Heading into battle, axes at the ready

Lolita Harper

They are young, loud and they have something to prove.

Their hair is spiked, their jeans are baggy and their youthful

optimism is refreshing.

They are +Unfeigned+, a local high school garage band that hopes

to take home the coveted title at tonight’s Battle of the Bands.

The foursome of teenage boys, ranging from 15 to 17, will compete against 19 other bands in the annual Newport Harbor High School

Battle of the Bands competition.

Each band is allowed a 10-minute set and the winner walks away

with $250 to split, officials said.

For the young men of +Unfeigned+, the prize is much greater than

some extra spending cash.

“It’s about respect,” lead singer Adam Matson, 17, said.

“We want to show our parents we can make something out of

ourselves,” bandmate Tim Baker adds.

Newport Harbor classmate Cheyne Smith and Estancia sophomore Lee

de Arakal -- son of Byron de Arakal, Costa Mesa Parks and Recreation

Commissioner and former Daily Pilot columnist -- join Adam and Tim to

create the group, which meets thrice weekly to perfect their edgy

“melodic hard rock sound.”

Although there is no official dress code, each boy is

coincidentally wearing black tennis shoes, spiked belts,

loose-fitting jeans and T-shirts for Thursday’s band practice. They

rag on each other and talk trash as they tune and adjust their

instruments, but once the music has started, they are unified.

Hiding behind a large set of drums and small-rimmed glasses is

Lee, who sets the tempo for the upcoming tune. Guitarists Tim and

Cheyne (pronounced Shane) add dulcet rips to the rhythmic beat,

setting the stage for the forthcoming lyrics.

Adam, a lanky lead singer with classic good looks, begins with

harmonious lyrics, when suddenly, the drums receive a thorough

beating, guitar chords shriek and Adam shouts into the microphone.

The vibrations from the amplifier ripple through the floorboards,

through the frame of the couch and into the seat cushions. Heads of

the band members instinctively rock as the pace increases and Tim and

Cheyne’s fingers frantically pluck at strings to keep up.

Lee’s facial expressions change from unassuming to almost

menacing, as his busy hands strike the drum pads with unrelenting

fury. Adam’s eyes close, his face turns an alarming shade of red and

his voice booms from the speaker in a raspy, guttural howl.

“Coward, coward,” he sings the lyrics of the band’s original song

“Throw Down,” “turn your back and walk away.”

Despite what the discernible lyrics seem to imply, the tune is not

about a physical confrontation but facing the battles of life. It

preaches never turning your back on problem, having no regrets and

persisting no matter the obstacle.

Unfeigned means genuine, sincere, heartfelt, the members said, and

that’s exactly what they want to portray and convey. The boys don’t

sing about crushes on girls, bumping and grinding or skater boys.

Their lyrics talk of success against all odds, having the courage

to face adversity and challenging life’s hurdles.

“If we were based on heart, I’m confident we would do better than

half the bands in the competition,” Adam said.

Which brings them back to the reason they started the small rough

band six months ago.

Respect.

The competition is “pretty tough,” they say, and if they can pull

out a win, they can quiet some less than flattering assessments from

naysayers.

“We’re going to shove it down their throats,” Tim said.

“Well, maybe not that harsh,” Adam said, motioning toward the

reporter.

“No. We are going to shove it down their throats,” said Tim, who

was defying grounding from his father to attend band practice.

“That’s exactly what I mean.”

Wanting to play in a band is a joke to most people, Lee said.

“Anytime you tell an adult you want to play in a band, they shoot

you down or tell you you better make other plans,” he said.

The members of +Unfeigned+ said they will never give up on their

dreams.

“Even if people think we are bad,” Adam said. “There are crappy

bands coming out every day. If they really think we [are untalented],

then we’ll just be another crappy band. But there is no limit to our

success.”

Their road to stardom starts at 6 p.m. tonight at the Newport

Harbor High School Battle of the Bands. The rest is still up in the

air.

“We’ll just take it as far as we can,” Adam said.

* LOLITA HARPER writes columns Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays

and covers culture and the arts. She may be reached at (949) 574-4275

or by e-mail at lolita.harper@latimes.com.