The Rocket Summer
Website
Bio
The Rocket Summer is:
Bryce Avary - every instrument
Hometown:
Dallas, Texas
Bio:
"Bryce Avary is The Rocket Summer is Bryce Avary". The caption used in the first major feature article written about Avary in the Dallas Observer is a phrase well put. The Rocket Summer is the solo work of 20 year old Bryce Avary - a project of which he has musically dedicated his life to now for close to 6 years.
"When I was 12 I randomly became obsessed with music. No one in my family is musical so I guess it’s kind of strange... As a kid, I was really into karate and hockey and normal stuff like that, but then I picked up Drumsticks and it was all over." Not long after, Avary then picked up a guitar and realized that he had found his love - music. "Everyday when I was in 8th grade, I would come home after school, go in my garage, put on headphones, turn on the radio, and start playing drums along to the songs. Then when I would finish that I would go in to eat dinner and pick up my guitar for the rest of the night."
As a couple of years passed, Avary's interests in bands and all types of music began to grow. At the age of 14, he started playing solo shows and in bands anywhere he could. After playing a large amount of record stores, coffee shops, local all ages clubs, and school talent shows, Avary started to build a small local fan base in his home of Dallas/Ft. Worth, and decided it was time to put the songs he had written on tape.
On a shoestring budget, Avary booked time at a local studio and recorded his first EP on which he produced and played all of the instruments. Avary was 16 at the time and as soon the recording was finished, he got a loan from his dad to have 1000 copies pressed.
“I was and am very blessed to have the support I did from my family. I think they were and still kind of skeptical about me trying to do this for a living. But I feel that this is what I’m supposed to do right now and I think they pick up on that…well, most of the time” Avary laughs.
Avary began bringing his EP to local record stores where they started selling them on consignment. He found himself putting all of his time into making press packs and sending his music to any one he had ever heard of that might be able to help him in his journey. The disc ended up in the hands of a local DJ at the large alternative rock station in Dallas, KDGE The Edge, and much to Avary’s luck; he fell in love with it. The DJ started playing “So far away” and “Teenage love rock” (songs Bryce wrote when he was 14) on his award winning specialty show. And to make a long story short by the end of the year, “The Rocket Summer” had become the most requested/played local band on the program. After playing many local shows, having many articles written in local, national, and international magazines, selling all copies of the EP in 5 of the 7 continents, Avary had grown exponentially musically and was ready to record his new album “calendar days”.
For lack of having a label, Avary once again put matters into his own hands and put together a recording budget of $15,000. For 6 and a half weeks Avary lived and slept in studio isolation booths in Kansas where he recorded his new album “Calendar Days”, once again producing it and playing all of the instruments.
“Over the years, I had started writing a certain way and wanted badly to make a positive up lifting album.” “Calendar days” is definitely that. The entire album soars with infectious melodies that can make you jump up and dance or cry with joy. Lyrically calendar days is simplistic yet bold.
“I’d say it’s a pretty ‘hopeful’ album. The record has a common threading of moving forward in life, realizing mistakes, realizing things with relationships, realizing to try to enjoy life, and realizing that God loves us.” Avary even managed to get a 42-piece 6th grade girls choir to sing on one of the albums tracks “What we hate, we make”. “They were amazing. We came to the school and recorded the tracks there. We had to get permission slips signed by the parents, but after a few takes, they made it happen and it sounded great. It came out better than I originally hoped."
The USA version of “Calendar Days” was released nationwide on 2.25.03 on the record company, The Militia Group and will be released summer 03 in Japan. Avary is currently gearing up for massive touring in the USA and Japan, as well as the rest of the world.
“I got rid of my car and got a van, I’ve been fixing it up and am ready to hit touring hard. There’s a huge ball of touring energy in my body from years of being stuck here and I’m absolutely thrilled that this time is finally arrived.” Avary’s current live show is incredibly unique and showcases the art of The Rocket Summer. “Currently its just me and another person. He primarily plays drums but throughout the set when I’m not playing guitar or piano we switch around and I’ll play drums and sing while he plays piano. It’s geared to be more of an opening act type of set and later this year I plan to build up a solid touring band. But I’m sure I’ll continue to do completely solo shows here and there as well.”
When asked where he wants his project to be in years to come Avary stated: “ I hope that I can do this for a living and never have to stop. But if I do have to one day, I hope the time that I had doing it will be remembered as wonderful, and that I’ll know that hopefully a lot of good will have come from it.”
Calendar Days is in stores now. Be on the look out for The Rocket Summer playing your town soon.
