Meet Super Hero, the local ska band dedicated to making music.
Jason Bohman, the band’s drummer; Joel Potter, the bassist and Dean Boman, the guitarist are SLCC students. Other members include Adam Ashby on trombone, Evan Rothwell, lead vocalist and trombonist and Shaun Forde with backing vocals and trumpet.
Ska is defined more by “the feel of the music,” but can be described as “fast reggae” with horns a common element, not a necessity. As a “third wave” ska band, their sound’s more rock and punk influenced. The first wave of ska was inspired by Jamaican reggae.
The fan base is centered largely in Utah, but scattered nationwide. Though ska bands are notoriously apt to disband, Super Hero has been around nearly 8 and a half years.
“We’re known in the Utah ska scene as the band that will always be there because we have been,” Bohman said.
Boman and Potter, who started discussing the band in high school, are the only original members. There’ve been struggles recruiting and keeping new members, but the band’s recently found its footing. Members make every show and are all “pretty consistent on stage.”
They’ve been likened to Reel Big Fish, but write their own music, aside from one rewritten cover. They’ve created new pieces jamming out, practicing and from single concepts. While Boman and Potter compose a majority of the songs, the band is open to all styles of writing.
Bohman’s favorite song is “Peace be the Journey” on their upcoming album. Another favorite is “Down by Da Beach, Boy” a very reggae-esk song you can imagine playing with sand crunching beneath your feet and waves crashing against the shore.
Though a musician first then a performer, Bohman’s favorite place in the world in onstage. The more people listening the merrier. Super Hero performs once or twice monthly at local venues including Kilby Court and New Song Underground. Their songs can be found online, as well, on Facebook, Myspace and YouTube with recordings from cell phones to local TV stations.
People who’ve never listened to the genre, even those avidly opposed to it, have come away fans upon listening. Ska may seem an acquired taste, but Super Hero isn’t extremely punk, rock or reggae; it’s a smooth blend that’s easy listening. Personal flair’s added to every performance; most horn solos are improvised.
“For a local band, we haven’t done too bad,” Bohman admitted, “We can draw a decent crowd whenever we play in the valley and people remember us and our music.”
Bohman’s crowning moment was opening for The Aquabats and Suburban Legends with a sold-out crowd of 1000. During their song, “Red Hot,” the “entire room was jumping in unison to the chorus and singing along.” Afterwards, members of The Aquabats wondered why they’d never heard of them before.
For the six guys of Super Hero, fame isn’t their motivation, just playing, writing, performing and “living the band life.”
Listen and visit www.superheromusic.net.