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The band, which plays in Tampa on Saturday, releases a new CD celebrating the quirkiness of their home state.
By GINA VIVINETTO, Times Pop Music Critic
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 12, 2002
The Thrusters, based out of Tampa and Orlando, have been performing outside of the Sunshine State this summer on an East Coast tour. This weekend the band returns home to perform at Yeoman's Road Pub.
The band, which has been together for five years, plays a feisty brand of reverb-drenched surf rock and is promoting Another Roadside Attraction, its new album. The album, which gets its name from a Tom Robbins novel, is filled with punky originals steeped in roots, rhythm and an old-school rock 'n' roll attitude. It gets its spirit from the band's quirky home state, says singer Jennifer "J.C." Loader, who joined the group about 18 months ago.
"James (Humann, the band's guitarist) picked the name to emphasize how bizarre Florida is," Loader says. "Let's face it, every time you turn on the national news something really weird is going on in Florida."
Humann is the band's leader and brings his love of the Ramones and old-fashioned surf rock to the Thrusters sound.
Drummer Jeff "Fro" Bryan plays with off-kilter quirkiness with a world beat groove not unlike Stewart Copeland of the Police. Tony Wagner, the band's new bassist, pops his four strings all funky-like, adding some Flea-ish flourishes to the mix.
On Another Roadside Attraction, Loader's powerful, soulful wail calls to mind the tough rebel chicks in rock such as Janis Joplin and Pat Benatar. At gigs, Loader says, fans tell her, "You're so rock 'n' roll!"
"Which is funny," says Loader, 30, a television producer by day. "Because I'm so not. Well, at least I wasn't until now."
Loader's secret: As a singer, she's classically trained. Opera was her thing before hooking up with the Thrusters. Loader minored in music in the prestigious Florida State music program and was part of a vocal performing group at school.
She keeps this part of her life separate from the Thrusters. The guys in the band have never heard her sing an aria or any other fancy-shmancy stuff.
"My voice has gotten so much scratchier anyway," says Loader, laughing. "It's all thrashed out."
Loader says the tour, which ends this weekend at home, was a life-changing experience for her.
"Most bands can't wait to get home," says Loader. "Not us. We had so much fun. It was such a charge. We all felt like we could stay on the road forever. Like that's where we were meant to be."
The Thrusters perform 9 p.m. Saturday at Yeoman's Road Pub, 236 E Davis Blvd., Davis Islands, Tampa. (813) 251-2748. Admission is $4.