By Aimie Pizano
A & E Co-Editor
“They were F---ing awesome!” said Clint Lowry, guitarist from Sevendust, and Dave Williams, vocalist for Drowning Pool.
Who were they speaking about? One of the Illinois Valley’s leading bands, Undermine.
Undermine consists of Mark Lorden of Peru, (lead vocals), Jason “Spanky” Mancini of Peru (on drums), Eric Kalina of Cherry (on bass), Matt “Mattallica” Plohocki of LaSalle (on lead guitar) and Jim Thomas of LaSalle (on rhythm guitar).
Mark has been singing for five years. He first experienced music when he played the baritone and trombone in the grade school marching band. His first performance experience was singing a Marilyn Manson song with his first band at his friend’s surprise birthday party.
Mancini first played the drums at Peru Washington and played the share drum at L-P H.S. and was first chair drummer. He is a drum instructor at Valley Music and plays in a blues band called Crossroads.Kalina has been playing bass for four years. Undermine is his second band which he has been playing in for about nine months.
This is also Plohocki’s second band and he has been playing guitar for four years.
Thomas has been playing for 11 years now. About five years ago he played guitar with some friends just for fun, but this is his first real band.
“Believe it or not, an ex-girlfriend inspired me to play.”
When asked about the type of music they play, they said it was “loud and obnoxious” but in reality it’s hard rock with a metal edge.
The guys are inspired by such bands as Tool, Metallica, Deftones, and Staind. At the moment, they have three original songs called, “Punish,” Suffocate,” and “See You.” They also play covers from bands such as Zebrahead, Disturbed, Godsmack, and Incubus to name a few.
They have played at such places as Club Blues in Streator, IBC in Bloomington, The Silver Slipper Saloon in Ottawa, Terri’s Coffee Shop and 9th St. Pub in LaSalle, and The Lounge in Peru.
On Sept. 15, the guys had the time of their life. They were waiting for Sevendust to get done playing at the Pig Pen in Clinton, Iowa. They went inside and started playing.
“We were playing ‘Sweat Pea’ and Kalina noticed that Dave Williams, the singer from Drowning Pool, was standing on the side of the stage,” said Lorden.
Kalina said, “I went over and he asked me for a demo, and I ran over and gave him two. So now, Drowning Pool has at least 2 CD’s in their custody of ours.”
About two months ago at Ottawa’s Studio 71, Undermine recorded a five- song demo with three original songs and two demos on it.
Kalina said, “It’s just something to send out to bars out of the area and hopefully broaden our horizons a little bit.”
As if that weren’t enough, Lorden said Dave Williams “jumped on stage half way through Beastie Boys and he sang ‘Fight For Your Right’ with us, and after that, Sevendust and Drowning Pool, some members of each band came up and played all out instruments and we jammed with them and played some Pantera and Black Sabbath.”
Thomas said, “To say that this was a really awesome expierence would be an understatement.”
Kalena said, “Saturday night was the highlight of my personal career as far as being a musician or entertainer. It takes a lot to say something like that.”
Lorden said, “I thought the day I got laid would be the greatest day of my life.”
They all agreed when Lorden said, “We felt like rock stars for one night.”
Plohocki said his plan for the band is “The sky is the limit for me with the band.”
Kalena said, “I want to play in venues like this (Pig Pen) my whole life. It is more personal, more close to where you get the people all up front like that. Playing in stadiums, playing outside would be unreal, but I think it’s a lot more fun when everyone is right up on you. I think it’s a lot more personal.”
In response to Kalina’s comment, Thomas said, “That’s cool, but you gotta think like the Rage Against the Machine video where they start playing ‘Bulls on Parade’ and every person, like 200,000 people, start jumping up and down and the same time. I mean you gotta think about how cool that would be to be playing one of your songs and see that.”
Vocally, Lorden said he tries to sing how the words are portrayed. “If the words are sad, I try to think about what I’m saying and just sing it. Just natuarlly react instead of being afraid of what people think. I sing the way I feel.”
Kalena said, “You don’t even think about it (the work put in to the craft). You get out there and just do it. It’s hard work the next day when you wake up in the morning, when you can’t walk and you’re all sore. When you get up there and just do your thing, it’s natural, it’s like the crowd gives you the energy. It’s just all pure adrenaline that does it.”
Thomas said, “Come see us play and go to our website at www.undermine.iwarp.com.”
Lorden added, “It’s more fun than just music, it’s a show.”
Upcoming play dates for Undermine are on Nov. 2 and 3 at 9:30 p.m. at the Pig Pen in Clinton, Iowa for ages 18 and over.