kingrey invited Merchant
to a 1 Ialloween party where he met the
other members and joined soon after.
Station Wag started sending demo
tapes to bars in Eugene and per
formed one to two shows per month,
fheir first big success was a New Year's
2003 show at the Samurai Duck. In
May they performed at tire WOW I lall
for Lesbopalooza.
"Things just took off from there,"
Kingrey said.
Now, the group plays five to seven
shows per month. Kingrey said the
members have reached a point where
venues are asking them to perform in
stead of the other way around.
The members of Station Wag have
a variety of performance back
grounds. All have been in at least one
band before and some have experi
ence in musical theater.
"Half of us have acting experience
and the other half has been in previous
bands," Kingrey said, "'I’hese back
grounds are what give us our confi
dence on stage."
Hewitt said her tendency to start
bands has been like a fixation.
"I've been in four or five bands be
fore Station Wag, but they all broke
up," she said. "1 kept starting new
bands because I just couldn't stop."
Kingrey said a big part of the band's
success is their friendship.
"We all get along really well," she
said. "A band has to have fun for it to be
a success. Attitude is more important
than anything."
Although Kingrey said every show is
"wild and different," the members of
Station Wag aspire to write new songs
for their fans to hear.
"We'd like something new for people
to listen to," 1 lewitt said.
lire band previously released a three
song demo. Station Wag's new album
will be for sale at shows as soon as art
work is completed. Aside from finish
ing their CD, writing new music and
keeping up with playing, members
hope to take their act to Portland.
"We'd like to play at the Ash Street
Saloon or Berbati's (Pan) in Portland,"
Newson said.
As far as long-term goals, Kingrey
said as long as Station Wag is playing,
they'll be happy.
"rhis band has become an addiction
for me," she said. "Whenever we take a
break from playing, it's just so lousy."
Contact the Pulse reporter at
natashachilingerian@dailyemerald.com.
£32
Courtesy
Station Wag will play on Sunday at WOW Hall. “Sometimes one of us is bleeding by the end of the show," bassist Eric Merchant said.
SUNDBERG
continued from page 8
and played guitar again until the sun
went down. 1 never got out of my
pajamas.
For me, the guitar is more than just
an instrument. It is a way of silencing
my mind. It is a meditation of sorts. I
can close off all thoughts and just let
the energy of music sweep through my
hands and resonate through the
strings. I can sit and play for hours on
end. It is beyond enjoyment — it is
necessary. Without it, I have no peace.
The world outside is demanding.
There is always something to think
about. There is madness at every turn
of the way. We all need something that
quiets that crazed beast called reality.
I think it is important for people to
find the kind of peace that I find in
playing my guitar. It doesn't have to be
playing guitar, obviously. I know plen
ty of people who say playing an instru
ment frustrates them to no end. That's
quite all right. We all have our thing. I
chose the guitar.
It hasn't always been this way,
though. I can think back to when I first
started playing. It was difficult. My
hands hurt; they became calloused. I
hated it. I quit for a while because I was
terrible. I saw no reason to continue.
Plus, I was only 12.1 just wanted to play
"Sweet Child O' Mine" by Guns N' Ros
es. 1 learned that and then I was done
But then one day in high school, a
couple of friends and I decided to start
a band. I told them I could play "Sweet
Child O' Mine," and it began.
We learned some simple covers and
started playing shows. It was then that I
found myself practicing for hours every
day. I saw something deeper than I had
before. There was infinity, right before
me, in the form of six strings. I knew
then that I would play guitar for the
rest of my life.
I guess it depends on what you en
joy, but I believe we all have that mo
ment in which we find the perfect ele
ment that completes us. That piece of
Zen. That source of infinite power.
Whatever it is.
If you like gardening, plant some
seeds. If you like dancing, go to the
clubs. If you like falling from great
heights, jump from a plane.
I'm not here to tell you how to run
your life. But if you're miserable, you're
the only one that can change that. And
quite often, the most amazing things
are the things that have been there all
along. We've either taken it for granted
or we just don't see it. And sometimes,
it just takes work and practice before
this awakening occurs.
Look around. What sets you free?
Where is the peace that makes you ap
preciate your life? Is it there? If it's not,
maybe you need to reevaluate your sit
uation. If you have that peace, smile
and share what you have. Live it. The
rest can wait. Joy is the most important
thing in life.
And with that in mind, I'm going to
go back downstairs to play my Les Paul.
Contact the Pulse columnist
at carlsundberg@dailyemerald.com.
His opinions do not necessarily
represent those of the Emerald.
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