By Will StuckOn Saturday August 2nd area fans of heavy metal and hard rock will lose a band that has been raising the decibel level of

St. Joseph for over 20 years, Full Power. The line-up has changed little since the band’s inception, a remarkable feat for any group that has been around for two decades. The current members are Todd Cooper on lead vocals/guitar, Dave Matt/lead guitar, Ryan Arn/bass guitar and Bill Blizzard/Drums. The band has played almost every venue for live music in town; bars, all-ages clubs, rental halls, park shelters and the bowl at

Krug

Park. Full Power also played shows all over the mid-west and on a few occasions opened for nationally touring metal bands like Overkill and Prong. They have released two independent CD’s; Counterclockwise & One of Many, All the Same. To show you exactly how long they have been around they even had an independent release on cassette, Pictures From the Mind’s Eye. Even with all of these accomplishments the guys of Full Power have given another major contribution to this city, whether they know it or not, inspiration.
   
Since their first power chord rang out, Full Power has held their practices in Cooper’s basement. Descending eight steps down from the outside world into a darkened hallway, the collectible bottles on the wall gently clinking from the vibrations of multiple amplifiers and a steady beat of the bass drum. You would follow your ears down the short hall and into a room filled with so much musical equipment that there was barely enough room for the band. Netting hangs from the low ceiling and the walls are lined with brewery memorabilia, band posters, pictures of friends and fliers from bygone Full Power shows. This room also had another feature that was hard to miss, people. Besides the band members, there always seemed to be onlookers sitting wherever they could fit and wouldn’t be in danger of being stepped on or hit with a guitar headstock. Friends and fans where always welcome at a Full Power practice. The atmosphere there was very relaxed, especially for a supposed haunted house. Often guests would throw out requests for originals and cover songs and the guys would oblige. Jokes and stories seemed to fill any time that music wasn’t being played. It was this showing of the fun and excitement that could be had by being part of a band that inspired many of their onlookers to want a band of their own. A great number of these visitors went on to form their own bands, started playing a musical instrument or began writing their own songs. I include myself in that group.
   
I was first introduced to Full Power by my cousin around 1990. He took me to a show they played at a local union hall. I remember being excited to hear such good music coming from here in

St. Joseph and from a band made up of guys not much older than myself. My cousin surprised me afterwards by asking if I would want to go to a Full Power practice. I wasn’t sure how he was going to pull this off but soon found out that he went to school with them. I was so nervous going on my first trip down to “the basement.” I quickly found out that these were some of the nicest people I would ever meet. I sat there watching these four guys work out songs, saw the smiles on their faces and thought, “I want to do this.” I had taken guitar lessons for a very short time in grade school and couldn’t wait to get home and start playing. I found out shortly thereafter that

St. Joseph was loaded with guitar players but there were very few bass players around at the time. If I wanted to improve my chances of being part of a band it was time to drop a few strings and play bass. I was part of a few bands that rarely lasted more than a few months and none that had that sense of camaraderie that I had seen on my first visit to the Cooper house. I saw many Full Power shows and made a handful of visits to their practices over the next few years. Each time I left my drive to join a band was renewed but rarely achieved. Then in 2005, I was asked if I wanted to dust the bass off and join a band, IT. I knew two of the members already, one my best friend Rick Hoffman and Full Power’s own Todd Cooper. The drummer for the band was Danny Thompson who quickly fell into the “friend” category. Our band has since added a fifth member, Ric Howard. When I initially asked where we were going to practice I was told, “Todd’s.” Now, when I first joined IT I was too nervous to think about where I was and what I was doing, I focused more on not messing up. Sometime over the last year or two it began to dawn on me that I was now playing in that same spot that had so many times made me want to be in a band. I didn’t share this thought with any of the other band members for fear of being labeled a sentimental idiot, or something a tad less kind.
   
However, it is common place when we play a gig around town for someone to come up to Todd and comment on how they’ve been a fan of Full Power for a long time. Also on more than one occasion I’ve heard people comment on how they formed or joined a band after watching a Full Power practice. I finally dug up the courage to share with Rick, Ric and Danny how I find it extra special to be creating music with friends in the same spot where I was inspired so long ago. Was I relieved, but not surprised, when I heard the same statement echoed back from all of these guys. Danny and Ric told me of the many times they left Todd’s house after watching Full Power and stayed up for hours figuring out songs. Even though Rick didn’t share that type of story (he’s not as big a softy as the rest of us) I’ve known him long enough that I can share the stories for him. I remember many times after he would be hanging out in “the basement” that he would start writing lyrics, or calling up other musically inclined friends and trying to start something. So I don’t feel like a sentimental idiot, well no more than I did before.
   
That leads us to the show on August 2nd at the Rendezvous. The show will be the end of an era in local metal music and should be pretty special to boot. I’ve been told by the band that they plan on playing every song that they have ever written. Ones that made it on the CD’s and even those that stayed in “the basement”. Even a former member will be returning to the line up for a few songs. I’m sure that there will be plenty of stories, songs and tears that night. I hope that if you’ve ever been fortunate enough to have seen a Full Power show or even more fortunate to have met any of these awesome guys that you will be there to see them off. I know that I will be there with my head banging and my fist in the air to see the end of a truly motivating factor in my life. 

Amanezar Thrush

Reunion Show By Jimmy Hambone Hamilton 

The night before the Full Power Show, another local rock legend, Amanezar Thrush is getting back together for a Reunion Show at the Rendezvous. Original members, Scott, Bruce,

Everett, Chad, and Brandon will be playing together for the first time in 10 years. Some of the guys have been involved in other projects. Others have been taking a break for a while. They all agreed that the time is right for a reunion, bringing out all the songs that kicked so much ass back in the day. If you are one of the legions who rocked to these guys around here in the 90’s. Don’t miss it. Yet another quality show from Jimmy Green at the Rendezvous. 

 

Posted by: admin on Friday, July 25th, 2008
Filed under: Sounds Like St. Joe, General |