06/15/2007

Schram is back: CD release party tonight

Local man, new band play at Streeter's tonight

By GARRET ELLISON

gellison@record-eagle.com

Special to the Record-Eagle
Brian Schram and his band return to Traverse City for a CD release party tonight.

TRAVERSE CITY — Northern Michigan's native son of rock 'n' roll Brian Schram is back with a new band and a new album.

Schram is hoping it's the springboard for national success, starting with a CD release party at Streeters Ground Zero tonight.

"It's been awhile since I've been in Traverse City,” said Schram, who's been under the radar for about a year or so, slugging it out in the Detroit area where he has been writing music and steadily building a following. "It's my old stomping grounds. It's where everyone supported me first.”

The band has been whittled into a power trio — Schram on guitar, Dave "Double-D” Dion on bass and 14-year-old Jason Hartless on drums — "he slams,” says Schram.

The album is "Disturbing the Peace” and the cover features a sultry girl adorned in police dubs. The disc is 13 tracks long, plus a hidden track called "To My Brother,” written for Brian's brother, Jason, on duty in Iraq.

"He's over there training in the military police,” Schram said. "He's had a lot of close calls — it's nothing like he thought.”

The first single, "Privacy,” is spinning on radio around the Midwest, including WJZJ 95.5 FM The Zone, who will be broadcasting live from Streeters tonight. The Dirty Americans from Detroit and AM/FM from Chicago will open the show.

Schram started making a name for himself about five years ago, playing guitar at local bars and eventually landing a gig with Uncle Kracker and getting to play on "The Tonight Show.” He feels like this album could be the big breakthrough.

"I signed a very good indie deal with a label called Infinite Sound Recordings,” he said. "We've basically got everything we need to release this nationally.”

Five thousand copies of the album are pressed, with more to follow. The band's New York promotional company is handling the show marketing, and Schram Band songs are available for download on iTunes.

"Hey guys, saw you at Frankies tonite. ...,” read a comment last month on Schram's MySpace. "AWESOME show!!! Loved it!!!”

Schram said the band is taking full advantage of the Internet, with an elaborate Web site and MySpace page to get fan feedback.

"It's almost the only way to sell records anymore,” he said. "I actually turned down working with Universal Records and went with an indie because of that reason.”

The band saw 1,500 people turn out for their Detroit Tigers opening day performance at the State Theatre in Detroit.

"We've worked our a— off in Detroit and are at a point where we don't have to play every week — and Thursday — to pay the bills.” Schram said. "We can put on big shows once every three months, which is what you want to do.”

This has allowed them to put more thought into their regional touring. After the Streeters gig, the "official” CD release party will be at Club 54 in Clinton Township on June 21.

They will give the radio another six weeks to prime the market after that and then "get the map out, figure out where we're getting spins and build a tour around it,” he said.

But even with Schram's eye on national success, expect the upcoming tour to keep to the region.

"We don't want to try and take over the world yet,” he said. "That's where a lot of bands screw up nowadays, they try to take over the world and I think it's better to conquer a region first.”

Doors open at 9 p.m. The show is open to 18 and older with ID. Tickets are $10 at the door. Call 932-1300 or visit www.schramband.com.