The band was driving down the road, talking about animal rights. The subject shifted around to Noah and somebody said "Almost Noah."
"It works for me," said lead vocalist Jon Paris.
Almost Noah has been together for four months. The first group was Paris; Ed Rodimel, keyboard/guitarist/vocals; and Kevin "Pop-Tart" Snyder, bass. They added John Anderson on guitar and Ed Collins on drums, and set about assembling an evening's worth of material.
They mined the classic rock field for their covers, playing a lot of Doors tunes, and some Led Zeppelin. They also cover the "Pearl Jam and Radiohead thing," plus they have five original tunes that they have worked up.
"We don't push those heavily," Paris remarked, noting that club owners don't care for original material very much. Every member of the group writes, and they have "all been signed to small labels at one time or another, so getting the 'big signing' is no big deal," Paris continued.
"We're just trying to build a following. We want to be real good and make a million dollars by next year."
"David Geffen will call us next week, I'm sure," Paris laughed.
The band members all have other bands on their résumés, including Jon Paris and the Attitude, Thumpcrazy, Mama Sez and an East Coast band Ed Collins was in, Freefall.
"Ed Collins, he's been written up in national magazines and like that," said Paris.
Their previous groups played the loud-and-fast Top 40 metal circuit. Almost Noah is working a different market, playing the Golden Nugget, Phoenix Hill Tavern and Harpole's in Evansville and are trying to get connected up to the Bloomington scene.
"I'm having to learn to be a nice guy," Paris said, "to be a little more laid back."
You can catch Almost Noah at the Golden Nugget on October 8 and 9.
Now Appearing is sponsored by the Golden Nugget.