 |
 |
“Our Slogan Is ... Melodic, Dance-worthy, Garage Rock”Passenger Profile: Jake Hanner
|
By Kenny Kerner
|
 We don't feature drummers very often, but here we go. This is a cool story about a band called Donora and how a drummer was determined to follow in his dad's footsteps and become a successful musician, and how he succeeded with help from TAXI!
Do you come from a musical family?
My dad has had a very successful career in the music industry and has been a really big influence on both my sister and me. He wrote two songs that became Number One Country hits in the early '80s. He went on to write a lot of successful jingles and his Diet Sprite commercial debuted during the SuperBowl. The most impressive thing about his successes is that he would never tell you about them. In fact, his gold records were sitting in a dusty box in the basement until my wife and I put them up in our music room. Lately he's been doing a lot of producing in the home studio that we both work in and has been working with us to produce our first full-length CD.
Do you play any other instruments besides drums?
I play guitar and I guess could fake my way on any instrument. I think any musician could play a melody on just about any instrument you put in front of them... does that mean they can play it? I could probably write a song on the oboe.
As a drummer starting out, how did you rehearse songs?
My dad had this huge cardboard box in the basement filled with various cassette tapes, some demo stuff from his jingle work, songwriting, studio clients, and his band. I would just reach in to the box, grab a tape, and throw it in my stereo and start playing along. I never tried to mimic the drums on the recordings. I just focused on the vocal and played what felt right.
| Residence: |
Pittsburgh, PA |
| Age: |
29 |
| Occupation: |
Recording engineer |
| Year Joined TAXI: |
2007 |
| Web Site: |
www.donoramusic.com |
Do you write songs?
Yes. That's funny because as soon as I started writing songs, my drum playing completely changed. I started playing so much simpler and actually got rid of all my toms. Every time I tell sound guys I don't have any toms they say, "just a floor tom?".... No, no toms.
What is your inspiration for the original songs?
All my songs seem to be about music, bands, instruments, or metaphors involving such things. Either that or love! A friend of my dad's said he can't write anything but songs about love... "if you told me to write a song about garbage cans it would be about how much I love them."
How did the name Donora for your band come about?
Donora is a town in Pennsylvania and my wife saw a sign that said Donora and suggested it. Then we told our bass player, Jake C., and he said that his whole life he drove by a sign that pointed over a bridge that said Donora and he always wondered what was over there.
What made you select your sister Casey as a band member?
The band actually started as more of a solo project for the songs Casey was writing. She wrote some amazing adult contemporary type songs that we used to play. I always joke and say that I ruined the band by adding my songwriting influence. But in all seriousness, Casey and I have a lot of fun writing songs together. I imagine it would be pretty funny to watch us work, because we're always finishing each other's thoughts when we're writing together.
Describe the kind of music your band plays.
Our slogan is.... melodic, dance-worthy, garage Rock.
What is the one professional achievement you're most proud of so far?
The best thing that has happened to our band is Post Secret. Post Secret is a project that started as an author publishing books of secrets people send him on postcards that are really mini works of art. We had one of our songs in an online book trailer for, I believe, the third book and the video was Number One on YouTube and MySpace for a few days. Our MySpace profile views have gone from 20,000 to almost 200,000 in a couple months since then.
What made you become a TAXI member?
We had band money saved and I figured it was at the very least worth a shot. When you think of it that way, it only takes a couple good gigs to invest in the idea for an entire year. If you're playing at least once a month, that should cover your submission fees with money to spare to invest in merch.
How has TAXI helped your career?
When people ask me about it I tell them why not try it for a year and see what happens. We've made some good contacts, made back our membership fee with one placement, and have had our music forwarded to several labels including Capitol Records.
• • •
Hey. That's pretty good. Betcha couldn't have done that on your own. Why not let TAXI open some industry doors for you? Why not let them build your professional contacts list? Give them a call and ask for their free member package and check it out!!! Do it in time for the November Road Rally.
|
|
|
|
|
|
"With help from you guys, the music is pouring out and I'm having such fun! Thanks!"
|
— Willie McCulloch,
TAXI Member
|
|
"TAXI provided real access to a nearly inaccessible industry."
|
— John Mendoza,
TAXI Member
|
"I received 5 critiques for one song and each one was right on the money. The critiques and this membership are priceless!"
|
— Tammy Endlish,
TAXI Member
|
 |
"In this competitive field you need all the help you can get and with TAXI, you've got a friend in the music business."
|
— Richard Scotti,
TAXI Member |
"I recently got my first deal as a result of a submission to TAXI! I'm very excited to see that this actually works!"
|
— George Leverett,
TAXI Member
|
 |
"We appreciate all that you do and try to do to help us struggling songwriters!"
|
— Pat Harris,
TAXI Member
|
"I've known most of TAXI's A&R people for years. These are real industry pros. I'd be happy to listen to anything they send me."
|
— John Carter,
Vice President of A&R,
Island Records |
|
"I am enclosing a check for my third year of membership in TAXI. You've got a great thing going, and it's fun being a member."
|
— Thomas Hipps,
TAXI Member
|
|
|
