Three University students got the band back together Saturday night, tossing aside the bitterness of last month’s breakup.
The band Gnat will begin practicing again Wednesday evening after bassist, Jonathon Whiteshoes, a junior in General College, gets off his late night shift at Super America.
After several unsuccessful stints as a basement jam band over the past two years, members say they are recommitted to making it big.
“We will be rock n’ roll stars someday,” said Johnny Sanderson, lead guitarist, songwriter and junior music major.
Gnat caught the attention of many students last fall when they attempted to play in the courtyard of the Super Block for a grueling 48 straight hours as a stand against the imprisonment of Mumia Abdul-Jamal.
The two-day event unraveled before Gnat’s eyes, as Whiteshoes’ fingers bloodied. As the night wore on, would-be sleeping students grew tiresome as their ears wretched to the 14th rendition of “Stairway to Heaven.”
The benefit drew to a close early as a combination of drunken rioters and disgruntled half-sleepers descended upon the band and bashed their instruments into oblivion.
“We were a little shaken by that particular event,” said Jon Hussong, an undeclared junior and drummer. “It was a great point of dissension among the band members for quite a long while.”
But the band is back with a new set of goals.
First, Hussong promised to stop bringing girlfriend Stephanie Mitchell to practice.
“I love her, man,” Hussong said. “But I think the other guys were a little jealous.”
“I swear to the almighty God above that if I see that female one more time, I’m going to take a hostage,” Whiteshoes said.
He added that if he heard Stephanie ask him to play that one Saigon Kick song again, he was going to wig out.
Band members also set strict guidelines for Sanderson’s songwriting.
“He really has to take it easy on the weed songs,” Hussong said. “I mean, I don’t mind our lovely little green lady. But for the love of my left foot, we don’t need a whole set list about it.”
Currently, Gnat can play a handful of covers and three original songs.
Band members said they will be learning a few more covers and adding a lot more original songs, which should sound a lot like Phish.
“But there’s no way we could duplicate that. They are gods,” Whiteshoes said.
Gnat has set long term goals of playing Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado and someday opening for the Big Wu.