The Bottomfeeders: When Money Isn't King

"Good music is made up of two main things, the genuineness and the melody," explains John Andrews, the band’s lead guitarist and vocalist. "If someone does that well, you respect it."

Andrews is a strong believer that rock ’n’ roll will never die because it isn’t created from a formula, but is born out of rebellion against societal conformity. "[Rock ’n’ roll] is meant to piss off the next generation," he says. "Now you have to look a little harder to find good stuff."

But he also believes that rock is constantly evolving and possibly in danger because of the general attitude projected by the CEOs of major music labels, who are always looking for the "next big thing" instead of promoting what is already quality music.

It was fate and a mutual love for music that brought the brainchildren of the Bottomfeeders, Ed Saenz and John Andrews, together after Saenz placed an ad in the infamous Recycler. From their humble beginnings as a cover band in ’95 they became a little more ambitious and started to produce original works a year later. They have produced two albums and are currently working on a third with a bit more experimentation and range both lyrically and musically.

The Bottomfeeders have been playing together for over 7 years, bringing their fans something rare for the typical indie music scene. You might have seen them around L.A. venues like The Gig or The Dragonfly, The Cat Club or B.B. King’s. You might even have heard one of their songs played on the 95.5 FM KLOS radio show "Local Licks."

The band serves up an amazing assortment of harmonic, soulful vocals, catchy beats and fun melodies that are reminiscent of a mixture of the Beatles, Tom Petty and Fastball. Their influences speak to those of us who are nostalgic for something pleasing to the ears and kind on the brain.

If you’re lucky enough to catch the band in acoustic mode, you’ll get an earful of some amazing harmonies, soulful ballads and a brief overview of rock history with their deeply heartfelt renditions of old favorites and current hits.

The band has shed some blood, sweat and tears – or at least some money and a whole lot of precious time – with their latest offering, Up the Drain. This time around, they decided to invest in studio recording, mixing and nifty packaging. It even comes with a "suck-free guarantee."

"There isn’t one bad song on there," comments Andrews.

It’s an album dedicated to underdogs, overcoming challenges and becoming the person you want to be. The best examples of that theme are "No Servant" and "Wrong Way," which depicts someone who has realized what a drag it is to work in an office, be trapped in a cubicle and not have the freedom to reach his true potential.

The cherry on this musical sundae is the title track that was written in dedication to a dead rat that somehow found his way up the drain of a toilet at the house where the band was practicing. It’s a simple, sweet little ditty that’s surprisingly different from the rest of the album, much like "Her Majesty" on Abbey Road.

If you’re a Beatles fan, you’ll definitely want to get hold of this album chock-full of musical and lyrical winks and nudges to you and your kind.

Up the Drain is currently available. For more information, visit www.thebottomfeeders.com.