Bo Waldrop-Vox/Songwriter/Guitar.
Zak Pukel-Bass/Banjo/Songwriter
Ethan Erlandson-Drums/Percussion/Vox/Songwriter
Influences
Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young
Incubus
Pearl Jam
Phish
Oysterhead
Dave Matthews Band
Idiot Pilot
Bob Dylan
Bob Marley
Rage Against The Machine
Deftones
Sublime
Led Zeppelin
Pink Floyd
Steve Miller Band
Oasis
Lynyrd Skynyrd
Nirvana
Soundgarden
Widespread Panic
Kan'Nal
Audioslave
Dispatch
Of A Revolution
The Grateful Dead
The Doors
The Jimi Hendrix Experience
The Mars Volta
The Marshall Tucker Band
The Moody Blues
A Perfect Circle
Primus
Santana
Steppenwolf
Wolfmother
Poison The Well
UnderOath
The Smashing Pumpkins
Band Of Horses
Iron & Wine
Muse
Evergreen Terrace
The Bled
The Beatles
That pretty much sums it up. If we missed one we'll add it on later.
Sounds Like
"Reminds me of Seattle in general".-Codey Gerarden-The Darkest Of White
Zak Pukel moved to Green Bay the summer before his 8th grade year with one goal in mind, to put together a new refreshing form of local music. During the course of that year he met and befriended local guitar player Bo Waldrop currently playing with indie/rock outfit Auburnd. Coming together with two other local musicians they formed the political band 1$Thought. The outfit featured Bo on drums and Zak doing lead vocals. After one practice the group unofficially decided to call it quits. Bo went on to join local pop/punk favorite Deaf Child Area and Zak went back to writing lyrics for future projects.
The summer after that tumultuous year, Zak met local drummer Ethan Erlandson at Johannes Skate Park where the two often frequented to skateboard with local punks and musicians. Ethan introduced Zak to local metal guitar whiz Robby Solper and another skater named Josh Trezbiatowski. Ethan informed Zak Zak quickly agreed to fill the singer position. After the first practice with this new group Zak quickly came to realize he was no metal singer and decided to pick the bass up instead, Josh taking over on vocal duties. The band came to be called All Seven Executions featuring Robby on lead guitar, Ethan on the drums, Josh as lead singer/songwriter and Zak on bass and songwriting. While having a cult following ASX was never really gelled musically and only played a handful of shows, released a demo entitled “Disgraced by Angel Wings” and broke up in a hail of arguments and heartbreaks. Bo went on to join local indie group Sah Aliente Psuedo (fronted by local singer/songwriter talent Jaime Yanda, who had previously played guitar in Auburnd) while still playing for Deaf Child Area.
Once ASX had broken up Zak was left without a band until one day he met a local songwriter and hardcore/noise enthusiast Paydon Miller and was asked to come in on a project called Mylie Revisisted. The band was looking for a guitar player so Zak immediately thought of Bo. When Bo came to practice and auditioned he was chosen to be the bands lead guitar player but left the band due to creative differences with Paydon. Zak then suggested that they try his old guitar player Robby Solper. Robby joined up but left before the bands first gig. With time running short Zak called his old drummer Ethan Erlandson and asked if he wanted to come in on guitar. Ethan quickly agreed and the grunge/hardcore outfit West Memphis Three was born. After a string of a shows and a demo entitled “Down Home Cookin’” Zak left WM3 due to personal problems with Paydon. WM3 continued on with Ethan on guitar and replacing Zak on bass.
Bo called Zak about a month after Zak leaving WM3 and proposed a new project to him. Bo wanted to bring together like-minded free thinking musicians to create music that would not only be pleasing to the ears but would touch every nerve fiber in the body and take an audience on an emotional roller-coaster ride. It just so happened that Deaf Child Area and broken up around the same time that Zak had resigned from WM3. This new outfit needed an experienced and powerful drummer to lead the rhythm and Zak could think of no one else but his musical colleague Ethan Erlandson. Ethan agreed and took on drumming for the band while still playing for WM3. Zak and Bo decided to call the band An Affair To Remember after an old movie of the same name. Writing their first single “Annie, Get Your Gun.” An Affair To Remember began a career to deliver emotionally charged and socially conscience music to a public in desperate need to hear it. By this time it had been almost half a decade since Bo and Zak had come together with the same musical idea in both mind and heart.
