Happy Together

The Janicans are the new local band everyone will soon have their eyes on. After all, they just won an award for best band on Jan. 21 at the Friday Nite Live and Spirited Youth Awards at the Irving Arts Center.

After many attempts of ins and outs with various other bands, they are happy to be performing together and working harder than ever. To put it simply: They are ready to tear it up.

The band consists of two drummers Tashawn Davis and Derek Pittman; guitarists Joseph Alaniz (vocals), Sergio Quintanilla and Robert Veliz; and lead singer Erik Galvan. Veliz and Galvan are North Lake College students.

The bands ethnic backgrounds are as diverse as their music. Pittman is Japanese, Davis is black and Alaniz, Quintanilla, Veliz and Galvan are Mexican. In fact, it’s how they got their name, Davis said.

Alaniz and Pittman started the band but all the members bring their own style — fusions of metal, rock, jazz, blues and hip-hop.

This is no cover band. All the members write their own lyrics and music. What really makes this group stand out is the switching of instruments during their performance. They are multi-talented and serious about what they are doing.

“Being in a band means life,” said Pittman, who is a junior at Nimitz High School.

Galvan added, “It’s something to get away from all your problems.”

“When I perform I expect to do my best, said Alaniz. “I like people’s reaction.”

A few inspiring musicians who have influenced them are the Deftones, Deep Purple, Michael Jackson, Mudvayne, and Slipknot. These guys say that some positive things about being in a band are getting to hang out with one another, getting skills while they rehearse, and getting cultured by their different races. The one face we don’t see is bassist Quintanilla’s. He wears his mask because it’s different and it’s his lucky charm.

These guys are headed in the right direction with manager Jordan Palmer on board. “We are trying to get our songs, put them together. We are working on a demo,” said Palmer.

For more information on the Janicans, you can visit www.angelfire.com/dragon2/janicans, and stay tuned for the band’s upcoming Web site at www.Janicans.com.