Ü 009
9
Features
M idnight C allers songs available on iTunes
_ C ole H ulden _______________
"rock and roll with ooh la
la's" Berkham said. Together
for a little under a year, they
Staff Reporter
When people think of
a band, usually the first
thing that comes to mind is
a group like
; a
group that made a name for
themselves and transformed
the rock industry Three
West Linn bands hope to
do the same— in their own
distinct way.
is a
group that's really going
somewhere. Known for
writing all of their own
material, it consists of
Dave Berkham, senior,
guitar and vocals; Cameron
Mazzia, senior, bass; Jeremy
O'Connell, senior, drums,
and Jake Thiede, senior, who
The Beatles
M onday Combo
M idnight Callers
plays lead guitar. Creating
eir own unique soun /
they are best described as
David Berkham, Jeremy O'Connell, Cameron Mazzia and Jake Thiede, seniors, practice with their band
Midnight Callers. The band's new single is now available on iTunes and will soon be out on vinyl.
Photo courtesy of David Berkham
Pass welcomes holidays at White House
■ L e x i W elp
Staff Reporter
Lynn Pass, art teacher,
kicked off the holiday season
with a trip to the White
House, ate dinner with the
First Lady, and had the honor
of designing and creating an
ornament that hung on the
White House Christmas tree
in the Blue Room.
Putting in a couple weeks
of endless work, Pass created
one of the five ornaments
from Oregon. The entire
endeavor started last summer
when school was out.
"I received an e-mail
and then a phone call from
Congresswoman Darlene
Hooley's office," Pass said.
Hooley had been asked to
find an artist to represent
the Fifth District by creating
an ornament that would be
placed on the Christmas tree
in the White House.
The ornament, made out
of silver plastic was
in diameter and depicted
the state bird, the Western
Meadowlark, and the state
flower, the Oregon grape,
along with a painting of
Mount Hood and Multnomah
Falls. After the ornament
was taken down, it wasn't
returned, but instead was
placed in the archives within
the White House itself.
"I wanted to represent
Oregon, and I just thought of
the places I like to take people
9 inches
Lynn Pass, art teacher, holds
the finished ornament that she
created for the White House
Christmas tree. Pass traveled to
Washington D.C. for a reception
hosted by Laura Bush, former
First Lady.
Photo courtesy of Lynn Pass
people heard us, they would
enjoy it if they like rock
music" Berkham said. Their
music is available on iTunes,
but you can also check
them out at Myspace.com/
MidnightCallers.
is a
band that focuses more
on the jazz side of the
music spectrum. Members
include Brady Wilhelm,
senior, drums, John
Rognlie, sophomore, piano,
Timothy Comfort, senior,
trumpet, Kyle Brooks,
senior, trombone, Michael
Biancardi, junior, alto
sax, and Georgia Muggli,
sophomore, bass. They
have been playing in a jazz
combo since the beginning
of the year.
Inspired by jazz greats,
they meet as a group and
play together on Monday
mornings in the band
room. Band members
participate in many different
activities, such as Muggli
who is involved in band
and orchestra through the
school. Going even further
from the original rock band
concept, and pushing the
jazz into an even more
alternative sound, is a group
known as
when they come to Oregon
to visit," Pass said.
Pass traveled to
Washington DC on Nov.
29 and went to the White
House with her husband
to see the decorated tree.
While eating dinner at the
White House, they had the
opportunity to meet with
other artists who designed
ornaments.
Her students were very
positive about the honor.
"She amazes me with
the amount of talent she
seems to have complete
control over and you can
just tell she has a passion
for art in her life," Emily
Weisenberger, junior, said.
In addition, Pass received
recognition in the
and
for her achievement. Her
ornament also was shown
on The Today Show
"I just felt really honored
to be asked in the first
place. It really does give
you confidence in the work
you've done," Pass said.
Tidings
West Linn
The Oregonian
go out and play a couple
times a month.
"When you make music
a job, it feels like a job,"
Berkham said. O'Connell
and Berkham both agree
that when they practice for
big shows or recording their
music it can seem like work,
but they always have a good
time. Becoming big and
famous is always a want,
but to them, the overall idea
of playing as a group is just
to have a good time.
Each member puts their
own personality into the
music, creating a very
unique sound.
are playing at
venues with people who
are almost double their age,
and who are astounded at
how they don't just learn
famous songs and play
them, it's always their own
material. What started as
random jam-sessions is now
becoming quite a big deal.
"We are more mainstream
rather than loud, trashy
punk music. The songs are
fun and catchy, making it
more memorable. I'm sure if
Callers
M idnight
M ustard Thumb
and the Pizza Fingers.
"I'm pretty sure we're
the best band ever, hands
down," Riley King, junior,
said.
King, who plays trumpet,
trombone, percussion, and
vocals, is joined by Kyle
Lissman, junior, bass, guitar,
glass bottles, and vocals;
Carlos Splitstoser, junior,
trumpet and glass bottles,
Isaac Gay, junior, the tenor
saxophone, Jason Meindl,
junior, guitar, and Stephan
Splitstoser, freshmen, who
played in the song "Dean"
on the alto saxophone.
Band on ¡Tunes_______ ______ -
continued on page 15
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If your are:
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