“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.â€
The quote is attributable to Seneca, a Roman Philosopher from the mid 1st Century AD. It holds a particular significance, however, for the members of Southern California rock band, MIDNIGHT TO TWELVE. Jon Hartman (vocals), Al Baca (bass), Steve Oliver (keyboards), Daniel Jordan (guitar) and Drew Molleur (drums) made their own luck with every step they took toward living their dreams.
From Southern California by way of Iowa (Hartman) and Oklahoma (Molleur) with a stop in Nashville for Al and Jon, the band took full shape in LA in 2000. After meeting Steve through a friend and Daniel through the classifieds, the band added Drew and the time was right to get things going. Finding the right name took a long time for the rockers – the idea for MIDNIGHT TO TWELVE came when discussing the shift Al was working in order to make time to write and rehearse with his cohorts.
Always willing to do the hard work involved in establishing themselves in a competitive market like Los Angeles, the band played all around town, slowly building their audience. “Our motto was, whether the audience was five people or 5,000, they got the same show,†says Hartman. Eventually the band was headlining Saturday nights and selling out storied clubs like the Roxy. MIDNIGHT TO TWELVE sold some 13,000 copies of their previous independently-made recording out of its tour bus. These sales figures are a testament to the band’s powerful live show – as both a solo touring act and as opener for such bands as Buckcherry, Jimmy Eat World, Evanescence, Joan Jett and Saliva.
Along the way, the band made fans and friends who were eager to spread the good word. One such fan worked at the show ONE TREE HILL. The producers of the show heard the single “Slam,†and put it on the show right away. Seeing a way to take the exposure one step further, the band made it known on the show’s message board that they would give away CD singles to anyone who signed up for their e-mail list. A barrage of ‘HILL fans obliged. “I was up all night collecting addresses, and sent out 600 singles the next day – I spent a whole paycheck on postage,†Baca shares with a laugh. MIDNIGHT TO TWELVE’s self-titled JKH Entertainment (through Koch distribution) debut blends explosive riffage with a big, melodic chorus. The album, produced by Sylvia Massy Shivy (Tool, Deftones, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash) and Rich Veltrop, amply demonstrates the band’s sonic palette with fiery rockers (“How Bad,†“Burnin’,†“Contain Itâ€), soaring, pop-savvy melodies (“Good Morning Again,†“Slamâ€) and everything in between (“Rhyme or Reason,†“Futureâ€). Massy Shivy coaxed incendiary performances from the band, adding an array of sparkling sonic touches. Hartman’s versatile voice swings effortlessly from fury to tenderness, while guitarist Jordan’s brutal riffs and incisive leads and keyboardist Oliver’s symphonic countermelodies put both edge and grandeur atop the grooving foundation of bassist Baca and drummer Molleur. The resulting recordings showcase MIDNIGHT TO TWELVE’s bruising rock onslaught, supple dynamics and songwriting smarts in equal measure.
With the ‘luck’ this band has made for itself, there are no limits to what they can accomplish. MIDNIGHT TO TWELVE is a collection of men with a purpose and a collection of songs that will be anthems of a life lived with passion (and preparation).