Nelo (band)
Encyclopedia
Nelo is an alternative rock
band formed in Austin, TX in late 2005. The band is composed of songwriter
/ guitarist
Matt Ragland, singer Reid Umstattd, keyboardist
/saxophonist Brian Donohoe, bassist
Sean Jacobi, and drummer
Ryan Jacobi.
Nelo was officially formed in 2005, but Ragland, Hill, Long, and Goodson started playing casually together years before in Dallas, TX, where they attended the same high school. During these years, Ragland began writing songs and found an unsuspected singer in Umstattd, a long time friend at a summer camp in Burnet, TX. Ragland and Umstattd later became college roommates and started playing around Austin as an acoustic duo. After graduating college, Ragland brought the entire group together, with the addition of Mike St.Clair on bass.
Upon the formation of the band in September 2005, Nelo immediately moved to Athens, GA and began playing at DT’s Down Under, an underground bar that Ragland managed. The band later moved on to regularly play other local venues including the 40 Watt Club
and the Georgia Theatre
.
In the spring of 2007, the group moved back to Texas to begin work on what would become their self-titled debut album in Austin. Recorded at Willie Nelson
’s Pedernales Studios and released on Justice Records, Nelo was composed of songs written largely by Ragland and road tested over the previous years in Texas, Athens and across the Southeast. In April 2008 the record debuted at #21 on Billboard's
Top Heatseekers
Chart. The band spent the year touring to support the album.
In October 2008 Nelo traveled to New York City to play the CMJ Music Marathon
. They returned to Pedernales Studios that December to record Two Years Ago, an E.P
. produced by Doug Lancio. The band and original member David Long parted ways at the end of 2008.
Nelo began touring in January 2009 in support of Two Years Ago, which was released by Justice Records one song at a time on iTunes
beginning in March and ending as a completed E.P. on July 14. The E.P. was made available exclusively online and at live shows.
In March 2009, Nelo played the SXSW Music Conference
in Austin for the second time and added saxophonist Brian Donohoe to the band. Nelo performed at Austin City Limits Music Festival
on October 2, 2009. Soon after, the band and former members Chris Hill, Mike St.Clair and Stephen Goodson went their separate ways.
The band released their second record, "Ordinary Scene", in October 2010 and are currently touring in support of it, with stops across Texas and the southeast.
In March 2011, Nelo again played the SXSW music festival at Lustre Pearl in Austin, Texas.
Former members
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
band formed in Austin, TX in late 2005. The band is composed of songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
/ guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Matt Ragland, singer Reid Umstattd, keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
/saxophonist Brian Donohoe, bassist
Bassist
A bass player, or bassist is a musician who plays a bass instrument such as a double bass, bass guitar, keyboard bass or a low brass instrument such as a tuba or sousaphone. Different musical genres tend to be associated with one or more of these instruments...
Sean Jacobi, and drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
Ryan Jacobi.
History
Nelo is a quickly growing dynamic independent band with a strong following in Texas and throughout the United States. Due to their energetic live shows and compelling songs, they are enjoying remarkable success for an independent band and have performed for crowds at Austin City Limits Festival, South By Southwest, The House of Blues (Houston, Dallas, Myrtle Beach, and New Orleans), and have performed in support of Sister Hazel, Bob Schneider, Randy Rogers, and many more.Nelo was officially formed in 2005, but Ragland, Hill, Long, and Goodson started playing casually together years before in Dallas, TX, where they attended the same high school. During these years, Ragland began writing songs and found an unsuspected singer in Umstattd, a long time friend at a summer camp in Burnet, TX. Ragland and Umstattd later became college roommates and started playing around Austin as an acoustic duo. After graduating college, Ragland brought the entire group together, with the addition of Mike St.Clair on bass.
