Dear Dakota
Hear it Now
Sorry, Dakota, but these guys are going strong. Named in defiance of an ex-drummer's girlfriend's lack of faith in the band, Dear Dakota's retribution comes in the form of success and fans. Channel One News got an intimate account of the Gainesville, Florida-based band's exploits over the past year -- complete with how they got started and their favorite song -- in a funny, five way phone call.
And, what did we discover? Not only does Dear Dakota know how to have a good time, they also know how to collaborate when writing songs for their debut album Sink or Swim."Every person plays an instrument, which helps them write music," said guitarist James Patrick. "That's one thing that I enjoy." He added, "There's a lot of talent and we have each others' back."
Each member of the band began playing music at a relatively young age and continues to hone their skills on their chosen instrument. Guitarist Mike Gray began playing at 11, "Originally I wanted to be a drummer," he said in an email, "but then my parents tenderly explained to me that drums were loud, expensive, took up a lot of space, and most importantly, drummers got the least amount of cred next to the bassist. Needless to say I picked up a guitar and haven't looked back since."
Obviously, inspiration comes in many forms for this quintet. Tyler Cole began playing bass at 15, "I sat on my bed with tab music and I learned to play and sing every Blink 182 song," said Tyler. And for Zane, his vocals were first inspired by Journey's greatest hits and the epic nature of Disney movie soundtracks (he told us with a laugh). "They're triumphant," he said. "Like you could climb a mountain."
Speaking of metaphors, Tyler's favorite Dear Dakota song they've created is "Sunrise." "I'm super proud of it." He explained, "every element of the song has a taste of each of us."The song's lyrics, "I can feel the sunrise," not only represent the band's success over the past year, we hope they'll also mark Dear Dakota's fate in the Orlando Warped Tour this summer. To help bring on the dawn for their spot, check out the music mag Alternative Press and cast your vote.
—Christa Fletcher
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