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f ||| :|f?| . fQjjpffi--iBBM ^?^88^pis "'"111 M II r\ n "T~ *r JiDNl ^ ^ For us it's about the music, it's not about stardom. Our goal was never to be huge, the fact that we are is cool as hell, I'm not comnloininn Kiit mo* plaining, uui wt judi like to play music and we're very good friends and we always will be." Mark Bryan, guitarist forHootie and the Blowfish, on the philosophy he and his bandmates have followed since becominghousehold names throughout America. With their sophomore effort Fairweather Johnson about to be released, Bryan said the. UVU Ull/Ulll JO (U OUUlIg \J 1 SUUlI^tl than Cracked Rear View. "I love the last album, but my philosophy is that any time you make an album it is like a product of that period," Bryan said. Cracked Rear View is a really good record for where we were at that point. It was more of a summation of everything up to that point." He said that as a whole, some of the songs had run their course even while they were recording them. 'Hold my Hand' and 'Time' were already tour years old when they were recorded for the first album. 'Fairweather Johnson' is composed of all new material, with the exception of 'The Old Man and Me.' "I can't wait to tour right now," Bryan said. "I'm just burning inside to play the songs live." Bryan said individual members of the band have been writing material all along. He said as a band they came together to iam and work out the songs that made it on the new album. Some of the songs on 'Fairweather Johnson' were written four years ago, but hadn't been brought into the band, according to Bryan. With every band member writing material, Bryan said Hootie and the Blowfish will always have a big collection of stuff to tap. Along with lead mmm mm iUU u c - r 1 Sr J " H JTy D t singer Darius Rucker, bassist Dean Felber and drummer Jim 'Soni' Sonefeld, Bryan said the material is a product of right now. "Fortunately, we'll always be able to make a good record, hoping that everybody's been working on the side. That's what you hope anyway, and it worked on this one," he said. Although they haven't allowed success to change them, they have enjoyed the benefits. Bryan said the best nart of heinp successful is that it I o " allows him to make a living by making music. "It's been my dream for a long time," he said. He has also been able to meet people he never thought he'd get a chance to meet. Bruce Springsteen and Cal Ripken, Jr. are two people Bryan has admired for a long time and he said meeting them was a thrill for mm. "I'm an early Springsteen fanatic. He's just like people say, totally down to earth," Bryan said. "I told him how much his song writing affected me when I was younger." Bryan said he has followed the career of Cal Ripken, Jr. ever since he broke into the major leagues in 1983. "I've been a fan of his since I was a little kid," he said. "I latched onto him immediately, I thought he was a bad ass. I named my dog after him." As the band's following grew bieeer and the members of Hootie became fixtures of American pop culture they took the Gamecock name with them. Whether sporting the garnet and black while playing basketball in the 'Only Wanna be with You' video or calling for Gamecock alumni during their concerts all over the country, the band has given South Carolina a badly needed positive image. Bryan said the band didn't set out to spread the Gamecock word. He said they just believe in supporting UN' B U I I S I their teams and are very antiFairweather Johnson. "South Carolina has never had a fighting chance. It wasn't like we set out to do it, but we kind of felt like we were actually doing something with the name Gamecocks of South Carolina," Bryan said. Although he does support Carolina, Bryan said he is still very pro-Maryland, the state where he grew up. "Anything that I'm into, I supnort the colors, not iust South I 7 J Carolina," he said. The band will be hitting the road soon to support the new album, but the guys still enjoy hanging out in Five Points as they did before success hit them. Bryan said he doesn't mind when people approach him and want to talk. "If someone comes up to me and wants to talk about music, it doesn't bother me," he said. "I don't mind talking to people about what I love to do." fcven with the tremendous success they have attained, the band members are not really hounded anywhere they go. Bryan said there has never been any incidents when fans went crazy around them. He said only Rucker attracts crowds. As the front man and with such an unique voice Rucker is the most recognizable. However, the band members remain down to earth and enjoy being in Columbia. Regardless of how the new album Hnes it won't rhanpp the , O- ?w band's personality. They enjoy being around each other and Columbia. Hootie will play two shows in Columbia before hitting the road, one on the Horseshoe that will be taped for MTV Unplugged and another at Finlay Park. 'The Horseshoe is beautiful. There were several sights that were thrown around, but when MTV came down and scouted, they picked the Horseshoe," he said. Come s< we he off PC Compatibles an Rentals Sales ( Service Contr; Instal Const Grand Cc 252 St. And a the Cluster 731-9812/F/l Computer "South Carolina s Larg pres I W|il PENTIUM 75 SYSTEM Intel Pentium 75 256K Pipeline Cache Full Tower Case . 8MB RAM 1 GIG IDE Hard Drive 1.44 MB Floppy Drive 14.4 Int. Fax Modem 14" .28NI SVGA Monitor Windows 95 104 Win 95 Keyboard MS Compatible Mouse Quad CD-ROM Drive Sound Blaster 16 Stereo Speakers I MS Works MS Money AAo tncarta VO MS CD Sampler Plus More ! $1529.00 ^YOU'RE GUARANTEE IMPROVE YOUR NIGI Too many accidents are caused by car d That's why reflective vests, bright clothin important. They help you be seen. 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