Wednesday, 5/28/97 Five ZBT members take hiatus from busy lives
through band Musical hobby offers group relief from hectic school
schedules
By Vanessa VanderZanden Daily Bruin Staff With schedules that go
far beyond the realms of sanity, five Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT)
fraternity brothers barely have time to party, much less create any
kind of art. Yet, the members of the UCLA band Hiatus always manage
to take a break for their beloved musical pastime. "We’re so busy
that the hour or two we get together each week to practice becomes
that much more important," explains drummer Christian Ramers, a
fourth-year microbiology and molecular genetics student. "When we
play, it’s a total release from our schedule; it’s a hiatus."
Hoping to allow audiences to feel the same kind of freedom through
their bluesy riffs, Hiatus plays the Troubadour tonight at 10:30.
Though the fraternity-based band has had gigs at house parties,
they prefer the more focused atmosphere of club crowds. Here, the
band has been able to turn their attention to other aspects of what
their name means. "We tend to meld songs together in live
performances," the straight-laced Ramers explains. "Instead of
playing a two-minute pop song and then breaking before the next
one, we have a jam period, or hiatus, where we go off before
flowing into the next piece." "It also refers to that period of
ecstasy where everyone’s into what their playing," suggests
mop-topped guitarist Bob Buck, a self-professed fourth-year "street
musicianship major." "Everyone’s exhibiting their own individual
talents before all coming back to play together." Though this reply
evokes an inquisitive look from bassist Geoff Rakness, a
second-year music student, most members seem satisfied with the
response. However, minor disagreements among the five variously
influenced musicians would seem to be expected. Enjoying everything
from jazz and folk to blues and Latin beats, the band soon realized
they’d have to go on a different sort of hiatus to eke out a
musical style of their own. "At the end of spring break we went up
to Mammoth and stayed in a cabin, sound-proofed by all the snow,"
Buck recalls. "We were hikin’ around with our drum set and stuff."
"We went there a mediocre cover band with a large following and
came back with a new attitude," adds rhythm guitarist and backup
vocalist Kevin Richards, a second-year environmental engineering
student. "Now we want people to come out and see us – to appreciate
us for our songs," continues the self-confident lead singer, Ryan
Burns, a fourth-year political science student. Even friends at the
house have noticed the tighter ring to Hiatus’ sound after the
excursion. Though the band has only been together since September,
they have managed to book eight or nine shows at well-known clubs
like the Alligator Lounge and the Whisky a GoGo. Networking through
ZBT ties has helped Hiatus to schedule these dates as well as find
a center for ticket sales. "Usually the shows have been packed with
ZBT-affiliated people, but our last Whisky show marks a huge hump
we’re getting over," Ramers relates. "Some totally random surfer
guys snuck into our dressing room to tell us how they knew our name
and dug us, without being attached to anyone else we were
acquainted with." "The night I found cool was when we played a song
we had written and 20 or 30 people we’d never seen before started
singing along like they knew the lyrics," Burns remembers with
pride. Though they appreciate the attention, Hiatus remains a group
of humble guys. Going for the gimmickless approach, they don the
same UCLA T-shirts and jeans in concerts that they’d wear any day
of the week. And while they rehearse at a studio in Reseda, they
only do so because of noise problems at home. "We got busted by the
cops the first 10 times we practiced in the basement at the house,"
Buck chuckles. "They said we sounded great but were too loud. But
it’s like band therapy to drive to Reseda each week." "It’s a 15-20
minute drive," Richard smiles. "It’s just cool to talk about music
and relax together for that time." Otherwise, the five members
scramble from one extracurricular activity to another, squeezing in
school on the side. Rakness plays in four other school-related
bands, while Ramers holds down a research job, two hospital
volunteer positions, a house student-health role, and recently
crammed for the MCAT amidst his 20-unit quarter. Burns spent the
first half of the year as ZBT president and currently works part
time at a law firm, while Richards puts all of his spare time into
the UCLA sailing team. Buck spent much of the year working for the
American Civil Liberties Union, and takes what time he does have to
promote the band. "We need an agent," Buck says of his
responsibilities. "There’s gonna be producers and label people at
the Troubadour show," throws in Ramers, suggesting that an agent
may be just within sight. Yet, the five members already have their
futures planned. After recording their first album early this
summer, they’ll play summer gigs, only to go their own routes after
that. Ramers will head north, taking a year off before attending
medical school, while Buck will attend Hastings Law School come
fall. But if they were signed this Wednesday night, would they
pursue their dreams of musical grandeur? "Fuck ya! I’d much rather
go on tour with a bunch of other bands across the country than go
to law school," Buck throws out. "We’ve got so many other things
goin’ on, with work, and I’m gonna go to law school eventually,"
Burns begins. But after a moment’s contemplation, "Fuck ya, I’d hit
the road!" "Fuck maybe," clear-headed Ramers laughs, his eyes wide.
"Fuck maybe." MUSIC: Hiatus plays the Troubadour in West Hollywood
tonight at 10:30. For more info, call the Troubadour at (310) 276-
6168. Previous Daily Bruin story: Neither trumpets nor drums,
plenty of style