the koo

Some might think it a disaster waiting to happen. That is, the idea of two Yankees and two Rebels forming a rock band and naming themselves after a French-derived word that classically denotes violence and rebellion. But make no mistake, while the bands lyrics often coincide with their suggestive moniker and center on provocative ideals such as individualism and dissension, The Koo [coup, properly] achieve a melodic and cohesive sound that isnt likely to be overthrown any time soon.

We just try to write catchy songs that are engaging, explains founder and lead singer Josh Harper. Indeed, strong melodic hooks and dynamic arrangements dominate the groups steadily growing repertoire, which includes poppy anthems like Ryan Kennedy and Lemonade as well as plodding rockers such as All In All and Who Saves The Day?.

The Nashville-based quartet was conceived in early-2004 when Harper enlisted the help of a few musician friends to record a 4-song demo of his own material. Among the recruited session players for the project was drummer Joel Grumblatt, who contributed on two of the tracks. Recalls Grumblatt, Josh and I had just recently met, and after he found out I played [drums], he gave me this tape of his song ideas which he had recorded on a Fisher Price tape recorder! The quality was horrendous, but I thought Josh had a powerful voice and I couldnt get over how great the songs were. By the time the demo was completed in early-May, it was clear that Harper and Grumblatt wouldnt let their aspirations die there and the two decided to assemble a permanent band.

Soon after, the pair was joined by lead guitarist Jesse Waterman, whom Harper cites as a musical acquaintance he had known from a few years back. He brought a very tight, precise sound to the band, which Joel and I liked right away, says Harper of Waterman. I think his more modern style is a nice contrast to my early-90s grunge influence; it seems to bring a unique balance to the band.

With Waterman in tow, The Koo would spend the next several months woodshedding in Harpers basement, shaping their sound and fleshing out the core arrangements of what would become their current song catalogue. Throughout this time, the band struggled to find a bass player and even came close to dismissing the unfilled position altogether. It was frustrating, remembers Harper. We reached a point where we were so eager to start playing shows, and we would sit around and try to invent these contraptions that would more or less make us sound like we had a bass player.

Fortunately, the situation was remedied in May 2005 when the band signed up for a talent show at downtown Nashvilles Global Cafe. As showtime drew nearer, lead axe player Waterman suggested employing MTSU classmate Tucker Caton to fill in on bass for what would be the groups first live performance. Recalls Waterman of Caton, He and I would have conversations about music every now and then, and he just seemed like a really cool guy. After a single rehearsal, Caton proved to be a more than apt fit for the band, both musically and relationally. Upon receiving a favorable response from their 3-song set at the talent show, the band invited Caton into the fold to complete the lineup.

Since then, The Koo has accumulated a handful of shows under their collective belt performing in both Nashville and Murfreesboro. Frontman Harper concludes, Our focus right now is honing our craft as a band and building a local fan base. The group also states they currently have a new demo in the works that is slated to feature eight to ten original songs.