Poney (is recording!)

Read something enlightening today. Stop wasting your time on this silly social network.
"I want it to be fast and hard, and I want the audience to feel our energy pulsing through them when we play live."
It was the last thing Ben Brooks said to Brad Beilke before their first songwriting session in June of 2003. After going through more than their share of lineup changes and instrumental rearrangements, Poney is boiling, and they are ready to spill over.
Poney, from Wausau, WI (which is the center of that great state,) is fighting against homogenous rock. Drawing from a wide variety of influences including Clutch, Tool, Smashing Pumpkins, Cave In, High on Fire, Mastodon, The Who, and The Bronx, the group is attempting to create intelligent rock that moves.
"I don't just want to play 'metal' or 'prog' or 'punk'," says drummer and lead vocalist Ben. "It's about creating something that's shocking, surprising...something that leaves you with material to think and talk about after the show."
That's right, drummer and lead vocalist. And that's not the only trick up this horsey's sleeve. The rest of the lineup consists of Brad Beilke on guitar, Scott Miller on bass, and Pat Kohlbeck on auxilliary percussion set.
"A lot of people see us head up to the stage, and as soon as they see the hand drums they start giving us weird looks. They think hand drums are only for cheesey folk groups," says Pat. "Then we rip their heads off."
"It seems like a lot of people out there in the different musical scenes these days think you can't groove and thrash inside the same composition. I disagree," says Brad, absent-mindedly noodling out a riff that sounds like a mix between Slayer and Deep Purple.
These guys work their asses off on stage...no standing still, no downtime: a Poney gig, no matter how large the crowd, is always full throttle, blood pumping, and intense.
"Sometimes it gets so nuts...I end up just wanting to, I don't know, stab my bass through someone's heart. I won't do that, but you know what I mean," Scotty wistfully claims.
The band has been working hard and travelling around the midwest since 2004, playing with up and coming bands like Century, Rosetta, and HeavyHeavyLowLow. Currently, they are preparing to enter the studio to record their new album "Seamyth," which is based on Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner."
"We really wanted to create something different and valuable," says Ben. "Doing an album about such a classic piece of literature, especially one that seems to be fading from people's minds, really keeps us focused and gives the music something to adhere to. Creating art based on a story so influential and epic is both challenging and fun as hell."
"It's about *$@^ing SEA DEMONS!" says Brad.
Poney is a group to watch for: their energy and insanity on stage is enough to warrant attention, but their dedication to making intelligent, interesting, and quality music will keep you coming back for more.