THE WET BANDITS' HARROWING TALE
July 3, 2013...
...a day that will live on in the hearts of all those who love classic 90's rock and pop music, you can be sure. It was on this day that lead guitarist Mike W. decided he had to start a 90's era cover band. While our country was celebrating its independence, Mike resolved to celebrate his musical independence and break free from the confines of the traditional local music scene. He wanted a band that played a set nobody was playing--but everyone wanted to hear.
And so, Mike turned to his cat, LD (short for Lil' Debbie, or Lil' Deborah when she tries to get into the garage) and said "it's time to find some bandmates." LD said "meow" in approval--as one might expect. Mike recruited his brother in music, JT, and found JB and Sam through what can only be described as divine intervention. The Wet Bandits were born. Though it took until almost 2014 to set the lineup, once the band was together the gigs came calling, and at the start of February of 2014 the quest for world domination was on.
In late 2014 the Bandits added perpetual Ohio State student and fellow cat lover Danny C. He sings, plays guitar, keys, and this weird guitar/mandolin thing that we have dubbed, naturally, the "mandar". Come check out this weird thing sometime.
JB: Vocals, Guitar
Jaibe (or JB--it is a mystery to all) is a New York native who currently resides in Columbus, Ohio. He began his singing career at a very young age, wooing his grandfather's drinking buddies at the local pub with Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock 'n' Roll". At the age of three, he found his passion. Proceeding to sing in choirs, vocal jazz ensembles, and musical theatre throughout his teens, he wrote his first song at 16. At 19, Jaibe picked up his first six string, taught himself how to play it, and never looked back. Well versed in many different styles including: pop, rock, R&B, jazz, soul, show tunes, and even opera. Jaibe also fronts Soul Punch which he formed in 2019.
JT: Bass, Smoldering Gazes
JT (not Jaytee--he hates that) shoots it straight. You want rock? He brings the thunder. You want funk? He'll slap and pop some basslines right in your funkin' face. You want jazz? He's going to make Charles Mingus look like a damn bum. That's what you're going to get. And you're going to love it.
Jeff studied music at The Ohio State University in undergrad and has been a mainstay in the Columbus music scene ever since. With an impeccable sense of timing and tone, he is the perfect heartbeat for the Wet Bandits' rhythm section.
Also, don't bother him while he's playing. If you mess him up he will look directly into your soul and you will feel his gaze, and you will know the deepest guilt there has ever been.
Mike likes deep conversations and long walks on the beach. And playing guitar. He has been playing guitar since he built his first axe out of a shoe box and rubber bands at the age of seven. He has been playing actual guitars since he was 14.
Mike knows about as much about guitar and amplifier gear as your senile old grandmother. He tends to focus more on mastering signature licks, emulating specific guitar tones, and honing his backup vocals.
One time, facing a one-point deficit, Mike hit a (third quarter) buzzer-beater in a seventh grade basketball game. True story.
Mike W: Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Sam B: Drums, Lady-Killing
Sam's reign on the Drummer's Throne got off to a rocky start. Pictured at right is his first endeavor behind the kit. One complete set of drum heads and several broken guitars later, Sam picked up some sticks and the rest is history.
What Sam might lack in experience (he is 11, but he's quick to tell you he is "11 years and 7 months!"), he more than makes up for in soul. He has great feel behind the kit (the ladies know what I'm talkin' about here), knows when to bring the rock and when to bring the love--and he does all of it with a deftness that belies his pre-teen organs. This child genius currently attends The Ohio State University, where female enrollment has skyrocketed 63% since he began.
Joe C: Keys, Backing Vocals, Humorous Synth Sounds, Head of Wet Bandits HQ
Joe C "the Pussycat" is the latest addition to The Wet Bandits--and he is the caulk in the proverbial crown molding of the group. He's filling in gaps that can't be covered by the other instruments and he's making beauty where once there was a shoddily constructed outside corner in the master bathroom (disclaimer: this author is currently preparing his home to put on the market). The sheer number of songs that can be added to the Bandits catalog by having such an experienced keys player is worth the $25 AND coupons for a free appetizer at Chili's that we pay him every gig.
Bonus: now that Joe's in the group, the band practices every now and then! We can't tell you the location of Wet Bandits HQ, but Joe lets the band use his "Bat Cave" as a rehearsal space and that's good because the rehearsal room in Mike's house was also the cat-litter-box-room and nobody was enjoying themselves in there.