On July 4th, 2006 Bo introduced both Zak and Ethan to local guitar extraordinaire Mike Dreckeschimdt and persuaded Zak and Ethan to allow Mike to audition for role of lead guitarist in the band. Warily, due to the fact that they enjoyed the three piece concept, they allowed him to audition. That audition and Mikes’ blistering guitar solo on “Annie, Get Your Gun.” were all it took to secure Mikes’ place in the band. The group quickly built up a cult following and were known for there extremely powerful sound and soul-touching live performance. Putting together a demo entitled “Big Sky. Open Hands.” which featured fan favorite “Annie, Get Your Gun.” as well as four new songs written by Zak and Bo.” Man Of A Thousand Memories” featured the bands increasing sense of inner rhythm and “ghost” music while setting the backdrop of a stranger coming to reflect on the age and personal sacrifice of a man broken by the sands of time and learning about himself in the process. “What It Takes To Be A Hero” is one of the most powerful songs AATR has yet to come up with, taking the antagonists personal reflection on the strengths and shortcomings of its’ hero only to realize that those strengths and short comings are his own. The first verse coming to a close only to reverse on itself and start the ride over again. The album also featured the band’s first attempt at trying to capture the intensity of it’s live performance with songs like “Bring In The New Year” a Pearl Jam-esque grunge tune about a New Year’s Eve quarrel between two lovers gone horribly wrong. And then like the proverbial icing on the cake there is the lovers ballad “I Regret To Inform The World Of The Following Information” showcasing the bands potent for pop hooks and lyrical brilliance this songs goes from a broken hearted breakup to a confession of the antagonists undying love and repentance for past sins. After about a year of playing in the Green Bay scene together and firmly establishing the “Jam-Band” idea and movement, Mike decided to part ways with An Affair To Remember. Citing creative differences and personal issues as his reasons Mike went on to join psychedelic pop rockers Manuit Orange. This was a devastating blow for An Affair To Remember and it forced the band to go into a hiatus. Zak, Bo and Ethan retreated to the basement of Bo’s house to rethink the goals and musical future of AATR….
Deciding to scrap all of the old AATR material save “Annie, Get Your Gun” and “What It Takes To Be A Hero” Zak, Bo and Ethan decided to reform An Affair To Remember adding a new darker, grungier sound to the mix. After jamming for a couple of weeks AATR decided to recruit the talent of Charlie Kriescher from local punk/hardcore outfit Dagingham. After one show with the band, Zak, Bo and Ethan decided to let Charlie go and pursue on as the three piece. On November 24th, 2007 An Affair To Remember recorded their entire live set at Harmony Café in Appleton, Wisconsin. Featuring “Annie Get Your Gun”. and a incredible take of “What It Takes To Be A Hero” with Codey Gerarden (frontman of psych freak-out The Darkest Of White) on leadguitar the set featured three new songs from the band. “The Words” a take on grunge heavy guitar laid with an instantly catchy pop hook and beating slap bass line this song centers on the bands take on the how a person can overcome any obstacle. The next standout track is the bands return to it’s hardcore roots. “When You Least Expect It” is one of the shortest songs in the bands repertoire, clocking in at just over three minutes. It has a Pantera like guitar and bass line layed over a chorus that would do both Kurt Cobain and UnderOath proud. The lyrics featuring a lover coming to terms with his loves’ shortcomings and the plan fate has for them both. “Brother” carried by it’s Sublime style reggae riff and blistering guitar work by Bo as well as the amazing technical drumming and throbbing bass rhythm is about the bands constant member-changing line-up as well as the bands increasing ability to find itself in it’s music and it’s members as well as identifying with the audience. The final track is a cover of “Minerva” by The Deftones. All three of the band members have been fans of this bands work for many years. This album “Live At Harmony.” is available by email request through the bands myspace.
Currently, An Affair To Remember is going into it’s home based studio to record it’s new demo entitled “Sessions From The Icebox.” Also in the works is some new acoustic material.
Thanks for checking us out. Hope to see you at a show.
hey guys, thanks a lot for checking us out, we really appreciate it. you guys really have a nice full sound to your music. we'd love to book a show, so just let us know when you'd like to. right now were just finishing out first cd, so we should be all ready by May or at the latest June. Thanks again!
haha you should talk to aaron cuz i really havnt talked to the company making the tee's since i made the C.O.C. shirts and aaron has used them lately talk to him on scenic clothing
idk im talking to a few people right now im not in a big rush becuase if i do put a full band together i know who i want to be in it but idk its hard with clashing scheduals
