Nicholas Ziemann: Vocals, Rhythm Guitar Michael Ziemann: Bass Guitar Matthew Reetz: Guitar Jonathan Fries: Drums, Backing Vocals
When you’re starting a brand new record label, there’s really only one music scene in which to find your first band. And it’s not the obvious New York, LA, Seattle, London…or even Omaha. It’s Appleton, Wisconsin – Rock City. A beautiful, sleepy college town along the Fox River with liquor laws looser than Meg White’s sense of tempo. Population 76,000. That’s where veteran rock manager and Mosaic Media Group partner Pat Magnarella (Green Day, Goo Goo Dolls, The All-American Rejects) found NUMBER ONE FAN - the flagship signing to his new Universal-distributed Pat’s Record Company label.
Not that he had to look very hard.
Over the last year, NUMBER ONE FAN had created a huge buzz in the indie rock scene the new old-fashioned way: by playing every show in any city they could, lending songs to bedroom label cd compilations, selling thousands of their self-released cds at gigs, and by fervent fans spreading the word (and mp3 files) via instant messages, emails and messageboard posts. Says vocalist/guitarist Nicholas Ziemann, “The internet has been huge for us. So many kids come up to us at shows and tell us they heard about us from a friend online or on a website. It’s really cool that we can go play in cities for the first time and already have kids showing up to the show and singing along.”
Ziemann formed NUMBER ONE FAN three years ago with guitarist Matthew Reetz and drummer Jonathan Fries while all three were still in high school. After the defection of the band’s original bassist a year later, Nick’s brother Michael Ziemann bought a Fender P, taught himself how to play and was quickly added to the mix. With the lineup solidified, the band immediately began playing shows regionally, quickly making a name for themselves with their passionate, powerful live performances. Soon Number One Fan found itself getting offered opening slots on shows with like-minded bands including Switchfoot, Something Corporate and The All-American Rejects.
Number One Fan’s stunning debut album, Compromises, was co-produced by the band members with Justin Perkins and Eric Thielen at Thielen’s Simple Studios in Green Bay. The album showcases the band’s unique brand of ultra-melodic, yet hard-driving pop/rock inspired by the Beach Boys and Beatles records they grew up on, as well as current favorites Counting Crows and Jimmy Eat World. Nick’s expressive vocals lead the way, with deeply personal lyrics that will undoubtedly inspire countless LiveJournal entries. On several songs the band adds strings and piano touches to their muscular guitar/bass/drums formula to create complex arrangements.
The band has been hard at work on the road in anticipation of the August 3, 2004 release of Compromises. They recently completed a tour with The Juliana Theory and will be joining the Warped Tour this summer. “It’s unbelievable to us that we’re going to be on those tours”, says drummer Fries. “Last summer we were buying tickets to Warped and now we’re going to actually be playing. It’s going to be so much fun – there are so many bands playing that we love.” The band members are happy to report that despite the amount of time they’ve logged together in the van already, there have yet to be any Noel & Liam Gallagher style punch-ups between the Ziemann brothers. Give it time, boys. Give it time.
Until then, there's a war being fought on the street everyday. Sharpen your skills. Size up your opponent and prepare for combat. THE BATTLE FOR L.A. is here. Are you up for the challenge?