Upon the formation of the band in September 2005, Nelo immediately moved to Athens, GA and began playing at DT’s Down Under, an underground bar that Ragland managed. The band later moved on to regularly play other local venues including the 40 Watt Club
40 Watt Club
The 40 Watt Club is a music venue in Athens, Georgia. Along with CBGB's, the Whisky a Go Go, and selected others, it was instrumental in launching American punk rock and "New Wave music."...
and the Georgia Theatre
Georgia Theatre
The Georgia Theatre is a prominent music venue in Athens, Georgia, located in an old cinema. Many prominent acts from the early music of Athens, Georgia performed at the Theatre, including a range of folk, popular and country acts. The Theatre is on the Athens Music History Walking Tour sponsored...
.
In the spring of 2007, the group moved back to Texas to begin work on what would become their self-titled debut album in Austin. Recorded at Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson
Willie Hugh Nelson is an American country music singer-songwriter, as well as an author, poet, actor, and activist. The critical success of the album Shotgun Willie , combined with the critical and commercial success of Red Headed Stranger and Stardust , made Nelson one of the most recognized...
’s Pedernales Studios and released on Justice Records, Nelo was composed of songs written largely by Ragland and road tested over the previous years in Texas, Athens and across the Southeast. In April 2008 the record debuted at #21 on Billboard's
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers
Top Heatseekers refers to either of two separate "Breaking and Entering" music charts issued weekly by Billboard Magazine: the Heatseekers Albums chart or the Heatseekers Songs chart. They were introduced by Billboard in 1993 with the purpose of highlighting the sales by new and developing musical...
Chart. The band spent the year touring to support the album.
In October 2008 Nelo traveled to New York City to play the CMJ Music Marathon
CMJ Music Marathon
CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival is put on by CMJ Network. CMJ Music Marathon & Film Festival 2010 is scheduled for October 19–23 and will be headquartered at New York University and other downtown NYC venues.- History :...
. They returned to Pedernales Studios that December to record Two Years Ago, an E.P
Extended play
An EP is a musical recording which contains more music than a single, but is too short to qualify as a full album or LP. The term EP originally referred only to specific types of vinyl records other than 78 rpm standard play records and LP records, but it is now applied to mid-length Compact...
. produced by Doug Lancio. The band and original member David Long parted ways at the end of 2008.
Nelo began touring in January 2009 in support of Two Years Ago, which was released by Justice Records one song at a time on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
beginning in March and ending as a completed E.P. on July 14. The E.P. was made available exclusively online and at live shows.
In March 2009, Nelo played the SXSW Music Conference
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
in Austin for the second time and added saxophonist Brian Donohoe to the band. Nelo performed at Austin City Limits Music Festival
Austin City Limits Music Festival
The Austin City Limits Music Festival is an annual three-day American music festival that takes place in Austin, Texas at the city's central public park, Zilker Park...
on October 2, 2009. Soon after, the band and former members Chris Hill, Mike St.Clair and Stephen Goodson went their separate ways.
The band released their second record, "Ordinary Scene", in October 2010 and are currently touring in support of it, with stops across Texas and the southeast.
In March 2011, Nelo again played the SXSW music festival at Lustre Pearl in Austin, Texas.
Band members
Current members- Matt Ragland – principal songwriter, guitar, piano and vocals (2005–present)
- Reid Umstattd – lead vocals (2005–present)
- Brian Donohoe – keyboard, saxophone (2009–present)
- Sean Jacobi – bass guitar (2009–present)
- Ryan Jacobi – drums (2010–present)
- Matt Muehling - guitar (2011)
Former members
- David Long – saxophone (2005–2008)
- Chris Hill – drums (2005–2009)
- Mike St. Clair – bass guitar (2005–2009)
- Stephen Goodson – guitar (2005–2009)
- Phil Aelony – guitar (2009–2010)
- Steve Pruitt - drums (2009–2010)
External links
- http://www.nelomusic.com
- http://www.myspace.com/nelomusic
- http://www.facebook.com/nelomusic