Story Photos
 Photo by Roger Werth From left, Bryan Lewis, Chris Halleck, Andrew Phillips and Greg Stone make up the Longview band Numbered Days. |
Countdown to stardom begins for 'Numbered Days'
Thursday, July 19, 2007 7:37 AM PDT
By Tom Paulu
Printable version
E-mail this articleNumbered Days' introspective lyrics and often-surprising melodic twists seem to add up for fans.
The alternative rock band's members say listeners have told them their lyrics about life's emotional ups and downs could be about them.
Another aspect that hooks audiences are the band's instrumental styles, which can change from dreamy, jangly guitar to heavy metal.
The Longview group's four members hope their new CD, "Under The Umbilical Tree," will launch a career that allows them to leave middle-class day jobs.
The story behind the band's genesis isn't typical: The group was born at a Catholic church picnic, not at a concert or bar.
Three years ago, guitar player Greg Stone was new in town, with a job as a chemical engineer at Longview Fibre. He went to a social event at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Kelso and asked if he would fit into the parish's musical ministries. Stone met the wife of singer Bryan Lewis, who had recently quit a cover band. The two men soon began writing songs and looking for other members for their new band.
In its current format, the group has been together about 10 months.
Stone, 26, started playing guitar as a teenager. He spent his college years playing in a jazz big band at the University of Idaho.
Lewis, 32, has worked for a private security company investigating fraud and embezzlement. For the past four years, he's been a 9-1-1 dispatcher for Cowlitz County.
Bass player Chris Halleck, 24, is co-owner of Air Pro Heating & Cooling in Longview.
Drummer Andrew Phillips, 28, is a restaurant manager who moved here from Portland three years ago to be closer to his wife's family.
"I've been in so many bands that I've lost count," Phillips said. "I've done everything from metal to indie-type stuff. This is the most professional as far as the level we play at."
The group's name comes from the philosophy that time is short, whether it relates to a spiritual belief or the passion to become a rock star.
"What is it that you can accomplish in life and how many days do you have to do it?" Lewis asked.
Lewis writes most of the often-moody lyrics. The song "Sinking Ship" starts "Tied to the stern of a sinking ship for a shortened clip, won't you take my hand, and drag me from the depths."
"They give me the music and in one day, sometimes, I have the lyrics," Lewis said. He sings to be understood in an earnest, slightly hoarse voice.
The band members' varied musical backgrounds blend into Numbered Days songs: Lewis' rock background, Stone's years playing jazz and the other two band members' love of punk and metal.
The songs can be haunting at times -- or hard rock. The band refers to its music as having a "melodic kamikaze feel."
In the past, some people have compared Numbered Days to the rock band Creed, "not that we have their clout," Lewis said.
The group spent four months recording "Under the Umbilical Tree" at Opal Studios in Portland.
They shaped their songs to be radio-friendly. "They're not five-minute songs," Stone said. "They're short and sweet and right to the point."
"There's no fill in the songs," added Halleck. "You really only get one shot. We wanted to make a professional CD to market."
"These three guys understand the business side of it," Lewis said.
The songs have been getting airplay on Longview rock station KLYK. The next step is the playlist at Portland station KUFO.
Lewis' drawing of figures dangling from a bare tree appears on the CD's cover and provided the name "The Umbilical Tree." "Chris said, 'We're just like that. We just fell off the tree. We're brand new," he said.
He also designed the band's symbol, a stylized representation of the word "Day." He had it tattooed on his forearm -- so far, he's the only band member thus adorned.
Numbered Days has been busy recently, with two shows some weeks, plus promoting the new CD.
"I put 40 to 50 hours a week into band stuff," Lewis said. "It's a huge amount of work."
"We have been trying to figure out how to stay up really late and get up really early," Stone said.
Three of the band members are married and Lewis and Phillips have children.
But they'd leave behind going to the mill, going to the Hall of Justice, going to the restaurant -- if they got a record deal and a chance to tour with big-name bands.
Our goal is to do this for a living." Stone said.
But not if a music exec wants to tamper with those kamikaze songs.
"The only concern I have about making it that far is the industry turns something into something you don't like," Phillips said.
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